Has anyone come up with a down and dirty way of revising old ink on mylar. We have tons of them and once in a while someone will want an update. Ink pens dry out, can't get them going, by a new point, use it..then two months later that one wont work...any new ideas on this? Any way of scanning drawing and working on the drawing in autocad?
Open for suggestions.
Scanners are not to expensive these days, if you can't justify one there is probably someone around you that can scan them and give you a PDF as a start. Pens are not really a problem, empty them then clean them well in a pen cleaner and put them away until they are again needed, even if years, they will be fine, just don't fill them with old ink, get fresh. Have two sets here that get used once in a while then cleaned in an ultrasonic cleaner.
jud
For small areas, I used to erase the error with an electric eraser (which worked pretty well). Then I would make the correction in the cad drawing and plot that area onto a piece of clear sticky-back film. Then I could just cut out the correction with scissors, remove the backing, and stick it to the mylar. The planning departments in my area would accept them this way. If done carefully they would come out pretty good.
The Pilot Precise pens are a great replacement for the Koh-I-Noor's Rapidograph Technical Pens of the past.
I have several that have been using for many years to edit old and new prints.
B-)
> Any way of scanning drawing and working on the drawing in autocad?
>
> Open for suggestions.
Look into Autocad Raster Design.
They are pushing "free" upgrades on people that have Map 3D and Civil 3D on subscription.
The upgrade includes Raster Design. The only cost is a higher annual subscription cost.
You should use a vinyl eraser on mylar, moisten the eraser tip a little, I use the tip of my tongue, and use an eraser shield being careful not to remove the mat on the mylar. A good pounce rub will allow new ink application. B-)
Check with your local Reproduction/Blue Print store. I help the owner of one here about 10 years ago set up scanner software that would scan drawings into a DWG file. It worked great for editing and even made lines into lines not dots, but they would all measure slightly wrong. Cannot remember the name of the program. If you cannot find out more, let me know and I will shoot my guy an email.
Scott
Have a reproduction shop make a good camera mylar with the emulsion on the back, not the matte side. Using water and a blunt letter opener or anything similar, wet and scrape off what you need to remove. Ink the changes on the face, matte side, using the old standby drafting pens. Did this a lot back in the old days.
To remove the old ink, use Formula 409, but get some experience using it before you put it on the drawing. It is best not to spray it directly on a drawing because any splatter will melt away any ink it comes in contact with. Best to spray a small puddle off the drawing and dip a vinyl eraser pencil tip in it to use. Also, if you use too much on the eraser and try to use an eraser shield to remove a line, it can very easily wick up under the eraser shield and ruin the ink you are trying to protect. I have wet a small portion of a paper towel with 409 and used that to completely wipe away a full paragraph of certification from a drawing and could not tell where it had been. But, get some experience using it before you try it on a drawing!
There is always the hand. I have done hundreds of hand drawn plans, and would not hesitate to make an alteration by hand. If there is a note, in the same hand, identifying the draftsman, then this is more valuable than a computer plotted phrase. I have some surveyor-friends, some gone, whose writing I would greatly appreciate. Just my opinion.
> The Pilot Precise pens are a great replacement for the Koh-I-Noor's Rapidograph Technical Pens of the past.
You might try these Staedtler pens as well.