Inventors, architects, and engineers do technical drawing to create plans or blueprints that are used as guides for completing specific projects, so they use a variety of drafting tools to help them with their design. Some of them include but may not be limited to:
- Drafting Tables— A tilting table used by drafters to create technical drawings. Parallel rulers located on each side of the surface align the drawing paper and act as guides for drawing on both the horizontal and vertical.
- Rulers and Squares— Aside from an architect ruler, a T-square and triangle are commonly used to draw straight lines. They will use triangular-shaped rulers with different scales on each surface to measure dimensions.
- Curve Templates and Compasses— Drafters will need to create curves by using templates made of a type of rigid plastic. They can also use a compass to draw circles and arcs.
- Lettering Guides— Lettering templates can help drafters to create lettering that looks uniform throughout the drawing. In fact, it’s a common practice for most drafters to hand letter in their own personal style so their work can be easily identified.
- Drawing Pencils— Most drafters use sharp 2H and 4H pencils for drawing. They can be either wooden or mechanical, which will come with replaceable leads. They’ll also come with erasers that can be used to make corrections.
- Inking Pens— Technical drawings that are done in pencil are typically over-traced with ink to create a final drawing that’s more durable. Early inking pens had a mechanical device with an adjustable nib, but modern ones are disposable and have built-in reservoirs.
- Drafting Machines— Early drafting machines can be traced back to Italy in 1913, but modern varieties combine horizontal and vertical rulers or scales with a protractor head that can be adjusted so a line can be drawn at a specific angle.
- Computer-Aided Design (CAD)— Using computer software for creating designs can reduce the need for drafting by hand, especially in the professional sectors. Lower costs and improved accuracy have led to the increase of CAD as the main tool for creating technical drawings.
Feel free to look at the broad selection of
drafting supplies we have at Engineer Supply.