Plans/drawings

These drawings and plans are a collaboration between Jeff Lefkowitz and me. In the case of the carving drawings, I drew them and Jeff organized and designed the pages. He drew the chest plans based on my sketches and measurements and added my drawings of the carvings. His attention to detail is the best - it’s been a great pleasure working with Jeff to create these guidelines for 17th-century style work.

Plans: Joined & Carved Chest with a Drawer

I worked with Jeff Lefkowitz to create a set of plans for a 17th-century carved, joined chest. The chest featured is based on some examples I studied (and one I own) made in Braintree, Massachusetts between 1670-1700. I made them like the originals, with riven oak as the primary wood with white pine as the secondary wood. Substitutions are up to you. The finished chest is 35 1/4” high, 55 1/4” wide and 23 1/2” deep (front to back.) 

I’d like to include a word about Jeff Lefkowitz. If you’re not aware of his work, a little background. A chairmaker and teacher, Jeff first came to my attention through the plans he worked on for Curtis Buchanan’s Windsor chairs. As plans, they convey all the details you need when building the chairs. But they’re also just exquisite images. If I had wall space in my shop, I’d stick some on it. Jeff went on to do other plans you might have seen, Tim Manney’s shaving horse, Dawson Moore’s spoon mule, Jarrod Dahl’s pole lathe, chairs by Pete Galbert and Bern Chandley – I’m sure there’s more. And two sets of carving patterns he’s worked on with me. 

This time I threw Jeff a challenge – working up detailed drawings for a joined chest with a drawer – something that to my knowledge he’s never seen in life. Or is certainly not familiar with. Very un-chair-like. Always in this project, it was Jeff pushing for more detail, better explanations. 

The plans consist of 6 pages, 24” x 36”. The first four are the chest and its components and joinery, these are drawn by Jeff in his usual detailed and clear images. The last two pages are the carving patterns on the top rail, drawer front and panels, as well as diagrams of the geometry used in the layout for these carvings. Scaled drawings, a stock list and construction details throughout. There’s even some filler showing how to make it as a chest with two drawers, I was able to measure two of those when I did the research about these chests many years ago. 

PRINTED PLANS ARE SOLD OUT -

If you’d rather the PDF - you can take it to be printed.  $50 for the PDF. For the PDF - email me at Peterfollansbee7@gmail.com

Chest Plans; Braintree Chest with a drawer, 6 pages, 24″ x 36″

Carving Drawings: Devon/Ipswich; Set #1

This set of patterns is part of my interpretation of carvings found on furniture from Devon, England and Ipswich, Massachusetts in the 17th century. This body of work is quite varied, and contains designs that can be used in many combinations. This particular group of furniture is quite large, with many surviving works. The furniture I study and make mainly uses frame-and-panel construction, and the designs reflect this format. The drawings include patterns for framing parts, from 2” high rails to 5” wide vertical muntins. In addition there are three designs for wider vertical panels, as well as horizontal box fronts. 

I’ve drawn most of them “full scale”, I chose typical sizes for the patterns, based on some chests and boxes I’ve measured over the years. I worked the same way I carve them, using some basic geometry for the layout, and tracing the carving gouges to establish some of the curves. Many shapes are drawn freehand; these represent V-tool outlines.  

This style of carving is readily adaptable. These are not templates, nor are they to be slavishly copied when you’re carving. Treat them as a pattern, something to base work on, but make adjustments as required. You might have slightly different carving gouges, or stock narrower or wider than what I have drawn. That just gives you a chance to change things around a bit. As you study these patterns, you’ll see common themes in them. The intention is that some of these will recur and be expanded on in future sets of related works. 

Carving Drawings; 17th-century work from Devon, England and Ipswich, Massachusetts, set # 1

4 pages, 24″ x 36″, rolled in a cardboard tube. 

[THESE PRINTED PLANS ARE SOLD OUT - IF YOU’D LIKE THE PDF EMAIL ME & WE CAN SORT IT OUT. PDF IS $40.]

Email me at Peterfollansbee7@gmail.com

Carving Drawings; 17th-century work from Devon, England and Ipswich, Massachusetts, set # 2

This set of patterns is a continuation of my interpretation of carvings found on furniture from Devon, England and Ipswich, Massachusetts in the 17th century. This furniture mainly uses frame-and-panel construction, and the designs reflect this format. The drawings include patterns for framing parts and panels – as well as box fronts.

I’ve drawn most of them “full scale”, I chose typical sizes based on some chests and boxes I’ve measured over the years. I worked the same way I carve them, using some basic geometry for the layout, and tracing the carving gouges to establish some of the curves. Many shapes are drawn freehand; these represent V-tool outlines.  

This style of carving is readily adaptable. These are not templates, nor are they to be slavishly copied when you’re carving. Treat them as a pattern, something to base work on, but make adjustments as required. You might have slightly different carving gouges, or stock narrower or wider than what I have drawn. That just gives you a chance to change things around a bit. The first set had some basic patterns, a couple of these patterns evolve from the first group. There’s step-by-step sequences for several of the patterns; a couple of designs include alternate sections, some are layout sequences. 

17th-century Style Carving: Devon, England and Ipswich, Massachusetts, set #2
5 pages, 24″ x 36″,

NOV 30, 2024: PRINTED SETS SOLD OUT.

If you’d rather the PDF - you can take it to be printed.  $45 for the PDF. Email me at Peterfollansbee7@gmail.com