A plane I made.

[Paul Saffold]

After seeing the Isaac Fisher video on YouTube on shaping a Krenov style plane, and then Derek Cohen recent thread about making a gazillion planes on a weekend, I got off my duff and blew the dust off David Finck's book that I have had for years.


This is my first woody, a Krenov style smoother, 8", 55* bed, 2" Hock blade, from 4/4 Hickory and a cherry wedge. I bought the Hock blade several years ago from a SMCreeker. I've been looking for the perfect wood and gave up. So this one is glued up from the hickory. The mouth is really tight. To see the mouth I have to look from the wedge side towards a light. For the first time I can plane curly maple and curly cherry and not get tear out. I hate using sandpaper. The hickory sole may not holdup very long but there are remedies for that if necessary. I may tweak the shape,but so far it feels pretty good.

C & C welcome.


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[Chris Griggs]

Cool! Sounds like your first plane is working really well. Congrats. Making your own tools is so satisfying.

[Matthew N. Masail]

looks good Paul. seems like you got one of the most important parts perfect - the mouth opening! well done! I hope the body shape works out for you.

[don wilwol]

well done. It looks like you made all the right choices on your first one!!

[Mike Holbrook]

Hickory is an under used wood in my opinion. Roy Underhill did an entire segment on Hickory and its many uses. It makes great tool handles so it has to be reasonably tough, splitting dried logs for smoking foods will convince you of that. Lets us know how that plane holds up.

[Ron Hock]

Nice work, Paul!

BTW, the mentioned video is available at http://www.hocktools.com/videos.htm

[Paul Saffold]

update


Not that I’ve used it much. Just playing around enough to realize it was too clunky. With a 2" blade and boxy shape it was too much even for my large hands. Remembering something David Weaver said in another thread about coffin smoother shapes having evolved the way they were for a good reason, I did a bit of contouring with the bandsaw, rasp and files. It won’t be mistaken for a coffin smoother but it is more comfortable. Time will tell when I have a project where I get to use it for a while if more modifications are needed. Also, I cut down the front projection on the wedge a little. I like having the front lip and the notches on the side to help get a grip when removing the wedge. I like the 3.5 " blade. My fore and middle fingers comfortably curl over the blade and wedge when I'm pushing with the heel of my hand. That couldn't happen with a longer blade.

Now a question about storage. I can foresee not using this plane for months at a time. Should I remove the blade and wedge, or at least loosen them. My concern is humidity changes causing the wedge to get stuck and/or damage the plane. Any recommendations appreciated.

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[george wilson]

I can nearly guarantee that the weak top of the wedge will break off the front edge unless you are always very gentle with hitting it.

[Paul Saffold]

Yes, of course George. I made an adjusting hammer. Oak head. 3 oz total weight, including handle. Crude by your standards but effective.

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[David Paulsen]

Hey Paul, congrats on the plane... I really like the look. Very natural. And I dig its "chubbyness"!

I have always been told to loosen the wedge when you are not using the plane for more than a day or two. I loosen it completely, and then snug it again, just so, with mild finger pressure. So when you come to pick it up, the iron won't fall on the floor, or your foot.