Lasered planes

[George Beck]

Hi all

I like to make planes in the Krenov style. I have made maybe six of these tools over the years and I use them. I also do some laser engraving. Recenetly a friend ask me to "checker" a pistol grip for him. So I was adjusting some setting on walnut and I thought "hmmmmmmm..... I wonder what a hand plane would look like with checkering?" I have never seen one. Here are the first two planes I have made introducing Lasered checkering and design. I think they look neat and the "checkering really does provide a nice grip. One is Cherry with a hard maple soul and a basket weave pattern and the other is walnut with a rosewood soul that I call my lil yorkie(pitch is 50%). Let me know what you think.

George

[George Beck]

Here are some additional photo's. The cherry plane had a lovely bit of birdeye on it , so I designed the "grip" around it so it shows. Here is the lil yorkie taking some shavings on some pretty curly cherry.

[Dominic Greco]

George,
Well number me amoung thouse that like them! I think they look cool as hell!

[Bill Houghton]

You're gonna start a new trend here, George. Everyone will have to have checkering on their planes.

Very nice. The "lil yorkie" is a nifty little plane. It's already reminiscent of an early 30's runabout car or boat, and the checkering adds to that.

It's interesting...in a lot of ways the making of wooden planes is refreshing the Continental (more than English, from what I understand) practice in the 16th-18th centuries of decorating the planes, presumably as a point of pride.

[Ron Petley]

Wow, exelent!!!
Cheers RON

[george wilson]

It is amazing how accurately laser beams can be made to move !

[Chuck Hamman]

George,
I love your planes, and the checkering is awesome. I think you've got something there.

Actually JK did use checkering on some of his planes, although not as pretty as yours. His would have been hand cut with a knife or a carving tool. I don't have any pictures of JK's to post, but here is a copy I made of his cocobolo polishing plane. I cut the checkering with a Dremel tool.

Regards,
-Chuck

[Jim Koepke]

Neat.

It has often come to mind to do some engine turning on one of my iron bodied planes. Guess that is another thing to add to the list.

jim

[philip marcou]

That looks nice indeed, but I admit to be disappointed: I thought I was going to see real checkering, as seen on rifles etc, the kind done with a checkering tool. Checkering tools are basically vee shaped files, and there is some skill in getting it right.

[George Beck]

Thank you all very much for your comments. I admit to much trepidation at showing my work and I appreciate the feedback.

Chuck- i love the little smoother. I always loved that shape of Krenov.

Phillip_ I have great admiration for your planes. They are truely world class masterpieces. When this idea started forming in my head I was considering checkering tools. I actually have a set of checkering tools and I like the hand tools. These planes are actually shaped using Auriou rasps. I like working with files.

When I started with the laser I considered it separate from my woodshop. My idea was to use the engraving business (I also rotary engrave) as a means to support the woodshop. The laser was used to etch glass and make dog collars and name tags. It still baffles me that people balk at $450 for a finely made dovetailed box but happily pay me $25 for a plywood picture frame that says "Love" on it. This experiment is my attempts to introduce lasers and CNC routers into traditional woodworking. It opens all kinds of design possibilities. I still think finely detailed checkering looks nicer.

Thanks to everyone for looking.

George

[Richard Dooling]

Very nice! Very sporty – does that make them move faster over the wood?

This has got me back on the idea of making a shooting board plane and the Krenov style seems approachable.

Anyone with suggestions for books or articles about the process? I know there is a ton of material written about plane making, but what’s good?

Any special tools like a plane makers float required, or is that a nice to have?

Thanks

[Roger Barlow]

way cool! Now inlay some contrasting wood and checker it!

[John Shuk]

The planes look great. At first I noticed you wrote SOUL instead of SOLE. I think it is an appropriate replacement word though.

[Richard Dooling]

Crud, sorry. I searched this forum and found what I was looking for. Should have done that first.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

way cool~!! I mean really. Totally way cool and I'm staggerblasted I ain't seen it before.

You might want to delete this thread and see about getting yourself a utility patent.