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

 

[CWB1]

I keep a mini notebook available for sketching and random notes in case the magical electrons stop flowing temporarily, but 99% of the time I prefer the electrons.

 

[Ron]

I use calc pads with grid and pre-printed with my company name and logo

 

[dik]

I worked for Lavalin for about a decade, they gave me two company logo pads when I started... one of them I gave to a Russian engineer and when I left, the second pad was nearly complete... I'm not very careful organised with my calculations and I waste a lot of space... I used 1/4" quadrule pads for nearly all my work. At the end of the project, I would scan my calcs on the photocopier, file the *.pdf and scrap the paper.

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

-Dik

 

[phamENG]

I bought a pair of spiral bound notebooks.

One is a computation pad I use for doing hand calcs and making design notes. I also reference file paths for digital calcs.

The other is more of a sketch pad with a grid of dots. I use that for my field work. Sketches and field notes all in one place.

I tried going all digital. Didn't work. At least not yet.

 

[EngrPaper]

My time has come at last.

For stuff that's getting saved, A. For stuff that I'm just scratching something out or drawing, usually a vendor form of A. Lots of free isometric paper from vendors is a helpful byproduct of lunch and learns.

Most important thing when considering the paper is the pairing of the paper with your writing instrument. Get a good combo of proper weight paper, gridded or lined how you want, with a pen that doesn't bleed or feather, and you're good to go.

 

[skeletron]

I'm using Type (B) currently. Really affordable pads of 1/4" grid paper, no logo. The issue is that I can't use my ADF scanner because the paper is too light. I end up scanning in 2-sheets on the glass to 11x17. It's kind of nice, but also a bit of inefficiency here.

When working for companies, I was always using their printed pads. Good quality stock, etc. But I just think it's a novelty expense for a one-man show. They definitely would go through the ADF, though. I like the formality of it but I'm not sure it's necessary in my case. Like Dik, I eat up a lot of paper if I let my brain run free while solving the problems.

What I have stopped doing is scanning in single sheets, resizing and plunking into a digital letterhead. I feel like that is eating too much time unnecessarily.

Good to hear some feedback.

 

[Ingenuity]

I made my own 8-1/2" x 11" custom calc pads.

Used WORD to create the document with 1/4" square grids and perimeter border with compony logo and title area at top, like the typical consulting engineering calc pad.

Printed them on a laser printer (50 or 100 pages) ans used two temporary alum flat bars and small G-clsmps to sandwich the paper and used Elmer's glue to the top of the sheets. Waited for it to dry and applied a second coat.

Works great.

Also then also created a half-size pad for site notes when a Letter-size pad is sometimes too large.

 

[dik]

Ya... I often 'think on paper'.

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

-Dik

 

[Brad805]

We drew up a sheet in CAD. We send the .pdf file to our printer and they make them up in batches in whatever paper you want.

 

[271828]

Grid paper with company name, my name, etc. I created it in excel and print as needed. That way I can copy in a sketch or other info.

 

[kipfoot]

I use a pdf driver (pdf Factory pro) to print calculation sheets with my logo on standard 20 lb copy paper. I created the calculation sheet letterhead with a graphics program.

I typically have some sort of sketch on a calculation. I can print, for example, an architectural building section to the pdf driver, slap the calc sheet letterhead on there, add text for the job and date, print it, then add my own calculations and notes. I also feed output from analysis programs to the driver and print a hardcopy with the calc sheet letterhead.

I print blank calculation sheets also, of course, with grid lines or without.

With the same printer driver I add my usual letterhead to letters and reports and professional seal to drawings.

 

[phamENG]

For everyone who prints their own, have you tracked the cost? Seems to me I could have a printer in China run half a shipping container full for me and send it here for half the cost of the ink to print 500 pages.

 

[JedClampett]

I use A with a 1/4 inch grid. That way I can use an architects scale for sketches.
I'm not sure paper is the place to economize. Cheap paper can be aged by pollution, UV and other environmental impacts. And you don't want calculations crumbling in your hands when you need them.
There was an engineer (he probably seemed very advanced) here in the 1970's and 1980's who printed off his little HP calculator on thermal paper. He would dutifully tape the strips of paper to calculation sheets. On rare occasions I need to use these, if I can find the calculations in cold storage, I'm ecstatic. Until I open the volume and find all those blank (the print has faded to blank) slips of paper that have loosened because the tape gave up.

 

[dik]

Rather than printing sheets, isn't it a lot cheaper to buy pads... even maybe a couple of dozen at a time? I don't know how small an order you can place. I just use quadrule pads... they're cheap, but not fancy.

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

-Dik

 

[dik]

It would be neat to have a scanner that automatically added a 'title block' to a scanned image. You could leave the top or top right or left clear and it would automatically insert a title.

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

-Dik

 

[kipfoot]

I find that I print very few blank sheet with my calcsheet letterhead. Usually there's some other graphic or computer output that I'm printing anyway and want it to be on the calcsheet. I think it's a low added cost. (and I don't have the space for 1/2 shipping container of calc pads)

At previous firms, I've used the preprinted calc pads from NEBS. On my own, I've had a local print shop create pads for me. They'll do runs with 1000 sheets, 2000 sheets, or whatever, but then I'd have to tear off sheets and feed them into the printer. I could probably have kinko's print loose sheets for $25/ream.

I'm using a printer with two trays, so it would be handy to have unbound, pre printed calc sheets in tray 2. But I also like to have 11x17 in that tray, so it presents a very low stakes value decision.

 

[kipfoot]

It would be neat to have a scanner that automatically added a 'title block' to a scanned image.

That's essentially what the pdf printer driver does. I use it a lot for sketches: draw, scan, apply title block, send

 

[dik]

I often use <Win><Shift><S> to cut and past images into *.pdf documents... works like a charm as well as adding this shots to SMath programs. I can cut and paste code formulae into an SMath file and then use the variables in the SMath program (It doesn't execute the formulae; you have to enter them).

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

-Dik

 

[271828]

For everyone who prints their own, have you tracked the cost? Seems to me I could have a printer in China run half a shipping container full for me and send it here for half the cost of the ink to print 500 pages.

I haven't, but it can't be much. I'm printing from Excel onto regular copy paper. I used to purchase the calc pads a box at a time, but stopped about ten years ago. As I recall, it wasn't very expensive, but it wasn't super cheap.

I get other benefits anyway.

Often I'll copy a figure from the drawings into Excel before printing. I'll typically type the project name, project number, etc. also to keep from writing them repeatedly. I have two or three versions of the spreadsheet for different purposes, printing them as needed.

One more, and I realize I'm VERY weird for this. LOL. I dislike writing on paper with other paper below, because I have to push down harder with the pencil. Also, the graphite is pushed into a groove in the paper and it's harder to erase. When I used calc pads, I would typically rip off a sheet and put it directly onto the table, so having the calc pads was a disadvantage for me.