Frugal Scrapbooking

Sample woodworking plans are a wonderful resource for students and shop teachers. Having a menu of ready made plans to pick from gives students a selection of items to build in the wood shop. This is easier for them than having to design something themselves or having to come up with their own layout for a wood project. Having free wood projects available for their students also focuses shop teachers. Not only do they eliminate the time needed to prepare lessons, but since they are free they also reduce costs. When teachers have a menu of plans to utilize, they can offer each student projects which are aimed to the student’s specific ability and skills.

There are free woodworking plans for starting level students, such as the etched glass wall mirror. This project involves creating a frame for a pre-made glass panel. This project needs only miter cuts and rabbet to buildl the frame. The only other tasks needed are assembling, sanding and finishing. This project needs a minimal time commitment and materials to build.

A more sophisticated woodworking project would be to make an end or coffee table. The tables will require a frame built, including legs, cross members and a lower shelf. These plans will require using a table saw and jointer. The student will also have to know how to attach the material for the table top and shelf from smaller boards. There are free woodworking plans available for both which can be made using etched glass panels just as the wall mirror has. This design consistency is crucial since it provides for projects of multiple skill levels and complexity using the same type of glass panels with etched outlines. Following this common theme makes for a cohesive lesson plan where all the projects have a unified, consistent organization while still allowing for variations in students abilities and time commitments.

All of the students can be offered the same decorative glass panel and then have the option of building a project with it that they prefer. Advanced students can also use the etched glass panel to build complex projects, such as a cabinet with glass doors or a glass fronted grandfather clock. These projects will include making complex doors as well as the frame. The frame will need complex mortise-and-tenon joints as well as dados. The top, side and back panels will require gluing up many pieces. The students will need to work with the router table and planer for this project as well as the table saw and jointer.

By using free woodworking plans, shop leaders can provide their students with ideas which will match their skills while still having a mutual component. By using a selection of pre-made plans, teachers have standard criteria for assessing and can allocate more of their time to teaching the students.