Douglas Brooks – Japanese Plane Making

Program Dates: March 29 & 30 (must attend all)

Time:  9 AM - 4 PM

Price:  $175 for non-members, ISM Members receive 20% off

Many woodworkers dismiss wooden planes as either obsolete or too difficult to use. In fact they have several advantages over manufactured metal bodied planes, and for boatbuilders and other craftspeople who need customized planes, the chief advantage is the ability to make a specialized tool, whether it be a curved-bottom plane for backing out planking or a specialty rabbet plane.

Students will make a medium-sized Japanese-style plane, with a 2-1/4” wide blade. The plane body will be white oak, approximately 2-3/4” x 1-1/4” x 10”.

In this class we will first demystify the wooden plane, showing how it is tuned and used. Then each student will make a wooden plane in the Japanese style. All the skills taught in this course are applicable to making a Western-style plane and the two designs will be discussed. All materials including a blade will be provided for a small materials fee. Finally, sharpening will be discussed and students will get a chance to put a razor edge on their new plane.

No previous woodworking experience required. Students should bring chisels, a mallet, a square, hearing protection, and a ruler if they have them.

*Minimum age for the program is 18 years old.

Click here to register!

Instructor Bio:  Douglas Brooks is a boatbuilder, writer and researcher who specializes in the construction of traditional wooden boats for museums and private clients.  He worked in the Small Boat Shop at the National Maritime Museum in San Francisco from 1985-1990 and has since built boats at museums in Japan and across the United States.  He teaches classes in boat building and has written regularly for magazines like WoodenBoat, Classic Boat (UK), and KAZI (Japan). Brooks attended the Williams Mystic Seaport Program in American Maritime History, and he is a 1982 graduate of Trinity College (B.A. Philosophy) and a 2002 graduate of the Middlebury College Language School (Japanese). He lives with his wife Catherine in Vergennes, Vermont.  To see photos of his boats and learn more about his research, please