Use a Drafting Architect Scale
Whether drawing or interpreting a drawing, the architect's scale is an indispensable tool in the world of architecture. The architect's scale allows you to know how big a scale model or blueprint will be once it gets built in the real world. It also saves a lot of time spent doing math in your head. Using an architect's scale takes some practice, but once you get the hang of it you'll understand why it is an essential drafting tool.
Instructions
1. Find the scale of your drawing. On the title block of your blueprint you will find the scale that the drawing is in. Make note of this as it will determine which face of the architect's scale you will be using to measure.
2. Locate the proper face of your architect's scale. Find the face of your drafting scale by looking at either end of each side. You will see fractions. This is the first part of the scale that your drawing is in. For example, if you wish to measure a drawing in 1/4" : 1' scale, you will want to use the surface of your scale which reads "1/4" at the end.
3. Begin at the side where the fraction is listed. Most architectural drafting scales use two scales for each face. They do this by having one start at one side of the scale and the other at the opposite end. Make sure that you begin measuring from the side where your scale fraction is listed.
4. Use the scale like a ruler. Starting at zero, measure the drawing. The number that shows when measuring the distance is the value of the measurement in feet.
5. Note the fractional measurements. If there is a line halfway between zero and two, it is a measurement of 1 foot. If there is a line halfway between zero and one, it is a measurement of 6 inches.
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