Henry Finch Posted June 20, 2008 Share Posted June 20, 2008 This is not really a Vectorworks issue but an architect issue. A new intern put the actual literal scale on details. ex. 1/4" = 1'-0". I had to explain to him that this is very bad practice and not recommended for at least the last 20 years. With the ease of printing out sheets at any size, (enlarged or reduced a little or a lot) the literal scale leads to countless major mistakes, especially when doing material takeoffs. A common problem is when a sheet is enlarged just a few percent. When you need to scale something off a drawing you would always have a scale or ruler. A graphic scale achieves this need in all cases. I can see no argument for ever using a literal scale. On one hand I'd like it if all possible references to literal scales were removed from the drawing label and on the other I like choice even when in this case using a literal scale is always wrong. Henry Quote Link to comment
rDesign Posted June 20, 2008 Share Posted June 20, 2008 It's my practice to put both the written scale (part of the Drawing Label PIO) and a Scale Bar PIO on all details and drawings. That way I'm covered if it's not printed to scale - which I never do. My experience has been that contractors on the jobsite always use their tape measures to scale off drawings and details, even though I cringe every time I see them do it. If the drawings didn't have a written scale - who knows what scale they would use. If I don't want a written scale on a detail, then I put 'Not To Scale'. Tim Quote Link to comment
Henry Finch Posted June 24, 2008 Author Share Posted June 24, 2008 Because contractors put their tapes on drawings is exactly the reason to have no written scale. Without a written scale the first item the tape goes to is the graphic scale. I've tested this many times. The written scale is no help and often the problem. Henry Quote Link to comment
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