Plot to scale?

[canaanp]

Hello, I am extremely unexperienced with AutoCAD, but I desperately have a need to accomplish the following task:

I have several dxf files that were provided for laser cutting purposes. I have attached one file as an example. I am able to open the file and choose layout 1 and print. If I choose a 1:1 scale the image is very tiny in the corner of the page. If I leave the settings alone and just print, it is a full page, but the part on the paper is not the correct dimensions. The dimensions are in the gif file I also attached. When I print the dxf file the gap between two of the holes, for example, that should be 70mm is actually like 95 or so. Can someone please tell me how I can make this work? I have acad lt 2004 but also trueview 2011 if that helps. I have not had any luck in either one though. Thanks in advance for any help that is provided.

[designerstuart]

okay so i don't have an immediate answer but.......

your model space object looks to be drawn the right size, i.e. 1:1. all good.
paper space (layout) is not thought, as it's only 11 units across - that will be why it is printing so small. also the viewport is at an arbitrary scale. i will try to correct this and reattach. what size / scale were you hoping for?

[canaanp]

The files were provided for laser cutting, however, I will be using a plasma cutter by hand. So what I need is to be able to print this out and cut the shape out to use as a template for marking the steel. So I guess I need it to be 1:1, 1 unit = 1 mm right? I did a linear dimension on the two small holes on the right hand side, and it did say 70, which the gif shows it should be 70mm. If you are able to fix this, can you explain how it is done - I have about 30 more that I will have to correct. Thank you very much

[ReMark]

Your layout should be plotted 1:1 (metric).

The viewport through which you are viewing your model space objects needs to have a scale assigned to it. The viewport itself should be on its own layer that is set to "no print" and the viewport's display should be locked so you don't accidentally change the scale. Any of this sound familiar to you?

[designerstuart]

how is this (attached)

i have made the paper size A3 and the viewport scale 1' to 1" but i am not an imperial user so don't understand how you got a drawing in mm but scales in inches!
(this can be changed too if you need to)
i also locked the viewport to prevent accidental changes. all this is easy for you to do if you want to learn!

[designerstuart]

okay sorry i missed your last post..... so you want 1:1? i think this will fit on A4 full size.

remark do you know why there is mix of metric and imperial here?

[canaanp]

Well, it doesn't sound familiar because I've never really worked with this before... I have received architectural drawings before and had to plot them on our plotter but I always muddle through it and it comes out good on the second if not first try

[canaanp]

Sorry, maybe something was saved in the file from me messing with it. The plans came from Canada I think, and everything is metric.. so if you have imperial stuff in the file, it's probably my fault although I always said no when asked to save changes. As much as I hate it, I have been sticking with metric while building this project, just to avoid the hassle of thousands of conversions

[designerstuart]

okay try this. it's metric throughout i'm afraid.
lol

[designerstuart]

if it's what you want i'll tell you how to do it (easy!)