woodworking plans for furniture

Having a specific place to do your woodworking makes sense.
As with any other hobby, you'll need an area that's convenient, comfortable, well-organized, and with sufficient space for work and storage. Depending on your experience level, the number of tools you have, and the size of most of your projects, that space can be great or small, basic or elaborate, but you'll need a definite area for a workshop to call your own.

Finding the available space, and your needs, will dictate where to locate your workshop. The most likely places are basements, garages, and seldom - used rooms, but even closets and attics can be candidates. A basement, though, has several distinct advantages over other areas. It's out of the normal family traffic pattern, so your work won't be disrupting. More often than not, it has lots of unused space that can be put to immediate service as well as allow for expansion. And, basements make a comfortable working atmosphere - cool in summer and reasonably warm in winter.
There are, however, two limiting factors in using a basement: accessibility and dampness. First, you have to be able to get materials in and out without much difficulty. And if you can't control dampness by waterproofing or dehumidifying, you'll have to locate other workshop space.

Planning For Your Needs Once you've found the site for your shop, take some time to plan on how to best equip it. The following pointers can help you decide on what to include, space permitting, of course. Selecting the right workbench for your situation is an all - important step since it will be the center of your woodworking activity. Full-size workbenches typically measure 6' to 8' long and from 24" to 36" deep, with a height between 32" and 42". Because of space limitations, a bench in these sizes may not work for you. Or, standard heights may prove uncomfortable. So, obviously, you'll have to do some tailoring. A good rule of thumb to remember is that working height should be about even with your hipbone, but decide what will be best for you.

You can either buy or build a workbench that suits your needs. Ready-built ones, in kit form, are available from the simplest made of steel and particle board to the most elaborate of joined oak or maple.