by rtwpsom2 » Wed Oct 28, 2009 9:13 pm
My best tip for scaling is to get AutoCAD or AutoCAD lite and insert the scanned image into model space there. You have to play around with the size and rotation of the image a little but once you figure out how to do it, it is easily repeatable. You can then scale a layout page to whatever scale you like. Then you can flip the drawing by just changing the layout view to a back view. Once you get it all set up, take the drawings on a flash drive to Kinkos and have them print them for you, unless you are like me and happen to have a plotter lying around. You don't even need to print them unless you just have no clue how to use AutoCAD and don't care to learn.
As for distortion, that is pretty common in scanned drawings, you have to account for it by using both global and local dimensions. Set up a centerline or baseline and try to keep overall dimensions consistent with the baseline. On the long axis, make a few marks at known dimensions and measure off of them. For details, though make sure and get a local dimension. If you are looking at a top view and the centerline is not perfectly straight, measure from the drawn centerline for local dimensions only. This is another good thing AutoCAD is good for, it can give you very accurate dimensions and a high degree of repeatability snce you marks never go away unless you delete them. Don't delete them by the way.
My best tip for scaling is to get AutoCAD or AutoCAD lite and insert the scanned image into model space there. You have to play around with the size and rotation of the image a little but once you figure out how to do it, it is easily repeatable. You can then scale a layout page to whatever scale you like. Then you can flip the drawing by just changing the layout view to a back view. Once you get it all set up, take the drawings on a flash drive to Kinkos and have them print them for you, unless you are like me and happen to have a plotter lying around. You don't even need to print them unless you just have no clue how to use AutoCAD and don't care to learn.
As for distortion, that is pretty common in scanned drawings, you have to account for it by using both global and local dimensions. Set up a centerline or baseline and try to keep overall dimensions consistent with the baseline. On the long axis, make a few marks at known dimensions and measure off of them. For details, though make sure and get a local dimension. If you are looking at a top view and the centerline is not perfectly straight, measure from the drawn centerline for local dimensions only. This is another good thing AutoCAD is good for, it can give you very accurate dimensions and a high degree of repeatability snce you marks never go away unless you delete them. Don't delete them by the way.