Tool Template Wiki

Tool Concept
Stage: 
Ready to Build

 

License:
Description: 
A Suggested Wiki Template to effectively document tools. Remember that documentation is the technology's DNA that enables it to be reproduced and adapt, evolve and hybridize with other technology. To add a new tool use the "+Tool" button at the upper left of the page.
Documentation
Documentation Wiki: 
A Suggested Wiki Template for Documentation

Remember that documentation is the technology's DNA that enables it to be reproduced and adapt, evolve and hybridize with other technology. Some design principles to consider are HERE

please edit away and go to the forum to discuss!!

Title:

Please pick a short descriptive title for your tool.Good title “tool bar mounted tine weeder”No so good title “john’s happy zapper”

Problem Statement/functional need

please provide a description of the purpose of the tool, and how this addresses a need. For example, commercial versions are too expensive or unavailable etc. If the tool is just in concept stage, or it is just something that you happened across, please consider opening up a forum topic about it to facilitate discussion about the tool before posting it as a tool. The tool wiki will function better if there is a driver behind the post, who is going to build or use the tool themselves.

Functional Description/approach

This is the "how it works" section. please provide diagrams or links to references. For example a root washer description might start with "uses pressurized water sprayed and rotary motion of drum to loosen dirt and clean root vegetables for market without damaging skin."

This section should also address alternative approaches to the problem addressed. If the tool has many functional components, or is very complex, it may work well to break up the posts by using "floating" wiki pages. To create, click "add wiki page" rather than add tool, and then copy the address for the new wiki page into the original post. This enables you to create more layered content for added detail for the original tool post. See the mobile biodiesel trailer tool for an example

How to use the tool

this would be the equivalent of an owners manual, pictures and video are excellent in this section. If the tool has many functions, then these should all be explored here. Example post "__________"

Bill of materials and Sourcing

this section should include a list of materials, and dimensions and sources for each item when available) Example post with formatting but no sourcing yet FIDO greenhouse alert system

An alternative is to use an embedded spreadsheet from a service like Google Docs or Excel. --Use of Google Docs was demonstrated in the Waterwheel Tool posted by Aidan Williamson. --Use of Microsoft One Drive was demonstrated in the Farm Cooperation Planning Tool posted by Rob Elliott

How to Embed from google docs:

Select "publish to web" from the file menu in google docs and select "get embed code" from the "Get a link to the published data" section. This also works for google drawings etc. A sample wiki is here

Instructions for embedding a google doc follow

How to Embed from OneDrive (excel online, etc):

Construction/how to build

this section should include basic step by step instructions and include supporting documentation like engineering drawings, CAD or CAM files, as well as supporting photos and videos. If an instructables has already been done on it, a link to the instructable would be perfect here)

You can create your own embed images in-line with text by using a service like imgur.com either in the tool wiki itself or create a seperate wiki and link to it. A nice example is here

A discussion of embedding imgur and information about embedding google docs is here.

An alternative is to use a service like Dozuki.com for creating the documentation.

Next steps/goals/barriers

This section is to highlight what next steps are needed for documentation or construction to move the project along. This might contain a link to a kickstarter campaign or to a forum discussion of documentation or prototype needs etc.

Marketplace

this section might link to fabricators of the tool or tool components who are members of the farm hack community. If a fabricator has the item listed on Etsy or similar, a link to that listing would be appropriate here too

Research and Resources

This section might link to other resources that you've found useful in the development and build of your tool concept. Perhaps there's a super inspiring tool that got your brain ticking, or you used a particular method to put something together that's detailed elsewhere. This is an appropriate place to link to those resources.

Ongoing projects

this section might link to project threads on the forum - if you are going to build the tool, please start a project thread in the forum, and post lots of pictures!

You may also want to embed documentation in another format (eg a pdf of a SARE project). Here's a site for generating HTML from a pdf. Select "Standard Markup (no JavaScript)" and enter "1200px" under "Height". Then copy and paste the code into your tool wiki! All set. Example: the FarmBicycle documentation uses this method.

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