Blueprint Reading

Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. Reading Blueprints. T 0 be able to read a blueprint is as essential to' a workman's success as to be able to read printed mat W ter. To read blueprints readily, he must know some of the prin ciples of making drawings. These are explained to a considerable length and with close attention to detail in Mechanical Drawing, Parts I, II, and til-and these books Should be read mostcare fully. This is somewhat equivalent. To learning the alphabet in learning to read printed text. The workman should first under stand that a blueprint is a record of instructions given him to read. Second, he should realize that the language used by the draftsman In making his drawing IS largely a language Of lines and that, unless he knows how to read lines, the instructions recorded on the blueprint are essentially in a foreign language. (read care fully and memorize page 41, Mechanical Drawing, Part II.) To read a blueprint, the-first thing'is to study the several views until one has a_good mental picture of what he is to construct. AS the blueprint is a flat surface, it is necessary for the workman to use his imagination to 'make the lines and views lift up from the paper. When a clear-cut mental picture has been formed, the dimensions Should be studied until understood. N ext all the let tered text should be read and considered. Carelessness in any one of these three'respects is not tobe Nexcused.