Plumbing for Dummies

I seem to remember someone asking if it was possible to have an automatic plumbing feature built into CA. It would be nice but in the mean time we could do this.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...glasshouse.jpg
I made this very quickly, so there's not much in the model, I've just fitted the sewer pipes, and have not yet had time to install the hot and cold water pipes. the horizontal pipes are very easy, being made from moulding polylines, the verticle pipes are made from slabs, Does anyone else have any experience in this technique.
Archijef

Jef,

How are you able to make cylindrical pipes out of molding Polylines? I thought you could only make square or rectangular.

Jim Z

Jim, I can tell you are not doing my challenges.

Here is how. http://www.lfcompany.com/louis/chief...trude.viewlet/

Jeff
Doing extra design work is not my style, but I do like to look at it!
This is one of those situations where in most residential work, the plumber does his own layout so other than placing the fixture location, I wouldn't bother doing a rough schematic. I find extensive drawings like this confuse the client and provides them with fodder for wondering why a pipe is not where the drawing shows it. Showing schematics is more attuned to commercial work, so knowing Chief can do it is a nice thought!

Chief is capable of doing so much, and I enjoy looking at others' methods to achieve the end result. Sort of problem solving to solve the problem, however, I worked with architects' and engineers' drawings for commercial projects for years and although they show an enormous amount of detail, after awhile the project super still makes the project flow when some of those on-site changes have to be made so that what is shown actually provides the result desired. Although I have an extensive field background, I provide more details only when really necessary

Lou, I was aware of your training video, but I that seems like way too much time to accomplish this schematic. I have to agree with Jim Eggert that all we are asked to do is supply a plumbing riser, and not every town requires it. However, it would be nice to use 3D objects in the riser.

Jim Z

I agree that the plumbers do the plumbing. No matter what an architect draws, they end up doing their own thing anyway. I find that the biggest issue is where pipes run through a floor. Here's what I've done to help them along, when a project warrants it (design budget to pay for it, a floor full of lights, steel, and ductwork, whatever):

I draw a Reflected Ceiling Plan that shows the following, each in a different color:

- The lights and J-boxes, with their backboxes at the correct size.
- The framing for the floor above.
- The plumbing fixtures for the floor above.
- The walls, doors and windows for the floor below (to show them where they can bring a pipe down.

I give this to the mechanical and plumbing contractors at the same time. They give it a good look over. Then we have a coordination meeting for them to negotiate over space.

It's a trick I learned doing high end retail work, when everything but the kitchen sink has to go in a very tight ceiling space. The advantage over the 3D is that it gives a drawing, to scale, that they can do their layout on, to scale. It's saved many a field headache and is the premise for their as-builts as well. I've even found that by dimensioning one or two specific floor joists, we save the guys having to move something in the field to accomodate that giant duct or sh... pipe.

I haven't needed this in Chief yet, but I have to think it would be fairly easy to do as a Cad Detail.

Wendy

.... just following along with da thread ...


Thanks for the 'vid' Louis! :)


ronto

I forgot to say thanks also Louis, all of your training videos are great and very helpful. Keep up the good work.

Jim Z

Louis, Thanks for the demonstration. Maybe won't give it to the plumber but will work for other objects . It is good you show us alot of the things Chief does that alot of us didn't realize, Dennis

Louis:

Nice tutorial, even I a non-CAD person could probably do it now.

Thanks

Hmm... Excuse me, I have a question... Where do you guys find clients that will pay for all these drawings? Please send me their way... lol. I think Chief is enslaving me to my computer already. Here I am Taking surveys and creating true terrains based on surveyor's information. Overlaying 3D overviews from sattelite imagery. Calling out exact floor heights based on terrain information. Doing complete framing exactly as expected to be built. Including adding exact moldings profiles to baseboards ceilings windows and doors. Creating tray ceilings to be exact and framing them... Adding hardware and stuff to evrrything and showing all the electricals.

Hmm... Who brought up the issue of plumbing again? Will we start doing ductwork, vacuum lines security, low voltage and sprinklers next?

HELP!!!! I need a life I am imprisoned in Chief...lol

Jef - I hope you keep developing your plumbing exercise. It is very interesting to see what can be done. Why not throw in HVAC as well when you have time.

And many thanks to Louis for his excellent tutorial on the molding polyline extrusion. Your tutorials show the little tips and 'outside the box' - (inside the dbx) - way of doing things that show what amazing capabilities Chief Architect offers.

Wendy, your field experience tips are very useful and thanks for your input on these topics.

somewhat related
I would like to see the plumbing fixtures when I do one floor over another in a floor reference.
O r do I have something turned off

One way is to turn your fixtures on to reference. Do this in display options. Another way is to do a fixture overlay using a cad detail or an exported dwg.

That was a very neat idea Louis. Do a rendering with only plumbing fixtures showing and then overlay over that. Why haven't I thought about that? Duh

Iwould like to see what you are describing if I could. Is there a way to input a photo here?


regards,


Paul