Looking for a source for mission style furniture plans

[scott vroom]

I'm looking for a source for high quality mission style furniture plans. I'm looking for professional level plans and am not interested in magazine articles with schematics, or those "how to" books available on Amazon. The plans should be professionally drafted with clear and accurate dimensions, and should be accompanied by clear step-by-step instructions and, preferably, photos. I expect to pay good $ for quality plans. I've searched the web and have thus far come up with dumbed down stuff.

[Bill Huber]

You can always design your own, that is one of the things I like about woodworking. Look at furiture stores and on the net and find what you want and then make.

[Damon Stathatos]

Not only an interesting read but detailed plans for a mirror, screen, bookcase/table, rocker, recliner, settle (day bed type), dining table, and clock case. The plans each include complete cut lists, diagrams from each elevation, photos of the components laid out before assembly, and detailed step-by-step instructions. Get this and it'll keep you busy for quite a while.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Furniture-Gustav-Stickley-Techniques/dp/094193635X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1337465126&sr=8-1

[Buck Williams]

I'm not clear about the differences between, mission, craftsman, and arts and crafts furniture styles. I seem to see some overlap when people are talking those styles. There are two excellent books by Robert Lang, "Shop Drawings for Craftsman Furniture" and , "More Shop Drawings....... - If you're talking Stickley, I think you'll like these. Out of curiosity, how do others see the distinction between, mission, craftsman, and arts and crafts?

[Damon Stathatos]

The way I understand it, and I'm probably 'all wet' on this, is that Mission Style and Craftsman Style furniture were styles associated with the Arts and Crafts Movement. I think that the terms Mission and Craftsman are pretty much interchangeable. Stickley's furniture was referred to as both Craftsman and Mission styles. Apparently, he was not fond of the Mission term and changed the name of his shop to the 'Craftsman Workshop' as a result.

[William Adams]

_Mission Furniture: How to Make It (Parts I, II and III, Complete_ by Popular Mechanics Company reprinted by Dover Publications in 1980 from originals published in 1909, 1910 and 1912.

[Jamie Buxton]

Check out Bob Lang's books. He's done several which contain measured drawings of original Stickley pieces, and a lot of construction details. He has Shop Drawings for Craftsman Furniture, More Drawings for Craftsman Furniture, and Shop Drawings for Greene & Greene Furniture. They're very useful.

[Bob Lang]

Thanks for mentioning my books. I don't think what I offer is what the OP is looking for, and I don't know where he would find anything that complete, short of taking a class.

My drawings are depictions of the original pieces, but I left it up to my reader's to decide the appropriate sequence of work and in some places joinery details. It would be two different books if I covered all the bases of furniture making along with the drawings. There is some introductory text pertinent to the period, but most of the books are drawings. Instead of being "dumbed down" they are "smarted up", there are lots of other sources for the basics of furniture making.

I do want to point out that my first two books, "Shop Drawings for Craftsman Furniture" and "More Shop Drawings for Craftsman Furniture" are going out of print, and will be combined, along with my fourth book "Shop Drawings for Craftsman Inlays and Hardware" into one volume, the "Great Book of Shop Drawings for Craftsman Furniture". The new book will be out this summer.

Bob Lang

[Mike Tekin]

Scott,

Check out this company:


http://Www.americanfurnituredsgn.com

They state they hav step by step plans and large CAD generated drawings.

There are some Arts and Crafts plans.

[scott vroom]

Bob, will the new book contain all of the contents of books 1 & 2?

You are correct in saying your books on Craftsman furniture aren't exactly what I am looking for, and you may be correct that I would benefit from a class. I will say that the dimension drawings in your books are a good overview of Craftsman general design and proportions. I'll be looking for your new book this summer.

For what it's worth, your book on cabinet making is one of 3 books that got me started in the cab biz. My only suggestion is that you improve the quality of the photo's in a future edition. They're adequate but I think upgrading would make the book more attractive and easier on the eyes for us old timers :)




Thanks for mentioning my books. I don't think what I offer is what the OP is looking for, and I don't know where he would find anything that complete, short of taking a class.

My drawings are depictions of the original pieces, but I left it up to my reader's to decide the appropriate sequence of work and in some places joinery details. It would be two different books if I covered all the bases of furniture making along with the drawings. There is some introductory text pertinent to the period, but most of the books are drawings. Instead of being "dumbed down" they are "smarted up", there are lots of other sources for the basics of furniture making.

I do want to point out that my first two books, "Shop Drawings for Craftsman Furniture" and "More Shop Drawings for Craftsman Furniture" are going out of print, and will be combined, along with my fourth book "Shop Drawings for Craftsman Inlays and Hardware" into one volume, the "Great Book of Shop Drawings for Craftsman Furniture". The new book will be out this summer.

Bob Lang

[scott vroom]

Damon, I've got this book. It's decent but very limited in scope. I'm looking for a more complete catalog of Craftsman plans, including bedroom pieces.

Thx for your comments



Not only an interesting read but detailed plans for a mirror, screen, bookcase/table, rocker, recliner, settle (day bed type), dining table, and clock case. The plans each include complete cut lists, diagrams from each elevation, photos of the components laid out before assembly, and detailed step-by-step instructions. Get this and it'll keep you busy for quite a while.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Furniture-Gustav-Stickley-Techniques/dp/094193635X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1337465126&sr=8-1

[scott vroom]

Thanks Bill

I ordered the "Mission Oak and Cherry Collection" catalog from the Stickly Co. It's a great source of inspiration; someone more experienced in Stickley construction techniques could probably build many of the pieces based on the pics alone. At my level, unfortunately, I need detailed plans to get going.




You can always design your own, that is one of the things I like about woodworking. Look at furiture stores and on the net and find what you want and then make.

[Bob Lang]

The new book will contain all of the contents of the first two books, as well as the fourth "Shop Drawings for Craftsman Inlays & Hardware". I've been through all of the introductory text to combine and updated those parts with many new photos, both of me at work and of original pieces. I can't post a link here, but if you visit my new website, you can learn a lot more and sign up to be notified when I have copies available.

Bob Lang

[scott vroom]

Will the book be available through Amazon?


The new book will contain all of the contents of the first two books, as well as the fourth "Shop Drawings for Craftsman Inlays & Hardware". I've been through all of the introductory text to combine and updated those parts with many new photos, both of me at work and of original pieces. I can't post a link here, but if you visit my new website, you can learn a lot more and sign up to be notified when I have copies available.

Bob Lang

[Larry Edgerton]

Scott

I have "Mission Furniture, How to make it" And have built several pieces using it as a general guide. It does not give exploded drawings but enough that one can muddle through. Not sure if it is still available as I have had it for well over twenty years, but if not and you would like to look it over I will let you borrow it. I do not want to sell it. But if you can't find it and are interested let me know. Books don't always come back, but I'll trust you an this.;)

I may have some others, but many are packed away from my shop move, not yet complete.....

Larry

[Damon Stathatos]

Not sure if you're interested specifically in Greene & Greene, but if you are, Darrell Peart's a good guy to check out. He's based in Seattle but teaches classes periodically around the country. I took a one week class from him last year when he was 'down here' at William Ng's School of Fine Woodworking. It was a great class and once 'walked' through one project, you're able to begin to understand how to tackle others (although I've yet to attempt more, I know a couple in our class have gone on to more G&G projects). His website is a veritable wealth of inspiration and information with a good links section as well. One of the links is a virtual library from Columbia University with a lot of G&G's original plans, drawings and such, although not of much practical use for your purposes, interesting nonetheless. He's published one book with another one on the way. Not at all a step by step guide but a valuable read with many aspects of (Craftsman) furniture making covered.

All the best to you on the journey which lies ahead.

Darrell's website: http://furnituremaker.com/

[Kent A Bathurst]

Thanks Bill

I ordered the "Mission Oak and Cherry Collection" catalog from the Stickly Co. It's a great source of inspiration; someone more experienced in Stickley construction techniques could probably build many of the pieces based on the pics alone. At my level, unfortunately, I need detailed plans to get going.

Scott - FWIW:

When I got started in WW, my focus was exclusively on A&C in general, and Stickley - Ellis repros in specific. I got Bob's 2 books. And - for a couple specific items I was most interested in, I also got his detailed plans.

Off to the races. Came out great - especially a pair of No 700 bookcases. His books are on my reference shelf, and get used often. For ideas, for proportions, and most recently, for some general guidance on joinery options for the arems on arm chairs.

After those bookcases [which were preceded by some "learner" projects such as tabourets, etc] I was able to take whatever was in his books, and tee it up from there, and in very short order, photos or sketches of pieces, combined with my own thoughts, and plow new ground.

Once you've built a couple A&C items, the "rules" are very straightforward. I am as proud of those Ellis bookcases as anything I've built - thanks to Bob for his help - but I've moved beyond precise repros and enjoy taking an idea and rolling my own from there, as it were.

You won't have any trouble. Make something - or a couple somethings, and then off to the races.

[Bob Lang]

Will the book be available through Amazon?

It will, but I would really appreciate it if you would consider buying the book directly from me, and this applies to any book where you can get a copy directly from the author. The author gets a small percentage of what the publisher sells the book for. Because of Amazon's clout, they pay less than anyone to the publisher. If you buy from the author, the author then makes the money that an average retailer would make. That's 10 to 15 times what the author would get if you buy the book from someone else.

Yes, Amazon is the cheapest place to get most books, and I certainly understand what a tight budget is like. People write books about woodworking because they want to share what they know with other woodworkers, you don't make money as an author until you sell the movie rights. If you want to encourage those of us who try to earn a living doing this, this is a great way to help. I can't compete with Amazon on price, but I usually have books available a couple of months before they do.

Bob Lang

[Rick Potter]

Bob,

I, too, am interested in Craftsman and G&G styles. Any chance you might be doing some videos for those of us more visually oriented??

Gonna find your website for the new book.

Rick Potter

[John Piwaron]

Scott,

Check out this company:


http://Www.americanfurnituredsgn.com

They state they hav step by step plans and large CAD generated drawings.

There are some Arts and Crafts plans.

I have one of those drawings. It's the Aurora table desk that Darrel Peart makes. It looks pretty nice but after looking at it I chuckled a bit at it's "advanced" skill level recommendation. I just got some books about Greene and Greene furniture. One is Darrell's book and the other is "Greene and Greene Furniture, Poems of Wood and Light" Both have some drawings in them.

Most of the time nowadays I draw my own. and/or put into 3D CAD to get a real good look at what I'm going to do.

[Alan Wright]

Scott, I really like Mission furniture and so that's primarilly what I make. I'm fortunate to live in Syracuse, NY. Stickley is headquartered in Manlius, NY, which is a suburb or Syracuse and about 10 miles from my house. Sticikley also has a massive retail showroom here locally. They are aggressive salespeople, but I've asked and been given permission on numerious occassions to take pics and measurements of their pieces. I explain that I a, a hobbyist, and that I'm onlymaking one piece for myself I go in with a pad of paper, a ruler, and my phone to take pics. Befor I go in, I usually do some rough sketches, so when I get there I can take measurements and plug them in on the sketch fairly quickly. I take pictures for every conceivable angle and usually I'm in and out in 20 minutes.

I like this approach, because I get to see the real piece and determine if I really like it up close. I have to do some tinkering here and there with joiniery, but when I get home, I print the pictures off, redo the drawings with dimensions, tape them up in my shop,and get busy. I know I'm really just copying, but it makes you really focus on how the original was put togerher and how you're going to duplicate a joint or look based on the tools you have. I've done at least 10 projects like this, and no one at Stickley has ever denied me access. Often times I'll get one of them shooting the breeze with me while I take pics and measure it up. If you see a piece in a retail setting you like, just ask. It's not like you're going to be competing with them.

Alan

[Walter Smith]

Damon
Take a look at woodcraftplans.com. There are some on this site, I have used some from the Furniture Design section and liked them.
Walter Smith