All of our Plaques are 100% Made in the USA. The wood comes from the United States. Then it is processed in the Midwest and all of our engraving and graphics are done right here in Kansas. We proudly support local businesses whenever possible.
What is a Plank Owner Plaque?
The Plank Owner Plaque dates back to the early days of nautical exploration when the wooden tall ships of the day were built and the name's of the maiden crew were inscribed on a plank on the deck of the ship. As time progressed the tradition changed, while still holding its core values. "The Plank Owner" is a title given to the first crew to serve aboard a ship. It is a special honor in the eyes of those involved in maritime activities. Plank Owner's develop a special relationship with their ship. The first crew is often considered the most important as they put the ship through trials and repair or fix problems that may arise. Not only is it a great honor, it is a huge responsibility. So much that it was standard practice of the United States Navy to allow the Plank Owner or their widow to request a piece of the wooden planking from the ship upon its decommissioning. Upon the arrival of the highly technical metallic ships of today’s nautical era, this tradition has since died. Often times the crew members receive ornate certificates to display but upon decommissioning they can no longer request a piece of the ship they helped make ready.
Who can purchase a Plank Owner Plaque?
While the term "Plank Owner" is traditionally for military ships, it has often times been used for bases, civilian ships, airplanes, and Special Forces Groups as well as business and research facilities. We personally feel it is a fantastic tradition that has stood the test of time and crossed the centuries. If you feel the same way and are commissioning a yacht, starting a new charity, building a new manufacturing facility, research project or were a Plank Owner on a ship at one time in your life, we would love the opportunity to work with you and design a custom plaque for your achievements. We only ask that you are a legitimate plank owner and provide some sort of proof that states this. Obviously, in the case of a newly commissioned ship, business, or group this is quite easy especially if you are the owner, captain, leader, or manager. In the case of past Plank Owner's we ask for some form of legitimate proof that you were a plank owner of what you are wanting to commemorate. We only ask that you do this to uphold the traditional use of this name and to keep it special. We want to help you commemorate your achievements forever in our wood plaques in a way that can be passed down for generations.
How do I purchase a Plank Owner Plaque?
If you are just looking for a small number of plaques please fill out the form above near the pricing. Please select a reasonable date in which you would like to receive it, then choose a size. Below that there are 2 areas where you can upload images, logo's, or even a document with your design idea's. Below that there is another area where you can place any text you would like on the plaque. If you have a vast amount of information and you feel it makes it too difficult to use this interface, please feel free to email us at sales@creativelasering.com with all of your information after you have placed your order. If you are a leader of your respective plank owner group and are interested in purchasing a large quantity of these planks for your whole crew please feel free to email us or call us at (913) 345-1581 as we have special prices available for large quantity orders. Whether you are a small or large customer we will work directly with you to design a custom plaque specifically for you or your group. There is nothing cookie cutter about what we do and we have been doing it for over a decade.
What is acceptable artwork?
We can use a variety of file types and formats. All artwork sent will be converted to black and white or greyscale before imprinting. In our example image above the ship was processed by us from a 3D rendering of a ship that had not been built yet. Due to the dynamic range limitations of laser engraving the relatively flat lighting produced by the rendering made for a fantastic result in the engraving. The amount of detail that can be put into the engraving is quite amazing. We have used some high quality photos with sucess as well as your typical logo's and text. If you only have ideas but not much in the way of artwork please feel free to express those ideas to us in a phone call or an email. We have quite a bit of stock artwork on file that may or may not fit your needs. We can also help you source the proper artwork for your design. We look forward to hearing from you.
- Deep discounts available for large quantities, call or e-mail us for a quote
- No set up charge for text and black and white logos
- Quick turn-around (In stock items)
- Pre-production proofs with every order
- For indoor use only
