Who uses plans???

[Curt Harms]

I first read about this in an article by or about Burt Rutan, aeronautical engineer of the Voyager around-the-world unrefueled and SpaceShip One fame. He is said to use TLAR and if it's good enough for him....

That
Looks
About
Right



Curt

[Calvin Hobbs]

Usually not, but I use plans if it makes sense, it saves time.

Often working on period reproductions measured drawings are very nice, but they all have to be watched with a sharp eye so you don't build an author/draftsman's error in interpretation. So there are good drawings and there are many bad drawings.

The double chests we (Ben Hobbs, Matt Hobbs, Calvin Hobbs, Don Harris) are building are mostly conforming to the plans from the Elfe book by Humphrey. These are excellent plans. We still made some judgment calls on joinery, etc. that were not shown.

Most of the time overall dimensions and knowledge of how to build it can be enough, a few sketches of shaped parts for patterns and off to the races. Cal

[William Nimmo]

To me, using someone elses plans is like doing color by number painting. No credit is deserved for a nice job. I do commisioned pieces occasionally and one time I worked from architects plans. On delivery they went on and on about what a great job. I told them all I did was cut and assemble.

[Amy Leigh Baker]

No plans for me... designing for me is half the enjoyment. I always start with an idea in my head, but I always change it many times... sometimes while designing, sometimes in the middle of building if I won't have to actually rework anything. I often worry that I'm doing it the "right" way, but mostly just because you can be pretty sure the "right" way usually at least doesn't look really stupid. The way I see it, it's my project, so I will design it exactly the way I want it, even if it isn't "normal".

I like to do a rough isometric hand sketch, then use an architect ruler to draw a to scale isometric drawing, then take similar steps with elevation and section drawings. But then again I add a drawer two weeks later, so I redo it all again. But hey, I love it!!!

[Mark Roderick]

I'm in the unforunate minority. I am terrible at visualizing projects. I therefore almost always start with purchased plans, although I often make some changes as I go along. I really envy people - my grandfather was one of them - who could just design and build starting with a rough idea.

I'm good at executing, not good at visualizing. The only good side to this is that when a project is complete I'm always very surprised and happy about how it looks.