NEVER USE A SCALE AS A STRAIGHT EDGE OR MARK ON IT IN ANY WAY
How to Use a Scale
- What Type Should I Buy? - the best architectural scale to get is the wood centered, color coded, engraved graduations triangular scale (13” long)
- Why Use a Scale? - scales allow the designer to graphically represent full size objects at a reasonable size - a scale allows for a consistent, and reliable system of measuring, which is needed for accurate drafting - without a scale, construction drawings would be impossible
- Architectural Scales Used - the following is a list of all the different scales used by architects and designers - 12”=1’0”; 6”=1’0”; 3”=1’0”; 1 1/2”=1’0”; 1”=1’0”; 3/4”=1’0”; 1/2”=1’0”; 3/8”=1’0”; 1/4”=1’0”; 3/16”=1’0”; 1/8”=1’0”; 3/32”=1’0”
Scaled Subdivisions
- the least used scales are 12”=1’0” and 6”=1’0” - 12”=1’0” is full size and almost never used - 6”=1’0” scale is usually too large to be useful (3”=1’0” is used more frequently) - a scale is chosen depending on a couple of factors - size of drawing area (space allocated for drawing on the sheet of vellum) - type of drawing - the footprint of a building usually consists of a large area, so the scale
of the floor plan drawing would need to be small to be able to fit
the drawing onto the sheet - 1/4”=1’0” or 1/8”=1’0” usually works - a detail of the foundation requires more information and is smaller than
a whole floor plan, so the scale needed should be larger - 3”=1’0” or 1 1/2”=1’0”
- Reading The Scale - each side of a three-sided triangle scale has four separate scales with the exception of three scales on the side that has inches (16) - total of 11 different scales • 16
- full size scale; each inch is split into 16 equal parts (1/16”) • 3/32”
- typically used for very large buildings or large site plans • 1/8”, 3/16”
- typically used for plans • 1/4”, 3/8”
- typically used for plans, elevations, sections • 1/2”, 3/4”, 1” - typically used for wall sections, & large details • 1 1/2”, 3”
- typically used for details - each scale is read either right to left, or left to right and consists of two measuring elements - lets take the 1/8” scale as an example - inches are to the left of the “0” and are at 2” increments per tick - feet are to the right of the “0” and are marked at 4’ increments - notice that the numbers relating to the smaller scale (1/8”) are located
closer to the edge of the ruler, while the numbers relating to the larger scale (1/4”) are located closer to the center of the ruler - don’t get confused when numbers from the opposite scale match the scale in use (i.e. 1/8’s 32’ is next to 1/4’s 32’ mark)
ARCHITECTURAL SCALE • LINEWEIGHT • LETTERING
JEFFREY ADAIR
Lineweight
- The properties of lines can be broken down into two categories: Line weight & Line Thickness
Guide line 0.03mm
Thin line 0.03mm
Medium line 0.05mm
Thick line 0.09mm
- Line Weight (light, dark) - the line weight of a line depends on two things, the downward pressure exerted on the pencil, and the type of lead being used - Light Lines - used for guidelines and layout, or construction lines - extremely little pressure is needed - lines should be barley visible, easy to erase, and undetectable on a reproduction - for guidelines, the weight of the mechanical pencil itself is
sufficient - 4H lead (2H with a lighter hand is acceptable) - will not smudge easily - Dark Lines
- used for all other lines drawn - medium to heavy pressure is needed depending on the type of lead - when held up to a bright light, the line should be solid with no speckled white dots visible - this is a good way to check the quality
