When faced with a new project, it can often be hard to find a place to start. With time, the process can become more comfortable and less intimidating. We must filter a nearly infinite number of choices down to a manageable workload. Everyone has their own process; this is a brief window into how I go about designing and realizing a project.
I will be skipping over the initial choices of what to design as this project came from a customer request. The customers have built a new log home and are in need of a screen for their fireplace. The project is also further simplified in that they have a screen from an old fireplace that they want to use as a reference.
A few years ago, an engineer that I used to work with recommended that I try out Fusion 360. It was a new CAD program that he had found, and the price was within reach of a small-time user. Up to that point I had been using a pen and paper to work out designs. There is a large community of designers who use this program and have a lot of instructional videos to teach you the program.
My basic process is broken down into a few main steps.
- Photograph the location
- Insert the photo into the CAD program and set the scale
- Do a rough sketch of the dimensions that you want the piece to fit into
- Design parts to fit into your rough sketch
- Render an image of the initial design and send it to the client
- After approval, finalize dimensions
- Create drawings of each part
- Order materials
- Execute
For step one, I like to include a ruler in the initial photograph. This helps me to scale the drawing later and is also a good reminder of dimensions every time that I see the picture. Making sure that the photo is in decent light means that your rendering will look better when reviewing with the client.
The second step is to add this photo into the CAD software. I came across a great video for doing this, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9zZo7t15NE&t=175s . There are other examples out there, but this video does a great job of explaining the process in an easy to follow manner.
When the canvas is sized correctly, I then begin building a sketch over it. This lays out the basic dimensions of my project while allowing me to see how it compares to the environment.
When my sketch is completed, I design parts to fit into the sketch parameters. I can turn the canvas on and off in the CAD environment to see how the design fits the location as it is progressing.
When I get all of the components designed. I render an image to review with the clients. This communicates with them an accurate view of how the project will fit into their home or business.
If they approve of the design, I begin translating the CAD model into reality. I first make drawings of components including all relevant measurements.
I like to do drawings of all components in a build, even if I’m not outsourcing any of the project. In the future a design may get outsourced to someone else to build. This saves me time should that happen.
The real work begins in production. At this point I need to translate drawings into reality and as long as I have done a thorough job in planning, the jobs tend to go smoothly. There are always bumps in the road, but knowing exactly how long pieces should be and where bends are located will save a lot of headaches and working through problems during a build.
