Our Story
About YAKO
Plans drawn by hand, refined by building, published for everyone.
Where it started
Built from frustration.
YAKO began when we couldn't find plans detailed enough to actually build from. Most were missing dimensions. Some assumed tools we didn't own. Many were simply traced from photographs, with proportions that looked wrong when scaled up to real furniture.
So we started drawing our own. Every plan begins with a physical object — a piece of furniture we built, measured, and built again. We refine until the plan and the object agree exactly.
The result is a library of plans you can take to the workshop and follow without guesswork.
Every plan is tested
We build from our own plans before publishing them. If something is unclear in the shop, it gets fixed before it reaches you.
No assumed skills
Every plan states its required skill level and lists the tools needed. Advanced joinery is explained; beginner plans never skip a step.
Classical proportions
Dimensions follow traditional cabinetmaking ratios where possible — the kind that make furniture look right without you knowing exactly why.
Anatomy of a plan
What every PDF contains
Orthographic drawings
Front, side, and top views at a consistent scale with all critical dimensions called out.
Cut list
Every component listed by part name, finished dimensions, material, and quantity.
Joinery details
Enlarged close-ups of every joint — mortise depth, tenon shoulder, dovetail angles — at 1:1 where space allows.
Assembly notes
Numbered build sequence with notes on dry-fitting, glue-up strategy, and when to cut final dimensions.
Start building