Scale for Existing Drawing

[phas50]

Hell Guys its me again. I am drawing a schematic floor plan, there are no measurements. I know have to put it to scale, 1/8"=1'. I am using 11x17 paper. The problem I am having using the scale in cad is that when I set my vport to 1/8 to 1 or 1/4 to 1 the drawing is too small or too large in the vport. I am not getting it at all.

Heeeellllllppppppp

Peter Sam

[pendean]

In AutoCAD you always draft at 1:1 scale in modelspace. That's it. Nothing else.

So, do you have that? Is your drawn model at 1:1 scale?

[phas50]

I always draw at 1:1 scale in model space. In paper space I need to have it at 1/4" to 1'. Am I missing something? 

[pendean]

Excellent: next question, use DIST command measure the longest distance of your 1:1 drawing in modelspace then divide that number by 48. Is the result under 17"? Don't forget to convert feet to inches if you are using Architectural units.

If yes, it's under 17", Then it should fit on an 11x17 at 1/4" if you have the correct orientation or paper and your viewport is correctly set to 1/4" scale.

If not, you need to use a smaller scale or a larger sheet of paper.

BTW, for 1/8" scale viewports, you divide the longest distance measured of your model by 96.

[phas50]

It is not working. The problem is that at 1/8" to 1' it is too big for my vport and at 1/16" to 1' it is too small. In my page set up manager my paper size is set to 11x17 and the plot is extents. I bring in a title block and in plot scale I set it to "fit to paper". I am trying to see what paper size would work but that is like going through all.

[pendean]

If you are going to plot "fit to paper" then what's the point of worrying about a scale? that is not a scale. PLOT pop-up scale always is 1:1 if you want to use viewports to scale your modelspace drawing.

Sounds like you are trying to fight something you cannot win: you need a larger or smaller paper size, or an odd scale for the viewport in between the two you tested like 3/32".

[Anonymous]

What are the dimensions of your floor plan?

On my 11 x 17 template, with the view port scale set to 1/4"=1'-0" (1/48xp), the maximum length that will fit with dimensions is 56'.  1/8"=1'-0" will allow double that length at 112'.  3/16"=1'-0" allows about 75' w/ dimensions to be displayed within the borders.

Hope that helps.

Lowell McCormick

[phas50]

My dimensions are 97'x 97'. I am willing to try anything.  Thank you.

[pendean]

Post your DWG file: there is something getting missed in these back and forth discussions so far.

[Anonymous]

Then the vertical dimension of 97' is what's going to determine your scale.  As Dean has suggested, use 3/32"=1'-0" (1/128xp).  A 97' x 97' footprint will fit inside the border of an 11 x 17 sheet.  Barely.  You'll have to be creative with dims, annotation and title.  Otherwise, it's 1/16"=1'-0" and if needed, larger scale details of each room.  Or get a plotter, draw at double the size & scale for field and shop use and print to fit on 11 x 17 for office use.

Lowell McCormick

[phas50]

Sorry for my late response Guys, I am experimenting with different paper sizes. I am hoping to find a formula that can be worked with. Eg, for every paper size you will be able to work out how large your dwg should be and where it would fit. I will share what I have in due course. There should be no guess work with this issue.

[Anonymous]

Don't try to reinvent the wheel.  Find out what others who draw the same thing do.

I have templates set up for 2 sizes that I use.  22 x 34 for state hwy projects.  I use 1/8" text ht.  When printed to 11 x 17, it scales down 50% and works great.  The borders are even and the text readable.  For architectural projects, I use a 24 x 36 template.  When this is printed to 11 x 17, since the aspect ration is different, there is more space above the top border than when it's plotted on the plotter.  It works for office use but the text is small.  I have an 11 x 17 and an 8 1/2 x 11 template but rarely use them.

Hope this helps,

Lowell McCormick

Lowell's Drafting Service, LLC

[phas50]

I will try it. I am not reinventing the wheel, the wheel hit me in the head. 

[phas50]

Happy Monday CadHavers,

This is the dwg I was having problems with. I managed to get it to scale at 3/32" = 1'. I wanted 1/4"= 1' or 1/8. Take a look and let me know what I am missing. 

Peter

[pendean]

First you need to fix your pagesetup/PLOT command settings:

It needs to be this large for 1/8" to fit on an 11x17:

And this big to fit at 1/4"

[phas50]

I have a tblock and view port, ????????? how big in terms of inches, I get the page set up part but the rest I am lost. Anyway thanks for the help, I have to figure this out, even if it takes 25 years. 

[pendean]

I removed your titleblock so you can better understand the visuals of the 1/8" and 1/4" viewports on an 11x17 page. The viewport is still there, just enlarged to encompass the view it's looking at.

Your plan is just too big for 11x17 at either of the two scales you want, 1/4" or 1/8". There is not much else to think about Peter: no fancy calculations are involved, it is a fact, a reality.

Like the famous quote says: "if it doesn't fit you must..." change paper size or the viewport scale to make it fit.

[phas50]

Thank you Pendean, I got it to fit on the 11x17 at 3/32. I brought it in without the tblock then constructed the tblock around it. All is well now, then out of that came tblocks of varying sizes which I will use onward. I will post it for you guys to see and comment.

[pendean]

Looking good!