How do I choose a drafting table | Buying Guide
Design your next engineering, architectural or art project with the latest drafting table designs and styles. If your current table is too small or if you’re ready to upgrade to the latest features for your everyday professional projects, use these tips to compare
drafting tables at Engineer Supply.
Consider Your Drafting Projects
What projects are you hoping to accomplish with your new table? Some tables are designed for architectural needs, while other
drawing tables can be used for artwork and other projects. Select a table that offers the workspace you need to stand, sit or walk around your project.
An adjustable table gives you the freedom to stand or sit or rotate the angle of the project to see it in a new light. Solid tables, on the other hand, offer a firm surface for peace of mind and long-lasting quality.
Find the Right Size
Ordering online is a great way to get an affordable table delivered straight to your door. It’s important to check the size of your chosen table before placing your order. Compare its size with your workspace to ensure proper fit. Tables for drafting come in a surprising range of widths and heights, so ordering the incorrect table could delay your project and create a cramped work area.
Compare Tops and Materials
After reviewing the overall dimensions of your table, check out the top. A small tabletop won’t fit your full blueprints, but a bulky table makes it difficult to comfortably reach across from all directions.
A modern drafting table can be made of steel, wood, glass or lightweight plastic. These materials affect the portability, convenience and feel of your table. Gliding your materials across a polished wood or glass surface has a comfortable feel that can affect your art or design project, so invest in a table that inspires you throughout your day.
Pick a Style
Do you have a dedicated space for your drafting or do you need to store it away at the end of the day? Select a drafting table style that highlights your work style and your space. Whether you need a fold-away-style table, a pedestal table or another type can affect the price, dimensions and materials used for your drafting station.
Explore the pros and cons of each style before arriving at the best one for your workstation. Four-post tables are incredibly durable and typically offer additional storage space under the tabletop. This frees up space in your office for additional storage needs.
Pedestal tables, on the other hand, are typically easier to adjust. Enjoy a workspace that goes from 0 to 90 degrees with an impressive tilting feature.
Fold-away tables are good for occasional projects and space-conscious offices. If you only occasionally use your drafting table, why invest in a full-sized option that will clutter your office? These tables may not be as sturdy or versatile, but they offer a large work surface in a tiny package.
Picking out the best possible
drafting desk is no small feat. In order to feel satisfied with your purchase, you need to put a bit of thought behind the investment. Still, engineers and artists rely heavily on a quality table in order to produce exceptional work. This means taking time to consider a handful of factors like the material the desk is made from and the style it invokes. Take a moment to review these points and learn more about how you can pick a table that completely surpasses all of your expectations.
Top Style
First and foremost, you want to think about the surface area of your desk. This is where a majority of the work is going to be conducted and it is the most important feature to think about when it comes to your selection. Typically, a table meant for drafting is structured in a way that the surface is slightly tilted. This angle allows the user to achieve more mobility while sitting and create better work due to this ease of movement. Before you think about any other factors, look at all of the options available to you for top style.
Top Material
In addition to the style of the top of your
drafting desk, you also want to be sure to take a look at the material of the top. If the surface is composed of a material that feels awkward, rough, or difficult to work with, then you might find yourself unhappy with your drawing furniture. Thankfully, this can be solved by taking the time to understand the variety of materials available. Weigh out the pros and cons of each, taking specific note of how it feels to draw atop each of the different options.
Frame Material
Next, you need to review the material of the desk frame. Like the top material, the composition of the frame matters for a number of reasons. Above all else, durability is a factor that you want to review with the frames. The desk frame needs to be strong enough to withstand anything that you throw at it. Additionally, it should support a certain amount of weight. While you won’t be standing on the table, you will be leaning heavily on the surface when you’re caught up in an intense moment of work.
Storage
One of the benefits of modern
drafting table desk designs is that many exciting additions are now available to consumers. If you have a ton of supplies that you need to access while working on a project, you need a place to keep them all. A desk that provides a lot of storage space is ideal. Additionally, you want to make sure that the storage spots are easy to access. If you need to switch pencils or grab a better eraser in a pinch, having the drawers and cabinets be within arm’s length can make for a faster experience.
Accessories
Finally, you should always review your options when it comes to accessories. Some desks boast unique features that make the experience easier in interesting ways. If you tend to go through a ton of pencils in a short amount of time, a sharpener mounted on the desk can help you quickly get your tools back into peak condition in no time. There are plenty of great features to review, so take all the time you need to see which are currently popular and how each benefits your experience at the table.
When a big part of your career involves sitting at a
drafting desk, you can’t rush through the decision to purchase one. Take time to look over all of the options available to you at Engineer Supply and gain a bit more perspective. When you know what is out there, you will have no trouble picking out a desk that helps you accomplish all of your daily tasks in an exceptional way.
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Frequently Asked Questions
1. What Is a Drafting Table Used for?
While these tables are popular among architects and engineers, there are a wide range of uses for professional drafting stations. These tables can be used as
art tables, writing desks and craft stations for hobbies or professional projects. Choose a different table for each hobby or find a universal design.
2. What Are the Main Types of Drafting Tables?
A drafting table is usually described by the number of legs and the type of work surface. Choose between a four-post, pedestal, fold-away or craft table for your home office or commercial workspace. Each of these types come in multiple size and material options, so you have plenty of options for personalizing your space.
3. What Is the Best Drafting Table?
A drafting table is a highly customizable workstation that allows you to make cutting-edge designs and drawings. The ways you intend to use your table affect which type is the best for your project. Consider your project first and find the highest quality personalized table at Engineer Supply for an affordable, dynamic workplace.
4. What Angle Is a Drafting Table?
The most common drafting table angles are between 0 and 45 degrees. Some tables allow you to adjust the angle for each project, while others offer a sturdy, fixed table top for your drawings. Just like the type of table and dimensions, the ideal angle depends on your project and personal preferences.
5. Where Can I Buy a Drafting Table?
At Engineer Supply, you can find leading brands and styles of
drafting tables at great prices. There are a wide range of options available to professional and amateur architects, artists and engineers, so don’t settle for the first table that you find. Compare our extensive inventory to find the table for your office.
Shop for a table online to tailor your table to your exact working conditions. Compare materials, dimensions, sizes and drafting angles to optimize your workspace and create an efficient desk for all your projects.
Best Drafting Boards
This drawing board has a 24” x 36” workspace with an adjustable-height stand underneath, which will allow you to adjust to five different angle positions (from flat to up to a 30-degree angle). It also comes with a parallel drawing bar, a carrying handle, and a one-year manufacturer’s warranty.
The drafting board is perfect for CAD, GIS, engineering, textile, and apparel applications. It’s a great choice for design professionals who need to use large-format digitizers and graphic tablets. It also has an integrated USB and RS-232 Serial connections. When it’s connected via USB, a power supply isn’t necessary (which can simplify setup and operation).
This drawing board uses the same Advanced Function Technology that has been the world standard for performance. It’s built with a state-of-the-art positioning grid that will give you the utmost in reliability, performance, and quality. Many accuracy versions are available to match specific system requirements, and an integrated mounting channel will allow you to use a variety of accessories (such as a pen tray) that can be mounted quickly and easily.
This drawing board can be useful for anyone who uses CAD and GIS applications. It’s also perfect for people who work in the engineering, textile, and apparel industries. It’s great for professionals who use large-format digitizers and graphic tablets. It also features integrated USB and RS-232 Serial connections. When it’s connected to a USB port, you won’t need to use a power supply (which makes setup and operation much simpler).
This drafting table uses the same Advanced Function Technology that has become a global standard for performance. And like many of these high-performance tools, it has a state-of-the-art positioning grid that will maximize reliability, performance, and quality. It even has many different accuracy versions to match specific system requirements and an integrated mounting channel that will allow you to use certain accessories (such as a pen tray) that can be mounted in a quick and easy manner.
For people who need to use CAD and GIS applications, this drafting board is the perfect choice. It’s even great for people who work in the textile and apparel industries. Design professionals who use large-format digitizers and graphic tablets will find this drawing board useful. It even has integrated USB and RS-232 Serial connections. When you connect it to a USB port, you won’t need to use a power supply. This will make it easier to set it up and operate.
The digitizers included with this drafting board use the same Advanced Function Technology that has been the standard for performance because they’re engineered with a sophisticated positioning grid that will ensure reliability, performance, and quality. There are also multiple accuracy versions that can match specific system requirements and an integrated mounting channel that will allow you to use different accessories (such as a pen tray) that can be easily mounted.
This drafting board has a 23” x 31” workspace and has an adjustable-height stand underneath, which will allow you to adjust it into a five different angle positions (from flat to up to a 30-degree angle). It also includes a parallel drawing bar, a carrying handle, and one-year manufacturer’s warranty. Be sure to pick yours up at Engineer Supply today!
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