Too much planning?

[Hobbiest]

I may just be overzealous, and even too quick at times to start building. It also may have something to do with the fact that I really love the process of building things, including R&D and trial and error. My question is this. When is too much designing enough, and when should you just bite the bullet and put things together? I just get kind of impatient with threads that are about machine design that get to be way too long. I guess that is one place where some of the newly suggested additions to this site would be great, i.e. answering the most common of newbie questions, and an opensource design section. My impatience is something that I have to work on personally, and realize that not everyone is like me (thank God for small blessings!), but I was just interested in what everyone else thinks.

[pminmo]

Personally I concur, but I'm the same personality. In the other thread I'm just trying to give those interested a voice and when people start chiming in to move on it will. BTW I stopped at Lowes and they did have 3/4" plated rod. (although out of stock) $6 for 3 feet. I picked up a couple of 5/8" and they were not all that straight. An if I can see it with my eyes............... HD 5/8" is the largest mine carries.

Phil

[High Seas]

Ditto - I laid down a couple of sketches, bit the bullet - ran off (uninformed) to eBay and started buying stuff (even got some things that worked in the "plan").
Stuff started showing up at the door and --Then I got to try and figure it out - sculpting not planning I guess. Hobbiest - I agree - - Isn't this the soul of INVENTION - trial and error?
The only thing I think I got real right was looking a bit ahead and trying to make the second/third systems out of the stuff I have - rather than a total restart. And maybe I was lucky - and maybe not - time will tell - better informed decision making would save some "experience" and $$$$

Sorry, I stray from the facts and move to the philosophy. Hobbiest, your comments struck a chord - how/where can a newbie get all they "really" need to know quickly, and clearly, and at a level of detail they can deal with? We have a lot of experience and info, we just need to organize and present it - and wow!

Phil - again you're spot on - all mine (HD) gets to is 5/8". My next may use the recycled (rods) from lexmark printers and scanners I scored yesterday - but what are those 2 wire motors? Just flip/flop dc that drive the printheads back&forth? But then, 4 wires on the paper drives - interesting....

[ynneb]

Here here, I agree too.
The other thing I have found that can happen is the more planning and research you do, the more choices that appear. Before long you are bamboozaled with too much info and too many choices. In the end you descide it is all to hard and then give up.

I have learnt a few valuble lessons this month.......

1:Get a rough idea of what you want to make, and design around that.

2;Be prepared to change your plans, but only if you really have to.

3;Copy others and dont be proud to admit you did.

4;Stop thinking too long about it, and just get started. ( It is easier to steer something moveing than something stationary) Try stering a parked car.

5; Be prepared to comprimise.

This last few months I have learnt more personal skills than things about CNC, even though CNC was the focas.

Just out of interest My first CNC table will be finished today or tomorrow. ( Not counting limit switches)

[pminmo]

I typically build (anything) from more ideas in my head than on paper. The CNC router I started was much the same, but with a few more plans. http://webpages.charter.net/pminmo/mycncpage.htm

But I have to admit, I've dropped back on this one. Things just were not going as I had hoped. The X 3/4 Drill rod unsupported was just not strong enough, same with the 1/2" on the Y axis. The gantry was two much of an issue to get on and off, made a couple of miscalculations on x motor mount. But from those blunders I have learned a lot. Alignment techniques, bronze bushings will work but are a pain, cheap acme threaded rod is a pain when you don't have a tap to match. A few simple cheap tools are huge.
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showth...2962#post22962
I can't believe how much some cheap Harbor Freight has helped me, and how much I use it.
By personality I enjoy the journey more than the end result. Love to learn, tackle new challenges, but love simple solutions.

Phil

[Hobbiest]

I'm glad I am not the only crazy one! The 3/4" rod is available at Home Depot, and Ace hardware stores. Never been in a Lowes! My biggest problem is that I like building the machines themselves too much, and trying to figure out better cheapo ways to build them. I just figured out a way to modify those full extension drawer slides to have a 13" long rail, and a 5" carriage. It gives about 8" of pretty darn solid travel! If I get any time in the near future, I'll cut out some MDF, and modify a few more slides to build a Brute style machine. Chould be pretty cheap considering only $10 per axis for the ways. I want to make a plan set for it, but would like to test it first, if and when it gets done. Heck, maybe just offer as a Beta for like $20 or something. Thanks for the reinforcement guys!

[ToyMaker]

High Seas said:
>Hobbiest - I agree - - Isn't this the soul of INVENTION - trial and error?

Trial and error only teaches us what doesn't work (although that's important too).
Now Trial and Success, that's where progress is really made.

robotic regards,

Tom
= = = = =
The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.
- - Oprah Winfrey

[Hobbiest]

Nothing is perfect any time you do it. Even trial and success is not necessary the best senario. In every project there is something or a few things that would be done differently next time, as well as mistakes along the way. I do not suggest haste in any project that costs money either, but still many things are usually bought that you find out later are not necessary What I am suggesting is that too much time can be spent in the planning of anything. Like was stated above...it is easier to steer a moving project. There are so many variables to building things that a computer program can not figure out, regardless of how much time you spend tweeking it. The basics (IMO) are really the only thing that you can find out without doing it. The basics in my eyes are, spacial relationship between components, components being parralel or perpendicular to eachother, lead screw types, ways types, motor types, structural engineering, and types of final drive (solid coupler, timing gears, etc). Too much time can be spent on how to do these things, instead of just doing them. Very simply stated, ways on the same axis, as well as the drive mech. (screw or rack, etc.) must be parralel in two planes. Adjacent axis' must be perpendicular to eachother. The frame of the machine must be strong enough to accomplish its task of supporting itself and its intended function as a machine. If everybody simply started off with these three rules, I think there could be a lot less design anxiety. I may just be a daft prick, but these are my thoughts on the subject.

Its funny...I have gone from being a "masster machinist" to being an "apprentice"! Ha!