Field Journals · Volume I

Notes from the workshop floor.

Five essays about what happens between a convincing picture and a plan you can actually trust with wood, tools, and your own two hands.

No. 01The Honest BookshelfWatch it build a bookshelf and tell you, out loud, which parts it isn't sure of.8 min
No. 02The 25% That FailsMost tools hand you a green check. This one fails three of four designs — on purpose.7 min
No. 03The Two BrainsA design can pass every check and still be un-buildable. Closing that gap.8 min
No. 04What It Won't BuildWhat it refuses to build is why you can trust what it will.7 min
No. 05The Five, Over the ShoulderFive expert lenses, one question: is this honest?9 min

Workshop Direction

What the bench does today — and what it can't do yet

The direction lives here, not on the front page. Direction is workshop writing, not a sales promise. The unfinished parts belong next to the essays about them.

Now

Natural-language and photo-to-blueprint design generation
Composite designs — counters, stands, runs built from verified modules
Engineering-checked cut lists with kerf-aware sheet counts
Declines and Unrated badges when a check isn't earned
3D preview, exploded views, OpenSCAD export, 7 connector types

Tolerance-aware cut lists — which cuts need precision tooling
Tool-aware plans matched to what you actually own
Live material pricing from supplier APIs
Community pattern library — fork, remix, share proven designs

Future

AR-guided assembly and room capture
Scan-to-replicate — photogrammetry into parametric, buildable models
Multi-material support with material-specific validation rules

From note to bench

Watch the checks run on your own build.

Describe something you want to make. The workshop will draft it, run the checks, and show you where it is ready—and where it is not.

Setting up your bench…