Designing Woodworking Projects

1
Designing Woodworking Projects

• Decisions, Decisions, Decisions

2
Project design is

• A process
• Develops ideas
• Shapes or forms projects

3
A successful woodworking project starts with a
well-planned design

• Based on familiar
• Something new

4
The Project Design Process

• Consider your goals for the project..
• Appealing
• Blend it together
• Will it work
• Other things to consider
• Tools techniques
• Different methods

5
What should I build?

• Deciding what to build is where the design
  process begins.
• Specific need
• Challenge your skills
• Healthy desire to explore new techniques is what
  makes woodworking a hobby, not a chore. Bruce
  Kieffer

6
Evolution of a Woodworking project

1. Create the Design
2. Build a prototype (if necessary)
3. Build the project

7
Getting Project Ideas

• Actual pieces of furniture
• Discuss with other woodworkers
• Local library or your own collection of books and
  magazines
• Internet plans
• Watching TV or movies.
• Local woodworking stores.

8
Practical Considerations

• Wood species
• Solid wood, plywood or veneer?
• Choosing hardware finishes
• Staining Some stains harder to apply than
  others
• Avoid Gel stains, 1 step stain and polyurethane
  combinations, and other thick stains

9
Making Prototypes

• Prototype tricky joints
• Test pieces for routing profiles

10
Standard Furniture Dimensions

• Dining Tables
• Top height 29 30
• Place setting width 24 min., 30 best
• Table edge to pedestal base clearance 14 min
• Apron to floor clearance 23 ½

• Miscellaneous Tables
• Coffee tables 12 18 tall
• End tables 18 24 tall
• Desks
• Depth 30 deep
• Writing height 29 30
• Computer keyboard stations 25 27 tall

11
Standard Furniture Dimensions

• Bedroom furniture
• Dressers 18 24 deep, 30 min height
• Night stands 18 22
• Bed mattress height 18 22
• Chairs
• Seat height 15 18
• Seat width 17 20
• Seat depth 15 18
• Arm rest (from seat) 8 10

• Bookcases
• Depth 12
• Height 76 maximum
• Shelf width 24 max width for ¾ plywood
  shelves 36 max width for ¾ solid wood shelves
• Lounge seating
• Seat height 14 17
• Seat width 24 min/person
• Seat depth 15 18
• Arm rest height (from seat) 8 10
• Seat angle tilt backwards 3 - 5
• Backrest tilt angle from seat
• 95 - 105

12
Furniture Styles

• Jacobean (1600 1690)
• Early American (1640 1700)
• William and Mary (1690 1725)
• Queen Anne (1700 1755)
• Colonial (1700 1780)
• Georgian (1714 1760)
• Pennsylvania Dutch (1720 -1830)
• Chippendale (1750 1790)
• Robert Adam (1760 1795)
• Hepplewhite (1765 1800)

• Federal (1780 1820)
• Sheraton (1780 1820)
• Duncan Phyfe (1795 1848)
• American Empire (1800 1840)
• Shaker (1820 1860)
• Victorian (1840 1910)
• Arts and Craft (1880 1910)
• Art Nouveau (1890 1910)
• Scandinavian Contemporary (1930 1950)

13
Duncan Phyfe (1795 1848)

• Appearance
• Graceful refined w/ carved or reeded legs.
• Drawer Pulls
• Oval back plate w/stamped brass handle
• Mushroom-shaped glass or brass knob.
• Brass Lion's head with pull ring through mouth.
• Loop bail handle w/no back plate.
• Joints
• Dovetail
• Finish
• Oil varnish

14
Shaker (1820 1860)

• Appearance
• Straight lines, simple design and little
  ornamentation.
• Drawer Pulls
• Mushroom-shaped wooden knob
• Joints
• Dovetail
• Finish
• Oil varnish
• Paint

15
Victorian (1840 1910)

• Appearance
• Elaborately detailed, formal, somber appearance.
  Cabriole style leg.
• Drawer Pulls
• Carved wood handle.
• Mushroom-shaped glass or wooden knob.
• Rosette - round flower or leaf shaped knob in
  brass or glass.
• Joints
• Dovetail
• Finish
• Oil varnish

16
Arts Craft aka. Mission (1880 1910)

• Appearance
• Straight lines, simple design and little
  ornamentation.
• Straight lines and heavy proportion
• Drawer Pulls
• Bail handle w/back plate.
• Mushroom-shaped wooden knob.
• Round brass ring pull w/o back plate.
• Joints
• Dovetail
• Mortise and tenon
• Finish
• Lacquer
• Shellac
• Stain
• Wax

17
Scandinavian Contemporary (1930 1950)

• Appearance
• Straight lines, simple design, and little
  ornamentation.
• Drawer Pulls
• Mushroom-shaped wooden knob.
• Joints
• Dovetail
• Mortise and tenon
• Finish
• Oil varnish
• Stain
• Wax