Sharing Plans

Jsut from what I’ve observed over the past months, I don’t think anyone will mind as long as
1) you are polite
2) they were not purchased plans
3) you say thanks

That being said, it seems that only a small percentage of people use formal plans. Youd be more likely to be able to ask for guidance when trying to recreate your own take on the project. These are just my thoughts. Good luck!

I agree with Hokie Mojo, these seem to be the best golden rules to go by! I think as well most people here seem friendly enough when asked on how to do something, not to mention you might get a lot of other perspektives on the same project… that is what it makes it interesting.

-- Nicholas, Journeyman Cabinetmaker, Partenkirchen, Germany

With very few exceptions, the folks here are very willing to share their plans, ideas and techniques. A few of the Lumberjocks make their living from selling their unique, copyrighted designs and there fore can’t afford to make the plans available. Even those “jocks”, however, are usually more than willing to share their knowledge and expertise to help out those who ask.

Probably the best approach would first be through a private message to the Lumberjock.

LOL, well thats awfully nice of you guys to offer other peoples intellectual property. Call me a jerk, but I got better things to do than draw up plans for people for free.

Woodchuck says – LOL, well thats awfully nice of you guys to offer other peoples intellectual property. Call me a jerk, but I got better things to do than draw up plans for people for free.

**

Where is anyone offering someone else’s intellectual property? Where is someone asking for someone to draw plans up and give away for free? The smugness of some LJ’s just kills me sometimes when it comes to sharing ideas. I’m just guessing that you woodchuck, are not the kind of person that anyone will bother to ask this type of question to, at least not now.

If you aren’t the kind of person who likes to share your ideas, then you could go a different route to answering the question for the O.P.

I have no problem sharing anything with anyone, as long as they don’t make money from my designs. If it’s for personal use or to share with kids who may possibly work in the field some day, then I say no problem sharing, if I’m asked.

-- Respect your shop tools and they will respect you - Ric

Woodchuck, lighten up! No one asked you for your plans or your time. Most of us here are happy to help others.

-- Chesapeake Bob, Southern Maryland

Well then do it instead of offering others to help. I don’t see any of you asking what type of plans he would like and offering to help, but your sure quick to hand it to everyone else and then jump on someone that doesn’t want to play your game. See my point ? I hope your not insinuating that I haven’t helped others with different problems on this site.

If you don’t want to play the game, then step aside, and stop ragging on other people who were trying to answer the question. If you don’t want to help, then be nice about it. Stop with the attitude. If you’re in a bad mood, then leave it at the door.

-- Respect your shop tools and they will respect you - Ric

ask and the worst hing that can happen is someone says no. Normally it is not a problem

-- making sawdust....

Rocco, sorry that there has been a hijack of your thread. It is actually a very good question and worth all LJs hearing and thinking about (before responding).

Personally, I would have no problem sharing my ideas in the spirit of sharing. If there was something that I thought would put me at a disadvantage to provide, I would politely decline. But, seeing as I am a hobbyist and I would want other hobbyists to prosper as I have, I have no qualms about sharing my own knowledge.

When it comes to copyrighted material, then we all understand that it is not a question of being friendly, but a question of legality. We purchase plans with the understanding that we would not distribute without being otherwise authorized. So, if you ask for something like that we all have to be real and say no.

However, if you have something specific that you are looking for, don’t hesitate to ask someone about it. The worst they can say is no (and if they say it more than just politely that way then they don’t belong here).

~DB

-- He said wood...http://hickbyassociation.blogspot.com/

I agree with saying thanks so many people I have gone out of my way to help over the years NOT HERE I HASTEN TO ADD,have never bothered to even get in topuch to be polite enough to say thanks.my two centsLOLAlistair

-- excuse my typing as I have a form of parkinsons disease

just to clarify, I didn’t say that people would be happy to give out their plans. I just said that based on past experiences here, most people probably wouldn’t mind a sincere inquiry, as long as they were polite. If they were uncomfortable sharing them, I think most people here would just say that the plans aren’t available for others use. If they were purchased plans, most will tell you where they bought them. hope that clarifies.

Rocco’s question was certainly simple enough, and politely asked. However, he needs to inform us as to the size and complexity of projects that he is looking for; keeping in mind the fact that students have one hour of class time for only a certain number of days. The cost of lumber is also going to be a limiting factor.

There are also copyright laws to consider. If we would transfer original copies of plans to his ownership, that would be legal, but sending him a copy would not be.

-- "Heaven is North of the Bridge"

I have asked politely for pdf’s of plans from other LJ’s and if you say please and thank you there shouldn’t be a problem .

andy

-- cut it saw it scrap it

I agree with most everyone here. Ask nicely and if not a copyrighted plan, I have no problem sharing a plan. Most os my projects are drawn up by me.

-- Jerry--A man can never have enough tools or clamps

I enjoy drawing plans of projects i have in my head… my limited budget prevents me from building most of them, but I have aspirations of one day having unlimited wood funds LOL…

I already offer any plans I have drawn for free on my website, at least the ones I have done recently… I have even gone to the extent of creating plans after posting pictures of projects on other sites, and received requests for them. I have no problem sharing what I design/create. Heck… I think it would be a good idea if several people took the same challenge to designing something and see how many new ideas come out of it.

-- San Diego, CA US Navy

it never hurts to ask you will normaly get very good response wither you get plans or not i have been asked for plans for the one project i currently have here but sadly i wont share the plans do to the fact that i make about 400 bucks each on the tables but hey im all for folks figuring out the working on thier own and am never offended or mad when asked.

-- I buy tools so i can make more money,so ican buy more tools so I can work more, to make more money, so I can buy more tool, so I can work more

If I ever get around to posting projects worth using, all I’d want is an ask.

I’ve been asked for plans for lots of projects where I’ve posted photos on the ‘net. I actually had an item duplicated by a Chinese manufacturer. This is actually why I post fewer photos nowadays… For the average ww’er, I’ll gladly provide overall measurements.

For a shop class? I’d be thrilled to provide as much detail as you’d like.

The world needs more shop classes and the type of rational and relational thinking taught there.

-- - Please help keep Lumberjocks an enjoyable escape by refusing to participate in political discussions. Simply spit out the bait and ignore the thread...

Well thats another thing, how do you know that he is who he says he is, or anyone else on the internet, unless you have actually met them.

Asking is not uncool, if someone wants to share their information they will, if not they won’t. I think you will find most people here very helpful, I have been helped by many, to which I am very grateful.

I recommed visiting a couple of wood working magazine’s websites, many of them already have free plans on their websites.

-- "You get what you inspect, not what you expect"

No, dude its not crass for you to ask if you can have plans for a project you like.

If they said no, and you got pissy about it, then you’d be crass.

-- "Democracy is by far the worst system of government. Except all the others that have been tried." ~ Winston Churchill

If I have it and you want it, it’s yours.

Steve.

-- As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17) †

No issues here-

the only problem being my lack of plans. If you want it, you got it.

Cheers! And welcome to the fold.

Matt

-- The only easy wood project is a fire

You can ask me for anything you like. You may have a little trouble deciphering the drawing or notes but I don’t mind sharing what I have. If there is something that I don’t want to share than I will decline, simple.

( This isn’t Rocket Science )

What I have is yours if you want it. Don’t worry Woodchuck, I won’t bother asking you.

-- If you think healthcare is expensive now, wait until it's free! PJ O'Rourke

I am a shop teacher also and I have had several students ask for plans or tips and have rec’d several responses. I appreciate the responses and it gives the students more than one point of view. I did have a situation where one of my students didn’t reply back after receiving the plan and the sender made it very clear about courtesy. I had a conversation about it to all of my classes at school. They got the point.

For those of you who don’t know, you can download a pdf creator, I would have to find the site again. It just adds it as one of your printers. So what I do with my scans it click on print from the preview window after scanning and select the pdf printer. Then I can email or send it to anyone. It is also nice for those articles you don’t want to loose. I scan the pages from my magazines so they don’t have to go to school and get lost or ruined, then from the windows preview, I select all the pages of that article and make them a pdf. I then save each article in a folder on my school computer so if a student needs an article I can go the appropriate folder and print it for them. Alot easier to find articles from way back that way also.

I had a really good response to a jig I built a while back, so I added the plans …

Someone asked for plans for another of my projects, but I hadn’t drawn up plans, and haven’t built any more, so I haven’t been able to provide those.

Most people here like to help out, but if anyone didn’t have time to provide plans, or was unwilling for any other reason, I hope they would feel comfortable saying “I’m sorry, I can’t”.

-- http://www.north40custom.com -- http://north40studios.etsy.com --

well done CessnaPilotBarry, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery! Couple of years ago I built seven beds for a mattress company in Cebu here in the Philippines. They were meant as display pieces for the matresses, not for retail. Some months later I received a rather curt phonecall from a customer who wanted to know why they could buy the same bed in Cebu cheaper than ex factory. After some snooping I discovered the beds had been redirected to china to be copied! Woodchuck raises a good point about intellectual property, thats why the entertainment industry chases down and prosecutes people who download free music (except in Canada where you,re safe) and do you really know where your plans are going?
For all we know your real name could be “woo flung dung” Nothing personal Rocco, it,s just business.
Just do what most people do and type free woodworking plans into google and download to your hearts content. I,ve copied gigs of pdf,s all freely availiable from stickleys craftsman, to the deltagram, and fron most of the magazines, not to mention the bit torrent system.You will find enough there to keep your class busy for years, and i,m sure, as you have read, there are plenty of LJ,s willing to help you out. Just ask.
P.S I don,t really think your name is woo flung dung, I was just making a point, and hoping you have a sense of humour! feel free to ask and Good luck.

-- if the hand is not working it is not a pure hand

Thanks for all the responses. I am actually a little surprised at how many people say they don’t use any formal plans. I supposed I got in the habit of drawing up plans for projects in an attempt to lead my students by example. I have found that when I do not have plans it is far too easy to screw up. For those of you how don’t draw up plans, I will just offer up the tip, that a simple sketch and a set of notes to remind you what you are setting out to do can be extremely helpful.

-- Junk is junk, at any cost.

I was an Idustrial Arts teacher for 5 years and a furniter designer and builder for 35 years in prison industries. Most of my plans over the years are gone but any new plans I do in the future are yours for the asking, after I start up the new shop. If I can help you in any way do not hesitate to ask. I AM WHO I SAY I AM! YOU DROP IN AND SEE ME ANYTIME, IF YOU ARE EVER IN IOWA.

God Bless
tom

-- Mc Bridge Cabinets, Iowa

Rocco,
If people do what I do, they tend to sketch up details of a tricky aspect as they get to them. They are ussually so rough they get tossed. also, if people are like me, they make lots of mistakes. I like having plans to work from, but the more the project progresses, the further I veer off in another direction. As long as their aren’t too many down days in between, I can keep everything fesh in my mind. More than a couple of weeks though, and things start to fade from memory. Best of luck.

Rocco,
I have only been on this site a short time, but I have found most people to be very, very helpful. I do have some purchased plans from Plansnow that I would not share because they are purchased by me for me. But! I have been doing some of my own designing, and for those plans I would gladly share.

You just need to ask for what type of project, and I imagine you’ll get tons of responses.

-- Chip -- Manchester, Connecticut "When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace."

If you see something that I made and would like to know how to make it let me know and I will send you instructions. Most woodworkers if asked will share. Copyrighted plans can be used to make an item for yourself, but the final product can’t be sold. You should always give credit to the publication or author of the plan if you use it. A note stating “inspired by” always is a good idea.

-- Those that say it can't be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

Woodchuck says “call me a jerk”. You sound like a jerk. I’m new to this site and I’m pretty sure I won’t be tapping you on the shoulder for help. Wow!! And they New Yorkers are tough. Lighten up

-- Al Meriden, Connecticut

I’ll pass on the flame-fest and agree with Hokie’s first reply.

Keep in mind that many folks don’t develop true “plans.”

One key to becoming an accomplished woodworker is to learn basic furniture construction. A GREAT reference is Bill Hylton's book. Once you have a general idea of how well-built furniture goes together, all you’ll need are a clear photo, or three, and basic measurements. With the basic data, you can then easily work out the details as to how to build it, create cut lists, and develop assembly sequences.

More often than not, if the dimensions are slightly “off” from the prototype, the item will still look great if built with care. Good, tight joinery is more important than the item being 29” wide or 28 3/4” wide. About the only time dimensions are super critical are in identical parts, or cabinets designed to fit in a line-up. Identical parts are very easily made with stop blocks and other quickly cobbled together jigs.

While there is LOTS to learn in fine woodworking, the basics of construction are relatively simple and have developed over thousands of years. Learn them, and you’ll have the basic construction down pat. After that, you can spend 50 years trying to carve like Dennis Z., or veneer like Lee J… <g>

-- - Please help keep Lumberjocks an enjoyable escape by refusing to participate in political discussions. Simply spit out the bait and ignore the thread...

who? I agree with bently. Ask… if you don’t mind revealing your lack of talent to produce your own plans or your disdain for the value of the labor of others or your being to cheap to invest in another of the tools of the trade. Plans are a means of communication, a concise documentation of ideas and tool of efficiency and accuracy. Plans have many other parts other than lines and dimmensions. Books, photos, cutlist, sketches are all parts of the plan. Why don’t I hear anyone asking for free wood or free tools or free buildings to keep it all in. OH wait..I do hear that more and more, lately.

-- Dan, Sterling Alaska, http://sullcon.homestead.com/ Before you criticise some one, walk a mile in their shoes...then you will be a mile away and you have their shoes!

Life’s too short to be angry all the time…

Rocco, the biggest reason I’m interested in and practicing woodworking is my woodshop experience in high school. I don’t have much worth sharing, but I’d be glad to help out if ever I could. (good luck deciphering my sanskrit and hieroglyphics) Shame on me if I ever get to the point that I feel too good to share with others the way so many have shared with me.

-- Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum viditur

I’ve got a few Sketchup models of stuff I build, you are welcome to them.

-- ...it's rennovation time!!!

I have never built anything from plans, but I have made plans of a few things I have built. I actually have a few thousand plans saved for most any type project. I offer these on my web site but there are way too many to list. Anyone can email me with a request and if I have any plans for that item I will send them, if not I will send a few links to the many free plans sites available on the web. my site is http://www.hoistman.com you will find links to the different sections on the home page. (disclaimer: I do not sell anything or charge any kind of fees for anything on my site, it is to provide free information and maybe let me show off a little of my abilities)

-- Dan-- Info for all @ http://www.hoistman.com

WOW!! papadan, your links tie into links to more links to more plans than all of us on this site could ever use!! Thanks

-- Debt is nothing more than the 21st Century's form of slavery.

That Butler collection page is some great tutorials by LJ, DonBee.

-- Dan-- Info for all @ http://www.hoistman.com

If I have it, and it ain’t copywrighted, Just ask. Great web site papadan.

-- There are three signs of old age. The first is loss of memory. I forgot the other two!

Anyone who wants free SketchUP furniture models can go to my Free Plans Page and download anything you want ( http://www.srww.com/sketchup-furniture-plans.htm ).

-- Joe.....