How best to show woodworker my concept for a custom wall mount?
October 5, 2018 7:23 PM Subscribe
I want a local woodworker to make me a set of custom, wall mounted wooden hooks. I want them to look a certain way, and have an idea in my head of what measurements I want. I am not an architect or artist, and have never drawn in 3D. How do I best communicate my requirements and desired outcome with the woodworker?
I was thinking of using some modeling clay, but is there a better tool or medium out there for us unskilled folk to show an artisan what we would like made? Thanks!
I did literally this same thing with a table I had designed and built a few years back. If you can compile a swath of reference photos that speak to specific elements you like ("the sweeping curve like right here, with the bottom width like this, and this kind of magnificent figure in the grain...") Combined with even the loosest sketch of what you're looking for, and a shop that does custom work should be able to fill in the rest and give you some roughs to start providing feedback. Designing things in just that fashion is part of the job.
The flip side of that is that it is, in fact, part of their job... And depending on the level of design you're requesting, that could start becoming billable hours.
posted by FatherDagon at 7:51 PM on October 5, 2018 [1 favorite]
The flip side of that is that it is, in fact, part of their job... And depending on the level of design you're requesting, that could start becoming billable hours.
posted by FatherDagon at 7:51 PM on October 5, 2018 [1 favorite]
Go to the hardware store and the lumber store, and take pictures of any materials that might contribute to what you want.
posted by theora55 at 7:54 PM on October 5, 2018
posted by theora55 at 7:54 PM on October 5, 2018
FreeCad is not too hard to learn and is better on curves than sketch-up. There are youtube instruction videos you can consult too. I used it for a similar project and thought it was kind of fun. You could also take the files to your local maker space and print a 3-d version of your hood to help refine your concept and drawings.
posted by carmicha at 8:00 PM on October 5, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by carmicha at 8:00 PM on October 5, 2018 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I work for a custom fabrication shop and at least at our shop we can work from reference photos or napkin sketches or “I dunno I want something polished but natural and maybe use some black metal” or whatever. Our designers handle the 3D models and revise until the client is satisfied (the clearer you can be wrt style, materials, and measurements the faster i.e. cheaper this part is). Initial bid / design work is generally free until you confirm the job.
I would just call around to local custom wood shops and get some rough bids and go from there. Depending on your needs and budget you can also go to your local design center (if you’re in a larger city) and get contact info from the display galleries for woodworkers who make things in a style you like.
posted by ananci at 9:58 PM on October 5, 2018
I would just call around to local custom wood shops and get some rough bids and go from there. Depending on your needs and budget you can also go to your local design center (if you’re in a larger city) and get contact info from the display galleries for woodworkers who make things in a style you like.
posted by ananci at 9:58 PM on October 5, 2018
Some things that might help:
*There's nothing wrong with clay, or napkin sketches, or hand gestures. Even professional designers whose products will eventually be digitally modeled to high degrees of precision often start this way.
*Find photographs of objects that are in some way similar to what you're envisioning. I don't mean pictures of exactly what you want, but rather pictures of objects similar in style, color, level of refinement, etc. that you can use as reference points when talking -- 'Like this, but a little heavier, more rustic, etc.'
*Find a craftsperson whose typical style and quality standards you like so that what you are asking for isn't a big departure for them, and so that you can trust them easily because you'll need to...
*Retain some flexibility. It's common for non-craftspeople to misunderstand the properties of a given material or process, and to develop a mental picture of something they want that in reality just isn't feasible.
posted by jon1270 at 6:10 AM on October 6, 2018 [2 favorites]
*There's nothing wrong with clay, or napkin sketches, or hand gestures. Even professional designers whose products will eventually be digitally modeled to high degrees of precision often start this way.
*Find photographs of objects that are in some way similar to what you're envisioning. I don't mean pictures of exactly what you want, but rather pictures of objects similar in style, color, level of refinement, etc. that you can use as reference points when talking -- 'Like this, but a little heavier, more rustic, etc.'
*Find a craftsperson whose typical style and quality standards you like so that what you are asking for isn't a big departure for them, and so that you can trust them easily because you'll need to...
*Retain some flexibility. It's common for non-craftspeople to misunderstand the properties of a given material or process, and to develop a mental picture of something they want that in reality just isn't feasible.
posted by jon1270 at 6:10 AM on October 6, 2018 [2 favorites]
+1 on napkin sketches. They don't have to be precise.
Don't worry about trying to draw a 3D image, instead, see if you can draw it from the side and from the front.
Modeling clay is fine. Model it and take several pictures.
Bring the pictures, bring rough sketches, be prepared to answer questions like "How tall?" or "How wide?" by showing the distance between your hands or your fingers.
posted by plinth at 9:27 AM on October 6, 2018
Don't worry about trying to draw a 3D image, instead, see if you can draw it from the side and from the front.
Modeling clay is fine. Model it and take several pictures.
Bring the pictures, bring rough sketches, be prepared to answer questions like "How tall?" or "How wide?" by showing the distance between your hands or your fingers.
posted by plinth at 9:27 AM on October 6, 2018
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Is she local enough that she could sit down with you and perhaps she could sketch it out based on your description? Like a police officer doing a composite sketch based on feedback?
It's a bit of a learning curve but Sketchup is a free download. A lot of woodworkers use it, though it's best for straight and square things and might not work if your hooks are curvy.
posted by bondcliff at 7:43 PM on October 5, 2018