# Hand Engraved Planes



## layne (Aug 31, 2011)

I'm new to this forum and I thought I'd introduce myself by showing ya'll some of my work. I run a little shop called Cajun Handplanes in Baton Rouge. I specialize in the restoration and Hand Engraving of Stanley and other planes. Now that I'm up and running full time, I'd appreciate some input and critique of the work. Family and friends always love what you do but I think the critique of strangers is the most telling. Hope you guys like these planes and please drop me a line if you like the work or would like to commision a job. You can see a bunch more photos of my work on my website.
Thanks,
Layne Zuelke
www.cajunhandplanes.com


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## crank49 (Apr 7, 2010)

Nice work.
Do you use a Graver Max or similar machine, or is that purely hand power? 
I see a couple of your gravers in the photos.
I didn't know grey iron could be engraved like that.


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## racerglen (Oct 15, 2010)

Very nice work ! I'm not sure what collectors think of them, but I can certainly apreciate the art form, a continuation of a long standing tradition.


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## RogerBean (Apr 25, 2010)

Layne,
As one who has been a bit of gun engraving, I will say that I like your work on planes! Perhaps I should pull out the ol' dusty Gravermeister and adorn some of my tools. I like both your designs and your execution. Nice work.
Roger


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

can you teach me to do that!!


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## tom427cid (Aug 21, 2011)

Wow,It does make a statement. I like it! Who cares what the collectors think,this is art and IMO should be on a tool that is used. I can think of a couple of planes that I use almost daily that the engraving would elevate it from a rather commonplace tool to a VERY special one.
Thanks for sharing,great work.
tom


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## CharlieM1958 (Nov 7, 2006)

I've admired your work on eBay many times.


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## layne (Aug 31, 2011)

Thanks for the comments guys. I've been happily suprised by collectors and I've engraved quite a few rare planes for folks all over the world. The rule of fine engraving is, like the hypocrtic oath. First do no harm. In any engraving , the finished piece should be worth more than what the tool or gun was worth as it sat, by the value of the engraving applied. I do know that my work has risen in value over the last year as collectors have been willing to pay more for the work. I let the market dictate. It is definately an investment.
LZ


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## Maverick44spec (Aug 7, 2011)

Those are beyond beautiful. Very nice work Layne. How long does it usually take to engrave a plane?


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

wonderful work.welcome to Ljs


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## derosa (Aug 21, 2010)

I've seen your work on ebay and I've loved the results. Maybe sometime soon I can toss a plane or two your way, I've got one I'd love to have done.


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## WayneC (Mar 8, 2007)

Very nice. I had seen your work a number of times on ebay. Good to see you on the site.


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## BarbS (Mar 20, 2007)

Beautiful work, and Welcome to Lumberjocks!


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## layne (Aug 31, 2011)

Thanks again guys for the comments. This is about the most active woodworking forum I've ever experienced. To answer the question about how long it takes to engrave a plane, It depends. A #4 would be a good place to start. A standard scroll engraving takes around 4-6 hours. If I add a punchdot background to that it adds another 2 hours at minimum. It is time consuming work but then again all good precision handwork is. Woodworkers of all people know this. I love to do it though so the time goes by. And, every job is different. My neck, back, elbows and wrist do pay the price though!
Layne


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## wingate_52 (May 14, 2011)

Nice work! What processes do you go through when restoring a plane, prior to engraving?


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## lysdexic (Mar 21, 2011)

I assume you did the engraving on Chris Schwarz's #5 the he likes to photograph and feature in his DVDs.


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## jace_robert (Aug 16, 2011)

Beautiful work just a little fancy for my taste but I am a user of tools. Would love to see your work in another medium wood being the first I could imagine! Thanks for shareing and welcome to the club!


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## MrDan (May 26, 2009)

Magnificent work!


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## layne (Aug 31, 2011)

Nope. I did not engrave Chris's #5 although I'm preparing sketches do do a #4 Lie-Nielsen Bedrock for him. I'd love to take credit but that is the work of Catharine Kennedy. She's my only partner in crime in plane engraving. She and I are the only folks I know of engraving planes almost exclusively. Our styles are very similar but if you studied them side by side, you would notice the each is unique to the engraver. We can instantly tell our work apart. Both are mostly based on traditional English and American gun engraving styles but with our own twist. That is the wonderful thing about this art. An engravers style is like his own unique fingerprint or signature. 
Treat yourself and get in touch with one of us. You (and your heirs) will never regret it!
Thanks Ya'll,
Layne
www.cajunhandplanes.com
www.catharinekennedy.com


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## WayneC (Mar 8, 2007)

Layne if you add "http://" in front of the URL's they become linkable…

http://www.cajunhandplanes.com
http://www.catharinekennedy.com


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## layne (Aug 31, 2011)

Thanks for the tip and here is Catharines new website.
http://www.toolengraver.com


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## WayneC (Mar 8, 2007)

Your welcome. Some fun stuff on her site as well.


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## maljr1980 (Sep 4, 2011)

very nice work, i wish i had some planes for you to engrave, i only have a cheap stanly box plane from lowes and a buck brothers mini plane, and they have the black sides, im afraid not much you could do with them


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