I still can't find all of my drafting pens/pencils, but I can still show off some neat tools! These are slightly larger than a credit card, but they eliminate big headaches.
Lettering Guide
The Ames Lettering Guide has a row of holes 1/8" apart on the left side. These are used with a hard lead or blue lead to create guidelines for proper lettering. 1/8" is the standard height for letters in the US, and a proper draftsman uses precise lettering of even height and consistent shape so any drafter can work on a plan with no visible difference. Working drawings call for precision and clarity, not artistic individual handwriting.
The dial in the middle allows adjustment to different lettering sizes, including metric standards, and can create line spacing with a half-height allowance between rows of text.
Whichever method you use, just repeatedly slide the guide along a straightedge with a pencil to create however many lines you need.
I have never used the check mark template.
Erasing Shield
Sometimes mistakes happen. Sometimes a document needs to be revised. Sometimes construction lines need to be removed. Whatever the case, something needs to be erased, but very carefully, so surrounding work is undamaged.
This thin bit of tin is designed to facilitate that. The various slots, curves, and holes allow targeted erasure with either a standard rubber block or an electric rotary eraser, depending on how fancy your drafting setup might be.
Pro tip: the wide slot is usually 1/8" high, so a quick note doesn't require breaking out the lettering guide!
Conclusion
That's all for today's drafting tool overview, but feel free to check out the longer posts about my compass and dividers or my scales. Chime in with your own experiences in technical drawing, and share your creative uses for your tools!
