Krenov-style homemade plane

[Micah Moyer]

Hello all,

I've been lurking and enjoying all of the posts for a while now, but I thought I'd share my recently completed project. It's a Krenov-stlye mini-handplane. It's roughly 4" long by 1 1/4" wide. I didn't plan on what style planning I would use it for before I made it so I just used a bed angle of 45 degrees and honed the blade perfectly square. I figure it will work nice putting chamfers on something.

For the iron I used 3/16" thick by 3/4" wide O-1 tool steel bought from McMaster-Carr, hacksawed it, rough ground, heat treated to approx. Rc 63, then final honed it.

I used an unknown tropical hardwood I bought in a 700 pound cutoff skid. (If you have any clues what it is I'd love to hear from you.) I don't have a jointer or a planer, so I cut the sides with a backsaw, then did my best at planing them square and flat with my Stanley 4. For my next one (once I get the time!) I'll use my table saw to cut the sides. I generally followed David Finck's book and definately recommend it to others. Although there are many flaws in the plane I'm very pleased with the results. Since the pictures were taken I've rounded out the heel and toe so it fits nicely in my hand.

Keep the posts comin....love to read them.

[Zahid Naqvi]

As they say the plane is nothing more than a blade holder. I have used the same book and it is certainly very informative, albeit limited to one type of plane(s).

[Lars Thomas]

Great job on the plane. I'm always happy to see home made planes. Lars

[John Schreiber]

I really want to do that some day. Yours looks like a winner.

[Michael Pilla]

I'm always impressed by people who make their own plane irons. I have a pile of store-bought irons waiting patiently for new homes. I also have a thing for mini planes although I can't even begin to explain why. You did a nice job here, it actually looks larger in the photo than the dimensions you listed.

It's hard to tell about the wood species but if I were to guess I'd say granadillo or goncalo alves?

Michael

[Ben Grunow]

Nicely done!

I just made my first and I am hooked. Where did you get the steel for the blade?

Very smart to include a shaving on that clean white surface... I did not and took somewhat of a beating recently.

Ben

[Don Orr]

Really nice job on the plane and blade. I'm curious if you tempered it at all after hardening. The curly shaving is excellent. It's possible the wood is canary wood. Not positive though. Great job!

[Micah Moyer]

Thanks for the comments guys. I bought the steel from McMaster-Carr. I bought something like 8 or 10 feet of material for around $50. I figure I will make many more planes, plus I can use the steel for some other woodworking tools such as marking knives and plane floats.

The blade is not tempered. After it was hardened I tested the hardness and it was right where I wanted it, so I left it alone. I actually did not do the heat treating myself, I brought the iron to my work, which has a small oven and gave it to one of our experienced tool and die makers to heat treat it for me.

[Ron Petley]

The blade is not tempered. After it was hardened I tested the hardness and it was right where I wanted it, so I left it alone. I actually did not do the heat treating myself, I brought the iron to my work, which has a small oven and gave it to one of our experienced tool and die makers to heat treat it for me.[/quote]

The guy at work must have tempered it for you or it would be very hard and very brittle, it would chip or break very easy. I have made some knives and they can be easily broken with my fingers before tempering.
Chers Ron.