Thursday, April 4, 2013

"D" is for Draftsman

Or "Draughtsman" for our British and Commonwealth friends, of course.

Yesterday I mentioned things that reach an evolutionary dead-end and get replaced by newer technology. A good example of that, one I’m familiar with, is drafting by hand; that is, the craft of making technical drawings with pen and pencil.

I don’t even really consider myself middle-aged, let alone old, but I’m old enough to have experienced some neat things from way back that aren’t around anymore.  Things like rotary dial phones, S&H Green Stamps and glass milk bottles with foil caps, delivered to my childhood doorstep.

I also worked in an old, honorable trade during its final days – hand drafting.

The engineering company I worked for converted fully to computer-aided drafting (CAD) when I was twenty-two (on IBM 286 PCs, heh heh). Before that, I made engineering drawings by hand, either on a heavy translucent cotton paper called vellum (not the real vellum made from sheep skin), or sheets of Mylar film.

I know how to use this and you don't.
 Hand drafting took skill. Drawing neat lines of a consistent width and connecting straight lines to curves smoothly so that one couldn’t tell where the line ended and the curve began were marks of a good draftsman.  Too much pressure with the erasing machine could rub the “tooth” off of Mylar or rub a hole clean through vellum.  Drafting pens had to be held a certain way and were delicate assemblages that had to be cleaned regularly.  Planning was required, as drawing elements couldn't be instantly rearranged like they can in CAD.
   
Of course, a good draftsman had to have good lettering. Mine wasn’t really up to snuff, and never got there before I transitioned to CAD. If a formal drawing needed text, I usually had to use a pantograph-type device called a “Leroy” set. My dad was a draftsman before moving to planning and design, and his lettering was something to behold. His drawings transcended mere conveyance of information and were a pleasure to look at. He was the one who taught me drafting, but six years of part-time work weren’t nearly enough for me to approach the level of his craft. (Side note: he also made me fill out my college application in engineering lettering for practice. Kind of a pain, but it had the intended effect, and to this day I’m still complimented on my printing, at least compared to other engineers.)

Hand drafting has no objective advantages over CAD, so its days are well and truly gone, and I don’t know of any hairshirt-wearing drafters calling for a return to our T-squares. But I love the memories and the tools of the trade and the trade names - Staedtler Mars pencil lead holders and erasers, Koh-i-Noor Rapidograph jewel-tipped technical pens, Keuffel & Esser vernier drafting machines, Dietzgen compasses, Borco self-healing drafting table covers and Higgins Speedball ink, along with planimeters, French curves, railroad curves, stainless steel multiple dividers, erasing machines, erasing shields, circle templates, lettering guides, engineer and artichoke (architect) scales, drafting tape, horsehair desk brushes, pounce, and fluorescent orange triangles.  Huh - come to think of it, some of those things were pretty long in the tooth when I used them thirty years ago.

So how about you? Did you ever have a vocation that went the way of typewriter repair? What were your favorite tools of the trade? ‘Fess up.

 http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/

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18 comments:

  1. Jerry,
    As I was reading, I began to compare hand drafting to writing. Both take patience, lots of practice and a read dedication to the craft. I love the way your dad made you fill out college applications in engineering lettering - kind of like Mr. Miyagi in The Karate Kid.
    You do have me curious about your skills and talents. At the next WOK meeting, I want to see your notes. :)
    Joan

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wax on, wax off.

      Fortunately for drafters, they don't worry about writer's block or fear rejection.

      I didn't mention that I write neatly when I do it intentionally; otherwise it can get pretty messy.

      Delete
  2. Morning, Jerry. I was fascinated by the names of the tools that you mentioned and visualized them in the format of a poem. And, I love your tribute to your dad and his skill. Thank you for sharing this slice of your life. xoA

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  3. Hey, Annis. Interesting you mention that. I'm no poet, but often, I think of things "poetically," and I try to give prose as poetic a quality I can. Thanks for noticing.

    ReplyDelete
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    I'm attempting to find things to enhance my web site!I suppose its ok to use some of your ideas!!

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    ReplyDelete
  5. I've always been fascinated by drafting and wanted disparately to take a drafting class in school but could never work it into my schedule.

    I'm enjoying your posts and learning a lot. I'm still thinking about vocations that have gone the way of typewriter repair. That's going to keep me busy for a while.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, don't feel bad, its time has come and gone. I actually enjoy CAD drafting more than hand drafting and am better at it.

      I'm enjoying your posts, too, and your theme, which is your greatest treasures.

      Delete
  6. My dad was an architectural draftsman, when he wasn't busy being a Lutheran Minister. I have a lot of his old tools. Can't seem to part with them even though they will likely never be used. I'm a packrat like that.

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  7. Nothing wrong without that. Drafting tools are just neat, and some of the more obscure ones are great conversation pieces.

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  8. Well, my brilliant reply clearly did not come across while I was on I-5 today using 3G service on the iPad. But just know I read this and loved it. There is something endearing about getting to know you this way. You are so intelligent and have so much random knowledge about stuff. I'm glad this platform is giving you a chance to get it out. And believe it or not, I bet between the two of us, there will be a magazine article or two come out of this endeavor.

    See ya tomorrow!

    Dana
    Waiter, drink please!



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  9. Dana, every day I await your reaction like a kid who brings home macaroni art from school for the refrigerator.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're awesome!! I'm so glad. I feel the same way. :)

      Delete
  10. Great post and well done. I'd like to be a photographer...but I'm not too keen on people ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! As for people, your photos look pretty fine without them. :)

      Delete
  11. Right there with ya, mate. When I started in newspaper, we printed columns in strips and hot-waxed them to layout boards. I processes black and white film in a darkroom. And I had a couple days to get stories written.

    I'm out of the biz, but I still shoot. Now it's with a DSLR. I can what I shoot, as I shoot it. I worked for a magazine, and we never touched paper until the thing actually printed and shipped. The times they are a changin'. Still.

    Thanks for the cool post.

    Best,
    Joe
    E: Edging Toward Home

    ReplyDelete
  12. I love hearing about other people's career experiences and their tools, thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I began my college career studying mass media and journalism. At the time, the program's course requirements did not include web media, but added it as a requirement about two or three years later. My class year was not required to take those courses to graduate; we were encouraged to graduate out with our old coursework plan. I ended up switching majors! (I switched colleges too). I would have been upset if I paid tuition for a degree that was already obsolete on the day of graduation.

    Chontali Kirk
    chontalikirk.blogspot.com

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  14. I should say so! What did you switch to? Fortunately, my short-lived drafting career only took a few hours instruction by my Dad to get me started. Thanks for stopping by!

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