Do you use Eng Paper 2

[skeletron]

Do you use:
a) Engineering Computation Paper (graph paper with letterhead, contact info, slightly heavier stock)
b) Blank grid paper or blank computation paper (simple stationary)
c) Electronic only, or scanned paper on pdf templates only

 

[dik]

Toner is pricey...

So strange to see the singularity approaching while the entire planet is rapidly turning into a hellscape. -John Coates

-Dik

 

[XR250]

I use the back of scrap paper from printouts, old invoices etc. and they all get scanned back in. I don't bother with a grid.
No one sees my calc's but me.

 

[IRstuff]

The end-all was the green engineering pads; precise and easily recognizable as something only an engineer would use. I bought a few pads after graduating, but haven't used or seen anyone use them any more.

Seems to be moot in the days of Mathcad or SMath, since the grid was really for your own use, and to "show" anyone who saw your work that you were a serious engineer.

TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKorP55Aqvg

faq731-376 forum1529 Entire Forum list

http://www.eng-tips.com/forumlist.cfm

 

[JedClampett]

I would use a print shop, not print them on a copier. Copier paper is made cheap, and the heat of running through the printer makes it more brittle.
If we're talking about vintage calculation pads, I have both ends of the spectrum.
[ul]
[li]First company I worked at used to use the backs of markup drawings, cut into 8 1/2 x 11 pieces, plus a little rubber stamp on them with the project number, page number, title. They didn't do it by the time I started, but sometimes I would be looking through some historic calculations and see this. Cheap![/li]
[li]Where I work now, used to use vellum paper with an 1/8-inch grid. Vellum paper is very expensive, but super high quality. Of course, they don't anymore.[/li]
[/ul]

 

[SwinnyGG]

Give me Rhodia dotpads or give me death

 

[kipfoot]

For reference, I asked a print shop to price options to print custom hole-punched calculation sheets, on 8 1/2 x 11, with half bound into pads and half loose. (I'm in a small city eastern U.S.)

2000 sheets in color: 475 USD (that's 20 pads and 1000 loose sheets)
2000 sheets grayscale: $225
1000 sheets grayscale $125

I had pads made years ago, when I had an employee, and I like having a pad for sketching at a site, but it doesn't seem worth it to me now.

 

[TigerGuy]

Love my Eng paper, I use it for taking notes in meetings as well as hand calcs. I am entertained when youngsters (recent graduates) see me using it and ask about it. But, they don't know what a French curve or slide rule are either.

 

[wrantler]

I sketch up any FBD's or whatever sketches in autocad and copy/paste into my excel sheet. It is way faster and much neater than me trying to be pretty hand sketching and scanning on a paper pad.

 

[dik]

Windows 'snapshot' works really well, too.

-----*****-----
So strange to see the singularity approaching while the entire planet is rapidly turning into a hellscape. -John Coates

-Dik

 

[StrucPatholgst]

For note taking and sketching I use - exclusively - an iPad Pro 12.9, with the Notability app. Notability has engineering paper as a template, in three colors: sepia yellow, light green, and white.

I can do a quick sketch, then either screen capture a close up or print the whole page as a pdf, and then either drop the captured sketch into a report or print the whole page from the iPad, either way in under a minute if I'm at my desk. I also have a bunch of standardized sketches and hand calculations saved, and a Brother travel thermal printer, so I can work something up right in the field, print it, sign it, and seal it.

I also have AutoCad on my iPad.

 

[SDMAX]

very interesting thread.

I have not used company calculation pads for over two decades now, as the trend in my industry (energy) has been towards digital calculations or documents that can be stored, signed and transmitted electronically.

I carry around an A4 lined or squared notepad for capturing general thoughts or doodles, but any official calculations would be on Mathcad, excel or other software which would have the company logo, project number etc and author in the header. These would then be printed to PDF and electronically signed.

This way you have the controlled (signed) calculation but also a master copy that can be modified for use on other jobs.

 

[skeletron]

Yes. Agreed. Thanks to everyone that continues to input in this thread. Some good ideas to incorporate in my workflow.