Pros and Cons of building with plans

[Bruce King]

How do you build? Buy plans, computer aided sketch or figure as you go?
I prefer to figure an overall size and make pencil sketches that are just a few inches in size showing some joinery detail. Then make a list of parts but only cut a few at a time. I end up with a few pages of dimensions, math equations, cut diagrams and little drawings by the time I’m finished building.
Sometimes I record the final dimensions of each part with notes when I’m done.

[glenn bradley]

I do my own designs so, SketchUp. If you buy plans the pro would be that it gives you a good starting point. The con would be following too closely and ending up with parts that don't fit well or at all. At some point in the construction I start to measure off the piece, not the plans even though I build an SU Scene with all the parts and dimensions.

[Mark Bolton]

The only cons to building with highly detailed plans are #1 your projects get done 20x faster with far little waste.. and then over time,.. your brain becomes soft at doing all the math on-the-fly required to working without plans/take-offs/cutlists. I was always a mixed bag, a lot of plans, a bit of takeoffs, very few highly detailed cutlists. Many years ago started with CAD/Excel cutlists, then into 3D drawings and cutlists exports, now to CNC and pretty much nothing goes to the shop without a full set of drawings (super fast). I often find myself in the shop now cursing myself because I could always take 34 11/16 subtract 6 5/8, add twice the cutter width, on the fly, and now I just sit there staring at the sheet making a note as to why I dont include that data on the export.

We cut parts for an older guy who can build an entire kitchen and cut all the parts in his head. Its so standardized for him its just second nature. The problem is the split second a job is not "in his standard".. he's crippled. Nothing in my world is remotely standard. And I need speed, and I need to show the product to the customer, architect, contractor, for approval before I build it.

Building on the fly is only good in very very few situations... most of which (unless your lucky enough to be on a blank check), dont get much done in the hour.

[Jim Becker]

Early on, I built some projects from plans and it was a good decision...I learned some things I hadn't experienced yet and it also helped me to get better at visualizing how to take a pile 'o parts and turn them into a (hopefully) pleasing end result. At this point, I really haven't built anything from a plan, per se, for a very long time. If I'm making something for another maker, as I sometimes do with my business, I do ask for and expect clear specifications. But for projects I'm doing from scratch, I determine the general dimensions and work from there. By general dimensions, I mean things like finished width, depth and height, general spacing of features, size-cross section of things like legs if that applies, etc. Anything that's "critical" to nail from a measurement standpoint. Everything that comes between these overall specifications is measured "on" the project so exact lengths and other dimensions are assigned based on the actual spacing of things. I'll start with a "back of napkin" sketch or similar or a photo.

I no longer draw out formal plans, although for things that will be partially built with components made on my CNC machine, I do have to draw and program the necessary tool path information. An example of that was my workbench top. It was assembled using traditional methods and glue, but all of the dog holes were created on the CNC machine. So I did pre-plan for that in the computer. My guitars are also rendered in software first...much cheaper than destroying expensive lumber.

One of the major benefits of the way that I've gravitated to working is that it makes you actually think about what you are creating. Plans from somewhere else are nice, but plans are not always accurate. They may not fully embrace what you want to end up with, either. But they can be a good starting point. Again, I view them as a learning tool. At least for me.

[Mark Bolton]

Plans from somewhere else are nice, but plans are not always accurate. They may not fully embrace what you want to end up with, either. But they can be a good starting point.

Good point. Post may need a subdivision between developing your own set of plans for your own, or a customer concept, or purchasing a set of plans from someone else. Ive never done the latter...

[Bruce King]

One of my first projects was a router cabinet and used plans. It was a constant “checking the plan” because I can’t stand mistakes. This plan used a lot of hardwood but 27 years later it’s still good except for the crappy stain job I put on it. I never used plans again but like looking at them to see if there are any errors. I can’t help it, spent my whole life finding problems and fixing them then got into inspecting which was right up my alley.

[Mark Bolton]

One of my first projects was a router cabinet and used plans. It was a constant “checking the plan” because I can’t stand mistakes. This plan used a lot of hardwood but 27 years later it’s still good except for the crappy stain job I put on it. I never used plans again but like looking at them to see if there are any errors. I can’t help it, spent my whole life finding problems and fixing them then got into inspecting which was right up my alley.

So you have an issue with trusting others and have to be the final say so... so does that mean if you took the time to think your way through developing a set of plans yourself you would "still" second guess it all for mistakes because that is a ritual in your life? Or would you trust your own set of plans enough to simply enjoy the enjoyment of moving ahead with reckless speed and a complete lack of material waste? Some people simply cant get free of their ritual so everything must take an eternity and include volumes of wasted materials, and time.

Either is fine as long as your truly at peace with the process... For me at least, ritual, in anyones life, should be stomped out with the utmost of force. Ritual = the utmost of hackerdom for the sake of perceived sanity.

[Jim Dwight]

It depends on the project. I will buy plans that are close to what I want to get ideas and hopefully avoid some issues. But I won't build to those plans. I may pencil in some changes and use them but I almost never build exactly what is on the plans. I like some chairs from a Woodsmith plan, for instance, but they are too short to suit me. So I make them an inch or more taller. Minor change. But then you have to decide whether to move the stretchers too. My son-in-law broke one in cherry, however. So when I make myself some more, I will probably increase the size of the legs and stretchers - beef them up a little.

I built a base cabinet for storage in my great room. It is 7 feet long to fit the space and 22 inches wide for the same reason and so I could make the top out of a couple 1x12s. The room is paneled with 50 year old softwood and I wanted the cabinet to blend in. I put together a sketch of the front with my parallel board to make sure I like the proportions. I included a few dimensions. Then I built it. I almost never build without the sketch to check proportions. But often that is all I do.

[Bruce King]

So you have an issue with trusting others and have to be the final say so... so does that mean if you took the time to think your way through developing a set of plans yourself you would "still" second guess it all for mistakes because that is a ritual in your life? Or would you trust your own set of plans enough to simply enjoy the enjoyment of moving ahead with reckless speed and a complete lack of material waste? Some people simply cant get free of their ritual so everything must take an eternity and include volumes of wasted materials, and time.

Either is fine as long as your truly at peace with the process... For me at least, ritual, in anyones life, should be stomped out with the utmost of force. Ritual = the utmost of hackerdom for the sake of perceived sanity.

Not at all, I wasted only one half a board foot on my last three projects.
And, yes there was a mistake on the plans I used for the router cabinet but I found it before any issue arises. Works for me.

[Ron Citerone]

Never used plans actually, but I made detailed sketches from existing pieces of furniture, which is kind of the same thing IMO. Presently I build usng my own sketches starting with overal dimensions and going from there.

But it doesn't matter what I or anyone else does. Every woodworker should do what "feels" right for their experience level. Also read books with good drawings and study the drawings carefully. For beginners, any of the good box making books have lots of info and drawings. For Furniture folks I love the Glen Huey's Illustrated Guide fo Building Period Furniture. Great step by step text along with excellent plans and cut lists. I didn't make any of the pieces in the book, but referred to his drawings many times when I made some pieces. Then their is the internet..............

The one con of plans with cut lists is one change early on for whatever reason, can change many other things as you progress through a project. Also, I like to make door panels and drawer fronts without gluing up if possible so I change some things according to the wood at hand.

[Stan Calow]

Early on, I just tried to wing it, making my own sketches and sometimes based on the materials I had in hand. But, as a hobbyist, I found that I needed to work from plans (including magazine articles) in order to avoid mistakes. Usually, tweaking the dimensions to suit my purposes, but otherwise working from plans helped me avoid mistakes, not just in proportions, but in technique as well. On my own, I would find there were reasons why some things were done certain ways, and seeing the plans and knowing someone else had worked through it already, made it simpler for me.

[Jim Becker]

Stan, what you describe really isn't anything to do with you being a "hobbyist". It's just a matter of what you experienced and what you felt comfortable with. The fact that you're willing to tweak what's on a plan is evidence that you moved up while still taking comfort with having that plan there to help guide you. It reinforces my point above that plans can be part of the learning process. But I'll add that everyone learns at a different rate. And that's ok!

[mike stenson]

Pretty much everything I make these days is largely hand tool made. So every part tends to be relative to it's mates, which means things like cut-lists and complete plans are just a non-starter for me anyway.

So... I'll sketch out a drawing, with proportions and over all sizes. Then, I'll plan locations for dados and rabbits, etc.. but that's about as far as that goes as the stock will somewhat vary anyway.

[Larry Frank]

I generally do a few hand drawings and use them to make up a cut list. If I am using rough cut or skip planed wood, I lay boards out and chalk the parts out on them. It helps get the best grain on the right parts and avoids wasting wood. I mark all the boards with part numbers. With a small project, it is not necessary but with a big project, I need to do it. Wood is not cheap and I do not want to waste it.

[Mel Fulks]

For me at least, ritual, in anyones life, should be stomped out with the utmost of force. Ritual = the utmost of hackerdom for the sake of perceived sanity.

you might prefer another word ,but the "power of habit" is nessesary. I've had people tell me I made mistake on a drawing. Mel says "no ,I did not". Some guys like to call a formal period detail " a mistake".