Free Vintage Plans For You

                                                       
I have been interested in old plans for many years. It seemed that I was always on the prowl  for plans from which I could build all kinds of  things I wanted but couldn,t really afford to buy. I found out quite early on that many very suitable plans were to be found in old editions of magazines such as Science And Mechanics and  a number of other similar magazines.  Over a period of years I put together a collection of many hundreds of  plans for all kinds of things.

Later I discovered  that the majority of these plans  which were first published prior to 1964 were no longer copyright and were in fact in the "public domain", as a result of their copyright never being renewed before the expiry date. Everything published in the USA before the year 1923 is also automatically in the public domain with no exceptions. Since they are no longer in copyright, all of these items may be used by anyone at all for any purpose they desire. This includes printed material, and also audio (old radio shows) and videos (old movies). All of these non copyright items may be copied and republished or resold. The material cannot be copyrighted by any person in their original state, but a new version of the item may be copyrighted if  there have been significant changes made to the material.

Then in 1964 copyright laws were changed for the USA, and material published after that year remains in copyright for a very much longer period of time.  There are actually certain exceptions to this with some publications up to the year 1978 which are in the public domain.

To avoid any  possibility of copyright problems I  personally will only republish material which was  copyrighted before 1964, and which is now  in the public domain, which can be proven by checking the publication and its author at the US copyright office, a job which can be completed online very simply.

My website Vintage Plans has available to everyone free copies of a selection of these old plans. This is an ongoing work and will undoubtedly take considerable time to finish. The simple fact is that it will very likely never be finished as new material continues to come to light continually from a number of sources.

I also intend to republish freely copies of  plans, articles etc which date far back into the 1800s and even further than that. Many  interesting and useful plans and  articles etc are available from this time.

Check back with this blog and our website often and you will get much interesting material http://www.vintageplans.org. It is my hope that many of you will find a lot of interest in these  plans and articles and plenty of items which will be of use to you. They are all free--so the price is not a problem is it?. Go to our website, and help yourself to the free PDF downloads you will find there. the

Take a look now at Vintage Plans and check out all the really interesting stuff that is totally free. You can if you wish leave your comments below or ask your question about anything.

                                           

Free plans. Build Model Stirling Hot Air Engines.

Stirling engines, which are actually hot air engines, are great engines to make working models from. The hot air engine was an early invention in the 1800s, and looked verty promisimng as a source of power for all kinds of projects. However the low power to weight ratio of these engines makes them most suitable for stationary power rather than for use in vehicles of any kind. That being said several hot air engine powered large ships were built in the 1800s and they worked very well. Hot air engines are of course run by hot air which is heated from a heat source such as coal or wood burning, as it was in these ships.

Model small scale Stirling engines are usually powered by an alcohol flame or even by a candle flame.

We have free plans for hot air engines which you can download at our website, and we also have a free plan for a rather unique candle powered engine. This amazing little engine gets its power solely from a candle flame. This is a simple to build vintage project and runs really well.

When you build model hot air engines the key to success is to get all the moving parts air tight, but as friction free as possible. The engine will then run perfectly. If there is a significant air leak it will not run, and if there is too much friction it will run poorly if at all.

Go to our website and download the free PDF plans for these and many other vintage projects.

Free Plans.Build A Seismograph To Detect Earthquakes

A seismograph is a scientific instrument detects and records earthquakes. Needless to say if a large earthquake occurs closeby you do not need anything to tell you what has happened.

Every day however, there are minor seismic events which may not be noticeable unless you have a sensitive seismograph to make a record of them . These small seismic events do not usually cause any great damage but are interesting to demonstrate that the crust of the earth is in a constant state of movement.

Using our free plans you can build a very sensitive seismograph which will make a record of even distant earthquakes hundreds or thousands of miles away fro your location. It all depends on the magnitude of the quake naturally. A big earthquake can be detected much further away from you than a smaller disturbance can.

This seismograph filters out nearby vibrations such as the shaking caused by traffic going by. It records real seismic occurences in the earths crust only.

Go to our website to download your free plan for building a seismograph.

Free Vintage Plans. Build a Letter Press Or Book Press

A letter press,(also called a book press) has many uses for both home and business use. In the handling of vintage plans and vintage projects it can be very useful in many ways. It can obviously be used to press books or documents of various kinds. It can also be very useful in your workshop for applying decorative veneers to wood projects.

There is really nothing better for holding flat items to be glued together. A letter press can also be used for putting pressure on pretty well anything that is flat in shape for whatever purpose you require to do this.

It is the natural tool for a bookbinder to use for the purpose of binding new books, or for rebinding old books which are missing covers. It clamps the book tightly and keeps it straight and true while glue in the spine and covers is drying which can be quite difficult to do if you do not have a book press on hand.

Old magazines can bound together to form annual volumes and the letterpress or book press is the perfect tool to handle this type of work.

Vintage plans quite often call for pressure to be applied to various types of items which are to be glued together. It is possible to use clamps of various types for this job of course, but sometimes it can be hard to apply a clamp due to the size or shape of the project being worked on.

Without the need for a clamp a letter press may come in very handy to press various kinds of items together while gluing them.

The book press or letter press is in actual fact a tool with many uses and is very versatile. The free vintage plan we have here shows you how you can build one at quite low cost by making use of pipe fittings. The cost of buying a commercial book press is very high which is the main reason that many workshops do not have such a tool. Now with our free vintage plan you can build one for yourself and save money. A really good vintage project.
For more information and to get your free plans go to our website at Free Letter Press Plan

Free Vintage Plans. Build Birdhouses,Bird Houses And Bird bath

Most of us love to see our feathered friends hanging out in our garden and singing in the trees and shrubs.
Nothing is a better attraction for birds than to provide them with bird houses where they can build a nest and raise their young. The sight of the young birds being fed,growing up quickly then taking to the air is something really enjoyable.
It is very easy to build simple birdhouses from scraps of wood which the birds will find very attractive as a dwelling place for their nest.You can also build a great bird bath from our free vintage plans. A great vintage project you will love building.
Check out our website at http://www.vintageplans.org for free plans for just about anything.

Typewriter Repairs And Cleaning

Vintage typewriters which were made from the 1800s right up to the 1970s are quite numerous since so many of them were manufactured for both personal and business use. There is no doubt that the invention of the typewriter changed communications forever with the use of typewritten documents replacing the hand written material which had been in use previously.

A lot of of these old machines are in reasonably good condition whilst some may need require repairs and adjustments or simply a good cleaning to get them typing again.This is an interesting vintage project which anyone can do. The repairs and cleaning can be performed by anyone who knows what has to be done and how these old machines work. Our article and vintage plans detail how this DIY project is done.


The very old machines are really collectors items of course and not very suitable for every day use. Later typewriters which were made in great numbers from the 1920s onward are mostly quite usable still for those people who do not have computers or word processors to rely on . Repair and necessary cleanup of these old and interesting typewriters is a wonderful do it yourself project for anyone.

For more details about typewriter repair and cleaning check out our website at
Typewriter repairs

Free Plans. Build a Gemstone Grinder

Making gemstones from the rough material is a popular hobby for rockhounds.
This is done by grinding, sanding and finally polishing the stones to a high luster.

A silicon carbide grinding wheel must be used and it is used wet to prevent glazing the stone.We have free plans for you which show you how to build an inexpensive gemstone grinder which is capable of doing very nice work

The most popular stones to grind are known as cabachons which are smoothly rounded gems. These are also easier to grind than faceted stones.

With this outfit you can turn out excellent stones for mounting in rings or other jewellery to sell or use for gift giving.

Free Plans.Build Whirligigs. Make Money.

Building whirligigs,which are animated action weather vanes is a great fun project. We have for you, vintage plans with drawings for many easily built whirligig weather vanes.

After you have built several of these, from the plans, you will see how they operate, and that it is quite simple to design your own.

Whirligigs are very attractive in your garden. Most people take great pleasure in watching the actions that they perform when there is even just a little bit of wind to get them twirling..

Our vintage plans are a good start toward building these extremely interesting vintage projects. Download your free plans from our website at: Whirligig plans

Free Plans. Build Metal Detectors.Find Coins,Jewellery,Relics,Treasure

Metal detectors are great fun to use and can make money for you. You can find buried metal items including coins, jewellery,relics,treasure etc. on beaches,in public parks and similar areas.

Searching early inhabited areas may turn up some interesting historical records. If oyu lose some jewellery in your own backyard you can probably find it with your metal detector.

Commercially made metal detectors are available in many models. good ones are expensive however and can run to many thousands of dollars in some cases.

We have free plans which you can download in PDF format to build your own metal detector. One of them is for a combined metal detector,geiger counter,radio. The other shows how to use a transistor radio as a metal detector. you can have a lot of fun with these. Take a look at the plans here: Metal Detectors

Free Plans. Build Concrete Mixers.Save money

It is almost a necessity to have a concrete mixer for many home construction projects.You can build all kinds of concrete items from a small flowere bed edging to a full size driveway when you have a cement mixer to do the concrete mixing and save the hard labor of hand mixing the concrete.

We have made available for your use free plans for constructing concrete or cement mixers. The first plans is for is construction of a small size mixer to mix bucket size loads of concrete. This is the ideal size for if you are doing a small job. The other plans are for a mixer you can build which full size concrete and you will want this size for big projects. You will see these free plans ready for you to download at our website Concrete Mixers

Free Plans.Build Vintage Model Airplanes

Building model airp[lanes is one of todays most popular hobbies. As a matter of fact it has been a very popular hobby ever since flight began.

Model airplane enthusiasts compete to build the fastest plane,the longest flying plane,the best realistic model and many other types of competition. rivalry is often fierce and new designs are continually being brought forward.

Early model airplanes were rubber band powered or gliders. Combustion engine and jet models came along at a later period.The earliest models reflect the knowldge of airplane building of that time and are really interesting. Some of them fly extremely well also.

It is worth while to revisit some of these old models and build them from the plans. you can get the true flavor of what airplane modelling was all about at that time.

At our website you can find free plans for building early rubber band powered models which really fly well. Check it out at Model Airplanes

Free Plans. Repair Antique Clocks

Repairing antique clocks is a fun and profitable hobby. Very often when you find an old clock it is not running for some reason. Often the cause of the problem is very simple and easy to rectify. It can be as little as a dirty mechanism. In this case a cleaning using the proper methods may get the clock running again very easily. Or it may be that just a minor repair is needed to get it ticking away sweetly once more.

When you find an antique clock that is not running you can very often get a really good buy on it. Most people have no idea how clocks work or how to repair them. It is simply a non running clock with little value to them. You may pick it up for very little and just with a small amount of work restore it to good order. Its value then is much higher than when it was not working and you can sell it for a nice profit. Or you may just want to keep it for your own collection rather than sell it for a profit.

However you do it you can have lots of fun and make money with old clocks.See our website for information about cleaning and simple repairs which uyou can download free in PDF format.Clock Repair

Free Plans.Electromagnets Making

Electromagnets are extremely powerful for their size. They are often used in car wreckers lots to raise complete automobiles into the crusher.Then they lift the crushed vehicles to a transport truck.

Even very small electromagnets which are powered by a simple flashlight cell are capable of lifting hundreds of pounds of iron or steel.

If a small electromagnet is attached to a sheet of steel or iron it is impossible to pull it off by hand. Even the smallest can require 250 pounds of direct pull to pull it off the iron sheet.

You can make small electromagnets at home quite easily and you will be totally amazed at what they can lift. At our website you will find free plans for making electromagnets which you can download in PDF format. Why not give it a try electromagnets

Picture Frames From Lumberyard Materials

Picture frames, when purchased in art supply stores, can be very expensive.If you have a print to frame the cost may be more than it is worth.
Artists in many cases also struggle to obtain reasonably priced frames for their work.A good frame for an oil painting may easily cost $50 or more.

The solution to this problem is to build picture frames from common lumber and moldings obtained from building supply stores and lumberyards. Ordinary lumber in standard sizes can be combined with moldings to make excellent frames which can be painted in colors to complement the picture that is to be framed.

Frames made in this way are an excellent substitute for purchased frames. They can be matched exactly to the type of picture to be framed whether it be a print, painting or photography etc.

You can get free plans and intructions for building these frames at our website : Picture frames

Free Plans.Make Folding Attic Ladders

Many homes have a big attic space which is largely unused because access to it is difficult. Older homes often have a staircase to the attic and have several rooms up there.

This provides a lot of space for extra bedrooms or utility rooms.
If you have a newer home with only a tiny trapdoor for access to the attic you can very easily install a folding ladder to get up there and you can enlarge the opening if necessary. You can find free plans for building attic ladders at our website. We have three different vintage articles which give instructions for building different types of ladders and access.
attic ladders

Free Plans.Build An Electric Scooter

Electric scooters are very popular these days. No matter where you go they are to be seen skimming silently along. In most places they do not require a license to drive them and do not have to be registered. They are classed as power assisted bicycles.

Their popularity is the result of several things. firstly they are fairly inexpensive to buy with most costing well under $1000. Secondly they are very cheap to run. You only have to plug the recharger into a power outlet for a few hours and you are ready to do 20 to 25 miles before the next recharge is needed.

This means that they are ideal for commuting to work or just for riding around town for fun or shopping. Almost anyone can ride them and even a small woman can easily handle some of the lighter models.

We have free plans for building your own electric scooter if you want to really do it on the cheap. Have a look at electric scooter plans

Free Plans. Build Model Steam Engines

Model steam engines are every boys dream toy. Big boys like them also and those who are craftsmen can build model steam engines in the workshop.
There are a few engines which can be built without the use of a metal turning lathe. However the better more advanced engines require that you have lathe capabilities.

You can start by building a very simple model just for the experience. You will get a real thrill when you see it running. Then graduate to a more advanced model which will have more power and look more professional in design.

You can find plans for model steam engines at our website Model steam engine free plans

Vintage Plans For Doll Houses

Many little girls (and lets face it, big girls to) would love to get a doll house to furnish and to play with their dolls. They just have a lot of fun playing house with dolls and furniture they can move around to get different decor inn the house.

Building a doll house is really a fairly easy job,particularly if you start with a simple plan which is easy to follow. A doll house can be made from thin plywood, wall panelling, hardboard or even heavy cardboard.

I have seen really nice doll houses built from the heavy cardboard that TVs and stereo equipment come packed in. You can get any amount of this free from the dumpster at any electronics or furniture store.

It can be cut with a sharp utility knife so you don't even need much in the way of tools to do the job. with plywood or hardboard you will need a table saw or circular saw. Even a jig saw in fact will suffice.
You can find free plans for doll houses at our website. http://www.vintageplans.org

Like to see a video about building dollhouses? check this out:

Vintage Plans For Clocks

Building clocks is a wonderful hobby which has many peoples interest. It is fairly simple build a wooden clock case from good hardwood such as mahogany, cherry or walnut and then to install a windup chiming clock movement. This will be a top quality hand built clock suitable for family heirloom status. The less expensive way is to install an electronic battery powered movement. These low cost units work very well, keep good accurate time and can be used to make a nice clock. That being said, the real clock lover wants a spring or weight driven mechanical movement for the clocks he builds.

It is also completely possible to build an all wooden movement to power your clock (it will have a few small metal parts). This is really a great way to build a fine antique clock reproduction. Wooden movements were much used up until the middle of the nineteenth century and genuine old antique clocks with these hand made all wood movements are valuable antiques nowadays. You can build your own all wooden movement antique clock from free plans you can download in PDF format from our Vintage Plans website. With careful,quality workmanship you can build a clock which will be a family heirloom and you can pass it down to future generations.

Take a look at our Vintage Plans website now and see all the free plans we have there. We are adding to them daily and thay include many other things besides clocks.

Free Boat Plans. Build a Wooden Boat

Many people would like to have a boat to go fishing in their favorite lake. Others just want a boat to have some summer fun with at the lakeside. Of course you can buy a boat. There are plenty for sale both new and used.

However if you really want to cut costs the best way to go is to build a boat yourself. You don't really need to be a super woodworker to build a small boat. It is a fairly simple job. A rowing or sailing dinghy can be built from a couple of sheets of plywood, a few odds and ends of lumber and some miscellaneous hardware items.

The total cost can be well under $100 for a serviceable dinghy which you can row or power with a small outboard. Just the thing for fishing or having a little fun.

You will find free plans at our website where you can download the plans in PDF format. vintage plans

We will be adding many more plans in ther near future so keep checking back to see what is available. The price is right--FREE at http://www.vintageplans.org