Custom Furniture
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- blaw0
welded:
one of the most important things you can do is to determine what materials you will be building with, and then learning what challenges you will be faced with regarding structural integrity, joinery, etc. these aspects strongly dictate how you want to approach your design.
as for what to use to design in, i use QuickCad from AutoDesk. Obviously, a more robust CAD app. would be better, but this seems to suit my needs just fine.
while you would miss out on some of the nice automatic dimensioning features, etc., I don't see any reason why Illustrator wouldn't work for you.
peteski:
nice work! i see you built the clock. are you planning on building the other pieces?
- blaw0
a friend of mine had this same issue and is currently working on a project to match craftsmen with those looking for custom work. when his project gets off the ground i'll be sure to bump this thread.
jazx is right about the costs. i build custom furniture for my family and have done so for 'outside' interested parties from time to time. the cost is no less than if they purchased the piece from a commercial shop, though those that i've done work for were looking for that extra something that comes from having a local craftsman build the piece by hand.
- JazX0
that's exactly what I was told as well. I was like, yo man, can you make me this block bed modern style. He's like yeah, 2K. I am like wtf, might as well just buy it for even less at a website
- MLVR0
I know the guy who started http://www.lyx.com and what he did was that he took his ideas and had prototypes made and showed at furniture fairs and shows and got like heaps of media coverege and awards etc. For example he did a table with stainless steel legs, so then he contacted companies working with stainless steel. What i wanna say is that I think the best is to contact a company that works with the kind of materials you're basing your design on, let them help you even if they're not a furniture company, then use your prototype and try to sell it to established furniture manufacturers.
- bombsoda0
before all sorry for my english i'm french and doesn't speak very well.
What i wanna know is what kind of material gonna be use for your table ?
i'm also designing some furniture stuff but keepit really simple because i know that prototyping a piece is really expensive.
i'm concentrating my work on plywood (like skateboard) and ceramic because it's the cheapest to produce.
a friend of mine run a company that produce carbon piece for high level industies, it's a really good product to work with but REALLY EXPENSIVE
- peteski0
check my site:
http://x818.com/
> catalogue(sorry for the slow server - gonna change it soon)
working on a table idea and a new clock (not shown)
- JazX0
MLVR, I know someone that did close to the same with jewelry and furniture in Helsinki, FI. Of course, as you probably well know, you guys study at some fine schools and learn a lot more. imo
- welded0
Funny, I've recently been mind-designing (no paper or bytes yet) the furnishings for my apartment as well and would be interested in this. I plan on building the stuff myself to save money, though.
I recently came upon this great slab of wood that's a solid 2 inches thick, about 16 inches wide and 4 feet long. Oh, the posibilities!
- JazX0
ohhhh yeahhhhhh, you can definitely do some junkyard hunting to build things and reapolster things and such. that works!
- welded0
By the way, I'd be interested in seeing your design. This sort of thing is my current obsession.
- blaw0
- bombsoda0
and what about a webbased company, where everyone show his prototype ? user votes and them we produced the best. Just like treadless but with objects.....
- MLVR0
Of course, as you probably well know, you guys study at some fine schools and learn a lot more. imo
JazX(Jan 17 05, 16:36)
?
- welded0
Sweet meat, I like them.
What would be some good resources for learning how to properly mock up digitally or otherwise tangible items like that? I was just going to wing it on paper and then Illustrator...
- shotoshi0
Get into Corian. Very durable and easy to work with...
- kezza_20
What's it made out of?
I got some furniture I designed made by a guy in my parents village out of oak. Old school joiner, been doing it for 50 years. I just handed him a sketch and the wood I had bought. Cost absolutley nothing. I treated the wood myself.
- stevii0
whats your budget?
- RekabEkim0
I'm willing to put down however much it costs to get the job done...
I plan on shopping around before I decide so for now I'm just gathering resources...
You have anything in mind?
- peteski0
I've never looked into it - I'll be curious what you find. Keep us postd.
- MLVR0
Corian is although VERY expensive. Cool that you can make seamless intersections between different blocks. I wanted to make my bathroom looking like it were carved out of one single piece. :-)