Mock ups
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How many people actually do mock ups, as for me I do and I don’t it all depends on the project, the size and complexity. If you remember the Geneva wall clock I did I made a mock up first out of plywood because there were so many parts to that clock I wanted to see exactly how well everything fits and it’s a good practice run.
I’m doing a small desk set at the moment I’ve already changed a few things a few times already. No matter how well I draw it up in autocad doesn’t mean it’s the end product. I’m always going back to drawing board and changing measurements. I also have a habit of noting everything I’ve done in my notebook because months from now or even a week from now I’ll pretty much forget what I’ve done.
Aiming for perfection is what I aspire too but not always achieved, there is always that little bit that I know where it is that haunts me. One of these days or years I’ll make something that has no mistakes hidden or visual. One of these days I just may become a craftsman.
I haven’t made a mock up yet, but also haven’t done a very sophisticated without the help of the videos on this site. I have started making more detailed drawings and dimensional notes. But they are still far from what you or Paul does. I have noticed with a set of drawings, even if the plans were from a magazine, helps tremendously with building the project.
Salko,
Also I made jewelery cabinet for my sister for Christmas. I made a mock-up of this in OSB plywood.
I made a mock-up of my bench stool before I built it. The frame was mocked-up by just screwing wood together. Then I made the seat. When I was finished adjusting leg angles and lengths I drew out full-size drawing on a sheet and referenced this when making the real frame. After I made the stool I drew a measured drawing in my sketchbook.
I’m now working on a chair. I did a rough model in Sketchup first. Just sizes and lengths of rails and legs. Then I made a mock-up of this from scrap wood to see how it fit at the desk it is going to sit at. After I did that I went back to Sketchup and edited the first model and and saved it as Chair-Model-2. I did another couple of versions playing around with back rails and stretchers so now I’m on Chair-Model-4. From this I started to make the real thing, but I’ve already shifted the shape of the legs as they looked too fat in real life. When I’m finished I’ll make a final drawing as a record.
I don’t think you’re doing anything wrong with changing things as you go. Also, you will never make something that is perfect. Not trying to sound mean, but that’s just how things are. Everyone is their own worst critic.
When you are doing something for which you don’t have a model, mock-ups are a great thing. So far, my projects are mostly copies of other people’s designs. But I have made things that are my own creation. I find that drawing it in Sketchup really helps me see it in perspective.
On many of my projects I start in pine, thinking I might do the “real” project in another wood. But I like pine and often the pine project becomes the final.
And by the way Salko, I’ve seen your work. You are more of a craftsman than most.
Thanks Matt I don’t know what to say I’m touched and I wish it were true but I have so much more to learn.
I’ve tried tinkering with sketch up and the learning curve is a bit much, I’ve worked with autoCad and Autodesk 3ds max for years when I was doing graphic designing and special effects. What I like about sketch up is the instant 3d modeling even though it’s the very low end of 3d modeling and wouldn’t pass into the world of product modeling. A friend of mine who started off in the industry with me switched to using inventor and I wish I had of as well. Inventor is an engineers dream software, you can create in 2d and you get 3d results but it is a very complicated and sophisticated bit of software. One of these days I may get into learning it but it’s not an overnight or a weeks project a good full year of many hours it would take a get a grasp on how and what to do but it would save me time and materials from making mock ups plus the costs. Sometimes the plywood ends up costing as much as real wood and since I don’t have a tablesaw anymore I’m not inclined to blunt my saws on plywood. However I use pine but it’s getting expensive as well.
Salko,
here’s a couple of mistakes I just made today. So, we all share the burden of making errors.
One is a front rail for my chair that is too short on one end. I recut this three times and it is still too short 🙂 Actually, I had to make a couple of rails until I got it right as I found the legs are not perfectly parallel and I had a lot of fixing.
Other is a knot I just found in the back leg. Just after I glued up the whole frame. This is a major structural defect. I’ll have to chop it out and patch it. Oh well.
Anyways, chin up. Your work is an inspiration.
The rails I can understand been and done that more times I care to remember and to materials I literally cannot afford to screw up on but how did you miss that knot it stick out like a saw thumb but it happens to the best of us. I don’t there’s a craftsman in the world that hasn’t made mistakes, there’s an old saying and rightly I cannot remember who said this but “a craftsman is not one who can make something but one who can cover his mistakes so well that it’s undetectable.” Actually I remember now it was Ron Herman’s master.
And thank you for your compliment.
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