A little help needed reducing plans

[TracyP]

I have been asked by a user here to possibly duplicate the end tables I built for my living room, to be used as night stands. He would like to have them a smaller size than the plans call for These are the end tables:



My concern is that I have never taken a set of plans and cut them down to make a smaller size duplicate. Is there a "formula" that would make it simple? Or do I have to change the individual sizes of each of the pieces to reduce the size? Any help would be greatly appreciated.:help::help:

 

[ptt49er]

Multiply each dimension by a predetermined percentage.

If he wants it at 75% the size, multiply everything by .75.

It'll take a little work, but that'd be how I would do it.

 

[Bas]

Philip's method certainly works, but you don't want to cut too many pieces that are 12 15/64" If you're lucky, your piece has easy dimensions to transpose, i.e. if the panels are 12x32 it's easy to go to 9x24 (=75%). So look for something in that area to start. You can then recalculate and round as needed. The last consideration is stock management. If you can reduce the width by 1/2" and as a result only use half as much plywood for the back, you'd be crazy not to.

 

[Trent Mason]

Ditto what Phillip and Bas said. I would try to use a flat percentage for everything. If you start rounding things up or down and changing the thickness of the plywood/etc, you have to take that into account and change any corresponding measurements. I would just stick to a flat percentage. Even if you end up with crazy fractions, it still beats going through and re-measuring everything.

 

[toolman]

If you used AutoCad you can pick all and resize or Phillip and Bas siad it all! :rolf:

 

[Travis Porter]

When I have done this in the past, I just shorten the parts a predetermined amount. If the thing needs to be 3 inches narrower, take 3 inches off of all those parts, but leave your tenons and such the same.

I tried to do percentages before, and for me, it didn't work real well.

 

[Joe Scharle]

Roughly resize the big parts and most everything else will stay the same. i.e. knobs, thicknesses etc

 

[Glennbear]

Philip's method certainly works, but you don't want to cut too many pieces that are 12 15/64" If you're lucky, your piece has easy dimensions to transpose, i.e. if the panels are 12x32 it's easy to go to 9x24 (=75%). So look for something in that area to start. You can then recalculate and round as needed. The last consideration is stock management. If you can reduce the width by 1/2" and as a result only use half as much plywood for the back, you'd be crazy not to.

Yet another reason for metrification :rotflm: I think Joe Scharle and Travis have the right approach. Being a tall individual I am usually trying to figure out how to make stuff higher rather than lower :wsmile: