All in the mind

[jacko]

I have recently started work on a music stand that will be very different. I know that i have been asked to document the design process but how do you document what goes on inside the old grey matter? I know that I lay in bed at night puzzling through any number of different ways to do it, including the order of construction, the steps and even the experiments needed to prove a concept. I have had difficulty in even sketching the ideas, just small parts seem to work for me, but certainly not for anyone else. Drafting with a CAD program is clearly beyond me at this time as it is composed totally of curves and non 90 deg angles. The dimensions are being worked out on the fly other than height (range) and "table" size which have to suit the purpose. The other constraints are stability, and distance from the users eye to the music at all positions.
So if there is any interest i will document the creation process "in the round" with notes on why and how as I go.
As well i will make another attempt to sketch at least the basic elements of the stand so that any interested can "follow along". COuld be an interesting trip, but it all might fall into a heap at the first hurdle, namely the creation of a curved,telescoping, main beam. Initial experiments on clamps are looking OK. I know this will all sound a bit like gobbledegook, but hopefully it will become clearer in time if anyone wants to follow along.
Jacko

[Rocker]

Jacko,

I don't see why a good CAD program (not Google Sketchup) should not be able to handle curves and non 90° angles, unless the curves are compound.

Rocker

[dazzler]

Hey

write it as a diary of everything that comes into your head, sketch rough as you go and when you are finished go back over it and streamline/edit the final version.

cheers

[jacko]

Rocker, I am sure that TurboCAD, which I have, could handle it, its just me that can't! There are (will be actually) some compund curves. But some of the detail I will work out only when confronted by the piece in three dimensions so that "it looks right". Interestingly I have been through 6 itereations of the support leg design before i cut the first stick!
It's b cold here this am, so shed will have to wait until after morning coffee.
Jacko

[Flowboy]

Hello,

As Dazzler suggested, keep all ideas as they occur (middle of the night or otherwise) in a diary. When you come to do a particular part of the stand, write it up as an experiment with aim, method, materials and result. This will allow your thought process to go through translation to paper (the diary) and then transferred to a structured logical flow (pardon the pun) from start to finish. When you have completed the stand, the process, methods, materials and interaction with other parts will become apparent.:)

Hope this helps,

Rob

[BobL]

My current day job requires that I attend around 15 hours of meetings each week. In many of these meetings I often wonder why I am there and if I don't occupy my brain with something stimulating I often lose the plot completely or just nod off. So when the meeting seems to be going a bit flat (ie about half the time) I make lists and sketch up and develop projects. I also find (probably because the creative/brain juices are stimulated) that I can usually still keep track of what is happening at the meeting, sometimes even better than if I don't work on my projects. I've also recently noticed that I have made substantial creative input to meetings when I have come up with the most satisfying designs. The most difficult meetings for me are those I have to chair, because I obviously can't "project" during these. Embarassingly I yawn more during the afternoon meetings that I chair than in those that I don't.

I probably get the majority of creative insight into projects and solve most of my WW problems at these times. for example I designed all the complex angular aspects of my loft addition, and nearly all my tool handle designs are done during meetings.

Although I now use a note book, I now wish I had kept all my scraps of paper I doodled on in the last 10 years. Once I designed a neat round table on the back of an important document that I had to return at the end of the meeting. Dang!

[derekcohen]

Jacko

I have been told that Sketchup is a simple and still powerful CAD programme (it is free - just Google for it). I have it but have not used it yet. My lack of motivation to use it is because I find it easier to just sketch something on a pad, to make a note or two for future reference, and to play around with concepts in my mind. It is not always easy to visualise how a joint goes together, so this can take some time until .. Eureka, so simple..

My recommendation is also to just keep ideas in a notebook. You can organise them later when you need to create a more formal presentation. When I am writing a review or an article I tend to start with photos. I have a rough idea what I want at the start, but refine it as the pictures accumulate. Then I can see what is missing and fill in the gaps. I can take time to organise the data into categories. It is watching the parts become a whole and become parts again ...

Bob, I know exactly what you mean about drifting off in meetings. When I worked in the Health Department and attended ward rounds and administration meetings and ... meetings, the incessant "noise" was just so boring that I would drift off until something of interest came up. It was easy enough to track all at the same time.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[TassieKiwi]

Have a look at Sam Maloof's music stands. He uses a balanced arm and a big wooden screw. Might need to get 'Sam Maloof: Woodworker" from library. I got a copy from Alibris for about $US20+ post.

HEres some fun for your next meeting fellas:

[derekcohen]

Try this step-by-step of Alf's:

http://www.cornishworkshop.co.uk/musicstandindex.html

Regards from Perth

Derek

[MajorPanic]

There are quite a few excellent designers/makers that advocate that you should NEVER consider construction aspects of the project until design is complete. Sam Maloof is just one that springs to mind.
I've found that if you design something from scratch & don't think about construction until it's time to start, you end up with a better result & a HEAP of new knowledge & skills.
This is a hard concept to grasp as we all want to do thing the easy way or think we are constrained by what tools we have but........it forces you to work out just how you are going to cut that curved,tapered sliding dovetail joint (or whatever) that helps define your design.

[jacko]

Seems that this has raised a few interesting responses. Major, I agree totally with your (quoted) comments. I try not to (worry about how), but sometimes find that going one step more, namely, if I go this way, rather than that, will it look better and (and and) be easier to fabricate. One of the original base designs of the stand certainly would have looked fine, but have been a monster to create with a strong enduring joint and now I know that the design chosen, while still a challenge, it is within my reach. However if the biggest risk part works, who knows, may gpo back to the original concept for a Mk2 at a later date. I have decided to photo document the progress while taking notes will perhaps be the best way as well as being a learing exercise for myself along the way.
However I will not post as a WIP as there may be large time gaps and become rather boring.
Jacko