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When is a Bookcase not a bookcase? When it has nothing but plants and rocks on it (mine). When it has nothing but clothes on it (kids). When it has nothing but tools and sawdust on it (hubbies). Then it is just a set of shelves.
Parametric Bookcase is the third Instructable in the Parametric Dimensioning Series. It will apply the concepts that were covered in Parametric Dimensioning 101 and 201.
This tutorial is for beginning users of Alibre Design or Alibre Xpress (the free versions) and will work with any other parametric modeling program. Some of the descriptions are a little lengthy. I wish it were not so, but sometimes it is necessary in the beginning to explain not just WHAT to do, but WHY.
In this Instructable, we will apply the concepts of Parametric Dimensioning to an actual project: The design of a simple bookcase. The construction will be simplified slightly with the elimination of the toe kick, in order to more clearly demonstrate the concepts involved. We will leave it as an exercise for the reader to use the techniques covered here to add the toe kick on their own.
We will cover the following techniques:
Use parameters with equations to define the component dimensions
Efficiently reuse previously created parts rather than creating all parts from scratch
Use Color Properties to change from gray to wood
Define Constraints to position parts
Create a Linear Pattern rather than inserting multiples of the same part
This bookcase will become the basis for additional lessons that will take this project all the way to manufacture.
Parametric Bookcase is the third Instructable in the Parametric Dimensioning Series. It will apply the concepts that were covered in Parametric Dimensioning 101 and 201.
This tutorial is for beginning users of Alibre Design or Alibre Xpress (the free versions) and will work with any other parametric modeling program. Some of the descriptions are a little lengthy. I wish it were not so, but sometimes it is necessary in the beginning to explain not just WHAT to do, but WHY.
In this Instructable, we will apply the concepts of Parametric Dimensioning to an actual project: The design of a simple bookcase. The construction will be simplified slightly with the elimination of the toe kick, in order to more clearly demonstrate the concepts involved. We will leave it as an exercise for the reader to use the techniques covered here to add the toe kick on their own.
We will cover the following techniques:
Use parameters with equations to define the component dimensions
Efficiently reuse previously created parts rather than creating all parts from scratch
Use Color Properties to change from gray to wood
Define Constraints to position parts
Create a Linear Pattern rather than inserting multiples of the same part
This bookcase will become the basis for additional lessons that will take this project all the way to manufacture.
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Signing UpStep 1Three Important Questions
How wide? Internet investigation shows bookcase shelves to be 12" to 14" wide.
How long? Between the TV and the sofa.
How high? How much of that sheet of plywood is left?
I would like to use a beautiful sheet of bamboo plywood that I have. Because of its three-ply construction with a lumber type core and thick outer laminations, the edges are quite attractive and there is no need for edge-banding (see Image 1). If you think you might want to look into bamboo plywood most suppliers will send you a sample box. See Image 1.
During the initial stages of a design, joinery is often ignored while the design concept is developing. For this bookcase, we will assume that if he really makes it, my husband is going to use that brand new biscuit joiner he talked me into buying for his birthday. If construction were going to use dados, we would have to add the dado depth to the length to the shelves.
We will start with Overall Dimensions of 42" Wide x 54" High x 13" Deep, and the 4th dimension is the material thickness of 3/4". The width of the Bookcase should not be confused with the width of individual parts, because it is the overall width of the bookcase design. See Image 2.
In fact, my husband's been encouraging me to accept Breadth for an overall design value definition so as not to confuse the two uses of the term Width. That would result in overall design dimensions of Height, Breadth and Depth. For the time being, I will be sticking with the more common term of Width, and try to avoid any confusion for my husband who thinks I bought that biscuit joiner for him.
How long? Between the TV and the sofa.
How high? How much of that sheet of plywood is left?
I would like to use a beautiful sheet of bamboo plywood that I have. Because of its three-ply construction with a lumber type core and thick outer laminations, the edges are quite attractive and there is no need for edge-banding (see Image 1). If you think you might want to look into bamboo plywood most suppliers will send you a sample box. See Image 1.
During the initial stages of a design, joinery is often ignored while the design concept is developing. For this bookcase, we will assume that if he really makes it, my husband is going to use that brand new biscuit joiner he talked me into buying for his birthday. If construction were going to use dados, we would have to add the dado depth to the length to the shelves.
We will start with Overall Dimensions of 42" Wide x 54" High x 13" Deep, and the 4th dimension is the material thickness of 3/4". The width of the Bookcase should not be confused with the width of individual parts, because it is the overall width of the bookcase design. See Image 2.
In fact, my husband's been encouraging me to accept Breadth for an overall design value definition so as not to confuse the two uses of the term Width. That would result in overall design dimensions of Height, Breadth and Depth. For the time being, I will be sticking with the more common term of Width, and try to avoid any confusion for my husband who thinks I bought that biscuit joiner for him.
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Hope to see you there.
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