Date: Mon, 30 Jan 2006 14:12:01 -0700
Reply-To: bueses <bueses@EARTHLINK.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: bueses <bueses@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject: Re: The hah hah of good living...
In-Reply-To: <43DE6C77.30200@mchsi.com>
Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
> Joy:
> You already have a big part of what you need. A computer. Then you need
> some CAD software, then to LEARN the software, then use your imagination
> to bring your ides to the screen.
> Darn near everything manufactured today is brought to market this way.
> They also build virtual testing programs to see how they will perform.
> Once you have the blueprint, manufacturing the wood part is a snap.
Yep, paper or computer space are cheap in design time, figuring out
everything as you build leads to more problems than erasing a drawing. I
can usually look at something built & tell if there was a lot of design time
into it or if it was just "winged".
>> I'm glad Jeff is inspired by the craftsmanship of working on his van. I
>> don't think craftsmanship is the only thing that's important in life besides
>> the love of a good woman (or other person).
Craftmanship is more about the process than the finished product. Either
you are goal oriented or process oriented-neither is right or wrong? To be
very patient & yet goal oriented is what drives the best design.
>>
>> But fortunately, there's room in the world for us all to have different
>> perspectives on what's important!
>> ...........
>> If I had any skill and patience, I might think that building the cabinets
>> would be a good idea, just so they might be laid out better than what
>> Westfalia did.
>>
To give westy credit, they designed the interiors for a mass market of
different users, to be readily manufactured, & cost efficient, etc. This
means that 20+- years later, w/ differing lifestyles, equipment, clothing,
electrical needs, etc. that there are always going to be volks who find that
the cabinetry, space planning does not perfectly suit them. Think of your
kitchen layout-everyone likes something different as each person's personal
tastes are different. Westy had to design for the lowest common denominator
of user in order to reach the most volks.
That said, there are a zillion ways to lay out a camper, & each way will
have compromises, some more than others. The trick is to do what westy did,
& make it work well for the most volks, while still allowing for individual
preferences. Or you can custom design it strictly for your own use, & to
hell w/ anyone else using it.
Tom-torn between having the westy an end in itself & a means to an end?
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