found a plane shape I want to try first

[Matthew N. Masail]

The guy calls is an organic vertion of an ECE smooth plane, what do you think?

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Sqhs6fXg10U/UJ83yqf3PQI/AAAAAAAAAH8/9z_N05N3Yms/s1600/IMG_0400.JPG

[don wilwol]

I've got this Ulmia. I bought it to flip it but it worked so well I kept it. Its the same basic style.

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[Jim Koepke]

The guy calls is an organic vertion of an ECE smooth plane, what do you think?

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Sqhs6fXg10U/UJ83yqf3PQI/AAAAAAAAAH8/9z_N05N3Yms/s1600/IMG_0400.JPG

That looks like a joy to hold and use.

One thing if making a plane for my own use is to include groves or notches on the side for my fingers to grip or rest. This would also allow the plane to be held one handed. Not so much for in use as to hold while the other hand was inspecting the surface just planed.

jtk

[george wilson]

I call it bizarre!!!!! The front knob looks like a smurf trying to force its way out of the wood!!! Actually,what were those critters in the Lil Abner cartoon called? I think smurfs have different heads.

[Mel Fulks]

George,they were shmooz.....spelling might not be right. Their purpose was to make people happy.

[Bruce Haugen]

talk about a blast from the past. Shmoo, singular. Shmoos, pl.

[Matthew N. Masail]

lol :D ok The back grip is what matter more here

[Jim Matthews]

This is precisely illustrates the "saddle" I mentioned in the earlier post.

You could easily make a grip like this and attach it to your current Krenov plane.
If your drive hand "rides up", this would engage at the intersection of your thumb and first finger.

[Chris Griggs]

Despite the bizarre look of the front if you think about how it is likely meant to be held its probably quite ergonomic. At first glance to me it just looked like an undersized knob, but looking at it again its pretty apparent that the nub/ball in top is meant to sit in the web between ones thumb and pointer and that the rest of the fingers wrap around the front. Weird looking, but I bet its a very effective comfortable grip.

FWIW. A lot of folks felt that the LV shoulder planes were really bizarre looking when they first came out, but for a lot of consumers ergonomics won out. With that in mind this might be a design that worth experimenting with

[george wilson]

Sorry,the designer in me must have both ergonomics and good looks.:) I feel the same about the ladies,but then,we are the shallow males! Thank heavens,my wife is not the shallow female!!!:)

[Chris Griggs]

Sorry,the designer in me must have both ergonomics and good looks.:) I feel the same about the ladies,but them,we are the shallow males!

Can't argue with that. It really is weird looking, especially at first glance. I wonder if the design would look better and still be ergonomic if some of the curves were proportion differently and it had more deliberate crisp transitions and details, as apposed to gelatinous flow that the one shown has. I think its a cool plane (and even cool looking in its own way) but it does remind me of some type of cartoon slug.

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[Terry Beadle]

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Here's a plane I made using Krenov construction and Steve Knight's mouth piece. Rock Maple core, Brazillian Cherry wedge, cherry sides, and african mahogany mouth piece.
The hand stand on the tote end is very comfortable and I've been using this plane since July 2008. The blade is O2 provided by Steve Knight. Very good blade.

The hand stand is really worth the little effort it is to add it on.

Recommended.

[Matthew N. Masail]

OK I have to try it :) I don't know what I would do without your advice!
I agree it looks a little funny, but hey, working with a unique plane of your own making is something really cool too. I can't wait to get the first pine prototype up
and running.

[Pat Barry]

Matthew, Thank you for the inspiration. Reading your posts got me re-interested in building my own wooden plane so I ordered a blade set from Hock today along with a design plan and a shoulder plane kit to boot. Now I just need to find some nice wood to make it from. Not sure if I made the right choice with a 1 1/4' square cut blade or not but I figured there was no better way to find out. I suppose I'll stick pretty close to the plan though. Supposed to ship within 5 business days.

[Matthew N. Masail]

Hi Pat, I'm glad to hear that! a 1 1\4 inch blade is a nice size because narrow planes tend to sit really nicely in the hand, much easier to get the shape right than the 1 3\4 smoother I've
been fighting with. in any case you can always make a new body! if the plan one doesn't feel right. I wouldn't use precious wood until you get the shape down though. A shoulder plane is cool too, I made one but not from a kit, it's easy enough and the blade cost me 4$. I recommend making the escapement larger then the Hock kit. I'll be looking forward to your future posts about your plane :)