I’m half-way through building a fold-down/up router table attached to my contractor’s saw. Being the introspective sort that I am, I’ve been somewhat intrigued by the process of designing and planning this project, and wondering how others go about it. Especially those who might be spatially challenged (as I definitely am) and with no drawing skills!
The part that’s hardest for me is visualizing more than one part of the project at once, and how moving (or even the supportive but stationary) parts would interact with each other. In the world of music, I can “hear” in my mind all the various parts of a song simultaneously, and it’s second nature, but doing that visually with the idea of a hypothetical piece of equipment is nearly impossible for moi.
What’s your approach?
forestgirl — you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can’t take the forest out of the girl 😉
Replies
f_g, scrap lumber and prototyping is what I do. I start with the dimensions that I have to work with then just improvise as I go. Sometimes I take it all the way back to the begining. Rarely do I get it right the first time. I make drawings of what I've done as I go and then revise and revise until I'm finally satisfied.
Steve - in Northern California
Steve, your mention (in an earlier thread) about building a prototype of the marble-top table helped remind me that the stunning pieces I see in magazines probably don't go from paper to polish without some lower-risk modelling first.
So far the RT project is going well, and I haven't had to re-do anything. In some other smaller projects I've done, I've gotten to, say, Stage 3, and found out that some part of Stage 1 was a roadblock to what I wanted to do. Just trying to learn to plan enough ahead to not have that happen with annoying frequency.
Have to confess, I'm quite envious of people who are very good at manipulating spatial things in their heads and then even (gasp!) drawing a picture of what will work. In a past life, I showed horses (cross-country jumping) with a gal who was a geology professor in Sacramento. We'd discuss the course after walking it once -- she had a topographical map in her head of the entire course, while I was going "OK, after #1, turn left prepare for #2, go right and try to find #3....." I'd go out and walk it 3 more times, she'd just visit it in her dreams (well, almost). Never did well with those unfolded-boxes on the SAT either!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Hey Forest Girl,
I typically draw the project out using a cheap CAD program called Drawing Board Lite..from Bridge City Toolworks...about the only thing I can afford from them...lol
I then build the project in my mind...from start to finish...and glean an amazing amount of "experience" just that way...I also generally redo portions of the drawing..but, thankfully, the program makes modifications very easy.
Good luck!
lp
What is the leanring curve on Drawing Board Lite? I once took a stab at AutoCad Lite, but it was going to take too long to learn for my patience, so I gave up. Is this one better? Easier to learn and retain?
See my e-mail. The learning curve is not long at all. Very, very easy software to learn..easier than most.
lp
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