How to determine Construction method?

[Nino Maini]

Hello all, I'm a long time reader first time poster to the creek. I have a design question but first let me introduce myself. I'm still learning this great hobby of wood working. For me it started about 3 years ago when I wanted to purchase a display case for my large model train collection. Everything I saw I did not like and the price they were asking was insane. I decided I can do something better and my woodworking adventure began. (The funny thing I still have not made that display case yet. :o )

Since everyone list pictures, below is a rolling cart I made for my brother. He wanted something to use when cooking outside on his grill, but it did not need to be weather proof because he will roll it into the garage when complete. The frame are made of red oak stained with minwax and the panels/doors are some scrap maple I got from a coworker as he was going to trash it after making his desk. All the wood has 4 coats of wipe on poly. The joints are M-T and the panels float in a rabbet I cut in the back. I have a dividing wall that holds the panels in places and allows them to move. The top is terra cotta tiles that match his grill.
52369 52370
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and a picture of the grill during last new years cook out
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I'm hoping to start woodworking again in 2007 when I come back to the states. Presently, I'm living and working in China (It has been an interesting adventure so far), which has given me some time to think about some projects that I want to work on my return.

OK, enough about me, now to my question. When everyone starts a project how to they determine the construction method. While reading over all the posts on the creek I have seen so many different methods to build a project. For example, the project above I could have done raised panel or pocket screws, or MDF or etc. The reason why I selected the MT joint was because I had never done them before. The reason I did simple solid doors was I thought it "looked" the best and was simple to make.

So how do others select the construction method?
·Form/Design
·Function
·Cost
·Because I never did that before
·Speed
·Combination of above
·Other

[Karl Stewart]

Hi Nino
Nice work. I too have personal projects lingering around while I work vigorously on family and friends projects. To answer your question honestly I would say a combination. As I grow into this field some elements are more important than others. As I look at some of the incredible work others post in this forum it's apparent that design is primary and probably the noblest of choices, but you can't get there until you find your way through the heiarchy you list: speed, experience, cost and form.

Sorry if I wax philosophical.

Karl

[Lee Schierer]

To some extent, what you are making will dictate the construction methods to be used, sometimes you just want to be a bit fancier and sometimes you do it just to try out something new or you can't find any other way to do what you need done.

By the way, nice looking cart. I'm sure you'll have lots of volunteers to take it home if your brother ever gets tired of it.

[Jesse Thornton]

Definately a combination, but on just about every new project I undertake I try to involve some technique I've never tried or a material I've never used before. Speed of construction is usually not a huge factor - though I try (not always successfully) to keep it within reason.
I often begin by considering the basic function, but once I have the logistics of that figured out I enjoy being quite playful with the possibilities of form. As far as joinery goes, I typically design the overall peice first, and then set about figuring out how best to build it - depending on material being used, seasonal wood movement, things I want to try, techiniques I've already used and and feel confident about, and what tools I have at my disposal - or can convince my wife that I absolutely NEED to buy!
I make a point to avoid using unsustainable or questionably-harvested wood species. I'm also a little timid when it comes to finishing, and though I like to experiment, so far I've kept that process pretty simplistic. Cost is always something of a factor, but I have a real distaste for 'bottom-line' thinking, so I usually don't add up the numbers untill I've worked out a rough plan. Sometimes that means a bit of re-thinking, but I find there's almost always a way to make it work (and I'm far from wealthy!).

[Owen Gregg]

I try to go with the philosophy, "Just enough new stuff to fry my brain and just enough familiar stuff to keep me sane." I think everything else makes it into my limited ventures, but not so much as my being able to learn something from every project I do.