quick beginner question about drawings

[nickcurtis]

i have a set of 1 1/2 allchin chester engine plans (well nearly a whole set) that i have inherited and my big question is how does everyone read these massive sheets of paper without destroying them with grease or with just folding and unfolding them 

thanks 

[Rex Hanman]

Personally, I never take them into the workshop. I either sketch or photocopy the relevent bit that I'm working on and that's the bit that gets grubby/scribbled on/burried under cr*p etc. in the workshop. Sometimes I re draw the part on CAD and use a print out. The originals stay in the clean, dry environment of the house.

The only degradation they get is that the folds tend to tear from opening and folding them. Special tape is available for repairing this. For me, a set of drawings is too expensive to wreck in the workshop.

I can only work on one part at a time. There's no need for a sheet of drawings showing the entire valve gear if I'm making an eccentric or whatever.

[andyhigham]

This is a bee in my bonnet too.
There should be an option to buy the drawings in a digital form then we can just print off the bit we are currently working on

[vulcanbomber]

I do all my 9F drawings at home, then i save it to memory stick to take with me but what i actually work from is a photograph of the laptop screen taken on my Phone.

[peteh]

I use clear pouches from artist and drafting shops - I have an A1 sized one hanging in my shed over/behind the lathe and another in the house. The plans are kept in the house pouch until required, when I swap it over. They are not expensive when compared to the price of a set of plans! As an added benefit the one in the workshop is over a window that catches full afternoon sun, this used to blind me but the pouch diffuses the light sufficient to not blind but still allows ample light in. Buying A1 size means the plans are unfolded once and than left that way.

[racinjason]

My drawings live on the dining table I take a photo of the part I'm working on with my tablet.
Cheers Jason

[jasonb]

Take them to a copy shop and get them scanned in PDF format and then just print off the bit you are working on, one copy is OK for personal use.

Or scan/photograph them and print out the bit you need.


Selling digital drawings just makes it too easy for them to be shared over the net which is the main reason suppliers don't do it.

[Roger]

A mobile phone is plenty good enough to take pictures that can be cropped in Paint if you want to just make an image of one part. I don't have any paper drawings in the workshop, it's all on the computer.

[albert]

Hello,

Do not forget a plan is only a guide. I copy the part I am working on, after checking the dimensions are correct against the bit it fits to.
Albert

[albert]

Hello,

Do not forget a plan is only a guide. I copy the part I am working on, after checking the dimensions are correct against the bit it fits to.
Albert

[springcrocus]

Looks like I'm the only one who uses the original drawings at the workbench, then. I'm only ever going to make one of these so I'm not too fussed if the drawing get dirty or damaged. I will probably bin them at completion but I won't sell them or give them away as it's not fair to the copyright holder.

Regards, Steve

[smallbrother]

Nov 6, 2017 8:35:12 GMT springcrocus said:

Looks like I'm the only one who uses the original drawings at the workbench, then.

Regards, Steve

No, there are at least two of us.

Pete.

[Alan]

some locos need 3 drawings open all of the time. i hang mine up round the workshop on bulldog clips. But i do use the copyshop for some pages

[uuu]

I've fixed mine to a bit of plastic drainpipe, then mounted on the workshop wall. There's enough space between pipe and wall to feed as many sheets over as needed to expose the one required.

Wilf

[nickcurtis]

I wish I could use a computer or tablet in the shop, but last time I used my phone I dropped a centre punch on it and smashed the screen (whoops). I was thinking about scanning and printing on a4 but just wondered what everyone else does. glad its just not me that thinks the drawings are massive

[92220]

For ease of working in the workshop I always print off just the part I want to make, on A4 paper. If necessary I print each view on a separate sheet. That way the picture is max size, rather than trying to cram 3 views onto A4.

Bob.

[Jim]

Nov 6, 2017 8:40:15 GMT smallbrother said:

Nov 6, 2017 8:35:12 GMT springcrocus said:

Looks like I'm the only one who uses the original drawings at the workbench, then.

Regards, Steve

No, there are at least two of us.

Pete.

Make it three.

Mine are in the workshop and laying flat on the old full imperial drawing board I made 100's of years ago in high school. Never had any problems.

Jim

[Deleted]

I started off using the original drawings, the first 4 are pretty worn and more or less unreadable now, however some years back I was sent all of the drawings in digital form by a member of this forum, these have been invaluable as I can enlarge and print a copy of whatever I'm working on and use that to work from which is much easier being on A4 sheets.

Pete

[dscott]

My new plan... Well, for several years now, is to go through drawings and get them right and do the many parts
on A3! Good size for the workshop and covering relevant parts that fit together! The local P.O. Has a copier!
Roger saw my 1500 drawings on his visit to Reading and I have just started Asia or should I say
EUROPA 54. To get around any copyright issues so much needs changing. Also, build details? I am still searching
for the width of the running board and wheel splashers??
Issue 1 is painting her. 2 is maintenance, she now has 2 water pumps. And 3 is weight and weight and weight?
I still have fresh memories of Jenny Lind slowly clawing her way round Guildford!!

In doing Asia's pumps I now return to my 1500's pumps with fresh ideas, yes 2 smaller and opposed for a constant
feed with less strain on the motion! Also get at able.

[chris vine]

I have a large board, screwed to the wall, but angled out slightly and with a ledge along the bottom.

The pack of drawings lives on the board. I also have a sheet of perspex resting over them to stop them from sagging and keep clean.

Chris.