Woodworking a a fun, rewarding and dare I say easy hobby. It’s ease relies on finding good woodworking plans and designs. These plans are the key to getting a great finished product. You need clear, easy to understand, step-by-step instructions and then all you need to do is meticulously follow them and you are guaranteed a good result.
Woodworking plans are created by woodworking enthusiasts and designers with one thing in mind: to teach people how to replicate a woodworking project. The first thing that you should look for in woodworking plan is the list of materials. A good woodworking plan should contain two sub-lists:
Wood Supply List
The first sub-list gives you an idea how much wood is needed to create the item being described in the plan.
Tools List
The second sub-list, on the other hand, will tell you the tools that you need. This is extremely important, because it is in this part of the woodworking plan where the designer will share with the reader what kind of saws and adhesives to use. You’ll need to make sure you have all the right tools before starting the project. I recommend this is an area you go to when selecting your woodworking plan. As you should factor any new tools into your budget for the project.
Some woodworking plans come with 3-D drawings. 3-D drawings are helpful, but they are not necessary for the success of a woodworking project. It is actually more important to pay attention to the written instructions than to look at the images, because 3-D drawings are rarely perfect, and it is actually more difficult to follow a woodworking plan without having some text to refer to.
It is very important that you pay attention to the exact measurements needed, and be sure to note any special instructions (such as adding adhesives or spackle).
Also, it is a good idea to check the original source of the woodworking plan before starting a project, to make sure that there aren’t any updates or changes. Sometimes, woodworking enthusiasts update old designs to streamline production time, reduce overall project costs, and so on.
If the woodworking plan that you have is in digital form, it is highly recommended that you print out the plan so you can look at it when you are actually working on the project. I have nothing against tablets or laptops, but if you have to bring expensive equipment into your workshop while you are working, that may not be the most efficient (or safest) option.