By Leroy K. Calstard

Before you start a woodworking project, you will have to have plans. Patterns for woodworking or scroll saw projects are used to plan the project and put special accents in the project. A good plan will give you step by step instructions along with diagrams and illustrations to help you. You can either buy plans in a store or look for them on the Internet.

Many plans are available in the Internet, some free and some not. There are patterns for every project you can imagine, from a little box or a bird feeder to a large piece of furniture. There are sites that specialize in certain classes of plans, such as toys, or decorative items. Just put the type in your browser window and you will see a world of plans.

Plans can also be found in woodworking books, available in stores, in the library or on the Internet. Woodworking magazines often feature plans in each issue, so if you buy a few you will probably find a plan you need. If a certain magazine has the kind you like, you can subscribe.

New comers should start with simple plans. They will be easier to read and follow. When you get better, you can move onto more complex plans. A simple toy or a birdhouse is a good way to start. Make sure the plans you get are detailed enough. with illustrations as well as written instructions. Keep your plans in an organized binder and you can use them again and again.

Even though you are following a step by step plan, you may want to make a few changes to the plan. This is a great way to personalize it. Just a small change to an accent piece can make it look completely different. Or you can opt for painting a project when the plans call for staining it.

After you have created a few projects, you may want to consider designing your own plans. Sketch out what you want. You don’t have to be too precise at first. After the initial sketch, decide how big you want it to be, what kind of wood you want to use. Then use the measurement to determine how much wood you need. Make sure you have enough so you don’t run out. Decide what other materials are needed for the project so you can calculate the whole cost.

Then make a list of the material and the quality you want to use. Make sure you remember paint, stain and polyurethane. Make sure you have the proper tools for the project. Then you can go shopping for the project supplies. At this point, you can make a more detailed design of your project. Create your diagrams the way you have seen them on the plans you have used in the past, and then map out each step you need to take. Writing out the steps like this will keep you organized so you will not skip any steps and ruin the project.

About the Author: Leroy Calstard pens predominantly for http://www.insidewoodworking.com , a website about machinery . His writings on

woodworking plans

are published on his website.

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