TURNING IDEAS INTO A PROJECT
The tangible project that you can hold in your hand started out as an idea. Someone wanted the appearance or the function that it could provide and they went through the steps required to turn an idea into something physical. Maybe they wanted a workbench and the first thing that they thought about was the work surface. That got expanded by a need to attach a vise and they needed sufficient room for the size of projects that they intended to work on. The work surface needed to be steady so a support system became important. Then they noticed all the space under the work surface that could be used for storage and the design kept growing.
One important aspect of designing a project is to sense the freedom to go ahead and let your ideas lead. It is just fine to come up with your own project but a person needs the confidence to go forward with a design. This confidence can be built up by starting out using ready made plans and following them carefully. That will get you used to the physical requirements of a project. You’ll get a feel for how joints are made and how wood is shaped and formed into the final product. Think about each step and learn as much as you can about why the designer chose the features of the project. Learn the basic skills of measuring and marking out parts for the project.
This page will be expanded to include articles on:
Art
Drafting
Layout
Measuring
Choice of materials
Envisioning the project
Modifying an existing design
Choose fasteners
Evaluate your level of skill
What is the purpose of the project
Design features that reduce problems
