Learning from mistakes

[ez-duzit]

...Don't people know what context is these days anymore?...

Really!

The context was building something for one's own shop. You make allowances for tools and materials you happen to have on hand, redesigning as you go.

[DaveR1]

Obviously you missed my point.

Simon

Evidently you couldn't be bothered to read and comprehend what I wrote.

It depends on what I'm building. If it is specified 4' for a reason...

[Bibliophile 13]

One way to avoid this kind of problem is to not dimension all your stock at once. Yeah, it seems more efficient to mill all your stock to final dimensions all at once. Until you have to remake a bunch of pieces because you miscalculated, because the nominal lumber dimensions can vary, because wood expands and contracts, or whatever. Better to build big projects in stages and size individual pieces to fit. So build the carcass first, and then go back and mill the stock for the shelves and doors.

Also, whenever possible, don’t take numerical measurements. Use tick marks on a strip of plywood, or just put the workpiece up to the place it has to fit and mark it with a knife.

It’s a whole different way of thinking about measurements, but it works.

[Handplanesandmore]

Really!

The context was building something for one's own shop. You make allowances for tools and materials you happen to have on hand, redesigning as you go.

No, that wasnt the context at all. The context was 4 ft was never critical and you could go with the 3 ft 10 in stock IF you did not follow any plans without thinking! OMG.

Simon

[Handplanesandmore]

Evidently you couldn't be bothered to read and comprehend what I wrote.

If you had read and comprehended my point, you would not have made such a comment in the first place. You wrote that cuz you missed the point. Nobody was discussing anything about it depends.

Simon

[Phil Thien]

Gaps around doors may help for make-up air if you’re planning on a DC connection “down there.”

There aren’t mistakes, they’re always opportunities for design improvements.

[BrokenOlMarine]

When I work off my own plans, unless the end product has to fit in a specific space a specific way...
... Even my drawings are guidelines and I don't worry about micro precision.  I try to match the measurements,
But if they are slightly off, and I can live with it, i adapt.

[JohnnyEgo]

Christ-on-a cracker you two are going to drive this guy away with your pointless semantic battles.

Dutchie: We all started somewhere and we all made a fair amount of mistakes. Experience is nothing more than lessons learned with time and repetition. Wisdom is when you can learn from the experience of others in addition to your own. As was mentioned, part of the answer is to check the math on your cut list, whether you make it yourself or use somebody else's. The other part is learning to adapt to the situation you find yourself in.

In your situation, you mention that your trimmed doors aren't quite wide enough or tall enough to close the gaps. Are the doors made of ply? Perhaps you cut off whatever trim you'd applied at the table saw, and then rip some thicker trim out of solid stock to make up the difference? Something in a contrasting color might make it look intentional, and probably only cost a few bucks.

[ez-duzit]

...Something in a contrasting color might make it look intentional...

I would avoid contrasting colors and mixing wood species as it often fairly screams "amateur/DIY-er". Better to carefully match species, color and grain.

[daddo]

Measuring is relative. I built a dresser and several other projects without ever touching a ruler or tape measure.
If you have a clear picture in your head how it should be, it works out. I never could use plans very well- made more mistakes. Could never understand why a table had to be 30-1/16"w, when 30"w was just fine or 17-11/32" tall.  

 Just makes it more complicated for nothing.

 Think 5 or so steps ahead.