Cc

"CW"

17/03/2012 12:29 PM

Question clarification

I should have specified in the original post. Anyone here build from
commercial plans. Everyone has a plan of some kind. I was just wondering
whether these plans are yours of someone else's. I build the entire project
as a solid model before building. That way, I am sure everything fits.


This topic has 19 replies

Pp

Puckdropper

in reply to "CW" on 17/03/2012 12:29 PM

17/03/2012 8:14 PM

"CW" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

> I should have specified in the original post. Anyone here build from
> commercial plans. Everyone has a plan of some kind. I was just
> wondering whether these plans are yours of someone else's. I build the
> entire project as a solid model before building. That way, I am sure
> everything fits.
>
>

My plans are usually mine. I'll draw inspiration from various sources,
but when it comes time to build my project it's 100% mine. I've never
built a model before building something, but have built mockups to get a
feeling how something works or fits together.

Occasionally, I'll do an entire design in Sketchup but most of the time
the plans I make are sketches in a notebook. Sometimes it's an entire
assembly, while other times it's just a few notes on a critical area.

I often buy commercial kits for my model railroad, and modify the kit to
fit my needs. It's just part of the drive to design and make something
unique that fits the situation.

Puckdropper

--
Make it to fit, don't make it fit.

Pp

Puckdropper

in reply to "CW" on 17/03/2012 12:29 PM

17/03/2012 10:21 PM

"CW" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

>
>
> "Puckdropper" wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>
>
> My plans are usually mine. I'll draw inspiration from various
> sources, but when it comes time to build my project it's 100% mine.
> I've never built a model before building something, but have built
> mockups to get a feeling how something works or fits together.
> ==================================================================
> By solid model, I mean CAD. I model every part, every joint. Just the
> way it will be built.

I've done a few CAD designs myself, and even built an entire project off
the design plans. I actually modeled my model railroad using CAD before
I started building it. The trouble with doing something that large is
the sense of space is disrupted.

> I often buy commercial kits for my model railroad, and modify the kit
> to fit my needs. It's just part of the drive to design and make
> something unique that fits the situation.
> ==============================================================
> We need pictures. I wish I had room for trains here.
>

I'll grab a picture or two after it gets dark. On the most recent
example, all I did was add an exterior door and window on the second
story and an interior.

Puckdropper
--
Make it to fit, don't make it fit.

Mm

Matt

in reply to "CW" on 17/03/2012 12:29 PM

17/03/2012 4:38 PM

On 3/17/2012 1:54 PM, Rich wrote:
> wrote:
>
>> "CW"<[email protected]> wrote in
>> news:[email protected]:
>>
>>> I should have specified in the original post. Anyone here build from
>>> commercial plans. Everyone has a plan of some kind. I was just
>>> wondering whether these plans are yours of someone else's. I build the
>>> entire project as a solid model before building. That way, I am sure
>>> everything fits.
>>>
>>>
>>
>> My plans are usually mine. I'll draw inspiration from various sources,
>> but when it comes time to build my project it's 100% mine. I've never
>> built a model before building something, but have built mockups to get a
>> feeling how something works or fits together.
>>
>> Occasionally, I'll do an entire design in Sketchup but most of the time
>> the plans I make are sketches in a notebook. Sometimes it's an entire
>> assembly, while other times it's just a few notes on a critical area.
>>
>> I often buy commercial kits for my model railroad, and modify the kit to
>> fit my needs. It's just part of the drive to design and make something
>> unique that fits the situation.
>>
>> Puckdropper
>>
> It amazes me how many woodworkers are also model railroad enthusiast. Wonder
> why that is? I use to love getting one of those Bowser Cast Locomotive kits.
> My favorite was the Union Pacific Challenger and the Big Boy.

Add me to the (growing?) list of model railroader woodworkers... HO
scale 12 x 18 layout, and some joint use space in the same room for
workbench, drill press, and a portable cart currently housing a small
lathe (cart doubles as a benchtop for a small benchtop router table).
The major tools are stored in a shed in the back yard, and can be used
outside as needed until the summer heat becomes too much...

Matt in AZ

Pp

Puckdropper

in reply to "CW" on 17/03/2012 12:29 PM

18/03/2012 3:13 AM

"CW" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

> "Puckdropper" wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>
>
> I often buy commercial kits for my model railroad, and modify the kit
> to fit my needs. It's just part of the drive to design and make
> something unique that fits the situation.
> ==============================================================
> We need pictures. I wish I had room for trains here.

This was by no means a kitbash, just ignoring the directions to fit my
purposes. I plan to build a deck to span over the drainage ditch but
haven't gotten that far yet.

The kit and plans said nothing about adding lighting or an interior, so I
had to come up with that myself.

http://www.puckdroppersplace.us/railroad/images/weblog/Office%203%
20quarters%20high.jpg

http://www.puckdroppersplace.us/railroad/images/weblog/Office%
20Interior.jpg

http://www.puckdroppersplace.us/railroad/images/weblog/Office%20lighted%
20Interior.jpg

Puckdropper
--
Make it to fit, don't make it fit.

Mm

Matt

in reply to "CW" on 17/03/2012 12:29 PM

17/03/2012 8:46 PM

On 3/17/2012 8:13 PM, Puckdropper wrote:
> "CW"<[email protected]> wrote in
> news:[email protected]:
>
>> "Puckdropper" wrote in message
>> news:[email protected]...
>>
>>
>> I often buy commercial kits for my model railroad, and modify the kit
>> to fit my needs. It's just part of the drive to design and make
>> something unique that fits the situation.
>> ==============================================================
>> We need pictures. I wish I had room for trains here.
>
> This was by no means a kitbash, just ignoring the directions to fit my
> purposes. I plan to build a deck to span over the drainage ditch but
> haven't gotten that far yet.
>
> The kit and plans said nothing about adding lighting or an interior, so I
> had to come up with that myself.
>
> http://www.puckdroppersplace.us/railroad/images/weblog/Office%203%
> 20quarters%20high.jpg
>
> http://www.puckdroppersplace.us/railroad/images/weblog/Office%
> 20Interior.jpg
>
> http://www.puckdroppersplace.us/railroad/images/weblog/Office%20lighted%
> 20Interior.jpg
>
> Puckdropper

Looks good - I've got a variation of the same building on my layout,
serving as an office at the diesel engine servicing facility. No
interior or lighting though - you're more ambitious than I on that!

http://www.arizonarails.com/images/layouts/matt2/1.JPG

Additional pictures and a room layout sketch can be seen at

http://www.arizonarails.com/members_layouts/matt_layout.html

Click on any picture to see a larger version of it in a pop-up window
(the site does NOT have ads, so you're good to allow pop-ups on it).
And judging from the last time that page was updated, it looks like it's
time I provide the webmaster with some new pictures!

Matt

Pp

Puckdropper

in reply to "CW" on 17/03/2012 12:29 PM

18/03/2012 7:51 AM

Matt <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

>
> Looks good - I've got a variation of the same building on my layout,
> serving as an office at the diesel engine servicing facility. No
> interior or lighting though - you're more ambitious than I on that!
>
> http://www.arizonarails.com/images/layouts/matt2/1.JPG
>
> Additional pictures and a room layout sketch can be seen at
>
> http://www.arizonarails.com/members_layouts/matt_layout.html
>
> Click on any picture to see a larger version of it in a pop-up window
> (the site does NOT have ads, so you're good to allow pop-ups on it).
> And judging from the last time that page was updated, it looks like
> it's time I provide the webmaster with some new pictures!
>
> Matt

That's the interesting thing about those buildings... They're generic
enough to be used for anything, but easy to modify for a specific purpose.
I'm not sure what the real ones are called, but I usually refer to them as
"Pikestuff Buildings". A good many are that exact color, too.

The lighting and interior wasn't too bad. All I did was build a box and
drill a couple holes for the lights. The interior has only 4 objects in
it, looking through the window less is more. The real trick was getting
the walls to be opaque enough I don't have a glowing building.

Puckdropper
--
Make it to fit, don't make it fit.

Rc

Richard

in reply to "CW" on 17/03/2012 12:29 PM

17/03/2012 6:20 PM

On 3/17/2012 2:29 PM, CW wrote:
> I should have specified in the original post. Anyone here build from
> commercial plans. Everyone has a plan of some kind. I was just wondering
> whether these plans are yours of someone else's. I build the entire
> project as a solid model before building. That way, I am sure everything
> fits.


Mine. And ONLY mine.

I can't possibly build solid models before tackling the real deal.
There's no way. And it would do any good anyway.

So I build my models in the computer.
But even then they are more "ideas" than hard plans.

I sometimes draw some patterns that have to be pretty accurate.
But he overall plans are often very general concept drawings instead
of blueprints.

Here is an example of a recent project.
A cabinet and shelves. Sounds easy enough, doesn't it?
But I'll bet it would reduce the real cabinet makers here to tears.

http://www.home.earthlink.net/~sv_temptress/cabinet.htm

There are no straight lines anywhere.
There is no level reference.
There is no vertical reference.
Symmetry is a foolish notion! Don't EVEN go there.

But that's just the way boats are...


JC

"J. Clarke"

in reply to "CW" on 17/03/2012 12:29 PM

20/03/2012 11:46 PM

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected]
says...
>
> On 3/17/2012 2:29 PM, CW wrote:
> > I should have specified in the original post. Anyone here build from commercial
> > plans. Everyone has a plan of some kind. I was just wondering whether these
> > plans are yours of someone else's. I build the entire project as a solid model
> > before building. That way, I am sure everything fits.
>
> I've yet to find ANY commercial plans that describe the exact thing I want to
> build. In some cases I have bought commercial plans that were similar, then
> changed various aspects of the design to fit my needs.

If I see a commercial plan I like, I build from it. Or I may draw my
own. Or I may just play it by ear. Depends on the project. I worked
out the wagon I built a while back in detail. Need to build another one
of those--somebody backed into it and smashed it up pretty good. Gonna
be a while though--the jigs I made up were MDF and got caught in the
basement flood during the blackout so I need to remake them.

Gonna be a better one this time though--I've got a welder now so I can
put proper tires on the wheels.

Ll

Leon

in reply to "CW" on 17/03/2012 12:29 PM

19/03/2012 6:50 AM

On 3/17/2012 2:29 PM, CW wrote:
> I should have specified in the original post. Anyone here build from
> commercial plans. Everyone has a plan of some kind. I was just wondering
> whether these plans are yours of someone else's. I build the entire
> project as a solid model before building. That way, I am sure everything
> fits.

I draw my own detailed plans. BUT NEVER build it twice.

A hint here, if you measure where each piece fits as you build before
cutting the piece you do not have to make a test run.

Rc

Richard

in reply to "CW" on 17/03/2012 12:29 PM

18/03/2012 12:03 AM

On 3/17/2012 11:18 PM, CW wrote:
>
>
> "Larry Jaques" wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>
> On Sat, 17 Mar 2012 16:28:51 -0600, Swingman <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> On 3/17/2012 1:29 PM, CW wrote:
>>> I should have specified in the original post. Anyone here build from
>>> commercial plans. Everyone has a plan of some kind. I was just wondering
>>> whether these plans are yours of someone else's. I build the entire
>>> project as a solid model before building. That way, I am sure everything
>>> fits.
>>
>> Gotta watch these assholes around here ... they'll hijack your thread in
>> a NY second. ;)
>
> Speaking of threads, do you guys sew?
> ======================================================================
> Yes. I have three machines and a serger. A 1947 Singer 99K strait
> stitch. A 1960 singer 401G, a 70's Thomson heavy duty walking foot
> strait stitch and a 4 thread Babylock serger. Started as a kite maker
> but expanded to other things.

Yep
A small Brother and an old Singer.
And a very well stocked Bosun's bag.

Sk

Swingman

in reply to "CW" on 17/03/2012 12:29 PM

17/03/2012 4:28 PM

On 3/17/2012 1:29 PM, CW wrote:
> I should have specified in the original post. Anyone here build from
> commercial plans. Everyone has a plan of some kind. I was just wondering
> whether these plans are yours of someone else's. I build the entire
> project as a solid model before building. That way, I am sure everything
> fits.

Gotta watch these assholes around here ... they'll hijack your thread in
a NY second. ;)

--
www.eWoodShop.com
Last update: 4/15/2010
KarlCaillouet@ (the obvious)
http://gplus.to/eWoodShop

JG

"John Grossbohlin"

in reply to "CW" on 17/03/2012 12:29 PM

17/03/2012 4:09 PM


"CW" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I should have specified in the original post. Anyone here build from
>commercial plans. Everyone has a plan of some kind. I was just wondering
>whether these plans are yours of someone else's. I build the entire project
>as a solid model before building. That way, I am sure everything fits.

Haven't yet...

LJ

Larry Jaques

in reply to "CW" on 17/03/2012 12:29 PM

17/03/2012 9:06 PM

On Sat, 17 Mar 2012 15:44:39 -0700 (PDT), Robatoy
<[email protected]> wrote:

>On Mar 17, 3:29 pm, "CW" <[email protected]> wrote:
>> I should have specified in the original post. Anyone here build from
>> commercial plans. Everyone has a plan of some kind. I was just wondering
>> whether these plans are yours of someone else's. I build the entire project
>> as a solid model before building. That way, I am sure everything fits.
>
>I did buy a set of plans for a work station...once. By the time I
>recalculated everything to compensate for the fact that I couldn't buy
>3/4" plywood which measured 3/4", I also found a couple of errors they
>made. Once is the operative word here as it was a time waster not a
>time saver.

I've never bought commercial plans. I either sketch them out on paper
myself or modify the hell out of free plans, using only a portion of
the plan. Or I use 1 design idea from each of 6 plan sets to get what
I'm after.

--
The greatest justice in life is that your
vision and looks tend to go simultaneously.
-- Kevin Bacon

Rc

Robatoy

in reply to "CW" on 17/03/2012 12:29 PM

17/03/2012 3:44 PM

On Mar 17, 3:29=A0pm, "CW" <[email protected]> wrote:
> I should have specified in the original post. Anyone here build from
> commercial plans. Everyone has a plan of some kind. I was just wondering
> whether these plans are yours of someone else's. I build the entire proje=
ct
> as a solid model before building. That way, I am sure everything fits.

I did buy a set of plans for a work station...once. By the time I
recalculated everything to compensate for the fact that I couldn't buy
3/4" plywood which measured 3/4", I also found a couple of errors they
made. Once is the operative word here as it was a time waster not a
time saver.

LJ

Larry Jaques

in reply to "CW" on 17/03/2012 12:29 PM

17/03/2012 9:03 PM

On Sat, 17 Mar 2012 16:28:51 -0600, Swingman <[email protected]> wrote:

>On 3/17/2012 1:29 PM, CW wrote:
>> I should have specified in the original post. Anyone here build from
>> commercial plans. Everyone has a plan of some kind. I was just wondering
>> whether these plans are yours of someone else's. I build the entire
>> project as a solid model before building. That way, I am sure everything
>> fits.
>
>Gotta watch these assholes around here ... they'll hijack your thread in
>a NY second. ;)

Speaking of threads, do you guys sew?
<bseg>

--
The greatest justice in life is that your
vision and looks tend to go simultaneously.
-- Kevin Bacon

Rr

Rich

in reply to "CW" on 17/03/2012 12:29 PM

17/03/2012 1:54 PM

wrote:

> "CW" <[email protected]> wrote in
> news:[email protected]:
>
>> I should have specified in the original post. Anyone here build from
>> commercial plans. Everyone has a plan of some kind. I was just
>> wondering whether these plans are yours of someone else's. I build the
>> entire project as a solid model before building. That way, I am sure
>> everything fits.
>>
>>
>
> My plans are usually mine. I'll draw inspiration from various sources,
> but when it comes time to build my project it's 100% mine. I've never
> built a model before building something, but have built mockups to get a
> feeling how something works or fits together.
>
> Occasionally, I'll do an entire design in Sketchup but most of the time
> the plans I make are sketches in a notebook. Sometimes it's an entire
> assembly, while other times it's just a few notes on a critical area.
>
> I often buy commercial kits for my model railroad, and modify the kit to
> fit my needs. It's just part of the drive to design and make something
> unique that fits the situation.
>
> Puckdropper
>
It amazes me how many woodworkers are also model railroad enthusiast. Wonder
why that is? I use to love getting one of those Bowser Cast Locomotive kits.
My favorite was the Union Pacific Challenger and the Big Boy.
--
http://www.rentmyhusband.biz/

ST

Steve Turner

in reply to "CW" on 17/03/2012 12:29 PM

17/03/2012 8:54 PM

On 3/17/2012 2:29 PM, CW wrote:
> I should have specified in the original post. Anyone here build from commercial
> plans. Everyone has a plan of some kind. I was just wondering whether these
> plans are yours of someone else's. I build the entire project as a solid model
> before building. That way, I am sure everything fits.

I've yet to find ANY commercial plans that describe the exact thing I want to
build. In some cases I have bought commercial plans that were similar, then
changed various aspects of the design to fit my needs.

--
Any given amount of traffic flow, no matter how
sparse, will expand to fill all available lanes.
To reply, eat the taco.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bbqboyee/

Cc

"CW"

in reply to "CW" on 17/03/2012 12:29 PM

17/03/2012 1:37 PM



"Puckdropper" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

"CW" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

> I should have specified in the original post. Anyone here build from
> commercial plans. Everyone has a plan of some kind. I was just
> wondering whether these plans are yours of someone else's. I build the
> entire project as a solid model before building. That way, I am sure
> everything fits.
>
>

My plans are usually mine. I'll draw inspiration from various sources,
but when it comes time to build my project it's 100% mine. I've never
built a model before building something, but have built mockups to get a
feeling how something works or fits together.
==================================================================
By solid model, I mean CAD. I model every part, every joint. Just the way it
will be built.


I often buy commercial kits for my model railroad, and modify the kit to
fit my needs. It's just part of the drive to design and make something
unique that fits the situation.
==============================================================
We need pictures. I wish I had room for trains here.

Cc

"CW"

in reply to "CW" on 17/03/2012 12:29 PM

17/03/2012 9:18 PM



"Larry Jaques" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

On Sat, 17 Mar 2012 16:28:51 -0600, Swingman <[email protected]> wrote:

>On 3/17/2012 1:29 PM, CW wrote:
>> I should have specified in the original post. Anyone here build from
>> commercial plans. Everyone has a plan of some kind. I was just wondering
>> whether these plans are yours of someone else's. I build the entire
>> project as a solid model before building. That way, I am sure everything
>> fits.
>
>Gotta watch these assholes around here ... they'll hijack your thread in
>a NY second. ;)

Speaking of threads, do you guys sew?
======================================================================
Yes. I have three machines and a serger. A 1947 Singer 99K strait stitch. A
1960 singer 401G, a 70's Thomson heavy duty walking foot strait stitch and a
4 thread Babylock serger. Started as a kite maker but expanded to other
things.


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