Virtual Woodwork

[Ianab]

Been playing around with the computer trying to visualise what a project will look like before cutting any wood.
The 3D modelling software comes with some very phoney 'woodgrains' that look terrible, so I photographed some of my planed timber and imported that into the software. OK.. now I can draw a board onscreen that looks something like a board.  


Now it's a matter of arranging the boards oncreen to make something, like maybe a box?


OK.. how about a back and a shelf?


And finally some doors.


OK, enough virtual wood, time to go and cut some of the real stuff. This is the main structure test fitted together.


Fully assembled and ready for inspection.


Finishing completed with 3 coats of polyurethane, it's for my teenage boys room, so I wanted the tough finish to go with the industrial strength construction  ;)


Now... as Jeff would say.. "What Next?"

Ian

[WV_hillbilly]

  Nice looking project you made there lanab .  What type of joints did you use on it ? It looks plenty sturdy and able to withstand all your boy could give it .

[Ianab]

Hi WV
I was afraid someone might ask me about the joints.. they are called... umm...
Well you cut all the individual boards like this, and they slot together like a big kitset.

Maybe someone can help me out and tell me what it's called ???

Ian

[Brian_Bailey]

Very nice job, Ianab  8). Interesting design !

I have a 3d design program on my puter but I find it's faster for me to just sketch it out on paper freehand with a large eraser in the other hand  :D.

I'm no expert, but me thinks your jointery is a variation of a half lap joint.

[Tom]

Or maybe a Notch Joint.

http://ksjs1.sjsu.edu/culley/WoodJoints.html

[Brian_Bailey]

Below is what one of my reference books shows for joints.

I believe Ianab used what's called an edge-lap joint in his project.

[CHARLIE]

Ianab, that's a fine piece of work. It'll surely be around for a long time.  Back in the mid-70s, I built toy chests for both my children. Nothing fancy and out of construction grade pine. To my surprise, they were used for their toys, then for trunks in college and then for coffee tables now for storage chests in their homes.    I'm sure your son will have that unit for the rest of his life and be dang proud of it.

[Ianab]

Thanks Brian

I'll go with the edge lap joint. It wasn't in my book but I've seen it used in kitset modular furniture and just copied what I saw in the shop ;)

Ian

[WV_hillbilly]

  lanab it had me quessin all day  at work .  Pretty clever design .  Did you use any glue or fasteners in the joints  ?

[ScottAR]

How 'bout the "lincolin log joint"  :D


Yea, it's bad,  I had a long day and needed a cheap laugh...

[oldsaw]

How did it take to the scanner?  Mine wasn't too happy.

 :D

[Bibbyman]

lanab,

What is "Virtual Woodwork"?  A 3D CAD package?  An add-in to some other CAD software like AutoCAD?  Got a link to a website?

[Ianab]

WV, the whole thing is held together by some 3/4" gussets that are screwed and glued inside under each shelf. The unit is fully self supporting without em, but it can all fall apart.

Bibby - The drawings are done using software called "Bryce", it's 3D modelling / raytracing  system. Not really designed for this, more used for landscape modelling. I think similar stuff can be done with the newer versions of Autocad.
http://bryce.daz3d.com/

Ian

[beenthere]

Ianab
Regards those ""gussets, screwed and glued under each shelf"".  How are you allowing for the wood to shrink and swell by those gussets?  Seems the wood movement in the side and shelf panels will destroy the attachment to the gusset.

Or, does 'virtual wood' not shrink or swell?   :

[SwampDonkey]

Could even be called a stopped housing joint IanAB, sometimes they use a dovetail on the joint and the only way to pull it apart is to slide the piece back out the dovetail. Then its called a dovetailed stopped housing joint.

cheers

[Ianab]

Hi Beenthere

Yeah.. you are right about the expansion, but the pieces aren't clamped or glued to each other, so there is a small gap between each piece. I think that will be enough to allow for any expansion. The pieces are only 3 3/4 " wide. If they were all properly edged and glued together it would probably pull itself apart. ( but then it would not need the gussets )
Plus the wood is only airdried.. so it should only shrink a little more and just open the gaps slightly more.

Thats what I hope anyway ;)

Ian

[L. Wakefield]

snip

Bibby - The drawings are done using software called "Bryce", it's 3D modelling / raytracing  system. Not really designed for this, more used for landscape modelling. I think similar stuff can be done with the newer versions of Autocad.
http://bryce.daz3d.com/

Ian

   OH,YAAYYEESS I like that site!-  I gotta have me one of them. I have just started playing with landscaping and I suffer from poor ability to visualize. This looks like a very fine tool!    lw

[RavioliKid]

lanab,

That is so cool!

 8)

[Gilman]

Ian,
Can you post the .bmp or jpg of the wood grain you imported into you cad system?  I'd like to give it a try.  Or email me the file?

Like you said, the default bmp's for wood are pretty lame.  I use Solidworks and it's wood grain looks like that 70's printed wood grain contact paper.

Gilman

[Ianab]

Hi Gilman

The images are a bit big to post here and it would be a pity to reduce them in size , loose detail etc

I have emailed you a handfull of .jpg files, have fun  

Ian