1. Architectural Drafting Equipment
Chapter 2
Architectural Drafting Equipment

2. Links for Chapter 2 Drafting Supplies Drafting Instruments
Drafting Machines
Scales

3. Drafting Supplies
Mechanical Pencils - The lead is manually inserted and sharpened as needed
Automatic Pencils - The lead advances as button or tip is pushed
Lead Grades - Depends on the type of line
Thick Lines - 2H to F
Thin Lines - 4H to H

4. Drafting Supplies
Pencil Motion - Keep pencil tilted at 45º with the direction of travel
Provide even pressure to create sharp crisp lines
Slowly Rotate the mechanical pencil as the line is drawn
Practice this technique as often as possible

5. Drafting Supplies Technical Pens - Used to create inked lines
Erasers - Use the correct eraser for the job
Do not press too hard to rip the material
Erasing shields protect good lines
Use a dust brush to remove the eraser particles

6. Drafting Instruments Compasses - Used to draw circles and arcs
Drop-bow is used for small circles
Center-wheel is used by professional drafters
Beam is used for large arcs or circles
Keep the compass needle sharp and the lead point sharpened like a chisel point

7. Drafting Instruments
Dividers - Used to transfer dimensions or divide distances
Parallel Bar - Slides up and down the drafting board by cables mounted on pulleys
Triangles - Two standard types
30º-60º-90º is known as 30º-60º triangle
45º-45º-90º is known as 45º triangle

8. Drafting Instruments
Templates - A plastic sheet that contains standard symbols used for tracing
Be sure the scale matches your drawing
Keep both sides clean
Irregular Curves - There is no constant radii and is commonly called a French curve

9. Drafting Machines
Arm Drafting Machine - The arm clamps to the table and the head can rotate to a variety of angles with different scales attached to it
Track Drafting Machine - The traversing arm moves left and right across the table and the head can also lock and pivot

10. Scales Notation - Scale of the drawing is noted in each title block
Architecture - 1/4”=1’-0” or 1”=1’-0”
Civil - 1”=50’ or 1”=500’
Metric - Scale is based on the meter (m) unit
Millimeter (mm) is most commonly used on drawings

11. Scales Architect’s Scale - Contain 11 different scales
Locate the correct scale before beginning
Ten of the scales are based on the inch unit
Other scale is divided into 1/16th of an inch
Be careful when reading from left to right
The 1/4”=1’-0” is the most common scale

12. Scales Civil Engineer’s Scale - Contain 11 different scales
Locate the correct scale before beginning
The scales are based on the inch unit in multiples of 10
Be careful when reading from left to right
The 50 scale is most popular