Nice video about Larry Williams

[Kees Heiden]

Hey, I liked it. http://wisdomofhands.blogspot.nl/201...-and-more.html

[Derek Cohen]

Thanks for the link Kees.

Excellent viewing. I wish Larry (and Don) all the very best.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Graham Haydon]

Thanks Kees, a nice snippet into Larry's world.

[george wilson]

Of course,we made the great bulk of planes used in the museum. I saw nice molding planes and hollows and rounds that Larry made in the cabinet shop. We were glad to get some outside help at the time,since Jon and I were tasked with making every tool you can think of for the entire Historic Trades Department. Plus special executive gifts for visiting heads of states,and retiring high ranking administrative personnel.

It was too much for just 2 guys.

[David Weaver]

Presume you and jon made all or most of the bench planes that were used in the museum, as well as the saws?

[Steve Voigt]

Great video, thanks for posting Kees! Larry and Don are awesome. I wonder if anyone would be making traditional wooden planes today if it weren't for those guys.

[george wilson]

We did make the bench planes used in all the Historic Area shops. Some special molding planes,and the cooper's jointers also. Saws too. And many other tools.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Thanks Kees, that was fun.

[David Weaver]

When Larry says no improvements until they came along (can't remember what he said exactly), I'd hope he's not talking about the bench planes.

We're aware of a significant improvement between the common single iron bench planes and what's generally available today!!

[Kees Heiden]

He might have one or two curious opinions , but overall I think the guy has done great work.

[george wilson]

I have made a few posts here,but I have deleted them,and modified them,because no doubt someone will be offended.

David,he said to the effect that the 18th. C. planes were the most sophisticated planes ever invented. But,he still uses single irons only. Double irons were in use by then,even advertised in a Philadelphia ad in the 1780's IIRC.

[David Weaver]

He might have one or two curious opinions , but overall I think the guy has done great work.

Larry might not agree with this, but the best thing he's done to date is release the DVD that shows the rest of us how to make an excellent plane on the first try. I don't mean that to minimize his planes, I mean that DVD really does have immense value beyond anything else out there to someone who wants to make side escapement planes without any trial and error.

The only unfortunate thing being how difficult it is to find good dry truly quartersawn beech.

[Warren Mickley]

Great video, thanks for posting Kees! Larry and Don are awesome. I wonder if anyone would be making traditional wooden planes today if it weren't for those guys.

I made my first wooden planes in 1975. The double iron jack plane I made in 1978 was copied from an 18th century Dominy plane, and is the only jack plane I have used since then. I knew other guys who were making traditional planes at that time as well.

[george wilson]

I was making decent planes as far back as the late 50's. Not manufacturing them,though.

[David Weaver]

I was making decent planes as far back as the late 50's. Not manufacturing them,though.

I'm sure if larry didn't sell moulding planes to CW, you would've been tasked with it. Maybe not something you'd have wanted to do in large numbers, either.

I went and rewatched the video and thought that it was a bit on the overconfident side to state that no other plane so sophisticated has been made since the 1700s. Larry would not like to hear it, but none of his planes are the equal of the try plane that i showed on here that was made by an english maker, and it's had probably 125 years or more to show its age and has chosen not to.

Maybe he just meant the moulding planes, though, who knows?