A very long time ago a good friend gave me this.

The blade is 2 7/16 wide.

I have had it for so long because I could never find enough wood to do what I want to do with it, and I am not certain I could do it, anyway.

I have this as well.

It's Sassafras, and about 30 inches long by about 1 and an eighth thick and 7 inches wide.

I also hve these.

They are offcuts of a board that came from an old barn. Black Walnut, about 3/4 thick by about an inch high.

I'm thinking of joining them and sandwiching them between the sassafras. That would give me a blank around 3x3, and I think after cutting away the trashy stuff I might get between 18 and 20 inches length.

My problems are as follows:

1- Sassafras is technically a hardwood, but low on the Janka scale. However, i have some maple around 1/8 thick that I could laminate onto the sole.

2- I have never attempted plane making.

I'm considering gluing the blank up, then sawing enough from each side to create a center blank the size i need for the b ed, then cutting that instead of hogging a mortise out, and laminating the sides back to it to make this plane. I think this is called Krenov style. correct me if i'm wrong.

Has anyone done this before, and does anyone know where a step by step diagram or tutorial with all relevant dimensions can be found. i really want something that is very well spelled out, as i need a jointer and i'd like this plane to actually work when I'm finished with it.

Thanks in advance for any help you might be able to give me.

Edited February 6Feb 6 by Handfoolery

Maybe this guy will have some ideas

https://www.youtube.com/@RexKrueger/search?query=wooden%20plane

Also, @MrRick makes them.

@steven newman , @MrRick, @Zack ,

Your input would be valuable for Mike. Don't doubt yourself Mike; you build guitars; you got this!

Check out Zack's thread on how he restored one.

Edited February 6Feb 6 by Grandpadave52

@Handfoolery As you mention, making a sandwich build up like Krenov style would be your best bet and fairly easy to do. I made a smoother that way in this post.

Making a Krenov-style jointer plane involves laminating a wooden body around a central core that houses the blade, typically using a 1-3/4" to 2" iron, a 5/16" brass cross pin, and a wooden wedge. The process requires milling a stable block, cutting it into three pieces (two cheeks and a core) to create the throat and ramp, and then gluing them back together, followed by flattening the sole.

You mention your blade is blade is 2 7/16 wide. You will have to account for this on your 3 part buildup.

There's alot of info making Krenov style planes on the net and YouTube. Here's one: Making a Krenov Style Plane - Australian Wood Review https://share.google/Y77JhN7CRUyXweh2i

Here's another: Krenov Style Hand Plane - Canadian Woodworking https://share.google/ar53NUaPG9NnVGzx5

Cheers!

MrRick

Edited February 7Feb 7 by MrRick

Thank you gentleman. MrRick, you mentioned the thread where you built it smoother but I didn't see a link. I'm pretty sure I can find it just by looking at your profile though appreciate everybody's help I'll take a look at these threads and see I can get from them. It'll be a while anyway because I'm still under the curse of the white death LOL. And I've got another project going right now. But I will do as much research as I possibly can before I try to do this and I'll post the b build thread whether or not I am successful or not

Sorry..I was trying to find the link. It's done. Look at "post" in my first sentence above.

The Australian Wood Review link will do nicely. Everything i need to build this plane is there.

Thanks a ton, gentlemen. I'll post a thread when I begin the project, assuming my wood works out..

Edited to add: I have a spare blade from a #4/#5. It's cambered because I used o use it in the #5 as a scrub plane until i figured out I prefer to work without one of those, lol. I'd have to square it up again, but I suppose I could use a 2" blade for a jointer without much issue. I'll decide when the time comes.

Edited February 7Feb 7 by Handfoolery

Look forward to seeing how it works out for you.

@Handfoolery Another approach you might consider in making a jointer plane is to make it a "transitional plane". I have one and it works very well.

Edited February 7Feb 7 by MrRick

10 minutes ago, MrRick said:

@Handfoolery Another approach you might consider in making a jointer plane is to make it a "transitional plane". I have one and it works very well.

Yes, i've seen them.

I reckon I'd have to buy or procure the metal parts for that. I am tryign to build with what I have on hand, hence cobbling together the pieces of wood that i have to hand.

If I had the budget I'd actually purchase new wood for this project, but alas, there is a reason i work with "reclaimed" wood. :)

I'm with you on this. I'd rather make it from all wood myself as I have many times. It was just a thought. Probably would be hard to find the upper part as well. BTW... Here's a chart you may find handy.

@Mr.Rick,

thanks. I will download that to my computer for reference.

I'm sure there's a parts kit for transitional planes somewhere. Maybe Lee Valley, but yeah, you'd almost need and old mostly unrestorable plane to scavenge.

The angles on the bed and the corresponding angle where the shavings eject both look to be 45 degrees. Is that correct?

And I think I'm building that jointer right there.

I have never used anything besides a block plane that had no handle; this could be interesting.

@MrRick , My blade and lever cap will be the tall variety. Do you foresee any issues with that?

Upper left, second figure down, "Detail 1 - Throat Details" gives the angles.

1 minute ago, Handfoolery said:

@MrRick , My blade and lever cap will be the tall variety. Do you foresee any issues with that?

I don't see a problem. Really depends where you normally place your hand. If it is too tall you can always replace it.

1 minute ago, MrRick said:

Upper left, second figure down, "Detail 1 - Throat Details" gives the angles.

Hate to say it, " but I told ya' so" back when you first joined up here, "you should be teaching courses on plane making."😉

Got your first student now and a mighty fine one I might add.😁

18 minutes ago, Grandpadave52 said:

Hate to say it, " but I told ya' so" back when you first joined up here, "you should be teaching courses on plane making."😉

Got your first student now and a mighty fine one I might add.😁

I concur on that recommendation.

The information you have given me is invaluable. I've been scouring the internet trying to find this info. I get some of it in one place and some in the other, and it's a pain to try to put it all together.

With what you have given me I'm fairly confident I can pull this off. I will definitely be doing this as soon as I can.

I have a series of videos i need to finish on my YT channel, then I will start up with this. IF I am ever able to go outside anymore. 😥

Edited February 7Feb 7 by Handfoolery

I was wondering if you could use parts from any transition plane . But in looking them up can see the metal on a jointer is much longer, and more expensive. I found mine in a flea market for I think 20. But I just saw some well over 100 in the search. I suppose some people think what they have is gold.