When you start looking around at woodworking plans you’ll soon realize that there are plans you need to leave alone and there are the best woodworking plans you’ve ever seen.
Some free plans I have found are very hard to read with confusing sizes, sizes placed where they seem to refer to 2 or 3 different areas or even dimensions that differ on alternate pages.
Some have a vital steps missing or the explanation is so hard to understand, it’s almost in another language.
Watch out for plans that come through the mail and turn out to be one huge tent like piece of paper that tangles and twists, eventually destroying precious information. And these enormous plan sheets are not rare. It’s a way of getting the plans done in the cheapest possible manner. Sounds implausible? Not really. You’ll eventually end up with plans like these if you don’t go after the best and will need a few bricks to hold them in one place.
Yes, problem plan sets like these do exist and many carpenters have had to work through this sort of a challenge. Especially if the plan is handed over by someone who found the design but wants someone else to build it.
Now don’t be disheartened by all this when you’re chasing good woodworking plans.
What all carpenters and home shop specialists are looking for are woodworking plans that are easy to read, simple to follow and completely thorough. From finished article photos or images to the entire materials and tools needed list.
The best woodworking plans that you find online have great diagrams, full and detailed videos of those difficult processes. Best of all, from the testimonials you’ll find others have already completed the project and often given a difficulty rating. Here’s my favorite place to get woodworking plans.
The top designers and draftsmen that supply online plans always give a money back guarantee because they’re absolutely confident that you’ll be able to follow their system from start to finish with ease. But if there is no money back guarantee, you might need to look elsewhere.
Also, try to get a whole lot of separate project plans that download with the original package. Once you’ve finished one project you’re sure to be keen on starting another. Especially during winter as this seems to be the time, when the weather keeps us home, that chairs, bureaus and kids toys keep appearing out from the home work shop.
If you download a set of plans, print them and set up a cupboard or filing system to keep everything in order. Add any notes on problem areas, any shortcuts or tips that you find along the way. Because one day you may want to build a matching piece and you’ll be thankful you recorded your own past experiences.
If you decide to go with the online downloadable plans, and I recommend you do, have a read through as many of the plans as you can within the guarantee period. Just to make sure they contain designs you’re happy with.
