Shoutout to the cardboard mockup that fell apart mid-test

I was working on a bookshelf design last Saturday and built a quick cardboard prototype to check the angles. I thought I had it all figured out, but when I set it on the floor to test stability, the whole thing collapsed sideways after about 30 seconds. It wasn't even a heavy load, just a couple of empty binders. I realized then that my side supports were way too flimsy and I had cut the slots too shallow. Instead of getting mad, I grabbed more scraps and rebuilt it with thicker walls and deeper notches. That second version held fine, even with four heavy textbooks. Has anyone else had a cardboard prototype teach you something your drawings missed?

1 comments

1 Comment

amy30213d ago

Cardboard lies to you about weight distribution. It hides real material flaws.