Designing

[Artemus]

Designing is part of the fun but as for drawing the plan out, it depends. If it's another table, nightstand, etc that I've already done several of then I already have the design/plan in my head and just need to vary the dimensions. Simple things like shop jigs I design in my head as I go. First time projects or those having exact dimensions usually get designed on paper or sketchup. Anything with expensive wood *always* gets complete design plans first and sometimes even a cheap wood prototype. I have been known to make an error or two on paper and even in sketchup. Art

[Robatoy]

Axchewishly..... lead balloons DO float. Mythbusters made a lead balloon which floated just fine.

[Bill]

Yes, in the case of the DP baseboard, which I suspect you may have been referring to, I just wanted to do the project. Amusingly, it's usually other who put the lofty design features in my head. I generally start out quite naively with "simple and cheap" and folks help me out from there! Its cheaper than buying boats and new cars.

Good point about "over-thing and over-designing". That sounds like the voice of experience talking! I appreciate the lesson.

Bill

[Bill]

This thread has covered a lot of ground in half a day... lol

[Doug Winterburn]

...or paralysis through analysis.

[J. Clarke]

Depends on the project. On the wagon I built a while back I drew the wheels up in 3D with all dimensions, the body in 2D, and the rest kind of winged. On the other hand, the sandalwood box in the medicine cabinet that contains my comb, straight razor, and some other oddments when not in use I just started cutting.

[Lew Hodgett]

--------------------------------------- The octopus is in the room, it's bag pipe time.

Lew

[Lobby Dosser]

....I probably often started by looking at the

Inspiration comes from many places. Often I see something I want to reproduce. Often a glance at the wood pile inspires and I do a quick sketch and start cutting. Often I take weeks (or more) doing variations of a design to get it just right.

One note, is anything on paper does not convey scale and 5 minutes slicing cardboard to mock up the actual size of something can be very instructive. I designed a plant stand that once instantiated in wood was too big to even be sold as a lecturn.

As an FYI, I often find myself usingthe Agile method (which we use in SW design in my real job) on my wood projects where design refines over time during creation.

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Agile as a method is much easier to apply to software. Once you get past a certain point with wood it is impossible to refine the design without scrapping the work.

[Lobby Dosser]

Uh, oh. When doing software it is always best to define the Problem before doing anything else. Quite often there is no problem or an existing 'solution' can be used.

[Lobby Dosser]

The 'over' thing is sometimes known as First System Syndrome in SW development. Folks try to fit in everything they know in that first system and frequently fail. An unfortunate few never get over the first system and try to do it Over and Over. Think about French Polishing an Adirondack Chair.

[FrozenNorth]

Point taken, bad choice of words, should have been "see the solution or result, find the best way to get there", or something along those lines.

[Larry Jaques]

Let's put it this way: 99.99999% of lead balloons don't float, even if filled with helium, hydrogen, or floatium.

I'm guessing that the one on Mythbusters was filled with Sedona, oops, Sarnia Banana Gas. I understand that it's quite like floatium. Lifty, man.

-- The United States of America is the greatest, the noblest and, in its original founding principles, the only moral country in the history of the world. -- Ayn Rand

[Ed Pawlowski]

? "FrozenNorth" wrote

Hey, don't talk about my father-in-law like that! He'd spend an hour making a tool or fixture to save 30 seconds on a five minute job. It is more the challenge of "I can do that" rather than any real time savings. The difference between a hobby and a profit making business.

I often do a sketch or simple drawing of a project. Most times, I'll do it while sitting in front of the TV when it is too cold to work out in the shop. It also gives me an opportunity to think of different ways of accomplishing a particular task, make a material list, etc. It may be boring for the more experienced guys, but it helps me to have a plan. .

[Bill]

I think, for me, it's not just the "challenge" of whether I can do that, but the intent that it will be part of my education. It's a philosophy you could build a lifestyle around: "When the next challenge comes around I'll be all that much ready for it." In my case, I may be building mobile bases for a TS and/or other tools someday.... It seems quite consistent with how I learned to play some musical instruments. I never started off trying to play hard stuff--just the opposite. If all I was after was a cheap, efficient, and by most measures excellent solution, I could just play CDs! : ) I'm not a purist, by any means, but I get by the best I know how to. One of the things I really enjoy is life, is that the latter is a dynamic (i.e. continually evolving) state. Have fun!

Bill

[dadiOH]

I still use the one I bought in 1943. Different handle, though, made it a couple of decades ago when the original broke.

Bought the hammer, a saw, jack plane, brace and a few auger bits for $10.00 at Montgomery Wards. I still use the brace too :)

[Bill]

The one I have using I inherited from my grandfather, who was born at close to the turn of the century. So, as you might imagine, I have been reluctant to give up on it for sentimental reasons. It's handle shows lots of different paint splatters on it..a lot of projects.

I picked up a bunch of rusted auger bits and a brace in my youth off of the side of the road (on refuse night). Placing more of a premium on space now, I had to abandon them earlier this year. I wish I would have known of your interest as I would have happily shipped them to you (though, to my untrained eye, they did not look like collector's pieces).

My True Value opens in 15 minutes. I hope to pick up the rest of the materials for my "project". Then I can play the "chess game" in the garage, and see if I can make a little room for myself... : ) Good day!

Bill

[Han]

Larry Jaques wrote in news: [e-mail]:

you should see the hilarious epiode ...

[Robatoy]

[e-mail]:

Those guys are having way too much fun. Talk about a dream job.....

[Bill]

Driving home with my building materials, I thought a little more about your comment. I suppose I compensate for my shortcomings in knowledge, by doing the best job I can even if that means I may go a little bit overboard on some details. With experience, I'm sure I'll learn to optimize that with regard to time, utility, and money. In the meantime, the cost of my going a little bit overboard is part of the price of tuition. I need the practice! I'd might try out my router on this project but I think Mike would give me a bad time about it! lol. Stay warm!

Bill

[Larry Jaques]

Good ethos, Bill. Kudos.

-- The United States of America is the greatest, the noblest and, in its original founding principles, the only moral country in the history of the world. -- Ayn Rand