Where do you get quality plans?

[Jameshow]

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/threads/wooden-greenhouse.126388/
Some plans here.

I have various books with furniture plans in.

I tend to like stuff and copy it making it fit the timber I have to hand.

Cheers James

 

[Ttrees]

This might be worth a watch?
Can't say if it's any good or not, but many love Norm's videos.

 

[Bristol_Rob]

You could do what Norm Abrams used to do:
Pop along to somwhere that has greenhouses and copy the details down.
Even take a few stencils

 

[Noho12C]

I have a subscription with fine woodworking and you have access to quite a bit of plans, fairly well detailed.

If I cannot find what I want, I make a drawing on paper. Started recently with solid edge 2D, to have a bit better drawings and make several versions of a drawing until I am happy.

Google image is quite useful to get ideas.

 

[Robbo60]

I tried for a couple of weeks with sketchup but couldn't get it! Went back to my A3 drawing board. If I had a bigger shop I'd love an A2 board. Did A level Engineering Drawing - in 1978!!

 

[RobinBHM]

I tried for a couple of weeks with sketchup but couldn't get it! Went back to my A3 drawing board. If I had a bigger shop I'd love an A2 board. Did A level Engineering Drawing - in 1978!!

I did engineering drawing O level in 1981 and A level in 1984 - from memory.

It was head scratching working out all those sectional details.

Third angle projection, first angle projection....all fun stuff.

 

[RobinBHM]

I think another wee point is when you design on paper, you always come up with other ideas. Using a drawing program its probably only going to be for that one project. I've note boks full of sketches, many of which are ideas born of other projects. Easy to turn a page and sketch something that popped into your head.

CAD is a great tool, but it isn't creative.

Brainstorming and conceptual design always start with a pencil.

 

[Robbo60]

I did engineering drawing O level in 1981 and A level in 1984 - from memory.

It was head scratching working out all those sectional details.

Third angle projection, first angle projection....all fun stuff.

I loved it. Only three in class at A level. Had a great teacher who had formally been a draughtsman and loved motorbikes. Not a school-college-teacher type. Mr Parsons. All three of us got grade A

 

[jcassidy]

I did the Irish version, the leaving cert. Being able to sketch people's ideas out on paper impresses colleagues no end. Good life skills!

 

[Jacob]

You could do what Norm Abrams used to do:
Pop along to somwhere that has greenhouses and copy the details down.
Even take a few stencils

Absolutely. No point in reinventing the wheel, go and look at a working example. Take camera, sketch pad, tape measure, callipers.
In fact if you are into to design you should do this as a matter of routine, everywhere you go!

 

[Just4Fun]

In fact if you are into to design you should do this as a matter of routine, everywhere you go!

It tends to embarass SWMBO when I do that in a restaurant, and the wait staff look at me a bit funny also. Sometimes it is hard to resist if the place is re-purposing an interesting old sideboard or something.

 

[Jacob]

It tends to embarass SWMBO when I do that in a restaurant, and the wait staff look at me a bit funny also. Sometimes it is hard to resist if the place is re-purposing an interesting old sideboard or something.

Yes and if you just try and remember details without measuring, everything is either much bigger or smaller than you thought.

 

[Cordy]

Cordy said:
I avoid Ted McGrath like the plague

I can imagine why, as he seems a bit 'hard sell', but do you avoid him for any particular reason?


LOOK

 

[Jacob]

Ted McGrath is a big scam apparently. Lots of comments like this ont - Ted's Woodworking Scam - Ted Mcgrath Review - TwoBoredGuys

 

[Beanwood]

LOOK

OK - That's fairly clear - thanks. I'll steer clear!

 

[Beanwood]

Interesting that Norm doesn't have 'proper plans' for sale fromNew Yankee Workshop - although I've just been enjoying watching his videos.
Thanks @Cordy - Clicking through your link led me down another rabbit hole to Woodgears.ca - which has some plans - albeit not for a greenhouse

 

[pils]

Interesting that Norm doesn't have 'proper plans' for sale fromNew Yankee Workshop - although I've just been enjoying watching his videos.
Thanks @Cordy - Clicking through your link led me down another rabbit hole to Woodgears.ca - which has some plans - albeit not for a greenhouse

This may be of absolutely no use whatsoever but I found this a while ago and, occasionally, stare at it again for a while...

https://bradford.missouri.edu/passive-solar-greenhouse/

 

[Jacob]

It tends to embarass SWMBO when I do that in a restaurant, and the wait staff look at me a bit funny also. Sometimes it is hard to resist if the place is re-purposing an interesting old sideboard or something.

As long as she doesn't catch you measuring up the waitress!

 

[Nelly111s]

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/threads/wooden-greenhouse.126388/post-1412351

 

[Jacob]

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/threads/wooden-greenhouse.126388/post-1412351

Basic design is good (size, layout etc) but the detailing is very weird, untraditional, chunky sections etc. Don't think he knew much about joinery.
Absolutely the single worst detail is the roof glass finishing short of the roof timber, which would mean permanently damp timber from rain outside and condensation inside.
Oak a doubtful choice too. It doesn't do well as external joinery. Cedar or painted redwood a lot better idea.