The One thing you wish a new Drafter would know!

I'll just send a link to this thread to the students

I'll just send a link to this thread to the students

That would've been a wise move before I joined in!

I'll just send a link to this thread to the students

Oh, oh....now we're in big trouble.

A good basic knowledge in geometry is essential. Being able to draw by hand on a sheet of paper is also a good plus.

Oh, oh....now we're in big trouble.

We aren't. The students are.

Maybe Tiger is sending her students here as punishment?

I for one think that "Geometry" is an innate ability. One can learn the math and theorums, but not the ability to see it in your head.

You're right Dana. Perhaps I should have said "an understanding of", or "working ability with". What I really meant was to be able to use geometry logically and do accurate construction in a drawing in an efficient manner. That said I've seen people using CAD for over 20 years that still couldn't do an accurate construction using geometry.

the ability to see it in your head

Know drafting and be a drafter. Take the time to line up text, etc. Triple check your work to avoid showing your boss your stupid errors.

This^

Pay attention to detail. I had to train a new drafter and he would bring me his drawings to review and leader lines would be floating in space and notes would be missing. It was ridiculous.

I understand that it takes some time to learn the way the company does their drawings and all that, but there is never an excuse for producing a messy drawing.

Don't be afraid to ask stupid questions, it's not being stupid, not asking them is.

I'd also go with the geometry if you can do it in your head and then sketch it on paper to explain to someone else, then the computer stuff is just icing on the cake.

You're right Dana. Perhaps I should have said "an understanding of", or "working ability with". What I really meant was to be able to use geometry logically and do accurate construction in a drawing in an efficient manner. That said I've seen people using CAD for over 20 years that still couldn't do an accurate construction using geometry.

 

that's the secret of being a good draughter.

the geometry if you can do it in your head and then sketch it on paper to explain to someone else, then the computer stuff is just icing on the cake.

Geometry in reality, has very little to do with quantum physics, or Schrödinger's cat by the way.

Yes, but is he dead or not

One thing I wish Architects would know is how to draw. Yep... That would be the life.

Yes, but is he dead or not

The first thing my old boss used to do with every new chemical engineer hired right out of school was to make them sit at their desk and read through all the operations manuals. I told him that was the quickest way to kill their enthusiasm and make them regret they became an engineer in the first place. As soon as I could I'd rescue them from their cubicle-of-utter-boredom and bring them out in the field, take along a P&ID (process piping and instrumentation diagram) and go through every line on the drawing showing them what all those funny/weird symbols and lines represented. Then we'd go talk with an operator and have them explain how the process worked. It was much more informative and it really helped them to make the connection between the drawing, manual and equipment.

My first mechanical drafting course out of high school, the instructor took us on a tour of the metal/fab shops on campus because several of the students (no, not me) did not know what a sprocket was.....

One thing I wish Architects would know is how to draw. Yep... That would be the life.

Tuns, grow up, if they new how to draw they would call them draftsmen everyone knows that

One thing I wish Architects would know is how to draw. Yep... That would be the life.

Amen to that.

Give them as many company drawing examples as you can, then show them all the contractor drawings and say this is how you don't do it!

Only use paper space for borders and title blocks where you can copy layouts.

dimension and text in model space using multiple scales.

Nothing worse than having to copy everything from paper space,paste it into model space, re-scale then align everything.

This coming from a fabricator working on clients dwg's,

And nothing worse than receiving dwg's with X references missing...

Use polylines instead of lines, as they are flat (meaning z consistent), and understand the importance of osnaps.

Funny how difficult it is to nail it down to one thing, once started it is almost impossible to resist adding another.

Sound Geometry fundamentals HUGE.

Supplying them the link to this thread is an excellent idea, as it will open the eyes and door to this

virtual pandora's box, we call CADTutor forum.

When in doubt, there is no shame in asking.

The shame, as steven-g mentioined is in the failure to do so, and either faking it,

or screwing up out of false pride.

We learn through doing, and asking those in the know.

To be a successful drafter you need three things:

1. Knowledge of your product

2. Knowledge of technical drawing standards and conventions

3. Knowledge of CAD software

If I had to bring out down to ' One thing' I would say printing and plotting including paper space, model space and scaling. This seems to be the thing that most people struggle with when they start out...