It is finally the time you have been looking forward to. You have given it quite a bit of thought and planning, made all the sketches and gathered photos and are now are ready to build your new home. The problem is that most builders will not work from sketches and photos. And to aggravate the matter, not only does your local building inspector require specific technical working drawings, but so does the subdivision planning review board.
The solution is to hire a home designer. These professionals are trained to take your ideas and hopes and put them to a working drawing. Not only drawing the plan, but also helping you to put the right design elements into your home to give it a beauty and charm that reflects your personality and taste. A home designer, also known as an architectural designer, is trained with the skills needed to make sure your home meets codes and is functional.
Once you have found a designer, there are several things you will want to discuss with him or her. The first is your budget. An experienced designer will know how to keep you within your spending limits. I personally have met with clients that had elaborate kitchen designs which went well beyond the expected amount of money allowed for its construction. The solution was that we found a cabinet builder who made the same type of cabinets the clients were wanting at a fraction of the cost that the national brand asked for theirs.
Another thing would be your sketches of the proposed layout of the home. Some people do not realize that the single line drawings they made of their plan will loose four inches or better when the wall thicknesses are properly drawn. Space, among many other things is sometimes misunderstood or improperly account for.
For instance, you may be expecting a ten foot by ten foot room but after the wall thickness is added, the room ends up something like nine feet four inches by nine feet eight inches. The designer will posses the skill to gain this lost area back to the planned size but rest assured, it will be at the cost of some other room or area of the home. Make sure to spend time discussing the layout so that you are happy with the finished product and its dimensions.
There are many other things that will be involved in the final design of your home that I am sure your designer will mention. Always try to be available to your designer should they have questions as this will make things flow more smoothly to a finished product.
About the Author
Tim Davis is a fully trained home designer with around thirty years experience as a designer and drafter. His website is at http://customhouseplans.8m.com.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
The Article Submission Portal
Announcing a new tool to submit your articles with called “The Article Submission Portal”. This is a html application in frames that takes most of the work out of submitting your articles to directories around the net. The site is at http://receivedtext.org/artsub/ and it is free for all to use.
The process is simple!
On the left frame are article directories that have a PR-2 rating and above. When you click on each one, the article directory will open in the right window. From there you can create an account if you do not already have one and then prepare to submit your work.
What’s contained in the directory list on the left:
The Top List: In order to be on this list, the directory must be a PR-2 or above.
The Middle List: Specialized Directories from various subjects regardless of their PR rating.
The Bottom List: These are directories that I believe are up and coming and worthy of consideration...
In the top window are submission tool boxes that you can copy and paste your article information into like your name, bio, article teaser, and the article body. Once in place, you can copy from these tool boxes into the article directory submission forms in the box to the right.
As you complete each submission to the individual directory, you then click on the next in the list to continue the process.
I find this method superior to the automatic methods, because there is less chance of your article getting jumbled with processor code or being placed in the wrong categories.
About the Author
Tim Davis, article author and directory master.
The process is simple!
On the left frame are article directories that have a PR-2 rating and above. When you click on each one, the article directory will open in the right window. From there you can create an account if you do not already have one and then prepare to submit your work.
What’s contained in the directory list on the left:
The Top List: In order to be on this list, the directory must be a PR-2 or above.
The Middle List: Specialized Directories from various subjects regardless of their PR rating.
The Bottom List: These are directories that I believe are up and coming and worthy of consideration...
In the top window are submission tool boxes that you can copy and paste your article information into like your name, bio, article teaser, and the article body. Once in place, you can copy from these tool boxes into the article directory submission forms in the box to the right.
As you complete each submission to the individual directory, you then click on the next in the list to continue the process.
I find this method superior to the automatic methods, because there is less chance of your article getting jumbled with processor code or being placed in the wrong categories.
About the Author
Tim Davis, article author and directory master.
Mapping An Industrial Manufacturing Process
The term “mapping an industrial manufacturing process” sounds quite complex, but is not really hard to explain. In short it is where a floor plan is made of a manufacturing facility showing the direction that an item or items are assembled to make a finished product.
The task begins when a draftsman or drafter draws a layout of the building used to create a product. Then, to give the layout definition, all the isles, machines, presses, and work stations are drawn on the plan.
Once this is completed, arrows similar to treasure maps you read about as a child, are placed on the plan to show the various steps from start to finish of the completed product as it moves from one section of the plant to another. Sometimes notes are shown on the layout explaining the actual process instructions for the workers reference.
Some of the most involved manufacturing process drawings are in industries like automotive or furniture plants. In the automotive industry, the flow process usually starts with the unibody or frame of the car or truck. And then the different parts like the seats, steering wheel, windshield, wheels and axels, hood, etc. are all placed on the vehicle until it rolls off the assembly line. With the furniture industry the piece always starts with the wooden frame, then the springs, next the padding, the upholstery, then finally the packaging.
In short, this type of drawing makes it easier to keep up with what is going on in a manufacturing plant. It is also used to plan out new additions to the process or processes.
About the Author
Tim Davis has years of training that you can utilize for almost all of your drafting needs. His website is at http://draftingservice.us. If you wish to learn drafting, he has created several courses that can be taken at http://101info.org.
The task begins when a draftsman or drafter draws a layout of the building used to create a product. Then, to give the layout definition, all the isles, machines, presses, and work stations are drawn on the plan.
Once this is completed, arrows similar to treasure maps you read about as a child, are placed on the plan to show the various steps from start to finish of the completed product as it moves from one section of the plant to another. Sometimes notes are shown on the layout explaining the actual process instructions for the workers reference.
Some of the most involved manufacturing process drawings are in industries like automotive or furniture plants. In the automotive industry, the flow process usually starts with the unibody or frame of the car or truck. And then the different parts like the seats, steering wheel, windshield, wheels and axels, hood, etc. are all placed on the vehicle until it rolls off the assembly line. With the furniture industry the piece always starts with the wooden frame, then the springs, next the padding, the upholstery, then finally the packaging.
In short, this type of drawing makes it easier to keep up with what is going on in a manufacturing plant. It is also used to plan out new additions to the process or processes.
About the Author
Tim Davis has years of training that you can utilize for almost all of your drafting needs. His website is at http://draftingservice.us. If you wish to learn drafting, he has created several courses that can be taken at http://101info.org.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Reading Dimensions On A Floor Plan
A dimension is the measurement of one point to another. In the case of an architectural floor plan, it is what guides a framer to build the building. So in fact, dimensions are one of the most important elements of a floor plan drawing. Without them there would be no way to determine the geometry of a building, the position of its interior walls, or its door and window locations.
Dimensions or dims for short, usually follow a logical order. This logical order is usually in steps extending out from the body of the plan to define the length or depth beginning with the exterior elements of the home.
The outermost or dimensions would be of the over all length and depth of the building. The next would be used to define any breaks or turns in the exterior walls. The third would be the distance between the exterior walls and the center or side of the interior walls. These would then carry on to the next interior wall until you reached the opposite exterior wall. The final dimension set of this group would then be from wall to opening which would either be a door or window.
Included with the outermost dimension, but not always linked to an interior wall dimension would be those of the decks and porches. The also sometimes have dimension lines placed to the porch posts or columns and to define stairs attached to the porch or deck.
The next logical dimension set then would be those dimensions which could not be defined from the exterior or outermost dimensions. These would be the interior walls and sometimes the dimensions to wall openings if they have to have a specific location in the wall.
The only other sets of dimensions would be those which defined the location of special fixtures like interior columns, cabinets, etc. Labels and notes are also part of this category which includes door and window sizes unless these are in a legend (list) somewhere else on the plan, cabinet sizes, fireplace types, and room names.
About the Author
Tim Davis is a fully trained home designer with around thirty years experience as a designer and drafter. His website is at http://customhouseplans.8m.com.
Dimensions or dims for short, usually follow a logical order. This logical order is usually in steps extending out from the body of the plan to define the length or depth beginning with the exterior elements of the home.
The outermost or dimensions would be of the over all length and depth of the building. The next would be used to define any breaks or turns in the exterior walls. The third would be the distance between the exterior walls and the center or side of the interior walls. These would then carry on to the next interior wall until you reached the opposite exterior wall. The final dimension set of this group would then be from wall to opening which would either be a door or window.
Included with the outermost dimension, but not always linked to an interior wall dimension would be those of the decks and porches. The also sometimes have dimension lines placed to the porch posts or columns and to define stairs attached to the porch or deck.
The next logical dimension set then would be those dimensions which could not be defined from the exterior or outermost dimensions. These would be the interior walls and sometimes the dimensions to wall openings if they have to have a specific location in the wall.
The only other sets of dimensions would be those which defined the location of special fixtures like interior columns, cabinets, etc. Labels and notes are also part of this category which includes door and window sizes unless these are in a legend (list) somewhere else on the plan, cabinet sizes, fireplace types, and room names.
About the Author
Tim Davis is a fully trained home designer with around thirty years experience as a designer and drafter. His website is at http://customhouseplans.8m.com.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
CAD Programs
Computer Aided or Assisted Drafting is what CAD stands for. The most descriptive definition we can give this type of program is a drafting board inside a computer, giving an accuracy that cannot be achieved on the drafting board.
CAD had its beginnings in the early 1960s when an engineer named Ivan Sutherland developed the concept in a program called Sketchpad. Although very primitive by the standards of today, it was very effective in creating accurate drawings.
Later, other programs were developed and called by different names and all created drawings in two dimensions. None the less, they all had the same benefits in that there were less errors in the drawings because of the infinite accuracy of the program and also the drawings could be re-used and altered easier than paper drawings with less waste of time and materials.
By the 1980’s, some of the earliest commercial CAD programs were inexpensive enough for individuals to purchase. These were AutoCAD, CADRA, MicroStation, Generic CADD, and CadVance to name a few. My early experience was with AutoCAD and then in the beginning of the 1990’s, Generic CADD Level 3.
Then when 3D programs started to appear on the market the stage was set for more complex applications. One of the finest I ever used was a program called Generic CADD 3D which in effect, was so easy to use I was creating complete isometric and oblique drawing of homes on the first day of use. I guess it was because the interface was so similar to Generic CADD Level 3 that the learning curve was short. With the use of two letter commands and simple controls, the 2D program only took a couple of days to master.
At this time AutoCAD already had 3D integrated into their 2D package, but it was so complex to master I didn’t pursue learning it. The creators of AutoCAD however, bought Generic CADD out and it was downgraded to a less useful package.
Although there are programs like 3D Home Architect and Chief Architect on the market today which all but draws everything for you from the floor plan you create. CAD is still the leading program type in most architectural offices.
It is amazing but even though I have mastered quite a few CAD programs, I still sit down at the drafting board from time to time just for old times sake. Actually I do it more to just keep the discipline alive.
About the Author
Tim Davis has years of training that you can utilize for almost all of your drafting needs. His website is at http://draftingservice.us. If you wish to learn drafting, he has created several courses that can be taken at http://101info.org.
CAD had its beginnings in the early 1960s when an engineer named Ivan Sutherland developed the concept in a program called Sketchpad. Although very primitive by the standards of today, it was very effective in creating accurate drawings.
Later, other programs were developed and called by different names and all created drawings in two dimensions. None the less, they all had the same benefits in that there were less errors in the drawings because of the infinite accuracy of the program and also the drawings could be re-used and altered easier than paper drawings with less waste of time and materials.
By the 1980’s, some of the earliest commercial CAD programs were inexpensive enough for individuals to purchase. These were AutoCAD, CADRA, MicroStation, Generic CADD, and CadVance to name a few. My early experience was with AutoCAD and then in the beginning of the 1990’s, Generic CADD Level 3.
Then when 3D programs started to appear on the market the stage was set for more complex applications. One of the finest I ever used was a program called Generic CADD 3D which in effect, was so easy to use I was creating complete isometric and oblique drawing of homes on the first day of use. I guess it was because the interface was so similar to Generic CADD Level 3 that the learning curve was short. With the use of two letter commands and simple controls, the 2D program only took a couple of days to master.
At this time AutoCAD already had 3D integrated into their 2D package, but it was so complex to master I didn’t pursue learning it. The creators of AutoCAD however, bought Generic CADD out and it was downgraded to a less useful package.
Although there are programs like 3D Home Architect and Chief Architect on the market today which all but draws everything for you from the floor plan you create. CAD is still the leading program type in most architectural offices.
It is amazing but even though I have mastered quite a few CAD programs, I still sit down at the drafting board from time to time just for old times sake. Actually I do it more to just keep the discipline alive.
About the Author
Tim Davis has years of training that you can utilize for almost all of your drafting needs. His website is at http://draftingservice.us. If you wish to learn drafting, he has created several courses that can be taken at http://101info.org.
A Home Designer
This is a field of Drafting and Design that is quite often overlooked. Many people equate this professional with a drafter or architect. This is actually a separate field where the designer was trained by another experienced home designer or by an architect as an apprentice.
Most people believe that all they to need do is hire a draftsman to draw the plan that they have designed. The problem here is that a drafter is an illustrator who simply takes the ideas and sketches of another to create technical drawings. Unfortunately, a drafter may or may not posses the education and skills necessary to catch a code infraction, suggest a proper flow and layout to a home design, etc.
Whereas, an architect has training to handle most large commercial or residential designs and many do not believe they should waste their time with small to medium residences. Sure, this professional is trained in all aspects of construction and design but there is a premium price to be paid in using their services.
That is why there are trained home designers. In most cases, you will find the training and experience you will need to have a workable and functional house plan completed by this professional that will not only stand the test of the building inspector but also the test of the contractor in the construction field.
A trained home designer should not only posses the ability to draw your plans, but also the education and experience to understand the building codes and what will or will not work functionally in a homes construction. He or she should also respect you enough to realize that the home they are drawing is yours and should reflect your wishes and your personality.
About the Author
Tim Davis is a fully trained home designer with around thirty years experience as a designer and drafter. His website is at http://customhouseplans.8m.com.
Most people believe that all they to need do is hire a draftsman to draw the plan that they have designed. The problem here is that a drafter is an illustrator who simply takes the ideas and sketches of another to create technical drawings. Unfortunately, a drafter may or may not posses the education and skills necessary to catch a code infraction, suggest a proper flow and layout to a home design, etc.
Whereas, an architect has training to handle most large commercial or residential designs and many do not believe they should waste their time with small to medium residences. Sure, this professional is trained in all aspects of construction and design but there is a premium price to be paid in using their services.
That is why there are trained home designers. In most cases, you will find the training and experience you will need to have a workable and functional house plan completed by this professional that will not only stand the test of the building inspector but also the test of the contractor in the construction field.
A trained home designer should not only posses the ability to draw your plans, but also the education and experience to understand the building codes and what will or will not work functionally in a homes construction. He or she should also respect you enough to realize that the home they are drawing is yours and should reflect your wishes and your personality.
About the Author
Tim Davis is a fully trained home designer with around thirty years experience as a designer and drafter. His website is at http://customhouseplans.8m.com.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Individual Home Design
There are very few things that are closer to our hearts than the houses that we live in. And there are even fewer things that we take a greater interest in than the homes which we personally own. The actual size of the house does not matter really. It is our personal little castle on this earth.
It is really hard for us to create a house which mirrors or reflects the personality and traits of its owner where it is consistent to all of its parts and faithful to its chosen style or character and also containing over all the elements of a good design. It is no wonder that in these fast paced days, when our time is filled with so many interests, we sometimes feel like strangers in our own homes.
In a larger home we are more likely to draw our inspiration for its design from widely separate fields and we bring into them the accumulated art forms of the distant past to finally create a grand home rich in history and culture. Also, a spirit of pride and emulation is often designed into the building of a larger home.
Quite too often though, this motive to build the super ornate home demonstrates its self like the construction of a fort that separates us from our ideals and the things which we actually wanted to accomplish. Our motives were to build something beautiful and ornate but we wind up creating something large and gaudy. If the designer is not careful in his or her blending of treatments and trims, we wind up designing something that was not really a reflection of ourselves, but of something that is from someone else’s past ideas and not really what we had in mind at all.
The same can be said about the motives that influence us who are trying to design a smaller house. Fortunately, it is not true to the same extent. Firstly, more often than not, we lack the money for the super elaborate. The materials we build our home from need to be found close at hand, and for economy’s sake, they must be inexpensive. This particular influence together with a bunch of others of a similar nature force us towards the design of the smaller house which actually can be more intimate.
In American homes, especially the smaller ones, we have learned to be inventive in order to make the home more personal in nature. Sixty percent of the homes built in the United States follow the simple Ranch or Rancher design which has a very straightforward layout and can be built with economy in mind. The Rancher can also be adaptive in that it does not have to follow conventional rules. For instance, a room or two can be added outside of the rectangle which is the basic design of the building and then treatments like ornate columns, shutters, gable vents, modified roofs, etc., can be added to make the house more individual.
About the Author
Tim Davis is a fully trained home designer with around thirty years experience as a designer and drafter. His website is at http://customhouseplans.8m.com.
It is really hard for us to create a house which mirrors or reflects the personality and traits of its owner where it is consistent to all of its parts and faithful to its chosen style or character and also containing over all the elements of a good design. It is no wonder that in these fast paced days, when our time is filled with so many interests, we sometimes feel like strangers in our own homes.
In a larger home we are more likely to draw our inspiration for its design from widely separate fields and we bring into them the accumulated art forms of the distant past to finally create a grand home rich in history and culture. Also, a spirit of pride and emulation is often designed into the building of a larger home.
Quite too often though, this motive to build the super ornate home demonstrates its self like the construction of a fort that separates us from our ideals and the things which we actually wanted to accomplish. Our motives were to build something beautiful and ornate but we wind up creating something large and gaudy. If the designer is not careful in his or her blending of treatments and trims, we wind up designing something that was not really a reflection of ourselves, but of something that is from someone else’s past ideas and not really what we had in mind at all.
The same can be said about the motives that influence us who are trying to design a smaller house. Fortunately, it is not true to the same extent. Firstly, more often than not, we lack the money for the super elaborate. The materials we build our home from need to be found close at hand, and for economy’s sake, they must be inexpensive. This particular influence together with a bunch of others of a similar nature force us towards the design of the smaller house which actually can be more intimate.
In American homes, especially the smaller ones, we have learned to be inventive in order to make the home more personal in nature. Sixty percent of the homes built in the United States follow the simple Ranch or Rancher design which has a very straightforward layout and can be built with economy in mind. The Rancher can also be adaptive in that it does not have to follow conventional rules. For instance, a room or two can be added outside of the rectangle which is the basic design of the building and then treatments like ornate columns, shutters, gable vents, modified roofs, etc., can be added to make the house more individual.
About the Author
Tim Davis is a fully trained home designer with around thirty years experience as a designer and drafter. His website is at http://customhouseplans.8m.com.
A Properly Proportioned House
What does it mean when we say that a something is out of proportion? No expression is more familiar in our conversation with others and our own thoughts. Yet, if any of us were to nail down a define reason why it is out of proportion, after thinking about it we would find that it is because it does not conform to some standard that has been set by us or someone else. We judge everything by a standard.
When we complain that fried chicken isn't like the chicken made by our grandmothers, then we are referring to a standard. If we see a man whose legs and arms are extra long, we would say he is poorly proportioned. But then we do not criticize the length of arms and legs on a chimp. The extra length belongs there because that is what a chimp looks like. We have different standards of the proportions for men and chimpanzees.
In architecture we have been taught that certain types of homes should have certain proportions. For example, the height of a column is described in terms of its diameter in relation to its height, and any variation from that particular diameter to height ratio usually is not accepted on the grounds that their proportions are not good. A good example would be the Corinthian column that is ten diameters high. It has the classic proportions of a Corinthian column and no one will deny that a column that has these proportions is attractive.
Yet I have seen homes that used Corinthian columns on the front porch of the house but were reduced in size to fit the profile of the building. And on this same building were elements of other styles and designs of houses. The oddity is that all this seemed to fit together to make an attractive and unique home.
The answer is that proportion is and always must be a matter of individual taste that varies continually with the development of the mind of the individual. Like good taste, it is like one of the beasts mentioned in the book of Revelation in the scriptures. This creature has several faces, legs, wings, etc., along with a body that does not match the rest of its features. The slightest attempt to define it as a standard is impossible yet the scriptures would be incomplete without it.
In the United States, I have seen the common Ranch style home take on a distinctively different look altogether when elements like ornate porch railings and pickets were added to the design along with round gable vents and dental moldings. This home took on the Colonial look merely by adding a few various trim designs.
And when that same plain Jane home has Corinthian columns added that were proportionate to the height of the edge of a simple Portico, the home took on the look of a miniature plantation house. All that needed to be added were louvered shutters and evenly spaced windows.
About the Author
Tim Davis is a fully trained home designer with around thirty years experience as a designer and drafter. His website is at http://customhouseplans.8m.com.
When we complain that fried chicken isn't like the chicken made by our grandmothers, then we are referring to a standard. If we see a man whose legs and arms are extra long, we would say he is poorly proportioned. But then we do not criticize the length of arms and legs on a chimp. The extra length belongs there because that is what a chimp looks like. We have different standards of the proportions for men and chimpanzees.
In architecture we have been taught that certain types of homes should have certain proportions. For example, the height of a column is described in terms of its diameter in relation to its height, and any variation from that particular diameter to height ratio usually is not accepted on the grounds that their proportions are not good. A good example would be the Corinthian column that is ten diameters high. It has the classic proportions of a Corinthian column and no one will deny that a column that has these proportions is attractive.
Yet I have seen homes that used Corinthian columns on the front porch of the house but were reduced in size to fit the profile of the building. And on this same building were elements of other styles and designs of houses. The oddity is that all this seemed to fit together to make an attractive and unique home.
The answer is that proportion is and always must be a matter of individual taste that varies continually with the development of the mind of the individual. Like good taste, it is like one of the beasts mentioned in the book of Revelation in the scriptures. This creature has several faces, legs, wings, etc., along with a body that does not match the rest of its features. The slightest attempt to define it as a standard is impossible yet the scriptures would be incomplete without it.
In the United States, I have seen the common Ranch style home take on a distinctively different look altogether when elements like ornate porch railings and pickets were added to the design along with round gable vents and dental moldings. This home took on the Colonial look merely by adding a few various trim designs.
And when that same plain Jane home has Corinthian columns added that were proportionate to the height of the edge of a simple Portico, the home took on the look of a miniature plantation house. All that needed to be added were louvered shutters and evenly spaced windows.
About the Author
Tim Davis is a fully trained home designer with around thirty years experience as a designer and drafter. His website is at http://customhouseplans.8m.com.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Industrial Layout
Industrial Layout is a discipline of technical drawing which is a combination of architectural and survey drafting. The application of this drafting discipline are used in almost any type of manufacturing including and not limited to plastic injection molding, furniture fabrication, automotive parts manufacturing, etc. It is where a plant floor plan is drawn out exactly to scale and used for planning the functions of an industrial fabrication process or processes.
The drawing starts with the blank or open floor plan of the plant which shows all the structural members of the building which are visible on the plan view and includes columns that are out in the floor area, interior offices, exits, etc. If the plant already has fixtures, presses, molds, generators, cranes, elevators, or work stations, these are included also.
If the building is void of any fixtures, the industrial or plant engineer makes sketches on the plan locating all the machinery and work stations that will be in the plant so that the drafter can add them to it an it can be used once the plant is fully operational. There is almost always one particular master drawing of the building that, as time goes on, is updated as the plant grows or new processes are added or removed.
From the main layout drawing, localized drawings are made at a larger scale of particular areas of the plant. If a new area is drawn or designed, these drawings are then integrated into the main plant drawing to keep it up to date. Sometimes machinery manufacturers will send detailed drawings of their machines or presses which can also be added into the main drawing.
Over the past century or two since the beginning of the industrial revolution, these drawings were maintained manually on the drafting board which was very labor intensive. With the advent of Computer Assisted Drafting, drawings can be easily integrated into one another just by importing a CAD file.
The drafter who keeps these drawings updated are usually given the title of general drafters. The term general is used because of the many disciplines they must posses to perform their job. These include architecture, survey and topographical, machine or mechanical drafting.
About the Author
Tim Davis has years of training that you can utilize for almost all of your drafting needs. His website is at http://draftingservice.us. If you wish to learn drafting, he has created several courses that can be taken at http://101info.org.
The drawing starts with the blank or open floor plan of the plant which shows all the structural members of the building which are visible on the plan view and includes columns that are out in the floor area, interior offices, exits, etc. If the plant already has fixtures, presses, molds, generators, cranes, elevators, or work stations, these are included also.
If the building is void of any fixtures, the industrial or plant engineer makes sketches on the plan locating all the machinery and work stations that will be in the plant so that the drafter can add them to it an it can be used once the plant is fully operational. There is almost always one particular master drawing of the building that, as time goes on, is updated as the plant grows or new processes are added or removed.
From the main layout drawing, localized drawings are made at a larger scale of particular areas of the plant. If a new area is drawn or designed, these drawings are then integrated into the main plant drawing to keep it up to date. Sometimes machinery manufacturers will send detailed drawings of their machines or presses which can also be added into the main drawing.
Over the past century or two since the beginning of the industrial revolution, these drawings were maintained manually on the drafting board which was very labor intensive. With the advent of Computer Assisted Drafting, drawings can be easily integrated into one another just by importing a CAD file.
The drafter who keeps these drawings updated are usually given the title of general drafters. The term general is used because of the many disciplines they must posses to perform their job. These include architecture, survey and topographical, machine or mechanical drafting.
About the Author
Tim Davis has years of training that you can utilize for almost all of your drafting needs. His website is at http://draftingservice.us. If you wish to learn drafting, he has created several courses that can be taken at http://101info.org.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Designing A New Building For A Retail Business
Retail is a very up front type business, meaning you are wanting to design it with a certain curb appeal that will draw the publics eye and also leave a lasting impression to draw return customers.
If you will notice certain buildings, for instance the food service industry, there are certain trademarks that once said, remind you of the business that is related that particular trademark or physical attribute. One for instance would be the golden arches. Who does not remember what building used to have large golden arches on each side of their store front. Picking and designing your own trademark for your new building will make a similar impression if it is done correctly.
I once saw a linen and curtain store that had the appearance of an old colonial plantation home. There were two such businesses in that particular city as a matter of fact. The first is the one I just mentioned and the second was in a plane Jane building in a strip shopping center. The one with the colonial design has lasted even to this day, but the other went out of business within a year even though their prices were less expensive and they kept a clean and tidy appearance.
One of the best examples I have seen was a bridle and tack shop that was built to look like an old west mercantile store. Before you even walked into the building, you had the feel of being in the old west. And the materials used to construct this building we no more than any other conventional building material.
About the Author
Being a business owner who has decided to build a building for their business can be facing a very daunting task. Why not hire a design professional to help you with your new building? Tim Davis is a fully trained Architectural Designer with over twenty years experience who would be more than happy to help you with your plans. His website is at http://buildingdrawings.8m.com...
If you will notice certain buildings, for instance the food service industry, there are certain trademarks that once said, remind you of the business that is related that particular trademark or physical attribute. One for instance would be the golden arches. Who does not remember what building used to have large golden arches on each side of their store front. Picking and designing your own trademark for your new building will make a similar impression if it is done correctly.
I once saw a linen and curtain store that had the appearance of an old colonial plantation home. There were two such businesses in that particular city as a matter of fact. The first is the one I just mentioned and the second was in a plane Jane building in a strip shopping center. The one with the colonial design has lasted even to this day, but the other went out of business within a year even though their prices were less expensive and they kept a clean and tidy appearance.
One of the best examples I have seen was a bridle and tack shop that was built to look like an old west mercantile store. Before you even walked into the building, you had the feel of being in the old west. And the materials used to construct this building we no more than any other conventional building material.
About the Author
Being a business owner who has decided to build a building for their business can be facing a very daunting task. Why not hire a design professional to help you with your new building? Tim Davis is a fully trained Architectural Designer with over twenty years experience who would be more than happy to help you with your plans. His website is at http://buildingdrawings.8m.com...
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
What Does A Drafter Or Draftsman Do?
A drafter is someone who is trained in creating technical drawings. Their job is to take the sketches, concepts, and specifications of a professional architects, engineers, machinists, or inventors and build the necessary illustrations from which that idea can be implemented or fabricated in a methodical and practical format.
The tools of the trade are mostly computer programs called CAD (Computer Aided Drafting) programs. Some of the most popular are AutoCAD, CadVance, TurboCAD, and General CADD to name a few. In years past the tools of the trade were the drafting board, tee square, engineering scale, triangles, etc., although some still use these tools today.
The various types of drafters are:
The Architectural Drafter which is the one who creates residential and commercial drawings for the construction of structures.
The Steel Detailer is a drafter who creates steel fabrication drawings for structural members for the erection of buildings.
The Mechanical Drafter is the one who works for engineers and machinists to create machine and shop drawings for the fabrication of mechanisms and fixtures. A sub field for this discipline would be for woodshop drawings for furniture manufacturers and wood crafters.
The Survey Drafter would be the one that creates boundary and topographical drawings for surveyors plats and site plans.
The Industrial Drafter is the one who draws layouts of large plants so that the industrial engineers may work out the best methods for production on a plant floor. He or she also creates drawing for the design of fixtures to be used in the manufacturing process, crossing them over into the mechanical field as well as commercial architectural.
The Patent Drafter takes the ideas of inventors and places them in a drawing format that is accepted by the patent office to protect the inventors ideas.
A General Drafter is one who has studied most or all of the fields mentioned above and is sometimes given the title of master drafter. Other fields of drafting include aviation, automotive, nautical, archaeological, electrical, etc…
About the Author
Tim Davis has years of training that you can utilize for almost all of your drafting needs. His website is at http://draftingservice.us. If you wish to learn drafting, he has created several courses that can be taken at http://101info.org.
The tools of the trade are mostly computer programs called CAD (Computer Aided Drafting) programs. Some of the most popular are AutoCAD, CadVance, TurboCAD, and General CADD to name a few. In years past the tools of the trade were the drafting board, tee square, engineering scale, triangles, etc., although some still use these tools today.
The various types of drafters are:
The Architectural Drafter which is the one who creates residential and commercial drawings for the construction of structures.
The Steel Detailer is a drafter who creates steel fabrication drawings for structural members for the erection of buildings.
The Mechanical Drafter is the one who works for engineers and machinists to create machine and shop drawings for the fabrication of mechanisms and fixtures. A sub field for this discipline would be for woodshop drawings for furniture manufacturers and wood crafters.
The Survey Drafter would be the one that creates boundary and topographical drawings for surveyors plats and site plans.
The Industrial Drafter is the one who draws layouts of large plants so that the industrial engineers may work out the best methods for production on a plant floor. He or she also creates drawing for the design of fixtures to be used in the manufacturing process, crossing them over into the mechanical field as well as commercial architectural.
The Patent Drafter takes the ideas of inventors and places them in a drawing format that is accepted by the patent office to protect the inventors ideas.
A General Drafter is one who has studied most or all of the fields mentioned above and is sometimes given the title of master drafter. Other fields of drafting include aviation, automotive, nautical, archaeological, electrical, etc…
About the Author
Tim Davis has years of training that you can utilize for almost all of your drafting needs. His website is at http://draftingservice.us. If you wish to learn drafting, he has created several courses that can be taken at http://101info.org.
Monday, March 8, 2010
A General Drafter
The title “general drafter” suggests that this type of draftsman or drafter draws most anything required of them to draw. And that is quite correct to a certain degree, as long as they are trained in various disciplines of drafting.
I will give you a for instance and you will need to read carefully to keep up. My original training involved mechanical drafting which is the art of making technical drawings for machine and fabrication shops. This was through courses given while I was in the U.S. Navy and in its self is one discipline.
When I left the navy, I found a job with a land surveyor who was willing to train me in the field of boundary and topographical survey drafting. This gave me my second drafting discipline. This surveyor from time to time would hire me out to an architect who worked closely with his surveying office. This particular architect would have me to revise his drawings according to his specifications. This exposed me to architectural drafting in a major way.
Then, later on in my career I trained in architectural drafting to create residential and commercial building plans from sketches and ideas of an architect. I apprenticed under this professional for years and from time to time was asked to create drawings for structural steel to be built in a steel fabrication shop for the buildings he designed by the steel fabricator that the architect worked closely with.
So far then I received training and experience in mechanical drafting, boundary and topographical drafting, then architectural, both residential and commercial, then steel fabrication. That adds up to four different disciplines so far.
Finally I opened a drafting office with a clientele that included a large area dairy company, two plastic injection molding companies, several home builders, an automotive parts manufacturer, a civil engineer, and two surveyors.
The injection molding companies had me create quite a few parts and then patent drawings over the years which added a fifth discipline of patent drafting. The dairy company hired me many times to create loading dock fixtures from their designs which added a sixth discipline in another form of mechanical drafting. The automotive company along with the dairy, and plastics manufacturers all had me to create plant layouts, which added a seventh discipline called industrial layout.
The plastics companies both had me to take the drawings I had created of their parts and turn them into sales brochures. Since many of these had to be in a real life type drawing, I had to learn and master 3D modeling. So that created the eighth discipline, commercial illustration.
And that is the definition of a general drafter. Actually, over the years I have had drafters under me, giving the title of senior and then master drafter. There is quite a bit that can be accomplished if you just put your mind to it. And mind you, this took well over thirty years to complete.
About the Author
Tim Davis has years of training that you can utilize for almost all of your drafting needs. His website is at http://draftingservice.us. If you wish to learn drafting, he has created several courses that can be taken at http://101info.org.
I will give you a for instance and you will need to read carefully to keep up. My original training involved mechanical drafting which is the art of making technical drawings for machine and fabrication shops. This was through courses given while I was in the U.S. Navy and in its self is one discipline.
When I left the navy, I found a job with a land surveyor who was willing to train me in the field of boundary and topographical survey drafting. This gave me my second drafting discipline. This surveyor from time to time would hire me out to an architect who worked closely with his surveying office. This particular architect would have me to revise his drawings according to his specifications. This exposed me to architectural drafting in a major way.
Then, later on in my career I trained in architectural drafting to create residential and commercial building plans from sketches and ideas of an architect. I apprenticed under this professional for years and from time to time was asked to create drawings for structural steel to be built in a steel fabrication shop for the buildings he designed by the steel fabricator that the architect worked closely with.
So far then I received training and experience in mechanical drafting, boundary and topographical drafting, then architectural, both residential and commercial, then steel fabrication. That adds up to four different disciplines so far.
Finally I opened a drafting office with a clientele that included a large area dairy company, two plastic injection molding companies, several home builders, an automotive parts manufacturer, a civil engineer, and two surveyors.
The injection molding companies had me create quite a few parts and then patent drawings over the years which added a fifth discipline of patent drafting. The dairy company hired me many times to create loading dock fixtures from their designs which added a sixth discipline in another form of mechanical drafting. The automotive company along with the dairy, and plastics manufacturers all had me to create plant layouts, which added a seventh discipline called industrial layout.
The plastics companies both had me to take the drawings I had created of their parts and turn them into sales brochures. Since many of these had to be in a real life type drawing, I had to learn and master 3D modeling. So that created the eighth discipline, commercial illustration.
And that is the definition of a general drafter. Actually, over the years I have had drafters under me, giving the title of senior and then master drafter. There is quite a bit that can be accomplished if you just put your mind to it. And mind you, this took well over thirty years to complete.
About the Author
Tim Davis has years of training that you can utilize for almost all of your drafting needs. His website is at http://draftingservice.us. If you wish to learn drafting, he has created several courses that can be taken at http://101info.org.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
A New Building For Your Business
If you are a business owner who has decided to build a building for your business, get ready for a task. In today’s economy most likely you are on a tight budget and have little room for extra expenses beyond the building itself.
If you are handling the task yourself, here is what you commonly have to face.
The Building Design
This is the first step that you probably want to begin the process with. To meet the requirements of most municipalities, floor plans have to be drawn to scale along with all exterior views, electrical plans, slab or foundation plan, framing plan, HVAC plans, plumbing plan and isometrics, full sectional details and partial, roof plans, and the site plan. Then there are special drawings like fastener and handicap accessibility details that have to be drawn. You will have to hire a designer or if the job is larger than five thousand square feet and three stories high, most states require that you hire an architect and engineer.
The Bank
Your lending institution will want to see a presentation of the proposed building. This is where you would take a set of presentation drawings from your designer or architect to make you pitch on what you are needing the money for. Make sure it is drawn so that there is no question what you are wanting. A good isometric of the exterior and a floor plan are usually sufficient.
The Planning Commissions
Once your drawings are complete and ready for submission, in some cases you will have to go before a planning commission for approval before the building inspectors can even start on your plan. This is a special board at your local government office that reviews all new construction in your area. They will probably spend some time making sure your plan blends into the plan of the municipality. Some of their concerns will possibly be your buildings impact on the local environment.
The Building Inspections Office and Fire Marshal
These guys are fun to deal with. Each one has his or her special interest that will have to be addressed like American Disabilities Act compliance and sufficient electrical designed into the structure. The fire marshal will be especially interested in fire exits, extinguisher locations, and sprinklers. If something is missed or their requirements are somewhat above international code, they will have to be added into the plan.
The Contractor
If you are not planning to oversee the construction yourself, a contractor will need to be hired. The plans that you had drawn will be very instrumental if choosing one of these. Make sure that each and ever contractor who bids on your plans has an exact copy of the plans. I would not recommend having a contractor redesign the structure so make sure that they are bidding on the building as it is drawn.
Once a contractor is chosen, you can get the ball rolling. If he or she has bid on a complete package, all you need to do then is write the checks from your construction account and meet with the contractor for any special questions they may have during the construction process. Make sure that any changes made during construction are marked on a master set of plans so that when the job is done, there will not be any question on extra charges incurred.
About the Author
Tim Davis is a fully trained Architectural Designer with over twenty years experience who would be more than happy to help you with your plans. His website is at http://buildingdrawings.8m.com
If you are handling the task yourself, here is what you commonly have to face.
The Building Design
This is the first step that you probably want to begin the process with. To meet the requirements of most municipalities, floor plans have to be drawn to scale along with all exterior views, electrical plans, slab or foundation plan, framing plan, HVAC plans, plumbing plan and isometrics, full sectional details and partial, roof plans, and the site plan. Then there are special drawings like fastener and handicap accessibility details that have to be drawn. You will have to hire a designer or if the job is larger than five thousand square feet and three stories high, most states require that you hire an architect and engineer.
The Bank
Your lending institution will want to see a presentation of the proposed building. This is where you would take a set of presentation drawings from your designer or architect to make you pitch on what you are needing the money for. Make sure it is drawn so that there is no question what you are wanting. A good isometric of the exterior and a floor plan are usually sufficient.
The Planning Commissions
Once your drawings are complete and ready for submission, in some cases you will have to go before a planning commission for approval before the building inspectors can even start on your plan. This is a special board at your local government office that reviews all new construction in your area. They will probably spend some time making sure your plan blends into the plan of the municipality. Some of their concerns will possibly be your buildings impact on the local environment.
The Building Inspections Office and Fire Marshal
These guys are fun to deal with. Each one has his or her special interest that will have to be addressed like American Disabilities Act compliance and sufficient electrical designed into the structure. The fire marshal will be especially interested in fire exits, extinguisher locations, and sprinklers. If something is missed or their requirements are somewhat above international code, they will have to be added into the plan.
The Contractor
If you are not planning to oversee the construction yourself, a contractor will need to be hired. The plans that you had drawn will be very instrumental if choosing one of these. Make sure that each and ever contractor who bids on your plans has an exact copy of the plans. I would not recommend having a contractor redesign the structure so make sure that they are bidding on the building as it is drawn.
Once a contractor is chosen, you can get the ball rolling. If he or she has bid on a complete package, all you need to do then is write the checks from your construction account and meet with the contractor for any special questions they may have during the construction process. Make sure that any changes made during construction are marked on a master set of plans so that when the job is done, there will not be any question on extra charges incurred.
About the Author
Tim Davis is a fully trained Architectural Designer with over twenty years experience who would be more than happy to help you with your plans. His website is at http://buildingdrawings.8m.com
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Did You Overlook Something In Your New Home Design?
There are quite a few details involved in designing a new house and it is very easy to overlook certain aspects of what will make that house a home. I have been a home designer for almost three decades now and have come up with a list of things that are often forgotten in the layout. Maybe that list can be of some help to you.
Number one on my list is storage space! Are you allowing for this? Chances are that if your home is cluttered now, you either have too much stuff accumulated or there isn’t enough storage space to store this stuff. If you overlook this in the design of your new home, you may be transferring one problem from your old dwelling to the new one.
The common lack of storage in homes are:
- Pantries for extra food stuffs like canned goods that would be overflowing from the kitchen cabinets.
- Clothes closets that are too small to handle the wardrobe of a family member for at least one season. Make sure they are large enough.
- Coat closets in the entryway of the home. When this omitted, the living room, kitchen or dining room starts becoming a catch all for winter coats.
- Linen closets are often overlooked also. This space is for sheets, pillow cases, washcloths, and towels. All too often, if a home does not have a linen closet, extra shelves have to be added to handle these.
- Attic or basement storage that is easily accessible to store Christmas lights and family keepsakes. When attic or basement storage is unavailable the garage fills up with all this stuff.
If the home is in an area that experiences more than usual rain or snow fall, is there a mud room for taking off those muddy boots so you don’t track up the house? I have seen mud rooms equipped with a sink to wash up before coming into the main house. This is also a good aspect of a well designed home if someone in the house likes to do auto mechanics in the garage. They can wash the grease off before it gets to far into the home.
One other thing to consider would be allowing enough natural light into the home. Too often there are too few windows pointed in the right direction to capture natural light in the mornings and evenings.
About the Author
Tim Davis is a fully trained home designer with around thirty years experience as a designer and drafter. His website is at http://customhouseplans.8m.com.
Number one on my list is storage space! Are you allowing for this? Chances are that if your home is cluttered now, you either have too much stuff accumulated or there isn’t enough storage space to store this stuff. If you overlook this in the design of your new home, you may be transferring one problem from your old dwelling to the new one.
The common lack of storage in homes are:
- Pantries for extra food stuffs like canned goods that would be overflowing from the kitchen cabinets.
- Clothes closets that are too small to handle the wardrobe of a family member for at least one season. Make sure they are large enough.
- Coat closets in the entryway of the home. When this omitted, the living room, kitchen or dining room starts becoming a catch all for winter coats.
- Linen closets are often overlooked also. This space is for sheets, pillow cases, washcloths, and towels. All too often, if a home does not have a linen closet, extra shelves have to be added to handle these.
- Attic or basement storage that is easily accessible to store Christmas lights and family keepsakes. When attic or basement storage is unavailable the garage fills up with all this stuff.
If the home is in an area that experiences more than usual rain or snow fall, is there a mud room for taking off those muddy boots so you don’t track up the house? I have seen mud rooms equipped with a sink to wash up before coming into the main house. This is also a good aspect of a well designed home if someone in the house likes to do auto mechanics in the garage. They can wash the grease off before it gets to far into the home.
One other thing to consider would be allowing enough natural light into the home. Too often there are too few windows pointed in the right direction to capture natural light in the mornings and evenings.
About the Author
Tim Davis is a fully trained home designer with around thirty years experience as a designer and drafter. His website is at http://customhouseplans.8m.com.
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