On 12 Jan 2006 15:48:51 -0800, "Andy" wrote:

I'm wondering if its usefulness can be improved by mounting it in some
kind of holder.

I find a #80 very useful and pretty cheap. Certainly better than taking
one of my hand-held scrapers and trying to put it into a holder.

A #112 scraper plane is also an excellent device, although quite
different. It's a specialised stock-removal tool, not a finishing tool.
Mine is an old Stanley orignal and is a badly made dog. I usually use a
friend's Lie-Nielsen, which is much better. I also have a #12, which
isnt a patch on it - the #12 is too limited in use, because of the lack
of control from the broomstick handle. If you reach too far with it
across a large tabletop, then it doesn't have enough weight on it and it
chatters horribly.