where do your plans come from?

[poolhound]

Seems like I am pretty much similar to everybody else. I hardly ever, if ever use plans from somewhere else. I get inspiration from numerous places, life, books, magazines, other peoples stuff and of course LOML (see Salad Bowl in finished projects).

I usually start with some form of functional or asthetic concept and a basic size and then go from there. I rarely draw up a formal plan but often sketch out basic dimensions to keep me on track.

The one area I know I can improve on is detailing my build process e.g. what order to mill, cut and assemble. I have found that when I dont I can be prone to errors that make subsequent cuts or joints more difficult e.g. cutting tapers or curves before joinery that would have benefitted from the straight edges I have now lost

[garymuto]

I always do my own plans from scratch. I start with some "competitive analysis", select teh features that I like and try to package it into a pleasing form. Where I wing it (and see the value of a purchased plan) is not having any material cut list.

[Bill in Buena Park]

I seem to have a hard time following instructions/plans. Even when they're free. Such as when I built that ShopNotes lumber cart - I look at the general concept, formulate my own dimensions and desired joinery, and move out. One thing I really enjoy is looking at catalogs, magazines and such, finding things I like, and then figuring out "how can I make this, and how would I change it to suit my tastes/needs?"

I also don't create real plans - usually just a crude hand drawing annotated with dimensions and relevant thoughts regarding parts fab and joinery, on which I also jot down my materials list (even though I have Sketchup = too much work outside the shop.)

[Black wallnut]

I mostly draw my own. Two notable exceptions are the high chair I made for my yongest and the duck puppets and bath tub rubber band powered boat that I made as Christmas gifts this year. Pics and thread to follow as soon as I upload the pics. Spent most of the last twoo weekends in the shop. *woohoo*

[dbhost]

I am not sure exactly how to reply to this. But here goes... I always have a plan. I use the plan to go from step a to b to c and so forth. That way I don't get off base. Now sometimes, many times, that plan is in my head only. And sometimes the contents of said plan are as simple as...

"This should go somewhere around here..."

It all depends on what I am making. For example the hangers for the Grizzly air cleaner were laid out using the scientifically calibrated guess method. But the workbench followed the FWW plan, but deviated by the length of the top since I wanted a longer top.

Am I making sense?

[Pappy]

A lot of variation on my part, too. I have worked straight from published plans in the past, but that has been a while. My wife's cedar chest was the first big thing I built for her and I followed the plans. Same for a toy box when the boys were little.

I bought the plans to the NYW router station and modified it to fit my needs. The first mobile base I made followed the Wood magazine plans. The plans have been modified in subsequent versions to improve areas that I didn't like. For the cradle I just finished plans were downloaded to get he basic dimensions and some details for the base.

There are times that I 'wing' it all the way.

Most times it is a picture from a magazine or the 'net and some basic measurements. Such as....