On Sat, 22 Jan 2005 13:58:34 -0500, (J T)
wrote:

I think you're dreaming there, I've seen a lot of detailed plans
with design mistakes.

absolutely...
and -in spite of the real benefits and safeguards CAD does offer
(especially 'second generation' CAD programs which use 3D parametric
objects with associated dimensioning, interference checking, etc )- it
is *still* possible for 'impossible to build' objects to be
designed/drafted, dimensioning errors/mistakes to be made, bad
annoations that mislead, wrong version of data used, etc, etc, etc...

not to mention, there are *many* times where computer-generated
drawings are user-edited/overridden in the computer drawing files
(whether rightly, wrongly, or expeditiously), and/or the actual
physical vellums/plots/blueprints are manually erased/changed (whether
rightly, wrongly, or expeditiously)...

I usually figure out most of my plans in my head, maybe a rough
sketch or two to clarify something in my mine.

agree with most points made by previous posters, but surprised i see
no mention of one of the most indispensable tools for
designing/detailing/drafting projects of all sorts : a letter size pad
of 1/4" GRID paper ! ! !

i use it for design development, making thumbnail sketches of shapes,
proportions, outlines, and the 'look'; usually, these are made to
rough scale, like, 1/4" grid = 3/4", 1", or up to a foot on larger
projects...

after i get the design semi-established, then i use the grid paper for
figuring out full-scale drawings of the joint details, design
features, etc... (except on the simplest of objects, i almost always
have to go back and modify the original design, once i figure out how
the structure/joints/details have to interact, influence, and limit
one another...)

*sometimes* i fire up autocad for doing such drawings; especially if i
need to plot out fullsize templates for pieces/parts; but, otherwise,
the grid pad is where my humble project ideas are born, then virtually
raised...

(i would not recommend autocad for these purposes; the cheaper CAD
alternatives mentioned -and others- would be *better* for 99% of all
woodworkers than acad would be...)

grid paper, don't leave home without it...

charleyy

eof