your thoughts please

[kmthor]

i was thinking of setting up a site that offers a draughting service for WW projects.

something along these lines

an annual fee is payed to get access to the site and database of plans plus you will be entitled to say 2 or 3 of your designs being professionally drawn up.

i was thinking after a year that the drawn up plans are made available to the other members (still thinking about that 1)

id like to hear your comments on such a service and whether you would use it, i know draughting can be expensive

km

[forunna]

Interesting concept,
could possibly have different fee for plans that will become available and plans that wont.
what software will you use?



...Der, I just read some more threads, I imagine you will be using Sketchup.:-

[Ron Dunn]

Don't think I'd use it, but that's just me. The best way to find out is to try.

The main problem I see is practicality. There is a big difference between a plan, and something that can be built.

The next problem is joining techniques. I can see a lot of time going into drafting dovetails of all types, multiple tenons, stuff like that.

Then there's possibly the explosion vs. assembly problem - how many different ways of viewing the item will you provide?

One great opportunity I could see is providing plans that allow people to customise stock sizes. Imagine, for example, that you could take a US-focussed plan in inches, click a button, and convert it to nearest useful metric measures ... not exact conversions, but conversions to commonly available stock sizes.

Anyway, don't let the problems put you off a new idea, given the number of "plan" sites out there I'm sure there is room for one more, especially if it has a niche like yours.

[kmthor]

im thinking of using revit acad or sketch up or a combination or the three. the draughting of joins i dont see as being a problem as these could be built into intelligent library parts there are different methods for each program.

i don't really wont to just be another plans site as there are quite a few out there, so i think i probably need something a bit more that what i proposed going by the response to the thread.

I'm going to work on that converter I'm sure it could be done

km

[BobL]

Don't think I'd use it, but that's just me. The best way to find out is to try.

The main problem I see is practicality. There is a big difference between a plan, and something that can be built.

I agree Ron. Most plans I tend use are conceptual rather than operational. The actual or final sizes and final physical look materialises as I sort through what wood I have available and as I go when I eventually settle on ways of doing and working things out.

But as Ron says, there may be others out there with a need for such a service.

[Chipman]

Same for me.. Plan is usually conceptual or a series of outlines for making up my templates... as for my toys... they just happen...no plan, little measuring... just create it!! I know it is bad practice but at least it guarentees some sort of uniqness.

Chipman:)