Finding people who can actually draft - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

Mies07 · 02-08-2009, 06:43 PM

Hey, folks. My first time here. I routinely interview candidates for drafting positions. They almost univerally cannot put together a set of drawings - they seem to have a pretty foggy idea of the actual purpose of a set of drawings. I am looking for a textbook that can explain this. We use CAD (Autodesk products) and lots of the canditates can draw circles and lines; however, they have no idea how to impart actual information to the shop floor or to the GC's. Heaven forbid I should actually require them to produce a 2D drawing depicting a conical section.
Please help.
Mike

Aggie67 · 02-08-2009, 08:55 PM

I taught myself AutoCad in 1991, But for 3 years I stayed late after work and the senior draftsman taught me drafting. I have a few drafting books, but nothing beats one on one with an old salt. And I mean drafting, not how to create a square in AutoCad. I get drawings today from certain folks and they look like cartoons, or like they whipped it together in 2 hours. Very amateurish. In my opinion, you have to be taught the skill of drafting. Learning AutoCad alone doesn't cut it. Also, for some reason drafting standards have gone out the window. A lot of the quality issues I see would be solved if people just maintained and followed accepted drafting standards (line weights, scales, etc). I see a lot of crap pass through my office.

wallmaxx · 02-08-2009, 09:41 PM

Search James H. Earle in Amazon

In 1990 I was in his class or in a class where his book was LAW (can't remember that far back clearly), at Texas A&M. I still have his book. We used it for our design class. It was written for AutoCAD release 11.

It is very thorough...I can only imagine how much more info he has in his newest book for A-CAD 2007

Static Design · 02-09-2009, 11:30 PM

I have a degree and can draw how much you paying?

The holy grail of detail drawings I found is "Graphic guide to Frame Construction" by Rob Thallon plus I have about 5 other books I use also depending on what the drawing is.

DJS Drft · 02-20-2009, 04:30 PM

I have "the visual handbook of building and remodeling"
I also have "auto cad 2002 3d modeling a visual approach" and
"architectural drawing and light construction" this is more hand drafting
the last two are school books one from my auto cad course and the other from hand drafting days.

Most of the stuff I draw I have learned from hands on experience by working in the field.I went to collage w/ someone who draw really well but dropped out.Although he could draw he did not understand what he was drawing.

I also like the "Graphic guide to Frame Construction"
you just can't beat experience

tas5345 · 07-07-2009, 09:58 AM

hey guys got in a bine here i need a draftsman to draw me a as built for a aluminum porch i need it to scale , any one out there give me a price i live in central Florida .. you can reach me at dotsllc2@aol.com

wallmaxx · 07-07-2009, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tas5345

hey guys got in a bine here i need a draftsman to draw me a as built for a aluminum porch i need it to scale , any one out there give me a price i live in central Florida .. you can reach me at dotsllc2@aol.com

1. Start a new thread under help wanted - don't hijack this one.
2. I'll save you the $$$? Tree-fiddy
3. Bine?

Good luck.

Alwaysconfusd11 · 07-07-2009, 09:06 PM

Drawing conical sections, truncated cylinders, and all of the other fun geometry was part of my high school cad course, using CadKey 20 and 21

**Leo G** · 07-07-2009, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alwaysconfusd11

Drawing conical sections, truncated cylinders, and all of the other fun geometry was part of my high school cad course, using CadKey 20 and 21

I did that all by pencil and rule. Man am I old....

Alwaysconfusd11 · 07-07-2009, 10:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leo G

I did that all by pencil and rule. Man am I old....

I had to do it by hand in college

...2 years ago

**Leo G** · 07-07-2009, 11:05 PM

Jr High school for me. 31 years ago. The Jr high and the high school had a drafting competition. The had an object that we all had to draw/draft. Out of 6 classes with about 30 students each. I was the only one to get all 3 perspectives correct. I guess its a 3D thing. It was amazing that the high schoolers failed this easy task. The teacher got a lot of credit for having me in his class. He was a great teacher for me. Drafting and woodworking. Maybe he's the one I should blame for getting into this career

nEighter · 07-07-2009, 11:10 PM

we "practiced" drafting in jr. high and highschool with rulers, #2's and graph paper. Used to plan out our projects then go at it with all the lathes and surfacers and bandsaws.. wow, to go back and have all that stuff accessable now with the knowledge of today.. I drool over your workshop Leo!

mics_54 · 07-13-2009, 10:13 AM

Perhaps you aren't communicating your needs/expectations effectively in your recruiting program. To catch a big fish you need big bait.

J F · 07-13-2009, 10:33 AM

Just another one hit wonder to add to the list

mics_54 · 07-13-2009, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Just another one hit wonder to add to the list

yeah I guess so.
It just seemed to me that since he was the drafting expert he wouldnt need a text book on drafting but rather he needed a text book on recruiting.

He's probably trying to hire noob drafters for minimum wage.

coveinspiration · 07-14-2009, 12:42 AM

Sounds like the know how to draft, but don't understand what you you do.

DrewD · 07-14-2009, 08:32 PM

I'm finishing my two year degree in Civil Engineering and after my first design studio we were plotting finish grade prints from AutoCAD. Its not that hard. I'm also quite comfortable in Revit (gotta love BIM). By chance Mies07 where are you located?

slowforthecones · 07-30-2009, 03:39 AM

often times I find that the drafters are not good on the jobsite with manual labor and vice versa. So don't expect your drafter to be down there shoveling when you need a helper for a few days!

A W Smith · 07-30-2009, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leo G

Jr High school for me. 31 years ago. The Jr high and the high school had a drafting competition. The had an object that we all had to draw/draft. Out of 6 classes with about 30 students each. I was the only one to get all 3 perspectives correct. I guess its a 3D thing. It was amazing that the high schoolers failed this easy task. The teacher got a lot of credit for having me in his class. He was a great teacher for me. Drafting and woodworking. Maybe he's the one I should blame for getting into this career

was that the one that looked like a square in a square in the top and front view and you needed to draw the side view? Had that in Jr high as well. I didn't get it. In fact no one in the class got the side view. Which turned out to be a 45 degree triangular wedge with a square projection.

**Leo G** · 07-30-2009, 06:37 PM

It was a square with a bunch of different shapes sticking out on all sides except the bottom. I was the only one to get it right.