# Where do you find plans for woodworking projects?



## Admin (Jan 4, 2010)

Where do you find plans for woodworking projects? 

Do you have sources where you buy them? 

Do you use programs like SketchUp or simply draw out your ideas on paper to create your own?


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## Mort (Jan 4, 2014)

The only set of plans I've ever worked from were from Jay Bates. I like to make stuff up as I go along, or just look at an example and go for it.


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## Toolman50 (Mar 22, 2015)

I make my own notes and rough sketches from pictures. I don't use purchased plans. 
I like to build furniture. I've learned that there are standard heights and depths to most common furniture pieces. For instance, most all coffee tables are within 2" of the same height. It's that way with tables, desk and chairs. My advice is to Stay with standard sizes.


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## difalkner (Nov 27, 2011)

Plans?? What is this of which you speak??


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

There is this guy that keeps trying to sell his plans here but keeps getting banned. :laughing:


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## hwebb99 (Nov 27, 2012)

Ted? Didn't he steal all of his plans anyway?


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

I ste- err, borrow ideas from pictures of pieces I like, then draw up plans in sketchup until I have something I like. Time consuming? Yes, but fun


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## difalkner (Nov 27, 2011)

I'm actually surprised that I don't use more plans. I have 5 years of mechanical/architectural drawing in school (high school and college) and excelled in it. Throughout my working career I've used and drawn plans galore for all kinds of things but even though I have the software and capacity to draw whatever I need, I design and build mostly from scratch.

Recently I built a side bender for acoustic guitars and grabbed a large sheet of paper something came wrapped in to make a quick sketch to work out some things I had going in my head. This is what it looks like on that paper - 









And same thing with the electronics - 









So that's my real story on plans... for now, anyway.


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## schnitz (Sep 5, 2009)

Chief's-Shop, Jay Bates, April Wilkerson, and (gulp) Facebook links. (I have an aunt who finds links from various outside sources.)


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## Leo G (Oct 16, 2006)

Plans? Show me a picture of what you want and I'll make my own plans. Most of the time I'm good enough so I can just wing most of the project. If not I'll jump on the CAD and draw up what I can't envision easily.


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## Mort (Jan 4, 2014)

Oh yeah, I got some plans from Al B Thayer on this site too for a dovetail jig that I still haven't gotten around to building. The plans are awesome though, I recommend them.


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## sharbin (Feb 21, 2013)

I still consider myself to be a novice. So far, I have built an end table, jewelry box, kiddie table and chairs, a mallet, and some shop cabinets. All of these were adapted from photos that I was shown and drawn up in sketch up. 

I have built one item from plans I found on Anna White's website. My D-I-L requested a dress up cart she saw on there. Anna's plans are great.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Keep in mind when you work from someone else's plans before long you have a bunch of parts that start looking more like a jigsaw puzzle to scratch your head over. When you draw your own plans you've thought the project out and know the purpose of all those parts and the correct order to assemble them.


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

There are woodworkers that prefer to work from plans, saves hours spent reinventing the wheel, these days a simple web search will come up with an answer to just about any request, some are free, some are for sale, your choice.


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## Burb (Nov 30, 2012)

If it's something I've made before, I usually use my experience more than written plans. If its something that I think I can build from looking at a picture, then I create my own "plans". On larger items, I tend to search for free plans on the internet. I've also looked other projects posted by woodworkers and then ask if they'd be willing to share any advice or info. I have purchased plans from Rockler & Woodcraft, though their plans can be found on many other sites as well.


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## Brian T. (Dec 19, 2012)

Wood carvers have several sources:
1. Buy or find (Google Images) pictures, even children's coloring books are OK.
2. Buy what's called a "rough-out" that somebody cuts with a bandsaw and sells.
3. Force of habit = carving 30 Santas in a row, they all come out a little different.
4. Gaining inspiration from the pieces of wood. I'd call it "seeing things in the wood." I have piles of wood everywhere for that. Usually results in many 11" x 17" pages of drawings and away I go!


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## hwebb99 (Nov 27, 2012)

I can design and build almost any contraption like my bowl lathe, but designing furniture or other wood working pieces doesn't get my creative juices flowing.


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## 4DThinker (Mar 13, 2013)

In my sketchbook(s). The sketch that starts a build may be an original idea, or inspired by something I saw elsewhere. Sometimes what gets built now is from a sketch I drew decades ago. Sometime I'll sketch out what is on my mind to build today then go build it.


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## SingleCarGarage (Nov 10, 2014)

It all starts with a rough idea, and than I build based on the materials i have laying around mostly. For me if I dont have the materials, i use a tape measure and paper/pencil and dream it up


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## 44260 (Aug 29, 2013)

I'm a wood turner and I get my ideas from a couple of different places. First off let me explain that when I'm looking I block out colors and strictly look at designs and shapes. When I go shopping with the wife she will go to look at shoes or clothes and I will go look at lamps, candle stick holders, bowls, anything decorative that I can possibly think of that I may be able to get an idea from and I take a picture of it with my cell phone. When I need an idea to turn something I will look through my pictures get an idea in my head, pick out a piece of wood and start turning. I may change a few things on the design as I'm turning but that's usually the way I turn anyway except segmented turning.


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## 44260 (Aug 29, 2013)

Sorry, I forgot to mention that I also take pictures from my laptop screen when I search Google or Etsy and places like that


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## Timothy (Jan 13, 2010)

Well, I may get smacked on the hand for this post but why not learn to draw your own? I teach drafting online and there are a number of other courses out there on the net.


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## rbm328 (Dec 13, 2015)

i'm just a novice when it comes to woodworking, but when i plan things, like Tim, i have to draw them out in autocad first. i've been drafting for over 20 yrs and its easier for me to see a project on a screen/board first. maybe after several projects (that turn out good), i'll be able to just hit the shop running and create something on the fly!
thanks
rich


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## Rebelwork (Jan 15, 2012)

Nothing complicated ever gets built without some drawings to actual size so I can visualize or see if its appealing to me. I've used ECabinets and Cabinet Vision solids for Basic cabinetry but nothing beats full size in front on you. I don't have the "key" for Cabinet Vision any more but a guy at work says he has it and states it works without the key. Guess I need to pull the wallet out.


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## Leo G (Oct 16, 2006)

Full sized plans.....


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## Rebelwork (Jan 15, 2012)

You used full size plans for the entertainment center?


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## jacko9 (Dec 29, 2012)

I learned drafting in high school and college so, while I get a lot of inspiration from the works of others that have been published my plans are pencil and paper.

If I'm building something difficult I'll make a full sized drawing complete with joint details. Some of the things I have built I have used secondary wood to build a test piece before milling very expensive lumber.

I have several binders of sketches and calculations, etc. I have a section of my shop where I hang templates for certain designs.

A lot of very good craftsmen publish their designs in places like Fine Woodworking magazine.


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## woodchux (Jul 6, 2014)

My Dad "taught" me at a very young age to increase my natural creative talent by learning to observe, remember, and draw, then to design to fill the required need. I always carry a measuring tape, paper, and pencil for those ideas that suddenly appear in my mind. Be safe.


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## 44260 (Aug 29, 2013)

Timothy, to answer your question I do sometimes draw out my designs also but when I'm turning I usually find a nice grain pattern or design that I want to show off so the whole design of the project gets changed anyway so that is why I just start with an idea in my mind weather drawn or from a picture. My turnings seldom come out exactly like I plan except my segmented work because that has to be planned or it will get screwed up.


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## MattS (Feb 17, 2010)

I look at how other people have built things, decide what I like or don't, and draw up my own plans on the back of junk mail envelopes after dinner. 

Later I transcribe those onto larger notebook pages and come up with my cut-list, my materials/requirements list (wood, sheet goods, fasteners, glues, finishes, sanding things, etc), compare that to what I have in the shop and then go hit the lumber yard and big box stores for what I need.


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## tom d (Oct 23, 2013)

I actually use almost nothing but plans for from sites that sell them so far. Am starting to branch out into self designed items. Taunton press, no affiliation at all, is quite good and very accurate.


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## mmwood_1 (Oct 24, 2007)

In my teens and early twenties, I used plans twice to build something. But you know, once you understand how things are made and how they fit together, plans become unneccesary. You can create your own designs. Basic geometry will cover pretty much all of the measurement calculations.


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## Timothy (Jan 13, 2010)

dirty-curty said:


> Timothy, to answer your question I do sometimes draw out my designs also but when I'm turning I usually find a nice grain pattern or design that I want to show off so the whole design of the project gets changed anyway so that is why I just start with an idea in my mind weather drawn or from a picture. My turnings seldom come out exactly like I plan except my segmented work because that has to be planned or it will get screwed up.


I hear ya. I've done it both ways and come up with mixed results. Two different projects come to mind. The first was a picnic table I built for the church. I messed it up on the first attempt using the plans but on the second try worked it out in my mind. Those plans weren't mine however. The other project was a water wheel that I tried from visualizing in the woodshop. After two attempts at building the wheel, I finally had to sit down and draw it in CAD. Here's the link to the drawings... 

I think I posted this one on woodworkingtalk some time ago, but can't seem to locate it. The water wheel worked out great only after I worked it out in a drawing.


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## L1011 (Feb 18, 2013)

I'm glad for this post as I've long been frustrated trying to find plans on the web. There are SO MANY scam websites for woodworking plans that finding the legit sites is maddeningly frustrating. 

As a novice woodworker, I'm happy to pay for a quality set of plans so I can learn. I'm thrilled an earlier post from this thread introduced me to Jay Bates. I've just spent the last two hours watching his videos and I'm going to buy his work table plans.


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