The importance of good handwriting and dry fitting

[smorris]

I've been working on a set of plantation shutters off and on for the last few months. I'm finally beginning the assembly and put the 4 frames together and and take them into the bedroom last night to double check everything before I do the glue-up and can't make adjustments.

This is when I discover that the 59" width is actually a badly written 50" with some sort of tail on the 0. I have some recutting to do but it shouldn't be a big ordeal. A little trimming, shorten the rails a bit and lap joints between the panels (which I wanted anyway).

I was highly annoyed with myself. LOML told me that she knew I'd figure out how to fix it, so I grabbed a pencil and started figuring...legibly instead of my usual scrawl. I suspect that the problem was exacerbated by the length of time involved so the 50" was no longer fresh in the memory and I just had my notes and plans.

[Ed62]

I don't think I've ever done that with woodworking, but I sure have done it with other things. I try to tell myself Do Not rely on memory. My wife can't read my handwriting, so if I can't, I'm screwed.

Ed

[twistsol]

I figured out a while ago that there's a big differenc between 6' 8" and 68". I have a number of pieces of finished maple trim to remind me of that fact. I'll need to put a bunch of really short doors in the next house.

[crokett]

I've learned with rough framing to label everything. For example, part of the bathroom project is to add 19" to one wall where the tub will go. I built the new wall last weekend and will put it in this weekend. I labeled which end is up as well as which side goes where. Experience has taught me that if there is a wrong way to put it in, I will do that unless I take steps otherwise.

[drillman88]

LOML asked me about a week ago why is it when I start a project I work on it so hard until it complete.I told her its much easier to work when you have got your thoughts organized and there is a flow to your work.Too much stoping and starting and I know there is bound to be some lost time just getting back up to speed beside a chance of a goofup.I have fought through
a couple of really long projects, plantation shutters being the longest, that really tested my patience and this was a major part of it.

[catta12]

Yep, I have started, stopped for awhile on a project, and started again with simialr results. I have a picture frame that I had to shorten the top and bottom rails on a couple of inches because of a miswrite. I cut 45 deg miters out and glued them back. It was good enough for a picture frame that was getting painted anyway. It was a good lesson learned though.
I====//====I
I.................I
I.................I
I====//====I

[jackellis]

I've been observing how the carpenters frame our new home. It's amazing how many marks they make on just about every piece of lumber. It really drives home the message that hammering nails is only a small part of the job.

I too have had the experience of working on a project in fits and starts and forgetting important measurements. Which reminds me that I need to finish building a couple of raised panel doors (my first).

[MikeMcCoy]

I'm trying to finish a set of bunk beds that have been over 3 months in progress because of travel and weather. Everything was cut to final dimension over that same time frame and has been finished except for the mattress support rails which I was going to put on last night. All my long parts are supposed to be 75" but a smudge on my notes made the supports 76" and the rails 75". Fortunately I only have to cut off that extra inch rather than figure out a way to add it back on the rails.

[LarryG]

I figured out a while ago that there's a big differenc between 6' 8" and 68".

In the shop I deal exclusively in inches and fractions thereof. I'll think about a new sheet of plywood as being a 4'x8' sheet but I don't cut off a 2'-11 1/2" piece, I cut off a 35-1/2" piece. I have to be really careful when, at work, we go out to measure an existing building. I'll get back to the office and look at my field notes and think, Okay, is that REALLY supposed to be 35-1/2", the way I wrote it down, or did I mean 3'-5 1/2"? By convention, any dimension on an architectural drawing equaling or exceeding 12" is supposed to be expressed as feet/inches, and I try to write them down that way, but it's easy to slip up and revert to "shop measurements."

[Garasaki]

Experience has taught me that if there is a wrong way to put it in, I will do that unless I take steps otherwise.

No flipping doubt.

I don't know how many of the walls I put up in my basement are backwards or upside down. Generally speaking, it ain't a big deal, but instead of the crowns facing the exterior, they face the interior, or the 16" spacing is broke, or I had to recut something. How many times I coulda kicked myself though - all because I was trying to hurry.

Part of that project is shortening the handrail on the stairs - and the full length handrail was getting to be a PIA to store, so I figured I'd just chop it down to about the right length. Took a quick measurement, casually walked over to the miter saw, and wacked one of the ends off. Well, of course it's the wrong end.

Again, no big deal, I can work with it, it'll just require reattaching the supports on the handrail. But if I had taken an extra 10 seconds to think about it, I woulda saved that work.

I find with woodworking projects, I am much more meticulous and take my time - and the results show it. Around the house stuff I'm usually in a hurry and make stupid mistakes.

And usually with woodworking stuff, I double, triple, or quadruple check any measurements that "matter" - ie the 50" vs 59" thing.

[Tom Miller]

Another aspect of marking things clearly is that I may not get back to a project for months, when I thought I'd be back the next day. When I come back after a break like that, it takes me a while to figure out where I'm at. Now, I try to keep all parts of a project together (usually multiple projects), and keep good notes; especially if I've figured out the solution to a problem, but haven't milled the parts yet.

Regards,
Tom

[sscherin]

This is when I discover that the 59" width is actually a badly written 50" with some sort of tail on the 0.

This is why I slash my zeros Ø

[cabinetman]

Whatever system you use, use it throughout, and do not mix it up. When learning architectural drafting I was taught to do feet and inches. If the dimension was less than a foot, like nine inches, I write 0'-9". If this system is easier stick with it throughout. Or, if just inches and fractions, use just that.

I've developed a real habit of doing complete drawings for everything, and numbering or lettering everything to be on the drawing and on the individual piece. Every piece has a mark that I can find on one of the drawings. These drawings become part of the documents for the project that figures as a cutting layout, cut list, and materials list. There are too many parts to try to remember. It's also invaluable in making sure all the parts are there, and what parts get what machining.
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