non-CNC full BOM & instructions?

[Mark Van den Borre]

Hello list,

While I really appreciate the wikihouse project, I wonder if a slightly different kind of design exists. My ideal design would:
* require just the tools available in a well equiped tool shed (not a full sheet CNC machine)
* be open hardware
* have source files available in a way that will allow me to modify them
* be fully documented to the extent possible (BOM, pictures, timing estimates, video(?), ...)
* be precise and unambiguous to the extent possible with the materials that allow this (like standard size OSB panels)
* account for tolerances in other materials, but still as unambiguous as possible (like straw bales or wood)

Any hints on plans like that, or places where people interested in similar things gather?


Kind regards,

Mark

[Theo Armour]

Hello Mark

You have very good ideals!

I am new to this project myself and and not an insider.

As far as I can see the work is still all at an early stage. The founders are all highly committed to the project but also have to earn their own keep working on non-WikiHouse projects.

Thus more people have to pitch in. You can see some of my efforts here: http://wikihouse.github.io/viewer-experiments/. I very much hope to respond to some of your ideals in future revisions.

One of your ideals, however, I find to be particularly interesting

>>  require just the tools available in a well equipped tool shed (not a full sheet CNC machine)

If you go to virtually and building product suppliers anywhere in the world, you can ask for and receive advice, instructions, drawings and more for building simple structures suitable for that locale. And all buildable by two people with simple power tools. The structures will tend to cost at the lower end of the scale of the local economy.

My feeling is that WikiHouse is not an attempt to compete with this sort of local practices.

WikiHouse is actually about trying to disrupt this sort of building - because it is so often of low quality, time-consuming and costly.

This leads me into thinking:

Can we design jigs that turn common home-quality routers into a rough and ready CNC machines?

Can we use the smartness of the thousands of craftsman now regularly visiting the web to use the tools in your shed in fascinating new way?

Can we use the materials available from your building supplier in entirely new ways - so as to build faster, cheaper, better?

Like you I wonder where are the 'places where people interested in similar things gather?" Until something better comes along, I'm here...

Theo

[Mark Van den Borre]

Op maandag 8 juni 2015 23:25:23 UTC+2 schreef Mark Van den Borre:

I am answering my own question here. The work of some people comes fascinatingly close:
* Dominic Stevens, architect: http://irishvernacular.com
* Walter Segal, architect: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Segal
* (some of the architects and builders around the) Centre for Alternative Technology, Wales: http://cat.org.uk

[Harry Knight]

Hey Mark,

Like Theo, I'm also new to WikiHouse but am now involved with the foundation after volunteering with WikiHouseNZ. So adding on...

To go through your points in order and form my understanding...

*The project is open to any method of construction, the hope is that they would follow the basic design principles on the WikiHouse site (these do change and are not static in anyway)

*WikiHouse is open source and doesn't plan to keep any hardware developed through the system privately. We also hope others in the community would share in a similar way.

*Source files are available through the WikiHouse Commons folder and can be downloaded, modified, adapted and added back into the commons.

*This is the aim of the commons. The basic structure of a "project folder" in the commons has pictures, manual, press, 3d and 2d files.

*At the moment sheet materials like OSB and ply have been used to build structures and at the moment are the most common materials used. I think it'd be great to see the hardware taken further to use other materials and methods of construction. 

We're working really hard on developing the digital platform which will make it a lot simpler for people to engage. We hope to get the first version out by the end of the year and then develop it as we see where improvements are needed. At the moment the way to engage is by just getting into an aspect of the project that interests you and giving it a go. Much like Theo has with his great work on Github. Then if we can help in anyway just ask and we will do our best to help. 

H

[BJD Bowman]

Hey... I'm looking to do the same thing here:

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/wikihouse/Nw_dEpv7CDg

I am looking for some directions.... I hope this might give you some ideas.

Thanks,

-B