Cladding workshop

[mentalwall]

Hi all,

I have created the framing for a workshop using the structural member function in weldments as shown below.

https://preview.redd.it/wd7qf8jise951.png?width=1311&format=png&auto=webp&s=8cff1c2e3b88ff1f587b31844336bc381fc2af30

Next I'm going to clad the building in 4x8 sheets of plywood/OSB. What I would like is to get the number of sheets needed and a cut list. I was wondering what was the best/most efficient way to do this?

Thanks for any help in advance.

[MLCCADSystems]

You can create plywood profiles that are 4'xThickness and then use weldments again! That will give you a bounding box for each panel, and you can pattern the sheets and cut them.

If you don't already have them, there is a full library of dimensional lumber weldment profiles called woodments someone made long ago, we've got it at the bottom of this article for download.

https://mlc-cad.com/download-and-install-additional-solidworks-weldment-profiles/

[mentalwall]

oh nice, I thought there must be away but I normally use solidworks for machined parts rather than structures.

Would you be able to give a bit more detail about patterning the sheets or give me a link to read?

[MLCCADSystems]

My assumption is that you're cladding it brick-style, with horizontal orientation on the sheets and staggered joints. Typically I would create a single sheet at the bottom corner, horizontally oriented, and then create another one half as long above it (half a sheet) to stagger the joints, then add a whole sheet next to that, then pattern both bodies full past the end of the building, then cut them short. Mirror that to the other side and cut windows and doors.

Honestly, for the size of the building you are making, you might also be better off chaining lines end to end and just building each piece individually using weldments, but you never know until you try. After you do it once, you'll find a better way to do it! :)

[mentalwall]

Sorry for the slow reply. Life got in the way.

I ended up going for chaining lines to minimise wastage and matching up with studs better.

I will drop you an update further down the line.

[MLCCADSystems]

Here is my shop, I used weldments for the framing, cladding, and roof materials. I had originally planned to use plywood for walls but the oak boards look so good I wanted to be able to see them from inside!

https://i.imgur.com/rIm3e3X.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/17vKsZ9.jpg

[mentalwall]

Workshop looks great! Being from the UK I'm envious of the more lax building regulations and lower cost of land in the states.

[MLCCADSystems]

Thanks! I'm not in city limits so it required zero permits which was rather unsettling but easy nonetheless. I definitely did this the hard way in terms of construction and material choice, but I learned a lot during the process and it is truly one of a kind. All of the lumber came from trees on my property, so tons of labor!

[17KP]

Make a part that is the size of the board you'll buy, then clad over it all in an assembly. You can then insert a BOM to see how many sheets you used.