Creating a frame from a D-CAM drawing

    Recently I was involved in a project where I drew a frame using the program, created the drawings with dimensions using 2d-PlanCAD, and then taught students (of all ages) how to cut out this frame.
    Below is a photo of one of the drawings (#1180-s2).
    We laid out the timbers using these drawings and cut the frame.
    During the fit up process of the frame parts we discovered that some of the timbers didn't line up correctly. These errors were blamed on the drawings or computer. With further investigations and drawings with more measurements and more angle labels we discovered that we had not laid out the angles or cut them correctly to the drawings.
    After correcting the timbers all parts lined up correctly and we discovered that over several days of work and many different drawings all created by 2d-PlanCAD that all the drawings were correct, and that it was our layout that was wrong. And we learned to trust the drawing, and to check and double check our work.
    It was a great feeling to know that the drawings I created with D-CAM and 2d PlanCAD were correct and true.
    Jim Rogers
    Below is a photo of the one part of the completed frame with myself (last on the left) and the students who worked on it. (#1184-s)

    Hello Jim,


    congratulations to your new building. Looks like you all had a good time.
    I'm glad to hear the drawings worked out for you. The good and the bad thing about computers is, if used correctly, they are hardly ever wrong.
    Sometimes it would be quite handy to blame a dead thing and not feel ashamed for skrewing up. :lol:
    The same thing happend to me a lot and I hate my computer for always beeing right. :wink:


    Thank you for sharing the story and the pictures with us.

    Jim,


    Congratulations on another successful project. I am impressed at how far and wide your interests and influence ranges.


    I believe your anecdote about the computer screwing up the drawings will be valuable to many of us. It is only by taking full responsibility for our work will be able to continue to improve.


    It is the best of all possible lessons for people to move through the process of first blaming the software, double and triple-checking the human work, and discovering where the errors actually are (most often in implementation).


    This is a stronger lesson than would be learned by not treating the software with suspicion in the first place. When I complain to my tech guy about the computer, he invaribly replies with 'PEBCAK'


    Problem
    Exists
    Between
    Chair
    And
    Keyboard


    In almost every case he has proven to be correct.


    Kindest regards to all.


    Joel