The company is called Rainbow Playnz® and it's gearing up to take on the big guys.
"We're woodworkers who know how to market to young people. And Gen Y is going to looooove our planes" says spokesperson Dylan Cooper.
He's not the only one who thinks so. At least one big name is investing in the fledgling company. Take a look under the hood of the company's #4 1/2 smoother plane (last photo). Yeah. It's what you think it is.
Rainbow Playnz is counting on the fact that young people love bright colors and connecting with friends. So, why not enjoy both while woodworking? The company is planning to offer a full line of planes in every color of the rainbow.
Think Gen Y'ers will go for it? Brandon Richwine, a 20-year-old from the
company's focus group thinks so. "OMG—it totally matches my iPod!" he says.So, how does Rainbow Playnz manage to colorize metal in so many bright hues?
"We don't—they're plastic," says Cooper. The planes are made from material produced through injection molding. They will always retain their shape, the soles do not require lubrication or rust prevention, and they're lighter weight and can be made much less expensively than metal planes.
What about the phone feature—won't it get damaged in use? According to Cooper, it's recessed into the sole, so it never touches your workpiece.
So, is the woodworking world ready for Rainbow Playnz? Somehow, I can't quite picture the 60-somethings in my woodworking club using pink handplanes.
Wait......I'm getting a visual. :D
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25 comments:
April Fool's!! I hope :) though a pink hand plane hrmm....I had once joked with my personal trainer friend about hello kitty pink dumbells ;). I'm sure there's gotta be a market for these items!!
Oh my... The scary thing is someone probably would try to do that. My planes ringing let me get that slice. I just took off a razor thin slice of my cheek.
I kinda dig the logo however.
Grover
Always a pleasure to see your blog on 1 April. A day dedicated to me and those like me.
Scott
Kinda bummed: green's my favorite color -- I would **love** a green plane like that!
To the (fictional) spokesperson: not sure that "lighter" planes are advantageous. :)
--GG
You mean there's a Gen Y and they've grown up? I can just feel the calcification of my joints hearing that.
In the real world, someone did make a Stanley Number 3 iPhone Dock.
http://theparttimewoodworker.blogspot.com/2010/01/dont-scoff-it-works.html
Congratulations! You're my first April Fools joke of the day! At 6AM no less.
Sweet! Do they come with a cool belt case or is that separate?
I'd have the paint wore off that thing in a week...LOL
Didn't Stanley already do this for the baby boomers with the "Handyman" series of planes?
Ouch - too soon? ;-)
I got to test a prototype iPlane. Only real problem I found compared to the Lie-Nielsen was that when broadband dropped I got lots of tearout.
S. Graham
You may very well have too much time on your hands... :)
Kari,
I love the iPlane and the resulting chin scar will be the new body art statement!
Frank
Kari,
I wonder if you are considering becoming a distributor? :) I am sure the flood of orders will start..
I will take one in royal blue.
Al
Maybe you can get an app that will calculate how much tear out you can expect from any given piece of wood after taking a test stroke.
comment from my wife Susan the techie.
You know that woodworkers seem to be even weirder than techies.
Of course you could never use this phone.....
everyone knows you need to keep your phone turned off on a plane
I've always wanted a "Hello Kitty" hand plane... they are, like... so hot!
Thanks for the fun post... So well done!
This all started because my partner asked me the other day "Does anyone make plastic planes?"
She didn't ask that . . . did she?
I'm glad to see them in plastic. Every time I answer my cast iron iPlane, I'd get a concussion.
How about a special plastic that senses your emotional state? A Mood iPlane.
Kari
Got a thought on the way home can you check to see if a Blue toothed blade available?
Are you sure she wasn't asking about these:
http://philip.greenspun.com/flying/plastic-airplanes
Im a little embarrassed to admit this, but I totally fell for that.
I almost tried to buy one for my wife !!
Dave
Hi Kari - better even than Rob Lee's this year!
Happy Easter...watch out for the eggs - Rob
She did, John. And after I got done laughing, I thought, "Hey...great idea!"
Don, that's in the works for next year. ; )
Michael, if it's one thing I've taught her is the difference between shaving planes and flying planes. Tendons and tenons are next.
Dave, sweet!!
Thanks, Rob. :o)
Cheaper and higher quality then stanley's current offerings!
-Tom
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