Help with a Plot

[stanczyK]

hello,

I'm trying to plot a drawing at 1"=20' with 3/8" lettering and a title block but am not able to properly coordinate everything. The letting and dimensioning always look way too small and it's either the drawing or the title block that will be blown out of proportion.

I've tried to set the layout up and played around for a while opening viewports and such, nothing seems to work for me. Also: My line styles don't always show up 100% on the plot preview.

If someone could give me the procedure or tell me what to do I'd really appreciate that, thank you

[Dipali]

look thru tutorials on this site. you can try this exercise for a start

http://www.cadtutor.net/tutorials/autocad/paper-space-exercise.php

[Ski]

Do you have your drawing in paper space or model space? I find that if it's in model space when you're trying to set up your titleblock, you'll have those issues that you're having right now. Or, you could go to paper space and do your dims and text there. You can change text style also there too. Although, you could set your text styles in the text style dialog box and everything is uniform throughout the drawing.

[ReMark]

Did you draw everything in model space at full scale? Or did you actually scale it like one would as if drawing it on a drafting board? Example: 1/8"=1'-0" (architectural scale).

 

Your titleblock and border should be on your layout and not over in model space. The TB&B should be draw full size.

 

Objects in model space are "scaled" in a viewport(s) that are created in your layout. When it comes time to print your drawing the actual plot scale is set at 1:1 because you are plotting from your layout.

[stanczyK]

Do you have your drawing in paper space or model space? I find that if it's in model space when you're trying to set up your titleblock, you'll have those issues that you're having right now. Or, you could go to paper space and do your dims and text there. You can change text style also there too. Although, you could set your text styles in the text style dialog box and everything is uniform throughout the drawing.

 

Yes I see, for some reason I didn't think the TB would correspond to the size of the drawing but I see that it must now, the layout is all in 1:1 afterall, I was delusional and it was confusing me.. : P

Thanks.

 

Did you draw everything in model space at full scale? Or did you actually scale it like one would as if drawing it on a drafting board? Example: 1/8"=1'-0" (architectural scale).

 

Your titleblock and border should be on your layout and not over in model space. The TB&B should be draw full size.

 

Objects in model space are "scaled" in a viewport(s) that are created in your layout. When it comes time to print your drawing the actual plot scale is set at 1:1 because you are plotting from your layout.

 

Thank you this was very helpful! In the layout I was at 1:240 or something, why my lettering looked so horribly small. But it's strange because the drawing fit on the paper as it should in the preview, everything seemed sound enough but I was sure something was not right

 

So tell me please, how can I be sure I'm scaling the viewport correctly to the layout?

[Dipali]

Thank you this was very helpful! In the layout I was at 1:240 or something, why my lettering looked so horribly small. But it's strange because the drawing fit on the paper as it should in the preview, everything seemed sound enough but I was sure something was not right

 

So tell me please, how can I be sure I'm scaling the viewport correctly to the layout?

 

 

this can happen if your drawing is not in same units you want to work on. It apprears from your first post that you are using imperial system(feet & inches) but the paer drawn in layout may in mm, I don't know what paer size you are using but for exmple for A3 size, the size of your title block should be 17x11 & not 420x297.

this could be the problem in your drawing.

[ReMark]

So tell me please, how can I be sure I'm scaling the viewport correctly to the layout?

 

Layouts can be thought of as sheets of paper at different sizes.

 

Viewports can be thought of as "windows" cut into the sheet of paper through which your model can be viewed.

 

Imagine holding the sheet of paper in front of you and looking through the "window". As you bring the paper closer to your face you can see more of what is on the other side of the paper. As you move the sheet of paper away from your face you see less. Make sense?

 

The scale of the objects in model space is set in the viewport. How big, relative to the sheet of paper you are using, do you want the image of model space to be? Start small and work your way up to the largest image you can comfortably fit on the sheet size you are using. But stick with an industry recognizable scale. Don't go crazy and pick "fit" or some odd ball scale unless scale doesn't matter.

 

Example: for architectural drawings in the U.S., 1/8'=1' is fairly typical. Whereas 1/32"=1' is not. Likewise, for civil engineering drawings 1"=40' would be typical whereas 1"=15' is not.

 

I'm sorry I got so long winded here but I hope the information is of some benefit to you.