# What is the difference between woodworking plans and projects?



## Johnn (Sep 12, 2011)

Hello everybody,
I'm searching on the internet about woodworking and i see stuff like
"woodworking plans" and "woodworking projects". Is that the same thing? If not, what is the difference?


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*generally speaking*

Projects are made from Plans...except when they are not as in "winged it" or from a sketch. :blink:
Plans are more specific or formal, full size or scale drawings listing materials, no of pieces, attachments and joinery etc.
A Project may just be someone's completed work...depends.


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## Johnn (Sep 12, 2011)

*Hey thanks for the quick answer.*

So... do you mean that projects are the end results of the plans.
I mean, a project can be a shed or a small barn, and the plans are just the plans that shows you how to build it, am I right?

Another small question, what is a woodworking pattern??
Thanks!


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## phinds (Mar 25, 2009)

Projects don't require plans. I manage to screw up most of my projects whether I have done up a plan or not.

Plans, on the other hand, are useless unless someone uses them to do a project.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Patterns are patterns no matter*



Johnn said:


> So... do you mean that projects are the end results of the plans.
> I mean, a project can be a shed or a small barn, and the plans are just the plans that shows you how to build it, *am I right?*
> YES.
> Another small question, what is a woodworking pattern??
> Thanks!


A dressmakers pattern is made of paper and is copied onto or laid on the material to be cut. Same as for wood except it's made of wood, hardboard, plexi or other durable material. Generally used on a shaper with a "rub collar" or with a hand held router and a "pattern" bit with rides on the pattern and removes everything that doesn't resemble the pattern below or above it. The pattern must be "affixed" to the workpiece or you won't get a good result if it can shift. :thumbdown:
A pattern can also be a full size drawing from a plan for a project.


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## Johnn (Sep 12, 2011)

*I still don't understand what is a pattern.*

Thanks you all for the help, and I stiil dont understand what is a woodworking pattern.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

A pattern is similar to a *template* which is identical to the finished piece you want. It can be made of wood, usually a little thinner say 1/2" or so, and is used with a router or shaper and a bearing or bushing. You start with a rough shape of material slightly bigger ,say 1/4" or so than the finished piece you want. Then a router or shaper is used to remove the extra wood. A bushing/bearing rides on the template and the cutter removes the extra wood leaving the shape of the template remaining. 

A pattern is usually of wood or paper, is used to trace the shape of the finished on a workpiece, then a bandsaw is used to cut on the line and remove the extra wood. *Essentially a pattern is a duplicate of the finished piece.*

Take a coffee can and trace it on a piece of wood. That is your pattern. Take a shoe trace it on a piece of wood, that's your pattern. Patterns are usually used to make more than one of the same shape, to duplicate that shape over and over.  bill


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Johnn said:


> Hello everybody,
> I'm searching on the internet about woodworking and i see stuff like
> "woodworking plans" and "woodworking projects". Is that the same thing? If not, what is the difference?





Johnn said:


> Thanks you all for the help, and I stiil dont understand what is a woodworking pattern.


 







A plan could be a project, or it could be just a plan. A project doesn't necessarily need a plan. A plan could just be an idea that exists nowhere except in your mind. A project could be the same thing, an idea that is just a thought, and not necessarily one that gets initiated. Both infer that there is an amount of information that exists as an informative entity.

A woodworking pattern can be derived from a plan or a project. A pattern may have it's own plan, and turn out to be its own project. Hope this clears it all up.












 







.


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## BWSmith (Aug 24, 2010)

Semantics really but...........whilst we may or may not have drawn,scaled "plans".


We ALWAYS have a plan......plan of attack,plan of sequences,plottin and planning,planning makes perfect,ect.ect.BW


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## mackem (May 20, 2007)

You can plan on making a pattern for
making a project. :blink::huh:


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## braumab (Oct 31, 2011)

Yeah, projects come from plans! :]


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

BWSmith said:


> Semantics really but...........whilst we may or may not have drawn,scaled "plans".
> 
> 
> We ALWAYS have a plan......plan of attack,plan of sequences,plottin and planning,planning makes perfect,ect.ect.BW


Carefull now. Some of us may not always have a plan. And the end work shows tha lack thereof. I am guilty of this.

George


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