Project tools

[PatricksDad]

I'm about to help a buddy finish up a long term project Chevelle. Almost all the components are sourced and/or on our shelves already. Motor, trans and rear-end are in the car.

What I'm looking for is an Excel template or workbook that will help me keep organized and act like a punchlist. I can build a project from that.

Next steps are install fuel system, wire alternator/remote solenoid, get driveshaft built, install shifter, wire ignition & distributor, and build a relay panel for for stuff like headlights & fans.

Any examples or suggestions?

[Caveman Tony]

You could do what DF & Finnegan do...

Sharpie on a chunk of torn cardboard.







HA! I crack myself up.
Honestly, I haven't heard of a spreadsheet that does that function, but there's an app for everything these days.

[PatricksDad]

You could do what DF & Finnegan do...

Sharpie on a chunk of torn cardboard.







HA! I crack myself up.
Honestly, I haven't heard of a spreadsheet that does that function, but there's an app for everything these days.

Yeah, sharpie on cardboard worked before the old-timers disease kicked in. Now I need a nanny.

[squirrel]

hmmmm.....sounds like you already know what needs to be done next. After you finish those tasks, then do the same mental exercise again to list the next tasks, and work on them. Repeat until done.

I used to make up a spread sheet to list the parts I needed to buy, but I'm too lazy for that these days.

[oldsman71]

sharpy and cardboard is all I got too

[Beagle]

...

I used to make up a spread sheet to list the parts I needed to buy, but I'm too lazy for that these days.

I only do this for keeping track of my retirement fund being spent.... Cough.

I bought a white board / wipe board, whatever the * they are called because I don't have an E sized (34x44) plotter to print out readable to do lists. I think it's 24x36, from OfficeMax Depot whatever. Reusable cardboard. haha.

I don't know about Excel when it comes time to building because I have to page around or flip between sheets to get everything on one page. I guess if I printed it out and used sheet protectors, I could use a sharpie and reuse that as well. I guess you know you can right click Sheet 1, Sheet 2, whatever and rename it to Engine Body whatever?

oh yeah, here's one that took me forever to figure out. I use a - an awful lot and Excel gets real upset when I use it with numbers. If you want your text to be text and it turns wanky about your number and some operational sign (= + / -*, that kind of thing), put a
'
'apostrophe
'at the beginning of the cell and it will leave it as text in the cell without the ' being visible.

[PatricksDad]

I only do this for keeping track of my retirement fund being spent.... Cough.

I bought a white board / wipe board, whatever the * they are called because I don't have an E sized (34x44) plotter to print out readable to do lists. I think it's 24x36, from OfficeMax Depot whatever. Reusable cardboard. haha.

I need it to be portable between my home and two shops in two states. Kind of why I was thinking PC/tablet based.

I'll see what I can do in Excel. If I think I've hit on something, I'll post it here.

[squirrel]

if you want to get fancy...

http://sourceforge.net/projects/ganttproject/

[PatricksDad]

if you want to get fancy...

http://sourceforge.net/projects/ganttproject/

Thanks. That's worth a look.

[anotheridiot]

staceydavid from Gearz gives away a little diary.

[PatricksDad]

staceydavid from Gearz gives away a little diary.

In case anyone's interested: http://staceydavid.com/store/gearz-p...uild-book-4843

Out of stock, though.

[GearheadDiva]

I'd like to know anyone's feedback on the Stacey David book. I've been considering it. In the meantime, I usually use an Excel spreadsheet and to keep it manageable there are tabs you can create at the bottom that I use for different portions of the build like Powertrain, Undercarriage/Suspension, Interior/Stereo, Paint, etc. Then within each of these tabs I list all the tasks and corresponding parts.

Lately though, I've moved to doing the same using the spreadsheet function in Google Docs. The advantage is that you can access your spreadsheet on any computer, ipad, or mobile as long as you have internet. Plus if you're working as a team with other people, you can share the document online with them so everyone sees the most up-to-date punch list and if you choose, you can allow them to edit the spreadsheet to reflect specific tasks they've accomplished on the car.

It just requires a gmail account and you're good to go. Just the creator of the spreadsheet needs a gmail account and everyone else can be invited through their regular emails.

[Barry Donovan]

as one who would scribble before spread sheets of anal retentive.

a diary like google blogs can keep, and ms paint.
free, and if you pile of pc dies, it is still there. day by day.

scribbling across photos is a big help since computers.

the only confusing thing I have done is ground up ignition...had to have diagram wirtten. Five minutes in mspaint.

the lack of freehand is old docs from 70s, maybe earlier. Corporations hung onto the same crap for a long time. Even I typed in a computer in the early 90s, air force..stuff was ancient, and on the cutting edge at the same time.

I bet there is still a desire to use other words for actions to fit in a space..instead of a whole sentence. Alot of people with alot of years, old stuff.