hand drafting where to start ?

[Matthew N. Masail]

Over the last month I've been trying to learn how to design my furniture on paper rather than in my head. it's going ok, here is what I understand so far:

Most basically one need to be able to:

1. draw in elevation - most simple 2D and gives us the dimensions and different views (side view, from view) of the project.

2. perspective drawing - an actual 3D Image from any angle we choose, critical to actually being able to draw and helps greatly to visualize and communicate as well as to draw joinery and work out other construction details.

3. shadowing, this make the 3D more realistic and the image more clear in terms of depth, whats above\behind what and so forth.

What I'm having a hard time with is finding an online coarse or better yet a book the walks a dummy like me through the basics to build a solid foundation. drawing a line with a perspective point or two and then making a box to expand on doesn't quite cut it. I'd love to get recommendations from anyone as to how to accomplish this study.

I found this but can't really tell if it's what I'm looking for or not... https://classes.popularwoodworking.com/courses/hand-drafting

Thanks!
Matthew

[Jim Koepke]

Where to start hand drafting? Maybe back toward the 1980s. I was a drafter at the time and it was a dying field due to CAD.

It also depends on whether you want to make production drawings or do you just need something to help plan a project.

Most of the time when one of my projects is drawn out a single view is enough to determine dimensions and how the wood and in what sizes are needed.

A complex joint in my project may be drawn in detail to determine how to cut and put it together.

You may be able to find an old drafting text cheap online. I look into my old 7th edition of Technical Drawing (published by MacMillian) every once and awhile to refresh my memory.

jtk

[Don Jarvie]

I don't have the patience for Sketch up so I draw by hand. I make full size drawings so I have an idea of what it will look like. I'm not too concerned about joints it's more will the table be high enough or wide enough. I can also plan my cut list and not waste as much wood.

[Mitch Barker]

Start with the 2D views. You will want to draw to scale and the easiest way is to use an architects scale (http://www.amazon.com/Staedtler-12-Inches-Architect-Triangular-98718-31BK/dp/B001E67XZ4/ref=pd_sim_229_1?ie=UTF8&dpID=41eQTYj2x5L&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=0W95DMDBHMGNQZ99SKCW). It's triangular shape gives you 12 different scales. You want a ruler that includes scales that are good for furniture such as 1 1/2 ft per inch. Other rulers are for big stuff like houses and road and have scales like 10 ft per inch. So don't buy one of those by mistakes. Office supply stores still carry these.

Get some graph paper so you can easily draw lines at right angles. I prefer the type of graph paper where the lines are not very dark or paper where the lines are just on one side so you can draw on the "back".

And get 0.5 mm mechanical pencil. HB lead is soft and erases easily.

Mitch

[Chris Parks]

You can download a template for isometric drawing and print it off, Mr Google will be your friend.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

There are text books on drafting/mechanical drawing. Personally, I prefer reading a text book as it lets me progress at my own rate and I can sit in chair or lay on the couch to read it.

[Tom M King]

A Vemco drafting machine, and an electric eraser were two of my best ever investments in tools. That's still what I use. I don't remember the Vemco model number, but it's the track model for a 5' wide table.

[Tom Vanzant]

Matthew, good advise from several, especially drawing 2D and to scales like 1 1/2"=1' and 3"=1'. These work with most furniture and smaller projects. Stay away from 3D schemes...without specialized instruments, it's very difficult to scale your drawing or measure from the drawing.
With a simple drawing board, which can be a 20"x30"flat smooth piece of plywood or MDF with a square corner, a T-square, 30/60 and 45 degree plastic drafting triangles, and an architects scale...add paper (kitchen butcher paper is OK) and some masking tape, and you're ready to go. The book Jim mentioned is excellent and is geared to drawing with the simple tools I mentioned. I have my copy from the middle of the last century.

[Tom Blank]

Basic Graphics for Engineering and Technical Students by Luzadder (Prentice Hall) and Design Graphics by Martin (McMillan) are good references. Found Luzadder on Amazon for $2.62, cost me way more that that in 1967 in a university book store. Still have them both on my shelf.

Tom

[Larry Frank]

Interesting...I am an old dinosaur and do hand drawings of a lot of my projects. I learned when it was still being taught in school.

I have thought about CAD or Sketchup but it would take too much time to learn. My drawings are done to help with materials list, work out joints, get an idea how something will look and to just get a better feel for a project. My drawings are scaled but not exact. I a pm never do perspectives but do front and side views along with a few joint details.

[Gerry Grzadzinski]

About 20 years ago, I built a nice new drafting table. A few weeks after I finished it, I bought a PC and CAD program, and gave the table away.

If you approach CAD as if you were drawing like a pencil/paper drawing, the learning curve is not too difficult at all. All you're really doing is drawing lines and circles/arcs. With a 2D CAD program, you only need to know a handful of commands to start doing the same thing that you'd do with a pencil and paper.

Download the free Draftsight and get started.
CAD has a huge number of benefits over hand drawing.
It's faster.
More accurate.
Easy to make changes.

[Malcolm McLeod]

Basic Graphics for Engineering and Technical Students by Luzadder (Prentice Hall) and Design Graphics by Martin (McMillan) are good references. Found Luzadder on Amazon for $2.62, cost me way more that that in 1967 in a university book store. Still have them both on my shelf.

Tom

"Basic Graphics..." is the same txt I learned from as Mechanical Engineering student in early '80s and for your requirements, I'd recommend it. Its approach to engineering graphics is probably the best fit for what OP is trying to do ... use a drawing to visualize a design, refine it, and then communicate it to others, not necessarily document every detail and nuance for construction. The latter is traditionally a draftsman's job.

You can accomplish 95% of your drafting with a T-square, 45-45-90-triangle, 30-60-90-triangle, protractor, compass, scale, and of course a decent pencil. I haven't priced the tools in years, but last time they were all available for less than $30. A bargain?? ...but if you've already got the PC, SketchUp is free, and the learning curve is really not that bad.

Also, one point to note, paper-based drafting can approximate 3D in isometric views. A single isometric view in a CAD drawing, even if done in 3D, does the same thing. But CAD excels in its ability to rotate a view around any and all axes, allowing you to 'see' your design from ANY angle, even applying varying 'perspective'. Paper-based drafting requires you to completely re-draw the object for each and every view you require.

Edit - I've been using AutoCAD for years, played with an early DOS based package called Drafix 3D (??), have gotten comfortable with SketchUp, and don't know Draftsight, but there are lots of options if you choose CAD. Just find one that you're comfortable with, and which provides user support.

[lowell holmes]

If you were in Texas, I would advise you to attend a local Junior College. They have technology classes here in the U.S.

If you have such schools in Israel, a basic 3 semester hour course would get you started.

I took my classes in 1955. I quit hand drafting and have AutoCad on my computer.

You might explore Turbo-Cad.

[Jim Koepke]

This is an attempt to get back to the "basics" of Matthew's original post/questions, heavily edited:


1. draw in elevation...

2. perspective drawing...

3. shadowing...

What I'm having a hard time with is finding an online coarse or better yet a book the walks a dummy like me through the basics to build a solid foundation.

2 & 3 are parts of art school drawing classes. If there are adult schools or colleges with an art department a basic drawing class would benefit you greatly.

Fancy drafting equipment or a CAD program may be nice, but they are not what one needs to make a working drawing for woodworking.

One problem with CAD for me is my printer is limited in how big of a print it can make. I have done some drawing on my computer, but not as much as my quick doodles out in the shop.

Someone mentioned you could get the tools needed to start drawing for about $50. I am not sure I could find the basics for such a low cost. I am sure they aren't available locally. There isn't much of a demand for new hand done mechanical drawing equipment. Check art supply stores or if there is a blue print service check them for drafting supplies. They may also know about training in some of the basics.

Most important to find would be a good T-square. Back in the days before the middle of the 20th century students used to make their own T-squares and triangles in shop and then use them in the drafting class. (Back then it was draughting, usually as part of an Industrial Arts program.)

Here is a post on some triangles I made of wood:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?182466-Old-School-Triangles

It is nice to have perfect drafting tools, but it isn't necessary. As long as the T-square is solid, it will make consistent parallel lines. It really doesn't have to be square.

Here is another post of how my drawing board is supported when using at my bench:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?218090-The-Old-Drawing-Board

Painter's masking tape is great for holding drawings in place.

An electric eraser and some erasing shields are possibly my most used tools in drafting.

jtk

[lowell holmes]

Matthew,

Check the link below. You will find low priced text books that will help you . I took drafting classes at the University of Houston back the 1950's. If you care to, these books will take you through the classical training. One of the things they will stress is lettering.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=mechanical+drawing+for+high+schools

I see several books that would help you.

[Matthew N. Masail]

Just got in late.... thanks guys, Indeed I am not aiming to sell any drawings (who would buy them.. lol) but as Malcolm said really well "use a drawing to visualize a design, refine it, and then communicate it to others".

I do use sketch-up, I have nothing against computer programs. but I realize that for me relaying on them is a crutch. not a choice as it seems to be for people who responded here. once I know how to draw and I can work with a client "live" so to speak, I'll consider looking into digital, for now I'm going to buy a few books (Thanks so much for the recommendations!), and I might try to find a good college course but with a baby on the way and more than full time work I'm not sure that's going to happen, though it might prove to be the best option... Thanks again for all the advice, I realize drafting is not so much alive anymore, and maybe I should have said
drawing", but I think a competent pencil holding hand is a great skill for any craftsman, and it doesn't come naturally to everyone!

[Ron Bontz]

Well I am an old guy so I must confess I still have my vintage drafting stuff and use it. I am also learning to use free Draftsite a little as well. It is a great program and I found it easier than Sketch up. But that may be just because I didn't "have " to learn sketch up. I had drafting in HS many moons ago. Some times it is just easier and faster for me to draw it up on the board first then have a "real" CAD draftsman convert it into CAD. Then I can alter and make changes quickly. So maybe I am a hybrid. :) I did have to cut my 5' table down to 4' for the space. I have a bad habit of making changes in the midst of making them. :)
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[Chuck Hart]

Here is a start http://www.en.technisches-zeichnen.net/technical-drawing/basics-01/drawing-tools.php

[Rob Luter]

I started out on the drafting board back in the late 1970's. It's certainly an art that takes some time to master. Here's an online resource. It's very dated, but so is the drafting process.

http://opensourcemachine.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/us-army-machinist-course-principles-of-drafting-and-shop-drawing-od1641-ww1.pdf

One of the challenges you'll face is finding the tools. Here in the States we used to have "Blueprint and Supply" stores that sold all this stuff. As it's becoming a lost art, there are fewer and fewer outlets for good drafting tools. I'm glad I kept all mine, but truth be told I rarely use them. I use CAD nearly 100% at work and at home. I use AutoCAD, but Draftsight is a good free package you can download. It emulates the functionality of AutoCAD. Note that the design and dimensioning principles are the same whether you use a pencil or a computer to document your ideas.

[george wilson]

I taught drafting for a few years as a lead in to woodworking. I still draw by hand when I need a drawing. My shop,though it is pretty large,got so crowded that I made a swing down drawing board to use when I need it.

There are plenty of old drawing sets available on Ebay.

Ron,your outfit is much nicer than mine!! I'm still using a T square and triangles!

For what it's worth,my favorite(and only) tracing paper is Caslon Vidalon. It is tough enough to be quite durable. When I made the marquetry guitar,I drew the designs on Vidalon,and glued them directly on the wood to saw them out with my deep throat yew marquetry saw.

[Pat Barry]

All you need is some good grid paper and a straightedge / ruler and you are ready to go. This doesn't need to be complicated. A basic drawing is a front view, a side view and an overhead view. Put them together to make a front ortho projection. Anything more complicated you should stick with Sketchup.

[Tom M King]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pf_zy7E_bgE My old Vemco V track is similar to the one in the video. I couldn't find one of the exact model I have-probably too old. Scales snap in and are interchangeable. My "table" is a piece of 3/4 Birch ply hinged to the wall with a wooden ratchet arm to set angles. Every house I ever built (including all cabinets) was drawn on it, leaving out a couple of personal houses I built for Architects to their own drawings, and except for my first house which was drawn on grid paper. One advantage that you don't have with a CAD program is you can step off fractions with dividers on the paper, and use large pencil compasses for proportions. The plywood works as good as any with the drafting board cover on it. Drafting dots work better than blue masking tape to hold corners of the paper. An electric eraser makes quick changes. Those things and a good mechanical pencil, and you're in business. I've used that setup for every bit of 40 years, and you'd probably be surprised how quick it is. I never needed 3D drawings of anything I built-just simple floor plans and elevations. I've never needed anything better, and I can draw on it as fast as I can think anyway.

[Ken Parris]

Matthew, I started as a draftsman trainee in 1959 and worked at that for about fifteen years. Then changed to a supervisor position with about fifteen draftsman working for me. Drafting is easy, and since you already know how to read a drawing you know what it needs to show you. I never worried about hiring someone that was a draftsman, I was more careful to hire people with "common sense", preferably "mechanical common sense". That you already have. I have kept all my old equipment, drafting boards and tools, I have a board that is probably a hundred and twenty five years old. But to make drawings, get you some "B" size graph paper (11 1/2" X 17"), a straight edge or triangle, a pencil, maybe an architect's scale, and start making drawings. That is what I use most of the time in my shop even though I have all the original tools. I have never learned the CAD programs, even though when I retired we didn't even have a drafting board in the department. You can keep it simple and expand from there.

Ken