How much do you make up?

[bobgaggle]

We just got a one off job. Stand alone piece that doesn't interact with anything else. I came up with a rough drawing for the shop to build from. Some details were left out because I figured we'd figure it out as we went along. While my boss was cool with it (he didn't want me to spend too much time planning/drafting) the carps were all out of sorts. I usually generate all info in the paperwork down to the last detail because for our big clients we repeat a lot of jobs and want consistency across all iterations. I feel like people have kind of lost the skill to make stuff up as they go along. Kept coming up to me asking exactly how to do xyz after I said, "here's what this bit needs to do, go for it". And I'm talking minute stuff like, "should the joint lap this way or this way?" and "screw or staple?"

So, I guess the question really is, how do you guys build? keep it loose or rigidly adhere to the meticulously drawn plans?

 

[DRU]

It depends. Carpenters I've worked with for a while and I develop shorthand to reduce my drafting time. Also, I have set construction standards for things like flats and platforms that answers some "screw or staple?" questions ahead of time. With new people or groups, I go more detail until they learn my drafting style and standards and until I learn the types of information they need and what info they don't.

 

[kicknargel]

For better or worse, seems the industry is moving to more and more detailed shop drawing. Partly that scenery grows ever more complex, partly that carpenters grow ever less trained, partly that anything that CAN be done on a computer IS done on a computer.

I have to go lie down.

 

[gafftapegreenia]

For better or worse, seems the industry is moving to more and more detailed shop drawing. Partly that scenery grows ever more complex, partly that carpenters grow ever less trained, partly that anything that CAN be done on a computer IS done on a computer.

I have to go lie down.

You forgot the part about people fresh from grad programs that have some special way of doing a thing and get mad when you don't do it their special way.

 

[JohnD]

The forgot that part about people fresh from grad programs that have some special way of doing a thing and get mad when you don't do it their special way.

It's not just the high end programs. Locally restaurant owners have learned to ignore apps from graduates of the local vo-tech food service program. They get easily lost in the weeds and would rather try to teach everyone else how they learned to do things.