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Ralph Liebing, RA, CSI
Senior Member
Username: rliebing

Post Number: 276
Registered: 02-2003
Posted on Friday, December 30, 2005 - 09:15 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

Since many of you are outcroppings from the drafting world [and I know many of you are not, but bear with me, please] you will revel in this-- www.cadinfo.net/humour/grow_old.htm

Oh, and sure, have another Happy New Year!!!
Wonder what we'll talk abut in '06!! [That's 2006, old timer!}
Brett M. Wilbur CSI, CDT, AIA
Senior Member
Username: brett

Post Number: 84
Registered: 12-2004
Posted on Friday, December 30, 2005 - 09:33 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

Ralph,

happy new year to you too. I was blocked out of the website you posted. We have St. Bernard, bummer. And, yes, I'm from the hand drafting era, too.

I know one thing we can always talk about this time of year, is what to do with our old Sweet's catalog. Especially this year now that Sweet's has just changed over to MasterFormat2004. We jsut got our new one last week. I loved that string we had last year. Wonder if anyone has some new ideas...
Jerome J. Lazar, RA, CCS, CSI, SCIP
Senior Member
Username: lazarcitec

Post Number: 173
Registered: 05-2003
Posted on Monday, January 02, 2006 - 01:25 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

Brett - Top Ten Uses for 2006 Sweets Catalogs?
Just got back into town and sure enuf the two boxes of sweets catalogs were there next to my front door, blocking it, so I guess the first possible addition to the 'Top 10 Uses for the 2006 Set of Sweets Catalogs' was for security, any one breaking in would not be able to get out cause the catalogs were blocking the door; and since the door light had burnt out while I was gone, they made an excellent stool to reach up and change that light bulb, damn, these sweets catalogs are sure useful, and they are still in the box...imagine what uses we will find once we get them out of the box..now if I could only lift these boxes...ok folks its all up to you, you remember how we played this game last year, I may have a sick cents of humor, but I need help creating this list, so respond please, add your use, don't be ashamed, however sick, or perverted, hell I'll even except an actual professional us.....well maybe not, but its still early and this list has plenty of time to grow, so consider the possibilities...no cheating now, don't go back and use any items from last year's list, this needs to be new, inventive, timely...for example - how about using them to hold down them there blue tarps on everyone's roofs, why the tarp will disintergrate way before the sweets catalog does, of course the added weight may be a problem, so we may need an engineer's thoughts on that one...you know if we donate them to the Army Corps of Engineers maybe they couls be used to reinforce the levees...you get the picture, as the list grows, I'll update it here and we can all vote on it...well maybe not...
Harold S. Woolard
Senior Member
Username: harold_woolard

Post Number: 21
Registered: 12-2003
Posted on Monday, January 02, 2006 - 01:19 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

All kidding aside, I liked all the stuff last year on the sweets, but I had our office in Ft. Worth call the architectural department at Tarrant County Junior College and they even sent a student by to pick them up. So before you throw them out try a college in your area and they could use your old set before becoming landfill material at you local dump.
Lynn Javoroski
Senior Member
Username: lynn_javoroski

Post Number: 275
Registered: 07-2002
Posted on Tuesday, January 03, 2006 - 01:17 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

I need something to hold down that empty shelf where the 2005 Sweets were. (and yes, we donate them to local institutes of higher learning, including interior design centers).
Nathan Woods, CCCA
Senior Member
Username: nwoods

Post Number: 57
Registered: 08-2005
Posted on Wednesday, January 04, 2006 - 01:50 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

For potential use here: http://www.cadinfo.net/humour/grow_old.htm

Those new fangled mechanical pencils were "cute", but real drafters only used lead holders…

You know your leads (2H, HB, F, etc…), and why/how you'd use them.

You remember when Halftone lines where drawn with a red pencil

Two words: Sticky Back

You know how to splice an "as-built" sepia into a new sheet of velum.

Every young drafters nemesis: the Kroy machine. Whir...click, whir...click, whir...click, whir...click, Ka-chunk!
Brett M. Wilbur CSI, CDT, AIA
Senior Member
Username: brett

Post Number: 87
Registered: 12-2004
Posted on Wednesday, January 04, 2006 - 02:05 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

I just emailed this to Ralph, but since we're on it, how about these memories:

Do you remember when:

1. You drew it right the first time so you didn't have to erase and re-draw it. You couldn't just hit one keyboard key and make it go away. Or, you noted it once, in the right place, you didn't just copy the same note fifty million times like you can with CAD.

2. you used to use your left index finger (if right handed) to unclog your rapidograph. You'd go home with thousands of little black lines on your fingers. The side of you right palm and both shirt sleeves would be black because you didn't have time to let the ink dry.

3. when working with ink, (if right handed) always move left to right and up to down so as not to smear the ink.

4. spit works the best to help activate the imbibing fluid in the ink erasers

5. White-out on vellum prints opaque on a blueline

6. A string and a thumbtack, or several wooden yard sticks taped together worked great for a large compass.

7. You knew what plastic lead was.

8. You knew the lead hardness's by heart, and how dark or heavy they would print, and how much pressure they could take before breaking.

9. You thought French curves were sexy.
Lynn Javoroski
Senior Member
Username: lynn_javoroski

Post Number: 279
Registered: 07-2002
Posted on Wednesday, January 04, 2006 - 02:11 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

I don't know about sexy, but I loved my set of French curves. It was so cool to be able to draw sweeping curves with such preciseness. I had envied my brother (an older, engineer type) his French curves and I was overjoyed when I got my own set!
David R. Combs, CSI, CCS, CCCA, MAI
Senior Member
Username: davidcombs

Post Number: 90
Registered: 08-2004
Posted on Wednesday, January 04, 2006 - 02:14 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

Nathan,

A few others ("Two words"):

Scum Bag.

Spi-roll.

Diazo amonia.

Electric erasers.


Ahhhh . . . the good old days.
Nathan Woods, CCCA
Senior Member
Username: nwoods

Post Number: 58
Registered: 08-2005
Posted on Wednesday, January 04, 2006 - 02:21 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

Scum Bag! I forgot about that one! Still have one in a box in my drawer...under all those unused drawing templates :-)
Doug Frank FCSI CCS
Senior Member
Username: doug_frank_ccs

Post Number: 129
Registered: 06-2002
Posted on Wednesday, January 04, 2006 - 02:29 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

I can't believe nobody has yet mentioned LEROY lettering. I still have a complete set with templates AND the little tiny inkwell points!
Richard L Matteo, AIA, CSI, CCS
Senior Member
Username: rlmat

Post Number: 134
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Wednesday, January 04, 2006 - 02:31 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

Doug,

You're dating yourself! But then if I know what they are I'm dating myself too!
Dave Metzger
Senior Member
Username: davemetzger

Post Number: 149
Registered: 07-2001
Posted on Wednesday, January 04, 2006 - 02:43 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

You know what an Addiator is. (Still have mine, and even use it once in a while)
Ralph Liebing, RA, CSI
Senior Member
Username: rliebing

Post Number: 283
Registered: 02-2003
Posted on Wednesday, January 04, 2006 - 02:56 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

Here a few more from our office--

What a bunny bag was.

When a modern “drafting machine” cost a weeks pay and needed a 4’x8’ space to operate.

How to use a planometer.

Throwing your tie over your back so it didn’t get on the drawing.

Spending most of every Monday morning getting your Rapidigraph pens working again.

Rick Hampton


India ink

Crow quill pens

Casting shades and shadows

Green eye shades and sleeves garters

Battleship linoleum for board cover

Ink drawing on opaque/manlla drafting medium

Drafting tape replaced thumb taks which
replaced leather pouches full of shot

Drafting rooms with no air-conditioning

Taking one corner of drawing loose so humidity wouldn’t warp or ripple it.

And one more personal one-- an old draftsman who chewed, and in an un-air-conditioned office, "decorated" the area outside the windows,
from 17 floors up!
Sorry Ladies, but history is real world!
Ralph Liebing
Jerome J. Lazar, RA, CCS, CSI, SCIP
Senior Member
Username: lazarcitec

Post Number: 180
Registered: 05-2003
Posted on Wednesday, January 04, 2006 - 03:03 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

Ralph: "Rick Hampton"?????
Brett M. Wilbur CSI, CDT, AIA
Senior Member
Username: brett

Post Number: 88
Registered: 12-2004
Posted on Wednesday, January 04, 2006 - 03:04 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

Pin bars

Vacuum printers
Ralph Liebing, RA, CSI
Senior Member
Username: rliebing

Post Number: 284
Registered: 02-2003
Posted on Wednesday, January 04, 2006 - 03:21 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

Jerome, sit down and take a deep breath.

Rick Hampton is not an old drafting "thing" that you missed, he is a real live Architect person and Head of our CA group-- he just added his insight.[he is not, to my knowledge, related to Lionel]

Brett, you getting "dangerously" close to the present. If we had put holes in our drawings we would have been............... well, something unthinkable
Jerome J. Lazar, RA, CCS, CSI, SCIP
Senior Member
Username: lazarcitec

Post Number: 182
Registered: 05-2003
Posted on Wednesday, January 04, 2006 - 03:30 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

Ralph - you are making me feel real old now, I know most of these gadgets, devices, and products...gee whiz folks, I have at least 15 years till retirement...if I don't croak in front of this computer screen typing in my last spec section...
George A. Everding, AIA, CSI, CCS, CCCA
Senior Member
Username: geverding

Post Number: 92
Registered: 11-2004
Posted on Wednesday, January 04, 2006 - 03:41 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

Another audio memory to go along with Nathan's Kroy machine...

Late in the day, on deadline, and a bunch of drafters are poche'-ing concrete...the drafting room sounding like a a woodpecker convention...pecka pecka pecka pecka peck
Brett M. Wilbur CSI, CDT, AIA
Senior Member
Username: brett

Post Number: 90
Registered: 12-2004
Posted on Wednesday, January 04, 2006 - 03:46 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

George - yes, stippling, that is an awesome memory. Thanks.
George A. Everding, AIA, CSI, CCS, CCCA
Senior Member
Username: geverding

Post Number: 93
Registered: 11-2004
Posted on Wednesday, January 04, 2006 - 04:28 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

OK, this is supposed to be "for specs"; let's get out of the drafting room, and....

Remember when, for example, Division 8 had sections numbered 8A, 8B, 8C, 8D, etc.? And the section topics were never the same from job to job. Windows might be 8C one day, and 8G the next.

Remembering THAT system from the 'good old days' will make you appreciate MF04.
Anne Whitacre, CCS CSI
Senior Member
Username: awhitacre

Post Number: 280
Registered: 07-2002
Posted on Wednesday, January 04, 2006 - 05:30 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

from the spec world:

IBM Mag Cards -- and the cards were so expensive that we would delete projects from them and use them over a year later?

printing government projects on government sized (and provided) paper that was 8" x 11"? And of course, in Courier type face only..

splicing changes onto spec sheets over a light table because the typist always went home exactly at 5 pm and you still had changes to make until 11 pm that night?

from my own career:
when women weren't allowed to work on Saturdays because the office was concerned about their safety?
when no one wore jeans to the office unless they were doing job site inspections?

when people smoked PIPES in the office?

when people actually drank martinis at lunch? (and ate steaks and smoked cigarettes..)

when people took a prescribed break for 15 minutes starting at 10 am and at 3 pm?

when coffee wasn't allowed at drafting stations because of fear of spills?

when eradicator would make a white splotch on anything it landed on -- except some synthetic fabrics which it turned turquoise as it dissolved the dye?

when drafters bragged about being able to finish "a sheet a week"?
J. Peter Jordan
Senior Member
Username: jpjordan

Post Number: 165
Registered: 05-2004
Posted on Wednesday, January 04, 2006 - 05:52 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

How about:

Cutting stencils (one project I worked on for a state project actually required that we turn in stencils).

Making changes on spirit duplicator masters with white correction tape and then typing over it.

I have drafted on linen and with inking nibs (not technical fountain pens), but not on the same project and not seriously.
Jim Brittell
Senior Member
Username: jwbrittell

Post Number: 11
Registered: 08-2004
Posted on Wednesday, January 04, 2006 - 06:48 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

Here's my favorite audio memory: When the quiet of the drafting studio was interrupted by a loud sneeze, someone invariably said, "Ooops... better start THAT drawing over again..."
T.J. Simons, CSI, CCS
Senior Member
Username: tsimons

Post Number: 6
Registered: 08-2005
Posted on Wednesday, January 04, 2006 - 07:52 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

My tenure "on the board" spanned the late 70's ('79) to around 1991 or so. Some of what I remember:

I worked in one office where we did much of our drafting in ink, and had one of those special IBM typewriters with the open carriage for typing directly on drawings.

Xerox vellums

Diazo mylars (black-and brown-line)

Wash-off mylars (very cool, but expensive. You had to keep the tip of your eraser wet so you wouldn't burn the film).

Zipatone

The bilious green Castell pens with tungsten points (competitor to Rapidograph jewel points)

Gray Rapidograph pens (my last set was the newer white style)

Rapidometrics with the little gizmo you stored them in to keep the tips moist (coolest tech-pens of all)

The classy-looking green Castell drafting pencils with the white stripe (still have some somewhere)

Using those gray kneaded erasers to blot graphite smudges off your drawings-I always had one stuck on the end of my Mayline

Heavy blackline and brownline prints for colored presentation drawings.

Taping sketch paper ("flimsy", "buff") over exposed portions of your drawing so you wouldnt smear the graphite.
Ralph Liebing, RA, CSI
Senior Member
Username: rliebing

Post Number: 286
Registered: 02-2003
Posted on Thursday, January 05, 2006 - 07:04 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

Let us also not forget our "greaest ally"--
the "Pink Pearl" eraser!
John McGrann
Senior Member
Username: jmcgrann

Post Number: 62
Registered: 03-2002
Posted on Thursday, January 05, 2006 - 07:44 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

Timely templates. Around here they were usually freebees passed out by the repro house sales reps. Couldn't begin to annotate door numbers, room numbers, plan notes, column bubbles or revisions without them!
Ralph Liebing, RA, CSI
Senior Member
Username: rliebing

Post Number: 287
Registered: 02-2003
Posted on Thursday, January 05, 2006 - 09:50 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

For any one interested I have a write-up about the old time drafting room with diagram.

Drop me an e-mail for a copy.
Robert E. Woodburn
Senior Member
Username: bwoodburn

Post Number: 96
Registered: 01-2005
Posted on Thursday, January 05, 2006 - 10:39 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

Tongue-in-cheek drafting room sayings:

"Never draw more in the morning than you can erase in the afternoon."

"Cut to shape, beat to fit, paint to match."
Russell W. Wood, CSI, CCS
Senior Member
Username: woodr5678

Post Number: 44
Registered: 11-2003
Posted on Thursday, January 05, 2006 - 10:53 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

I just used some of my French curves recently to as a guide to trim window tint on my car. Worked even better than the protractor.
(Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
Posted on Wednesday, January 04, 2006 - 05:00 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

"9. You thought French curves were sexy..." I bought a set of 8 different French curves, and gave them names that seemed appropriate to their shapes. How many can I remenber? Let's see...Yvette, Marie, Jacqueline, Francoise, Cybele, Genevieve...my memory fails. Brigitte? Gigi? Adele? Claudette? Renee? Danielle?
Lynn Javoroski
Senior Member
Username: lynn_javoroski

Post Number: 282
Registered: 07-2002
Posted on Thursday, January 05, 2006 - 05:56 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

Then there were the ones popular in the '80's that were shaped like the figure seen on truck mud flaps - a female figure in repose. And yes, they were available in art supply stores where the French curves were sold.
Jerome J. Lazar, RA, CCS, CSI, SCIP
Senior Member
Username: lazarcitec

Post Number: 183
Registered: 05-2003
Posted on Thursday, January 05, 2006 - 06:02 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

Hey unregistered guest you have names for your french curves? you obviously have been snorting too much of that drafing dust from your scum-bag, god forbid what you are doing with your kneaded eraser.....................................................boy that was fun...its been an awful day and that was really fun, but isn't this french curve thing getting a little sexist - where is Margaret when we need her?
Margaret G. Chewning FCSI CCS
Senior Member
Username: presbspec

Post Number: 81
Registered: 01-2003
Posted on Thursday, January 05, 2006 - 07:47 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

Oh I'm here. Just sitting back and laughing at all of these memories. Most of which I share.
Thanks to all of you.
As far as the french curve thing goes I have a set too, inherited from my mother, who was a draftsman in her high school days during WWII. Now that they are no longer used for drafting, I use them when modifying dress patterns and my husband uses them in drawing boat designs.
Ralph Liebing, RA, CSI
Senior Member
Username: rliebing

Post Number: 288
Registered: 02-2003
Posted on Friday, January 06, 2006 - 06:49 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

You k now we all are overlooking the real opportunity. Seeing a static French curve as sexy is one thing, but for the many who always seek "the ideal", we must not forget the
ADJUSTABLE CURVE"!!!!!

You can form that into any curved shape [!!!!!!!] you desire! Ah, fantasy!

Whoa!


Trouble is, I'm so old I have forgotten what ideal I was after!
David R. Combs, CSI, CCS, CCCA, MAI
Senior Member
Username: davidcombs

Post Number: 91
Registered: 08-2004
Posted on Friday, January 06, 2006 - 11:13 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

Robert,

Two more drafting room sayings that I remember from way back when, from a great mentor:

"You get paid the same for erasing as you do for drawing."

"The drawings aren't finished until the building's demolished."

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