rwyoung

You don't need a cut list. "Whining" that you don't know how to read a plan or even compute lumber quantities doesn't fly. If you don't know how, LEARN HOW. It is that simple.

If you are working from a plan not your own but which has projection drawings, isometric or exploded drawings, get out your Big Chief tablet and a sharp pencil. Write down each piece you see in the plan in a column on the left of the paper. To the right, its dimensions as a whole (i.e. the full size you need to cut out any joinery). Then compute the board feet. Add those up and add your fudge factor.

The fudge factor is the ONLY thing should fret about. It will depend on a multitude of factors ranging from skill level to lumber species, grade, your budget, stock thickness (all 4/4 and mill down or buy some 8/4 and resaw), etc.

With your own material list in hand select the lumber. Take along some chalk and a ruler or tape. If you can pick individual boards, do so and mark out parts. If your supplier doesn't allow you back in the yard, make friends with the yard boss & staff. Explain what you want and they will help you. Coffee and donuts may lubricate the gears of industry here. If you mail order your lumber, call them up on the phone and discuss, don't just punch buttons and click the mouse. Lumber suppliers of any sort worthy of your patronage WILL HELP YOU.

Finally, know that you are going to make mistakes. Some big, some small but all will teach you something and nearly all of them can be recovered from by modifying the design or even just getting a little extra when you order your material. Worst thing that happens if you get extra material is a well stocked shorts and scrap box for small projects!

Unless I've missed something, this show does exist to "teach" by holding your hand. It exists inspire. As far as learning the mechanics of a technique, no one who is an armchair woodworker will ever get anywhere.

Watch the show, make a few notes, turn off the TV, get up off behind and go make chips. It is that simple (or easy-shmeezy).

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+1 for the handplane method. Quick and efficient. And if possible, I "fold" the two pieces together face-to-face and match plane the edges. Cancels out any angle I might accidentally introduce. :) Yay for fewer clamps in a glue-up!

OK, so I have a thought about the Arne Jacobsen quote bandied about in this thread: "Good design is when you can't remove any more elements."

My background is design in the engineering sense. This phrase runs through engineering design too. So my though it, does Arne Jacobsen mean this in the structural sense or in the aesthetic sense? Or a little of both?

I can see it in the structural (and economic) sense looking at the use of teak in some Danish modern stuff. It would be a sound decision to use only as much material as needed to do the job. Design a good joint and it will take the load. And by playing around with curves and tapers, you can get a "good" stick from what would otherwise be unacceptable if left square (think knots, splits, reversing grain). The use of subtle tapers is where I see the aesthetic sense of the quote.

Rob

Looks like fun! Enter me in the drawing.

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