I do like the old cartographers maps like below.

http://www.motco.com/map/81002/SeriesSearchPlatesFulla.asp?mode=query&title=Stangate&artist=384&other=386&x=11&y=11

I wonder how they reproduced these maps in ye olden times befor blueprinting and inkjets and pdfs.
Did they start out with just reproducing a lot of them by hand, then did they start making an etching and using that as a inked type letter.
What’s the history of large size printing?

The old cartographers officers were very open affairs with all the natural light they could get even up till the time I did my cadetship, the building I worked in had all available wall space dedicated to windows, everything was done by hand, there were 40 draughtsmen there, today that work would be done by four or five on the puter.

There’s been a series on that very subject on ABC TV. Caught bits of it.

The drafting room at the old Coffey office in Brunswick Street was the top floor with lots of windows. And great big oregon beams in the roof. Wonder what happens up there now.

>>There’s been a series on that very subject on ABC TV. Caught bits of it.

Thanks Geoff, haven’t seen it but I’ll keep an eye out for it.

the black was usually from an etched plate and the colours hand done. some famous artists were involved in some high quality maps. the ABC series was good. maybe it is on youtube somewhere.

one of my first jobs was in a drafting office, used to love the boards and tools they used to draw… and how upset they’d get if you touhed their fineline .05 lol

now all the drafties are contracting from the comfort of their own home computers.

.

This is the one I was thinking of

!http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00s2w83

>>This is the one I was thinking of

!http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00s2w83

Aint seen that one, I’ll put it on my shopping list, thanks.

The last bit I saw was about the 24 volume atlas of Holland. Wow! Printed, then hand coloured. As detailed as plans of some of the grand houses of the day.

The BBC go a bit funny when you try and play any of their clips from outside the UK.

http://www.google.com.au/search?q=the+beauty+of+maps&num=20&hl=en&lr=&newwindow=1&safe=off&prmd=imvnsfd&source=lnms&tbm=vid&ei=_WdqT9yUJM2ViAeX_MzvBQ&sa=X&oi=mode_link&ct=mode&cd=4&ved=0CBAQ_AUoAw&biw=957&bih=683

You bastard Boris, there goes my day.
The Hereford Map of Munday hey, I’ll pencil that in nfor next time I’m in blighty.

Ah, thanks for reminding me :) I had a middle of the night idea for maps, personal maps. Shh…don’t tell anyone :P

>>>>You bastard Boris, there goes my day.

sorry.

;-)

Peak Warming Man said:

The BBC go a bit funny when you try and play any of their clips from outside the UK.

not if you go in the back door.

Draughting for aircraft manufacture used to be called lofting, because it was done full size, up in the loft on the floor. The draughtsmen used to crawl around on the drawings on their hands and knees with felt bootees and knee pads, so as not to damage the drawing, which I think was done on linen.

The family boat house in Sandgate had an attic lofting floor. Wonderful open airy place with very smooth, tightly fitted floorboards (that were getting to be full of borer when I were lad>

bob(from black rock) said:

Draughting for aircraft manufacture used to be called lofting, because it was done full size, up in the loft on the floor. The draughtsmen used to crawl around on the drawings on their hands and knees with felt bootees and knee pads, so as not to damage the drawing, which I think was done on linen.

Interesting. That must the the origin of the ‘lofting’ function in 3D drawing, where you create a shape that fits a set of pre-defined 2D profiles drawn on a set of planes.

That must the the origin of the ‘lofting’ function in 3D drawing, where you create a shape that fits a set of pre-defined 2D profiles drawn on a set of planes. bq.

Exactly. It also works the other way in boatbuilding, where you can use the lofting floor to take a set of two dimensional lines from the three dimensional object (boat).

A good intro to boat lofting
http://www.dixdesign.com/lofting1.htm

Geoff D said:

bq. That must the the origin of the ‘lofting’ function in 3D drawing, where you create a shape that fits a set of pre-defined 2D profiles drawn on a set of planes. bq.

Exactly. It also works the other way in boatbuilding, where you can use the lofting floor to take a set of two dimensional lines from the three dimensional object (boat).

I have just purchased 3d carving software for my cnc router. I have been wondering what to make first. Perhaps a model boat hull might be a good starting point.

morrie said:

Geoff D said:

bq. That must the the origin of the ‘lofting’ function in 3D drawing, where you create a shape that fits a set of pre-defined 2D profiles drawn on a set of planes. bq.

Exactly. It also works the other way in boatbuilding, where you can use the lofting floor to take a set of two dimensional lines from the three dimensional object (boat).

I have just purchased 3d carving software for my cnc router. I have been wondering what to make first. Perhaps a model boat hull might be a good starting point.

how much was your router? i have seen prices for good ones starting from around 8000

as i understand it a good router has tiny step increments and good control software, this is what makes them expensive, the thing i have seen is a laser router though

Sounds like a great way to make half models, morrie.

bob(from black rock) said:

Draughting for aircraft manufacture used to be called lofting, because it was done full size, up in the loft on the floor. The draughtsmen used to crawl around on the drawings on their hands and knees with felt bootees and knee pads, so as not to damage the drawing, which I think was done on linen.

Same thing by British Naval designers the war ships were done in 1/8th scale (prepared to be corrected) but none the less, to scale and to size which made for some big drawings.

wookiemeister said:

morrie said:

Geoff D said:

bq. That must the the origin of the ‘lofting’ function in 3D drawing, where you create a shape that fits a set of pre-defined 2D profiles drawn on a set of planes. bq.

Exactly. It also works the other way in boatbuilding, where you can use the lofting floor to take a set of two dimensional lines from the three dimensional object (boat).

I have just purchased 3d carving software for my cnc router. I have been wondering what to make first. Perhaps a model boat hull might be a good starting point.

how much was your router? i have seen prices for good ones starting from around 8000

as i understand it a good router has tiny step increments and good control software, this is what makes them expensive, the thing i have seen is a laser router though

Mine was around $6000 with software. It is really aimed at the hobby market. In my opinion it was grossly overpriced. It has taken a lot of effort to get it working reliably. On the other hand, it has easily paid for itself in the application I use it for.

If I was going to go upscale I would expect to pay perhaps $80k for something reasonable. That would include a full dust system.

I had never heard the term “lofting” before, but yesterday a young man who fixed ALF (fibreglass job) spoke of it and really got going talking about his trade .. he is a shipwright of the old school … it made me wish he and geoff d could get together.

he was terribly sad about having seen his old place down at the wharf area bought by developers and bulldozed, with nothing saved .. and now the developers have run out of money (Port Adelaide) and it’s just a derelict open space (he says) .

All those displaced workers’ skills are now spread out in lots of places , which is OK but they aren’t able to building on them together, each doing their best but not i a place where they can REALLY keep up with developments in the same collegiate way.

I am glad he is where he is now, for my sake, or I’d never have found him or the youbeaut mending job I needed done.

(He was telling me about all the drawing he had saved … old pencil hand drawn ones that he grabbed at the last minute because no-one els had thought of them or had time or was interested … :(

All he can think of is to save them until he can find out where they should go “to honour the old guys”.

Geoff d you might have some ideas?

jj, do you have a maritime museum in SA? Those guys love stuff like that. (So do I, for that matter.) Was talking to an old bloke who once owned the drawings for my great uncle’s favourite sailing boat. He threw them out! I was grumpy about that.

Yes you do have a maritime museum, at Port Adelaide

http://www.history.sa.gov.au/maritime/maritime.htm

More specifically
http://www.history.sa.gov.au/maritime/donations.htm

Thanks Geoff D.
Now Ijust have to work out where Trevor’s Hydro drawings of the big dams should go.
I’m tempted to offer them to Bob Brown (and I know what you will think of that buthey :))

I guess sarahsmum would know local things like that.