Now Available - Kerfing Plane Kit for the Stanley No 50 Light Plough Plane

[enjuneer]

After much testing and redesign to improve functionality and reduce cost, the Loon Lake Tool Works Kerfing Plane Kit for the Stanley No 50 Light Plough Plane is ready! The three components in the kit will convert nearly any Stanley No 50 into a kerfing plane used to prepare lumber for resawing with a rip handsaw. A shallow kerf cut into all four sides of the board will encourage the saw to follow the cut without the need to constantly check on the whereabouts of the saw blade, drastically improving the quality of the cut, while reducing sawing time and effort.

To see it in action, check out Chester Spier's excellent video on YouTube. This was done with an early prototype, but the function is the same.

Absolutely no permanent modifications are required to attach the components to the plane. On later models equipped with the cutter adjustment lever, the lever, screw, and nut must be removed so that the blade sits flat against the body of the plane. Each kit comes with complete instructions to install and adjust the components on your plane.

The progressively-toothed rip saw blade slides over the fence rods and is held straight by a stainless steel backing plate. Both pieces are sandwiched between the body of the plane and the sliding section, which uses the original wing nut to hold everything secure. The original fence is used to set the location of the cut on the edge of the board. The new depth stop with a longer rod is used to set the total depth of cut.

Note: this purchase is for the three components in the kit only. A plane is not included. You must supply that.

The kit is priced at $85 plus shipping (US and International)

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[paul2004]

What a cool idea. I'm just curious, what is the thickness of the kerf of the blade?

[enjuneer]

What a cool idea.  I'm just curious, what is the thickness of the kerf of the blade?

The blade itself is 0.042 inches thick, similar to many rip saws. The teeth are then set to closely match the kerf of a typical saw. Ideally, the kerf cut with the plane is slightly wider than that of the rip saw which will guide the blade without letting it dig into the sides of the kerf.

[taxman]

Very cool. Will this work with either a #45 or #55?

[enjuneer]

Very cool. Will this work with either a #45 or #55?

This particular kit will not fit the #45 or #55, but I am in the process of designing a kit for the #45. I do not own a #55, so I'll have to find one to learn how the major dimensions compare on these two planes to determine if a single kit will work for both.

[enjuneer]

One of my first customers of this product put together a great YouTube video showing how to set up the kit on a Stanley No 50 and how to use it to cut a kerf for resawing. He also shows a few other uses for a kerfing plane, including rabbetting and string inlay. Pretty cool!