Fig. 211.
It is very nearly true, as has been said, that every mechanical drawing is, in the first instance, penciled; if this is so, then more work is done with the pencil than with the pen; therefore the first attention of the student of mechanical drawing should be directed to the following instructions for penciling a drawing.
With all necessary materials in hand, and in good order for the beginning of a drawing, the first thing to do is to pin the paper on the board quite square.
To do this effectively, lay the paper flat and put on the T-square with its head at the left side of the board; slide the square up nearly to the top, and arrange the paper level with the blade; with the right hand hold the paper still and move the square down a little; now, pin the top of the paper with thumb-tacks.
Next, pressing the square lightly to the paper, slide it down to the bottom and pin that part of the paper to the board. The paper must not project outside or over the edges of the board, and the pins or tack-heads should be forced down flush with the paper, so as not to interfere with the free movement of the tee-square up and down the board as occasion may require.
The accuracy of the work depending upon their condition, it is first needful to see that the pencil and pencil compasses are properly sharpened. Reference is made to valuable directions contained on pages beginning with 55, under the heading of “Free-hand Drawing,” to which may be added that—
All lines should be drawn with the pencil slightly inclined in the direction in which it is moved.
Any and all lines not needed in the finished drawing should be erased at one time after the final lines have been determined, for the surface of the paper is soiled very quickly when worked upon after erasures have been made.
The working lines and other lines that are to be removed should be erased when the drawing is ready to finish and before its outlines have been strengthened, in order that the final lines may be left in perfect condition.
To show where the lines meet or terminate it is needful that all pencil lines pass the actual ending place, making a distinct intersection. This does not apply to “inking in” the lines, but rather to prevent the over-drawing of the ink lines, because the edge of the rule and the pen itself obstruct or partly cover the view of the line, it is very liable to pass over or beyond the required point in inking the lines, which must not occur.