Over the years as a draftsman, I have mastered several Computer Aided Design (CAD) programs. AutoCAD, Generic CADD Level 3, Generic CADD 6, Generic CADD 3D, CadVance, TurboCad, and most recently, Chief Architect 8. Facts are though, I have been a drafter since the 1970’s and the one thing I keep coming back to is the drafting board. You might ask me why would I return to the old hammer and chisel method of drafting with all these fine programs are available to me.
Honestly, I go back to the drafting board for one thing and one thing only, the discipline. I learned on the drafting board. I was able to concentrate better using it and it takes me back to a time when I was less hurried and more able to take pride in the skill of using the tools of the trade. Discipline is something rare today in our instant society. People want it now. What’s wrong with that approach? Ever heard the saying: “if you want it right, it’s worth waiting for”? Well, that is true.
I know that the Drafting board is a thing of the past and I really marvel at what technology has come up with, but sometimes I figure it is just worth the time to “Stop and smell the roses”. I’m in the process of building a course on how to draw on the Old Drafting Board at: http://draftingboard.us/
The New Automated Drafting/Drawing Programs
I like doing things the old fashioned way. But I’m not dumb. If a new tool comes out that’ll make my life simpler, I investigate it. One of those new tools is Chief Architect. I learned to use CAD (Computer Aided Drafting) programs back in 1989 and they were an excellent tool to work with. But when I was introduced to Chief, I was in Draftsman’s Heaven.
I found that if I would simply lay out my Floor Plan and include the roof lines, viola, I had the Elevations too. A simple click of a couple of controls and I had a Foundation or Basement Plan. A few more controls and I had Framing Plans, Sectional Details, and most anything else needed to complete a set of submittable Architectural Plans.
It’s not as difficult as you think to learn drafting. The author has built a Virtual Drafting School at http://draftingschool.net where you can learn many different types of drafting.
