How to use a drafting board

Using Your Drafting Board

Using your drafting board properly begins with selection and assembly and ends with actual drafting. In between, there is a selection of steps and preferences that you will need to move through to optimize your drafting board for the particular uses that you have in mind. Once your drawing board is in order and all your drafting supplies are organized, you can finally begin drafting like a professional.

Location

Finding a proper work area is more than plunking down a box of table parts in an open corner and dragging your pencil across the paper. The keyword is proper. Check for the following details to ensure that your drafting board setup is in the proper place.

• Space

Despite options of portable and pedestal drawing tables, you will still need space to use the table appropriately. Yes, even if it is a portable table. Portable drafting tables are smaller than traditional stationary pedestal tables, but they still require the same adjustments and flexibility. You should have plenty of space to slide the table toward and away from you.

• Lighting

Lighting is vital to drafting. Drafting is a delicate process requiring precision and sharp detail, especially when done by hand. Massive amounts of light decrease errors and improve the quality of your draft. To be safe, you will want to seek out lighting from a minimum of 900 lumens to the recommended 1300 - 8000 lumens, depending on the bulb choice, for maximum visibility.

• Focus

Placing your drawing board in the middle of the living room right in the eye-line of the television is likely not the best choice. Do yourself a favor now and, if possible, place your drafting table in an area in your home where you are the least likely to be interrupted by other people, distractions, etc. Your future self will thank you.

Set-Up

Once you’ve got the table assembled and placed in the best place it can be, you can begin setting up your workspace. These are the final steps before starting to draft and a necessary process in having your table set up and your drafting supplies at your fingertips for uninterrupted working.

• Brush off

Using a draft brush, brush down your area every time before use. This practice will ensure that no eraser or pencil shavings make their way between your paper and the board, causing rips or holes in your drafts.

• T-square secure

Secure your paper with your drafting tape. Every time that you begin to draft, use your handy T-square tool to align your paper. This practice ensures that your lines are always parallel.

• Borders down

After your paper is aligned and secure, use your T-square again with your adjustable triangle and create half-inch borders around your paper.

• Title block placement

The title block is two inches wide, so make the necessary measurement and use your best judgment to place it either on the bottom edge or the right-hand edge of your drafting paper.

To find a drafting table to best suit your needs, search Engineer Supply for the best selection.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are drafting tables only made of wood or other materials too?

Drafting tables can be made of many different materials like wood, glass, plastic, metal, or a combination of materials.

I’m looking for an extra-wide drawing table. Do you carry any of those?

Yes! We have several extra-wide options that can fit the needs of larger drafting projects or just for drafters that appreciate more space while drafting.

The lighting in my office is terrible. Do you carry lamps for drafting too?

Yes! We carry many different kinds of lamps that will brighten your office and meet your drafting needs. We also have many other types of drafting supplies too.

I’m so over the title block placement argument. Do you offer anything that will settle this?

Unsure if anything will settle the title block placement debate, but we do offer tracing paper with the title block already placed on the paper.

Our office ordered drafting tables from you a while back. Do you also sell chairs?

We sure do. We offer all kinds of seating options for all different types of preferences. We recommend adjustable seating that can be stationed for drafting tables but have other options too. Contact us for more details.

Best Drafting Boards

#1: Martin Universal Design 24" x 36" Pro-Draft Adjustable Parallel Straight Edge Board

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.

SHOP Martin Universal Design 24" x 36" Pro-Draft Adjustable Parallel Straight Edge Board

#2: Calcomp 12x12 Drawing Board VI 4 Button In-line Cordless Cursor

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.

SHOP Calcomp 12x12 Drawing Board VI 4 Button In-line Cordless Cursor

#3: Calcomp 44x60 Drawing Board VI 4 Button In-line Cordless Cursor

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.

SHOP Calcomp 44x60 Drawing Board VI 4 Button In-line Cordless Cursor

#4: Calcomp 36x48 Drawing Board VI 16 Button Corded Cursor

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.

SHOP Calcomp 36x48 Drawing Board VI 16 Button Corded Cursor

#5: Martin Universal Design 23" x 31" Pro-Draft Adjustable Parallel Straight Edge Board

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!

SHOP Martin Universal Design 23" x 31" Pro-Draft Adjustable Parallel Straight Edge Board

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