I've noticed that many woodworkers and makers with a presence on platforms like YouTube often sell plans for the projects they've showcased. I'm curious about a few things regarding these plans. How well are they usually made? Is it reasonable to expect these plans to be mostly accurate and without errors, or should I prepare to make adjustments while following them? I assume that publishing plans isn't necessarily in their wheelhouse, so do they often collaborate with others who are specialists in this area? Thanks for any insights!
6 Answers
I've checked out Ana White's website for free plans, and from what I've seen, her projects work well. They mainly use dimensional lumber, which is a plus for some folks. I tried out the free plans from Matthias Wandel for some kitchen chairs, and I did run into a few mistakes, but overall they were manageable. For purchased plans, FourEyes Furniture is great, and I've heard good things about Rex Krueger's plans too!
I think most plans would be error-free, as creators likely receive feedback. If they've built the projects themselves, they should know if everything's accurate. But yeah, the quality varies widely!
If you're looking for plans, I highly recommend checking out Woodsmith magazine. I used to subscribe and have tons of back issues with amazing plans ready to build.
I've bought a super detailed plan for a chainmail cutting board from Feldthouse, and it was 30 pages long! On the flip side, I got a 4-page plan for a fliptop cart that was so minimal it barely helped. So the quality is a total mixed bag, depending on the creator.
There's a woodworking wiki that has a list of free plans you might find useful. Some of these come from reputable sites like Popular Woodworking and Minwax. It might not directly answer your question, but it could be a good starting point for some reliable plans.
I bought plans from Stumpy Nubs and found them lacking a crucial dimension. After reaching out, I got a corrected version, but ran into another incorrect measurement later. He didn't respond to my follow-up, which left me frustrated. It's surprising that this hasn't been brought up by others.
That sounds super frustrating! I've also stumbled upon errors in plans. It's disappointing when you expect quality and run into issues.
True! Some plans are very basic, while others have tons of photos and detailed steps. It really depends on the effort the creator puts into it.