Simple but Confusing North Arrow Question

[kkleinchester]

Alright, we should all know this, but we don't.

At work we are having a debate on how the North Arrow is used. Is the north elevation if you were looking north or is it the top of page if you were looking plan view (likey the rear elevation).

If there are any scholarly north arrow expert I would appreciate ending this quarrel.

[DANIEL]

there is a plant north and true north, ideally directing it towards the top of the page is what you want but not nessicary and not always applicable either.

[kkleinchester]

there is a plant north and true north, ideally directing it towards the top of the page is what you want but not nessicary and not always applicable either.

Ok, I think I understand what you are saying. If I have a rectangle, looking at it like a floorplan . the top would be the north elevation.

I am only dealing with Plan North, since the site has not be finialized.

Thank for your help.

[DANIEL]

are you talking about an elevation view looking north? there are definitely some things to take into consideration if your talking about developing such an elevation view. Some feel that if you stand and look north that that is the north elevation and other feel that if its on the north side of the plant its the north elevation, definitely conviluted and I've been forced to do it both ways in the past, thats why I prefer to do them so that you can label the elevations 'looking north' or 'looking south' that way the contractor who may or may not be drawing savy has it spelled out for them.

[kkleinchester]

Daniel, Thanks,

Join the confusion. We are completely on the same page now. I am too, labeling looking to help take out the confusion. I am just looking to see if someone knew what was the offical way, even if it is only used half the time.

It is such a simple thing, yet it is so confusing.

Thanks for the response

[DANIEL]

no problem, the main issue is that both sides of the arguement think 'thier way' is the official way lol but as i said, i feel that looking north is the correct direction to go as it allows you to label it so and is an intruction easily followed by any one capable of reading lol.

and good luck on your project.

[kkleinchester]

I think that makes the most sense and least confusing. I will continue on the quest.

[Dana W]

This is what I learned way back in the '70s working for home builders.

Land development drawings such as record plats, dev plans and such are drawn with north at top of page when possible. Any buildings on site are oriented within these drawings per the relationship to the property, of course.

Working drawings for houses, buildings and such are another matter. There may or may not be an "Orientation" or "Location" view of a structure included in the set with north at the top of page, usually on the title page or soon following. Plan views are drawn, when possible, with the front or MAIN ENTRANCE of the structure at the bottom of the page. Any details or larger scale plan views should keep this orientation. Elevations are drawn in the order of FRONT, RIGHT, LEFT, REAR based on how the plan view is laid out. The elevations for structures larger than a typical residential house can also be labeled with their compass direction orientation too, Front (Southeast) Elevation, and so forth.

And of course this is all subject to change depending on who you work for, where your boss went to school, how angry your wife was this morning, any number of things.

[Jack_O'neill]

Bottom line: Develop a system, put it in your company's cad standards and do it the same way every time!

Most of the time, the people I work for think of the "north" elevation as the one on the north side of the building. I have done some where north elevation was what you saw if you were looking north, the polar opposite of the the first way I described. Personally, I like to label them with numbers or letters and avoid all that. "Elevation AA" takes all the guesswork out. Look on the plan view, find AA and you know where you are.

[DANIEL]

I agree Jack, a simple section cut alleaviates such guess work but the 'customer' is always 'right' and the 'customer' doesn't always know what the hell there doing lol.