A Drafting Set - not a toy, but how do I play with it?

[Olentzero]

As some of you might have seen in my MPSIMS thread, I recently got a bargeload of my old stuff out of Mama O's garage when last I visited NH. Among the various interesting things is my grandfather's old drafting set from the 1930s (he graduated from Wentworth in 1930 as a pattern-maker).

I want to learn how to use it. Most of the compasses are pretty rusty at this point, so my first question is how do I clean them off? I'm presuming they're steel or some other durable metal, but not sure.

Secondly, what's the difference between the various compasses? I have two large ones that are jointed in the middle; one has a pencil lead in it and the other one has a tweezer-like ending on one leg. A screw allows the ends to open up and close, but they're fairly broad and flat and don't seem to be designed to hold anything. Is it for ink? I also have three small ones that are all the same size, but one has a pencil lead, one has two steel points, and one has the tweezer-like ending on it.

Thirdly, the set's got a protractor and a thing that looks like a fancy ice skate with holes cut out of it. What the hell is it?

And finally, once I know what all these things are, what can I do with 'em?

[Urban Ranger]

Fancy ice skate? Is that sort of like a thin steel plate with holes of various shapes and sizes?

[happyheathen]

Compasses:

you are correct - the 'tweesers' are ink resevoirs.

the one with dual points is called a 'divider', and is used to mark identical lengths (or to scribe a circle on metal)

The template is called a 'french curve' - the holes provide non-circular curves - real handy, once you get used to it.

There should also be a lead holder, a sharpener for it, and a pen (the tweezer point variety)

as to cleaning the rust - is it just superficial, or has pitting occurred?

[Nametag]

The "fancy ice skate" is probably a french curve. It's a tool for drawing curved lines. I think the tweezer-like points are for holding drawing material; you can use pencil leads, ink nibs, chalk, whatever. The one with sharp ends is a divider, and is used for measuring rather than drawing.

You can clean steel with vinegar (weak), a citric acid solution (stronger) or naval jelly (dangerous).

[Olentzero]

OK, I think we got most of the "what" questions basically answered. Now for part two.

What kind of ink nibs should I use with the ink holder?

I'm pretty sure some pitting has occurred, as there is a lot of rust and the surfaces feel rough to the touch. But I don't think it's deep pitting, as there don't seem to be any visible pits. Is that going to affect my ability to clean these tools at all?

The French curve and the protractor are both plastic - the set's by a German company but the name escapes me at the moment. The French curve looks more like the upper of the two shown in this illustration.

There is a lead holder (little capsule-like thing with some leads still in it), an ink pen of the tweezer type, but no sharpener than I can see. There is an extender arm and another media holder as well - the holder attaches to the extender arm, but there doesn't seem to be anything for the extender arm to attach to. And no missing parts, as far as I can tell.

So... now that I know what they're used for, how do I go about learning the techniques behind them? Any good textbooks or self-instruction stuff out there?

And don't even get me started on the slide rule...

[plnnr]

You might try contacting an engineering/architectural supply company to see if anyone there can give you a crash course. Keith/Fabrey or A&E may have branches up your way (I'm in Richmond).

My father has an old Leroy lettering kit that he used and I wanted to get some replacement pieces for it. When I asked about availability at Keith/Fabrey they laughed at me. Given today's use of CAD very few people today remember how to do two or three point perspectives by hand or other nifty drafting tasks.

As has been pointed out, the "compass" with two points is a divider and is used for transfering uniform measurements from one piece of material to the other and for scribing lines. The compass may have held a piece of chalk (how big is the holder? My dad's welding chalk is as big around as my thumb) or for holding inking pens. The french curve is made to draw arcs of different measurements.

Thank whoever gave you the stuff - it is a part of industrial history.

[Billy Rubin]

The tweezer like things are ink pens. they're not missing anything, that's the way they're supposed to work. You take an eyedropper and put a drop of ink between the "tweezer" tips (some people dip but his makes runs all over the place)and you simply rotate the compass with the "tweezer" tips touching the paper. The amount the "tweezer" tips are opened is the width of the line. They need to be sharpened occasionally. They used to be the only way to get ink accurately on a drawing. Times have changed.

Most sets of this type are steel and nickel, though some are steel and brass, etc. The nickel ones tended not to rust, wherever you have corrosion, odds are, that's just high-carbon steel. A bit of work with fine steel wool will make everything right quickly, though if a higher polish is required, a buffing wheel and jeweler's rouge may be in order.

Have fun!

b.

[Olentzero]

Originally posted by plnnr
Thank whoever gave you the stuff - it is a part of industrial history.

Ah, he's long gone, but he was as much a part of industrial history as the set. Like I said in the OP, he graduated from Wentworth Institute in Boston, class of 1930, and was a pattern maker for most of his working life. During the war he was directly involved in setting the patterns for ships' turbines - classified work, so my grandmother tells me. That and a very odd classification got him out of active service, but he did his bit nonetheless.

There's no way any of those things held welding chalk - the pencil leads are somewhere around 1mm in diameter (rough guess). These were for designing only, as far as I can tell.

Billy: thanks for the cleaning tip. Would a combo of citric acid solution and steel wool help get the job done or should it only be one or the other?

Finally (man, this is getting to be a big project) in a quick noodle around Amazon I found two books on drafting by Mike Lin and Mike Doyle: "Drawing and Designing with Confidence" by Lin and "Color Drawing" by Doyle. You all think those might help?

[Chronos]

Quoth plnnr:

Given today's use of CAD very few people today remember how to do two or three point perspectives by hand or other nifty drafting tasks.

We learned two and three point perspective in art class, back in the '80s. I'd no idea that it was a lost art now.

[evilhanz]

Up until at least the late 1980's, early 1990's schools were still teaching drafting classes to all middle and high schoolers in my neck of the woods, NH ironically enough. I believe it was a required course. I found the exposure to proper tools and techniques quite valuable.

Do you have a t-square, horsehair brush, drafting tape, 45, and 30/60/90 triangles? If not, you'll need them.

[Olentzero]

Naw, I don't, but I figured I'd need the T-square and the triangles at the least. I went to a parochial school in Nashua, and AFAIR they didn't offer drafting classes then; ironically they may now because they've actually got an arts department.

So I was thinking about it for a minute, and my guess is that the French curve would be used for connecting two points, either on circles or lines? Say to draw an arch of some sort where the edge wasn't supposed to be perfectly circular. How far off am I?

[happyheathen]

You got the French curve usage right - just pick 2 (or, better, 3 points, and find a section of the curve that fit.

The "lead holder I was referring to is a draftman's pencil - the leads are 1mm - an art supply store should be able to set you up.

the rust: surface corrosion is treated with good lod battery-acid CocaCola (don't laugh - coin collectors have been using the stuff for decades.

if pitting has occurred, navel jelly may be indicated - approach with caution, gloves, and goggles - and keep it off this metal (like the ink resevoirs.

Other things:

Drawing board
T-Sq
Triangles
scales ("rulers", marked in .0010" increments.
Circular templates (lots of small holes - save time vs. using a compass
Lettering guide (piece of plastic with bevelled slots a various widths - provide upper and lower limits for your lettering)

advanced topics:

flex curve
bar compass
metal scribe
machinist ink


and the ultimate:

A REAL, LIVE X-Y drafting machine

Yes, Heathen was once a draftsman (mechanical and civil)

[happyheathen]

make that "old" Coke, "thin" metal, and scatter ")"'s as needed

[delini8r]

If you're in Charlottesville or at any other university with an architecture program, take a look at the bookstore. Most college architecture programs still emphasize hand drafting, at least in the introductory design studios, and their bookstores will likely have books on drafting. Check online if you don't want to make the trip to U Va.

[Olentzero]

You guys are the coolest. I got lots of notes now. Thanks!

One final question... how can I tell if it's really pitted or not?