-While I enjoy planning some special projects, I'd rather be WW. Sometimes a purchased plan can save you from things like "how wide should itbe? How high should it be?" I have also used plans as simply a starting point and then "personalized" them. In other cases, a plan can give you some new ideas for totally unrelated projects.

-I tend to agree with you on not wanting to use purchased plans. I prefer to look at different items, either in books, magazines, and stores. From there I take the aspects of each piece I like and modify them to the tools and my personal capabilities. From there I draw it out on a basic drawing package like MS Publisher. In Publisher I can layout my design in exact measurements and then look at it's proportions to see if they look right. After that I make basic dimension notes and do not get down to the nitty gritty cut sheets and plans. From there my artistic interpretation and wood working skills take over.

For me that's the way I get the most pleasure out of my projects.

I just finished a beautiful Mahogany book case for my home office

10' 6" X 7' 4"