Where can I get old engineering drawings? 1

[JakeAdkins]

I really like the old engineering drawings done by hand. I would guess that there are very few practicing engineers that could produce one anymore. It is a shame that it is a dead (or dying) art.

Has anyone come across any websites or other resources that have interesting old engineering drawings?

 

[ctopher]

Is this for school?
I don't know if anyone can give out drawings.
Try a Google search.

It's not a dying art.

Chris
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[dgowans]

I haven't looked at all the old drawings that were posted in thread769-216743, but you may find something you like there.

 

[JakeAdkins]

No this isn't for school. I think of the good ones as almost art.

I have already tried Google, I have been able to find some.

I don't know anyone under 30 that has even had a course in mechanical drawing (by hand) in engineering school. It is all using CAD now. I have never met someone that still does hand drawings.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Try asking some old engineers.

 

[monkeydog]

Jake,

Damn glad to meet you.

Now you have met someone (that admits to being old).

I am sure others will chime in now.

 

[ShaggyPE]

Google has an awesome patent search. Though not engineering drawings per se, they are neat none-the-less. You may be interested in them. I have also seen many reprints of vintage blueprints on ebay.

-Dustin
Professional Engineer
Certified SolidWorks Professional
Certified COSMOSWorks Designer Specialist
Certified SolidWorks Advanced Sheet Metal Specialist

 

[MechEng2005]

Under 30 and had a course in mechanical drafting (by hand) in college. It also included CAD, but the focus was on drafting by hand. All tests were using hand drafting, and the homework was split about 50-50 between hand drafting and CAD.

I would agree that it is less common though. The only hand drafting I have done since school was for field rework. The parts were simple. However, it was certainly of immense value to be able to make a readable sketch. Nothing I would call art though... However, I don't think drafting by hand will ever die for this reason (field work). Maybe when we all get watches that function as a laptop, or are human brains surviving in robotic bodies (assuming the robotic body supplies CAD software of course)...

Sorry for the deviation from the OP of where to find old drawings. I think most well-drawn old engineering drawings would be in the hands of engineering firms. Maybe call some older firms and see what you can arrange.

-- MechEng2005

 

[europipe]

I'm back in the 70's again.
My new workplace has no computer for me, so I'm draftng by hand again,
and I like it very much.

Try it Yourself instead of asking for other man's drawings.
I'm sure You like it.

Greetings.

 

[SincoTC]

I don't know where you are located, but I would contact the archive departments of engineering type museums. Most of the drawings they hold are in the public domain and copies are available. Search for "general arrangement drawings" first, a lot of city archives hold drawings from major manufacturers once in their area, jet engines from the fifties etc.
Nearly all steam railway engines anywhere in the world predate CAD and most are pre-mid twentieth century and beautifully drawn.

Happy hunting

Trevor Clarke. (R & D) Scientific Instruments.Somerset. UK

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[ctopher]

The only hand drawings I see anymore is for revising of older drawings that are maintained by gov't, military, DOD, etc agencies per contract.

Chris
SolidWorks/PDMWorks 08 3.1
AutoCAD 08
ctopher's home (updated Aug 5, 2008)
ctopher's blog
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[DesignerGuy16]

I resent that! =D

I'm only 26, and I learned drafting on a board, and have taken classes like descriptive geometry.

I couldn't do half of the 3D modeling as efficiently if I hadn't taken them and experienced them.

James Spisich
Design Engineer, CSWP

 

[JakeAdkins]

MechEng2005 & Jspisich that is really cool that you were able to get drawing classes like that, but I have the feeling that you are the exception not the rule. If you are the rule, then I was cheated, I wish I would have had the chance. I jumped right into 3D.

I don't have the time to do my drawings by hand. 3D software speeds thing up so much, and (when used properly)is a much wiser choice. Only problem is it has sucked some of the art out of mechanical design.

 

[unclesyd]

I'll echo monkeydog's post and for Jspisich I made an A in descriptive geometry along with a 100 on the final exam.
If you could get some of the older engineering text books you can see some very fine engineering drawings in foldouts.

You might get some of the older companies that have their drawings on Microfiche to print you out a couple. Also a lot of companies have their paper and linen drawings scanned into a database which makes them quite easy to copy.

As mentioned by Jspisich locomotive drawings are works of art. I would check with a model railway club near you or check one of their magazines for the availability of full size prints.

 

[MiketheEngineer]

You might get copies of some old drawings from your local public works department....Some keep them for years...

 

[RossABQ]

Google or Ask will pull up Ford's drawings for the early flathead V8's, some never-produced strange 4-cyl's, the chassis, and all sorts of other drawings. They can be plotted 30x42 and still look excellent. I have several hanging on my garage wall.

 

[BillBirch]

In the design classes at my old engineering school (RMIT) we were shown their beautiful old lined drawings of locomatives, drawn - as i recall - at 1/10 scale. These were rolled up like a carpet for storage!

 

[insideman]

I have two large flat files full of drawings that I have done over the years plus stuff done by others and scrapbooks full of aircraft drawings plus boxes full of aircraft drawings I never got around to filing. What am I offered?

 

[swearingen]

Will a 6-pack of your favorite brew do?


If you "heard" it on the internet, it's guilty until proven innocent. - DCS

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[rcooper]

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=...ical+intitle:draughtsman&lr=&as_brr=0#PPP1,M1

Try this googlebook and doing other searches on googlebook