Plotting to scale - driving me mad

This is driving me completely mad ... I just cannot get my head around the layout / viewport / printing issue. I have a drawing which I created in model space, units are set at decimal, millimetres. When I create a layout and scale my drawing to 1:50 - the scale is nothing like that, or so it appears - please can someone help me out with this. I have looked at several posts but still cannot make sense of it!

What are you scaling, the layout itself or the viewport?

You did full size in model space right?

I created the drawing in model space at 1:1. I then go to a layout tab, right click the tab and got to page setup manager and then modify. I then select my printer, set paper size to A4 and plot scale 1:1 (plot area is set to "layout"). Then on the layout tab, I go into model space and set viewport scale at 1:50, annotation scale 1:50 and my drawing then goes so large that it is not visible!

I think the first thing I would do is double-check my viewport scale. It can get messed up inadvertantly and if viewport scale is not locked, once set, it is easy to overlook.

I think I may have sorted it. When I create a new layout, I have used the "new layer from template" method, then scaling seems to work out correctly. I wish I knew what I was doing wrong though!

New layer from template method? That's a new one on me.

I had to check. You meant New layout from template. So you are using a ready made template or one of the AutoCAD default templates?

I admit it is not a choice that I use so I'm a bit in the dark about it.

Sorry, yes it was new layout. It was the only way I could get things to the right scale!

I usually used to modify the Layout tabs as size D (600mX914m or 24"X36") so when you go for scale 1:50 you can see your drawing . Not in size A4 that's very small area to see your drawings.