▤ Plans

Handwork in Wood (1910)

William Noyes' classic textbook on wood, tools, joints and construction methods, heavily illustrated; a foundational reference for hand-tool woodworking.

The Boy Mechanic, Book 1: 700 Things for Boys to Do (1913)

Popular Mechanics' famous compendium of 700 illustrated projects: workbenches, sleds, boats, furniture, toys, shop tricks and electrical experiments.

Woodwork Joints: How They Are Set Out, How Made and Where Used (1921)

William Fairham's reference with 430 illustrations of every common woodworking joint and how to lay out and cut it.

Home Furniture Making for Amateur Wood Workers (1910)

G.A. Raeth's project book of Mission-style home furniture (Morris chairs, library tables, settees, bookcases) with drawings and stock lists.

Material: Oak

Mission Furniture: How to Make It, Parts 1 and 2 (1909, 1910)

Popular Mechanics' Arts-and-Crafts furniture project books with dimensioned drawings and bills of material for tables, chairs, bookcases and stands.

Material: Quarter-sawn oak

Problems in Furniture Making (1912)

Fred D. Crawshaw's manual-arts book of furniture projects (tables, stools, chairs, desks, bookcases) with working drawings and design discussion.

Forest Service picnic table plans (1963)

Forest Service research note with plan drawings and construction details for standard plank picnic tables built from red oak and hickory.

Material: Red oak, hickory

Poultry House Construction, USDA Farmers' Bulletin 574 (1914)

Classic USDA bulletin with plans, framing details and bills of material for several chicken house designs.

WikiHouse Skylark 150 block library

Complete CNC cutting files (DXF/DWG) and 3D models for WikiHouse's Skylark plywood building system: walls, floors, roofs and openings for small buildings, studios and sheds.

Material: 18mm structural plywood

About 800 MB, so we link out.

Wood duck nest box plans (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1958)

Wildlife Leaflet 393 with dimensioned plans for wood and metal wood-duck nest boxes and predator guards.

Material: Rough lumber, sheet metal

FM 5-426 Carpentry (U.S. Army field manual, 1995)

U.S. Army carpentry manual covering tools, joinery, framing, and shop fixtures including sawhorses, workbenches and a miter box.

Projects for Beginning Woodwork and Mechanical Drawing (1912)

Ira S. Griffith's manual-training project book with dimensioned working drawings for simple shop and household pieces: taborets, footstools, boxes, racks.

Popular Mechanics Shop Notes (1905)

Early volume of Popular Mechanics' Shop Notes: hundreds of illustrated workshop how-tos including a home-made workbench, tool chests, cabinets, jigs and bench fixtures.

The Anarchist's Workbench (free PDF)

Christopher Schwarz's complete book on building a French-style slab workbench from construction lumber, with dimensions, cut list and step-by-step build.

Material: Southern yellow pine or construction lumber

Non-commercial license. Large PDF (about 42 MB).