Best practice for moving components

[Neil_Relph-Olivewoodturning]

I'm continuing to draw an Adirondack chair to practice using Fusion. On the chair there are 4 brackets, all the same construction. They "belong" in 4 different places (the arms and backrest) - see photo - and ideally I want the Parts List to reference 4-off the bracket, rather than the bracket being part of the arm or backrest. 

What I'm trying to establish is the best practice workflow making one body or component, then copying this into the right physical space. I've read that moving items isn't good, but I'm a little confused - is this bodies or components? I "think" that if I make a component, then move/copy it, I will get another instance of the same thing.  If I then use the align command to get the part into the correct place, is that still a valid thing to do, or not "best practice"? 

[davebYYPCU]

Document origin on centre of the model, will make life easier.

Do not use mirror.

Copy, Paste / Paste New, use free position move at time of copy, or

Joint, (correct not move or align as these clutter a timeline and require more work)

symmetric or circular patterns

rigid group, or ground.

So many options.

[Neil_Relph-Olivewoodturning]

Hmm, I know - too many options. I'm trying to work out which way is best. When I physically make a chair like this, I know I have a lot of different saws. But each one is only good for one job - it's easy to pick. In Fusion, it's not!

[jhackney1972]

Could you share your model?  This would help others give you possible solutions on which Fusion 360 "Saw" to use.  If you do not know how to attach your Fusion 360 follow these easy steps. Open the model in Fusion 360, select the File menu, then Export and save to your hard drive. Then use the Attachments section of a forum post to attach it.

[davebYYPCU]

In your situation, use the process that makes the most sense to you - over time refine the process.

(BOM required - can’t use Mirror for Components most mirrors can be done with circular or linear pattern)

it is usually Copy, Paste, free move and fix, in the one procedure.

so I would have the Origin as the model midplane/s where possible.

make a set of components all left (or right,) duplicate their opposites, and then make the crossing members.

model 1 of every distinct part, as a component, (rule no1)

then assemble the many.

If stuck share the model for demonstrations with your data.

Might help....

[Neil_Relph-Olivewoodturning]

OK, so I've attached the model. 

I know that I did some things wrongly, but in the main, the result looks OK and the 2D drawings produced seem logical.   There's no screws / fastenings in it yet. I know that for the BOM, I mirrored a couple of things when a copy would be better. 

However, I'm also not sure what is the best thing to do for something like the arms. The main shape of the arms is exactly the same, but they are handed, so. when finished, the joint gets cut on the opposite face. This is probably because I'm getting mixed up between a cutting list and a parts list. In a cutting list, the arms are the same. In a parts list, they're not. If its just for me to build something, as most of my designs are, it's not an issue. If I wanted to send the drawings to someone, I think I'd (possibly) need a separate cutting / parts list. I know I can fix that be exporting the parts list to a csv and altering it.

One further thing I struggled with was how to equally space the back slats.

Any hints and tips would be appreciated.

[davebYYPCU · Accepted solution]

Reviewed your file, you mention some things you know about - combine cuts and left / right handed stuff.  As said above, you know when you can't avoid a mirror.

Logical positions of Origin will make for less work - comes with experience.

Blue sketch articles should keep you awake at night.  Spline curve, you have too many fit points, use a minimum and manipulate the tangent handles for best results.

Top level skeleton sketches would work well for this model.

Avoid - Align, Move, Capture Positions, as Joints will do the job for you.  

Building components in position will also save time and effort.

You got the job done, no timeline warnings or errors, each time you do a similar model, the workflows will become more streamlined.

how to equally space the back slats?  Much easier with a model midplane, or skeleton sketch.

Might help....