Sawdust Diaries: Design
INTRODUCING SAWDUST DIARIES!
Welcome back! Glad you can join me for the first installment of what we’ll be calling Sawdust Diaries! The intent of this series will be to bring you along, from start to finish, on various projects that we’ve made or will be making. All the tips and tricks, fails and wins will be laid bare for an unfiltered view of what it takes to transform reclaimed lumber into mini masterpieces for the home. So strap in, get your eye protection ready… it’s about to get dusty!
IT ALL STARTS WITH AN IDEA…
But wait! Before we actually cut anything, we need an idea of what we are making, right?! Not saying it can’t happen on the fly but your project outcome may just end up attracting flies if it…well…ends up looking like an elephant dung pile in the hot Saharan sun! The best cure for avoiding that outcome is a sound plan. It all starts with a need; what is it that you are seeking for your home?
THE UGLY STEPSISTER?
Let’s pretend it is an end table you are considering. One great place to start is a hand sketch such as this one…
If you don’t fancy yourself the artistic type, an online search for the end table of your desires may yield something like this…
Christopher Knight Home Esther French Country Accent Table with Rectangular Top, Natural + Distressed White
Both of these methods will go a long way to getting you on the right track and are both integral parts of any early ideation phase we undertake here at Timepiece to Table. But there is one more step that crowns this process…
THE “CAD’S” MEOW
With sketch and image in hand, the final stage of our process includes the creation of a virtual model using a 3D modeling programming software program, commonly referred to as CAD (Computer Aided Design). This is where all the grand plans you have go to perish… Totally kidding, but in all seriousness, what this step shows you is where your initial ideas need refining and/or where you hit the nail on the head (pun intended!). Here is the example of the refined end table design we’ve developed using this software approach…
The two most valuable aspects that I see with incorporating software into the design process are assessing proportions and understanding joint connections. Personally, I can recall several designs that have been saved by seeing them in their virtual state and realizing the aesthetics are just a touch off the mark. A simple adjustment in the software can often easily tell you what changes are needed to correct those visual imbalances before they make it to the physical pieces. A huge win in terms of avoiding rework (or firewood creation as I like to call it!) It definitely saves wear and tear on ones’ mental state of mind and saves the wallet from unnecessary depletion!
FINAL DIMENSIONS
With all the talk of “virtual this” and “dimensions that” you might think this were a sci-fi blog! Believe me, some of my ideas might be far out (as my wife often points out!) but the realities of building with barnwood have me firmly planted on the ground! With a sketch, an image, a well-refined CAD model and most importantly, specific dimensions to cut to… that just about rounds out the design phase in our approach. And don’t worry if you don’t have access to or knowledge how to create a CAD model. Humankind has been building for much longer than fancy software programs have been around! You’ll do just fine, you just have to jump in and go for it! In the next post we’ll get “hands on” to discuss the next phase in the process, but in the meantime, what are we missing? Is there anything you’d do differently to start your project? Let us know, we love to hear feedback! Until next time, happy dreaming and designing!
January 16, 2022This entry was posted in General, Sawdust Diaries. Bookmark the permalink.
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