# Free Project Plans?



## HallTree (Feb 1, 2008)

While doing a search, here at LumberJocks, for plans for a Secretary Desk I came upon Paul's Forum 'Intellectual Property? Woodworking Plans and Selling'. After a lot of discussion, most everyone thought it best if we did not use someone else plans to make projects to *sell* unless by permission. 
My question is: What would be the guidelines for us, here at LumberJocks, to use another LumberJocks plans (reguardless of where those plans came from) to make a project for their own use and not to sell?


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## Hansondvm (Dec 18, 2007)

Hell they need to patent it if they value it. I could care less if some one took any of my non patented ideas and ran with them and made millions more power to them. I was taught to share as a kid lol - just my two cents 
HAP E. HANSON


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## mski (Jul 3, 2007)

It does not matter unless the item you are making is patened !
If a plan is copyrighted then you cannot copy and sell the plan, BUT you can make the item and sell all you want.
Asking permission is just a courtesy, 
Like Doc said you have permission to copy all my projects.

No charge for 2 cent Law advice


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## JohnGray (Oct 6, 2007)

Is anyone here an attorney? It's illegal to give legal advice unless you are an attorney, I worked for an attorney before I retired.


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## rikkor (Oct 17, 2007)

If I ever make anything anyone wants to copy, permission is hereby granted. If I don't want you to copy a specific project I'll be sure to say that in the post.


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## RogerLee (Dec 26, 2008)

the plans I had bought was very clear on how I could use them. One set of plans said I could make the item and sell no more the 25 of the items ( 25 may be wrong number, but close). After that I would be required to buy another set of plans. It also said I was not to copy the plans. On the plans it was written that they were not to be copied. I would not infringe on any ones copyrigt's, big bussiness has a box full of lawyers waiting for someone to open the door on it. Good luck and be carefull not to infringe. But if you only used the item to get an ideal of what you want to make then go for it. The small sofa table I made was from just looking at a picture, I came up with my own sizes of what I wanted. So …... I dont feel I infringed on anyones copyrights.


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## GFYS (Nov 23, 2008)

Actually it's only illegal to sell legal advise if you arent an attorney.


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## TrmptPlyr (Jan 31, 2008)

Isn't suggesting that something is illegal technically legal advice? OK, sorry, I had to…

To the OP,
I don't think there is anything to worry about when building something from plans and offering it for sale unless it is explicitly defined that you can only make x number for sale per plan purchase or if it prohibits you from selling them altogether. Even so, with plans as cheap as they are, if you plan to mass produce something, I'm sure $10.00 divided by 25 items ($0.40 per item) isn't that big of a hit on profit margin. And I'm sure whoever sells the plan for whatever item you're making would be happy to sell 10 or more copies of a plan to an individual.


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## Rustic (Jul 21, 2008)

Most retail bought (i.e meisel wood, woodcraft, wood magazine, etc) have a set amount of the finished product that you can sell. And most ofthose plans are copyrighted. I have found though that if you take the basic design from a plan and tweak it in some way it is then your idea or plan. Don't quote me on that though.

Just my 2 pennies worth.


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## HallTree (Feb 1, 2008)

I think I should rephrase my question.
Let's say I brought a woodworking plan to make a Secretary Desk, and posted the finished desk here at LumberJocks and then was asked for a copy of those plans. Would I be in the wrong posting those plans here at LubberJocks? Or should I say that they should buy their own plans? Or what?


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## Tikka (May 14, 2007)

I think it would depend upon what was stated on the plans, but most published documents do not allow the reproduction of the plans in any format (paper, photograph or electronic) without the consent of the publisher. They also normally forbid the selling, lending or giving away of the plans to anybody else. (the purchaser has bought the permission to use the plans only)

So I would have to say the people should buy the plans themselves. If it was a publication on the web, then you should be OK in giving the link to where you found the information.

As for changing one or two dimensions on a plan, that does not mean you have redesigned it enough to qualify as an original, it is just a minor modification - give the originator the credit for the design and you should not have a problem with these changes.


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## Hansondvm (Dec 18, 2007)

Ok Ron I see what you mean now - Yeah ditto what Tony said since he didn't copyright what he just said lol.
Thanks for the interesting thread. Plus I could't get in to law school my eyes weren't brown…


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## kiwi1969 (Dec 22, 2008)

Dont know about the states but in Australia you can change the design 10% and its yours. It happens all the time in the furniture trade, just dont get your nose out of joint when it happens to you.


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