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Architectural drafting


mtlndg

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hi,

I'm currently taking Industrail (mechanical) drafting and i eventually want to get into Architectural drafting.

I know i have to learn some building codes.. really not too sure about all this but if anyone out there is a Architectural drafter, i would like some information on this pls.

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Thank you very much.

I don't suppose you have a Canadian one?

 

Would you care to explain actually what a Architectural drafter does ?

Sorry for the trouble.

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Thank you very much.

I don't suppose you have a Canadian one?

quote]

ADA Stands for Americans with Disabilities Act. I assume Candida would have there own take off of it. Although I'm not sure what it would be named.

 

As for summing up what an Architectural drafter does.... We I try to use my skills to reflect the work or ideas of the Architect that will be stamping the drawing. Or in more simple words, I am not quite sure how to define my job. I typical tell people that I draw stuff. Architectural drawings range in complexity so much it is hard to sum it up. I have created drawings that are only 11 sheets on a new construction of a bathroom at a park to over 300 sheets for a new construction of and aircraft hangar. Then existing buildings that are being renovated is a completely different level. I feel like I would be qualified to answer your question I just don't know where to begin.

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As far as A&E firms go, generally architectural firms hire young intern architects fresh out of school to school. In that manner, they learn the trade as design school teaches mostly "design" and very little of how to put things together.

 

If you really want to be valuable to an architect that you might want to eventually work for, make sure your resume includes a year or two of construction. You will learn more in six months on a jobsite than two years in an office.

 

Regarding codes, Canada has their own codes. I would check with one of the design schools at one of the major universities and you will likely find all the code information you need in the university bookstore.

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hi,

I was wondering if any of you Architectural drafters may send me a simple layout that i may try to work on.

Just so i get a feel of how this Architectural drafting works.

I'm currently taking mechanical drafting but mosting interested in Architectural.

Mind you i have no clue or experince in the Architectural drafting.

 

thank you guys for you advice.

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I would recommend that you pick up a good reference book such as Architectural Drafting and Design, 5th edition, by Alan Jefferies and David A. Madsen, copyright 2005, publishers Thomson Delmar Learning.

 

Another good reference book to have by your side would be any one that covers residential framing. It's a "how to" for constructing a house from the ground up.

 

Finally, I would suggest you consider taking a college course in construction materials and processes.

 

As regards your request for a "layout", I'm thinking you're looking for a fairly simple floor plan and perhaps some elevations to go with it? If that's so, I have one based upon criteria established by Habitat for Humanity I could share with you. If interested PM me with your email address. The drawings were done in AutoCAD 2004 using both model and paper space (layouts).

 

Good luck with your future endeavors and ...never stop learning.

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I would recommend that you pick up a good reference book such as Architectural Drafting and Design, 5th edition, by Alan Jefferies and David A. Madsen, copyright 2005, publishers Thomson Delmar Learning.

 

Another good reference book to have by your side would be any one that covers residential framing. It's a "how to" for constructing a house from the ground up.

 

Finally, I would suggest you consider taking a college course in construction materials and processes.

 

As regards your request for a "layout", I'm thinking you're looking for a fairly simple floor plan and perhaps some elevations to go with it? If that's so, I have one based upon criteria established by Habitat for Humanity I could share with you. If interested PM me with your email address. The drawings were done in AutoCAD 2004 using both model and paper space (layouts).

 

Good luck with your future endeavors and ...never stop learning.

 

 

how do i go about pm (private message) you?

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An architectural drafter will start out by doing redlines (making corrections to existing drawings as directly supervised by an architect). As you advance, you will be expected to take hand sketches and draw a floor plan, elevations, building sections, wall sections, and other details. The reason that people are suggesting that you learn a little bit about construction first is because as you gain experiance in the field of architectural drafting, you will be expected to know how to draw something without first seeing a hand sketch. And to have that knowlege, you have to learn how a building is really put together. What better way to do that then gain some construction experiance? Seeing it in paper is vastly different from seeing how it really goes together.

 

A set of Architectural construction documents is only as good as the details. You can't have good details without first knowing exactly what you are drawing, and why you are drawing it that way. But before you do this, you need to ask yourself: What are your future career goals? Do you want to stay a drafter? Or do you want to advance up to an architect?

 

If you are certain that you would be happy working for someone for a long time as just a drafter, then you are on the right path. If, however, you want to be able to advace in your career without being held back, and eventually become an architect, then you might want to check and see what is required to get an architect license. That usually requires college for 5 years to learn to draw pretty pictures, without learning how a building really goes together, and (depending on the school) they also don't teach autocad, but some weird off-market software.

 

I know, it doesn't make any sence in the real world. But that's how it's set up for some weird reason.

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Many colleges have standardize on AutoDesk products. The two most popular are plain-o-vanilla AutoCAD and Architectural Desktop.

 

I agree with pennylove; field experience is a definite plus.

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I've followed this thread, because I was curious myself what people thought was required to become an architectural drafter. Here, in small minded Mississippi, my 2 year drafting degree makes me fully qualified to draw up full sets of house plans. I'm not saying that that degree will let me draw good house plans, but there are no laws against it it. Around here, actual architects very rarely draw house plans, they tend to stick to commercial building.

I know that the architecture school here follows what Pennylove was describing. It's part of the Art department, you use a software called ArchiCAD, but not until your 3rd year and it's five years of mostly drawing pretty pictures.

 

-Crom

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I got my start as a drafter by getting a job for a company that didn't need a full time drafter and didn't need a full time IT person. I was able to help them with there IT stuff and while I did that I got on the job training with AutoCAD, drawing mobile filing systems. After a few years of that I moved over to drawing cubicle layouts for a furniture dealer. At that point I had been using CAD for about 6 years so I started looking for work drafting for an architect. I got a job where I worked on nothing but red-lines and now I work for a big A & E firm where I have been the project lead on a 130 sheet drawing set. I think the key is to find your in, use all the tools that are available to you, never pass up an opportunity to learn some thing, and always work as hard as you can.

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  • 10 years later...

I live in Northern California and I have been an architectural draftsman for the past 22 years now. Because California has to design for earthquake and wind shear we are always in the CBC (California

Building Codes and U.L. (underwriters laboratories) fire codes to name a few. All of the firms I've worked for design and build Schools so we are subject to submitting Project Plans to the state

Architects office (DSA) for review and approval where they are reviewed by Structural, Access and Compliance and Fire life safety. The Code books get updated every 2 years so there are always changes

In Design and Engineering. I started in built on site buildings but for the past 15 years i have worked In the Modular building sector. Our buildings are structural Steel frames with wood or metal stud

infill (walls and some ceilings) The only drafting we sub out is for fire sprinkler. My job has been a very rewarding field as no 2 jobs are alike and your always learning something new.

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