Material for a new Draft Table Question.

[westlawn5554X]

Yup another freebee good I wont complaint if it is FREE, swear to god this is almost brand new with plastic box and the L key to the nuts and he gave me because he using interior design program and never did touch the draft table. My present table is A1 size and I am making a real full plywood size A0+ table.

I will use Plywood if no other material is recommended.

Question:

1. What is the best size? I can use the draft table to layout the max. draft paper drawing and use my planimeter.

2. Material for the table itself , MDF, Plywood, Hardwood, Glass, plastic Mika, metal( Aluminium, Zinc...) or some high tech material?

3. How high would the table be? Diamension of the supporting part of draft table. I intend to use wood to build the support piece.

4. Is there some weblink for carpenter on building Drafting Table Sir?

5. Finishing the table? What surface would be best?

That's all simple but still a puzzle for me. My A1 is slightly too small for my future homework.

[Willallison]

Don't get too carried away with getting all your drafting stuff. Before long you will be doing virtually all of it in CAD. I don't even have mine anymore.
You will also find that the drawing machine in your pics is a bit of a pain-in-the-ass. A parrallel rule will serve you much better - they are quicker and aren't prone to slipping.
As far as the boar goes, I would use MDF. It will be cheaper than ply and at least has a flat surface, whereas ply has the grain. As for size, use the biggest bit you can fit into your 'office'

[westlawn5554X]

I like a good draft table and use although I will also do design on the computer. Anyway it would look great in my huge office space by the waterfront.

I decide to use Multipressed plywood. size 244 X 122. cover it with 0.2 zinc plate with glue and later cover it with melanin for the white board. This ensure smooth surface, able to use magnet to hold work. Aluminium frame to secure the edges but top wood frame for the instrument holding spaces.

I am still wonder how I am going to design the stand . I have some picture for ref but would like an easy protable version.

The 244 X 144 size would hold almost any drawing including for planimeter measurement and spline drawing purposes. The table will be applied with termite poison as a precaution.

[westlawn5554X]

This are some other option of the model of drafting table but I prefer to design some and will be submited for critic of improvement. I hope.

[westlawn5554X]

OK THIS I have rendered from Lightwave... after this I would try to design lighting fixture and PC minitor, keyboard space and annex small table version.

Hope to see comment to positive design

[Tim B]

I have a piece of chipboard that is about 3" (75mm) bigger than A3 on each side. It sits on a 75mmx50mm (3"x2") block of wood (one edge is planed so it sits at the right angle) at the back, and has some stiffeners down the side. I do use it occasionally, but not very often.

My father has a much larger drawing board whis is about 8" larger than A0 on each side. That pre-dates reasonably priced CAD systems by quite a margin. it is just 3/4" (18mm) chipboard with a white hardboard finish. It is a joy to work on, he uses it for model aircraft design, he likes having a pencil in hand and designing the "old-fashioned way".

For most design work now, though, a good CAD suite and an A0 printer is the most flexible setup.

Tim B.

[westlawn5554X]

Thanks Tim B,

I do feel the same with Drafting Table. I feel that working or drawing on it actually exercise our brain and motor system. This greatly relax us and make us more creative than a colour box.

I do believe a PC can do alot more that's why I hybride the table with a desk for PC monintor and a case storage for the computer underneath the draft table. The additional lighting for late nite work uses 2X 40 TL Phillip neon. This will be a delight for detail drawing.

I have just finished the rendering and submit.

[westlawn5554X]

IS glass and granite a good option to get a flat and perfect surface? What is the pro and con gentlement?

Here some more idea from webpage google.

[Crag Cay]

I think when you have worked out exactly what you want your table for, building it will be the easy part.

1) If it's just to do the introductory sessions in a boat design course, anything flat and level (18mm ply or mdf with a 75x50 mm frame covered in flat smooth flooring vinyl) will do. A long straightedge will do instead of any mechanical drawing assistant. Don't spend too long fretting over it. Better to get on with the course because the sooner you do the intro lessons, the sooner they will let you use CAD, and that will be the last you use the table.

2) If you just like to sketch with a pencil, I would only go with A3. Some people do like to work this way in the initial stages, but by keeping it to A3 (max), it allows you to carry a pad with you, and doodle where ever you are. More importantly it allows you to scan your ideas on a reasonably cheap scanner and put the images into the background of MaxSurf. Makes the transition to digital easy.

But even if only sketching, always work with a scale ruler and with a tape measure in the other hand. Don't put anything on paper that you don't really know the size of. I saw one of your powerboats designs where the head was only usable by a yoga guru and the bunks by midgets. Finding your best ideas don't work is always disappointing, but less so at an early stage in development.

3) If you really do think that you want to draft by hand, and I know there are some that like to do the sheer line manually and also to 'finish' the drawings by hand in ink, then go ahead and build the mother of all drawing boards. A parallel action helps, but the whole thing needs to be incredibly rigid as there is a lot of rubbing out to do. (Well, there is in my world). I also liked to be able to work on mine from all sides, so I had it completely free standing. Sometimes being able to sight along a line was handy when checking fairness.

But I haven't hand drafted for years now. If you have the itch to make something, I would spend your efforts making some lead ducks. Not only are they useful to hold things down, or pattern making, but if you make beautiful ones, they are nice things to have around and stroke. It's also comforting to see them all in a row when the pressure comes on a job.

[westlawn5554X]

Thanks for the insight Sir. I do sort of love to mess with drafting now and found comfortable with the toys I have gather but since I have convert my house into a big studio (not married anyway) I would like 2 table, one A1 because it is cheap but the size was wrong. So I am building the largest possible size for spline drawing and planimeter use table.

The drafting table look cool and customer think we are professional drafter. Imagine tell the client all these design come from the box at the corner and it just a program translate into printed version.

Well, toys does put money spending customer into more believing our capability, not that we cant or wont use the table. Where u gonna put the basket of fruits from your girlfriend?

Yes, I prefer to have everything before I finished the course. Actually, I am designing my office and layout for my new boatyard facility. Cheers

P.S. the ducks and whales will be in monel... I trying to mill out of the 3 inch pipe block. What u think?

Thanks again and hope you will straighten me in the future.

[westlawn5554X]

I had a sleepless night bidding at ebay and the result is a bulk package of 2 K&E mechanical drafting arms and 18 pcs of scale (scale, T,and other)

These 2 arms will be installed upon the new design plywood size draft-table size 122cm X 144cm. For maximum surface coverage, cause I cant find a track that is that long yet.

I bought the big package for US$410, what do you think? Is K&E Drafting Arms any good? It is a bit old but kickin. The Table is for my new studio.

[westlawn5554X]

The K&E leroy lettering set cost me US$14.51 and 2 K&E drafting Arms and 18 assorted scale huge package cost me plus delivery = US$472.00,- I dont know if I got a good deal in ebay but need to wait for 3 weeks before I see the stuff.

Present moment is to built the huge drafting table before the things arrive ok. Hope anybody know about this K&E BRAND name and how good is the drafting arms?

[westlawn5554X]

My small wood carpentary wookshop with Zultan my main furniture artist, he built a couple of boat in his lifetime but concerntrate on furniture and house building.

He had seen the rendering and measured my height and sitting position to better understand the final product.

We use industrial stainless steel (unpolished) to weld and make the table support.

The wood is dry but he sun tan it to be sure before he start work.

[Paul B]

Originally Posted by westlawn5554X

IS glass and granite a good option to get a flat and perfect surface? What is the pro and con gentlement?

Here some more idea from webpage google.

I always surfaced my boards with BORCO vinyl mat. I think another company called VYCO also makes it.

I always preferred a sliding straight edge to a drafting machine for boat design type drawings.

[westlawn5554X]

It's very hard to visually imagine a lonely ebay addicted guy doing design for boat and yachts in an empty room right in a corner with his faithful PC. Yes time have come for new design aid such as programmes and computer but imagine a client comming in looking at spline weight and large drafting table... You need not lied about anything, just say these are tools of a designer will do.

I know some of my local friend laugh when I told them my notebook can do magic and draw the perfect boat for you. Really some of the client would think the seldom use vintage sissors are cool and the craftman might be that long in business.

I want a personalised table that suit my need. a plywood sheet size that is. I will try to look into the new info you gave by google.