If you couldn’t already tell by all of the back-to-school supplies taking over the store shelves these days, summer is almost over. What were your favorite memories of Summer 2024? – Backyard BBQ’s with family & friends – Lazy days by the pool – Building sandcastles on the beach (Did you know that today is National Sandcastle Day?)
If your favorite memory was a sandy beach day, then I sure hope you brought an Architect Scale Ruler to measure up your creation and see what its real-life size would be!
The average person doesn’t know how useful an architect scale ruler is to those in the electrical, HVAC, construction, and architect fields. There are a variety of shapes and sizes that are a daily lifesaver for people working in those fields. Here is one architect scale ruler that architects dream about (or so we’ve heard):
Suppose you own a business. Suppose your customers are architects, designers, contractors, builders, engineers, or real estate developers. Suppose you want to advertise your company to them, in a way that your name and phone number are visible to them every hour of the day. An architect scale ruler would be a very effective advertising tool for you! But which one?
Architect 6″ long with four bevel scales
Engineer 12″ long with four bevel scales
Architect 6″ long pocket scale
Hollow triangular architect 12″ scale
These scales are all good choices. Of course the 6″ one are very portable. They are for inspectors and estimators that are on the go. The 12″ ones would usually stay at the work station. Architects and engineers would need different scales, so that is something for you to consider. Ask a couple of your customers which ruler they would prefer. That would take the pressure off of you to make a difficult decision.
An architect scale ruler is used by architects, designers, planners, and draftsmen. If you are going to order some with your company logo, which ruler should you choose?
6 inches long, or 12 inches long? Will the person using it, be carrying it in their shirt pocket, or in their brief case, or on their desk?
Scales. A good architect scale ruler has at least 8 scales. Examples are (1/8, ¼), (½, 1), (3/8, 3/4), (3, 1½). These are listed in pairs, because they share the same edge, but are marked in opposite directions.
Color. It is good to choose a color that goes with your corporate colors.
Imprint color. The logo imprint color is usually the same color as the markings. So, you should choose a markings color that has a high contrast from the color of the ruler.
A good ruler is imprinted using a photo anodized method. This assures smooth edges, so you can use a pen or pencil to draw tick-free lines.
Aluminum is the best material, since it doesn’t warp.
If your architect ruler has all these characteristics, you have a good one.
The burning questions is “Why does it matter”. If you ask an architect, he or she will tell you that an architect scale ruler is vital to their daily business. They would not be able to function without these rulers.
Architect Scale Rulers at Work
What is an architect scale ruler? It is a special ruler that is marked in special scales that correspond to the scale of the drawing. If the drawing is done in 1″ = 1 foot, then each inch on the correct scale will represent one foot in the drawing. If the drawing is done in 1/4″ = 1 foot, then each quarter inch on the 1/4 scale corresponds to 1 foot in the drawing. On this particular scale, each 1/4 inch is marked 1,2,3,4,5,6 etc. So that the “4 marking number” is one inch from the zero mark. Simple, so far. But each of these rulers has several scales, so you don’t have to have multiple rulers in your pocket. Other scales can be 1/8, 1/16, 1/3, 3/16 and so forth. The trick of this business is to be able to choose the correct scale for each drawing you are working on. If you are reading a highway map which is drawn to 1/4″ = 1 mile, you would use the 1/4 scale. If you are with me up to this point, you could become an architect!
If you had all these materials to choose from, and needed to make an architect scale ruler, which would be the best choice?
wood. Too thick. The markings wouldn’t be close enough to the drawing. Also, printing fine delicate lines on wood is impossible. Warping and changing of length due to heat and humidity is a big factor to consider.
steel. It would rust in time. Stainless steel would be a better choice, but a little expensive.
plastic. Not durable enough for daily use. Plus, how would you put fine markings on it?
aluminum. The best choice, because it won’t rust, lasts forever, and you can print fine lines on it using Photo Anodizing.
Architects, designers, and planners use architect scale rulers in their work every day. Here are 3 ways that an architect scale ruler can help a homeowner like you, too.
Plan a new arrangement of furniture in your living room. Whether you just
Kitchen Design
moved in, or you just want to make a fresh arrangement of your furniture, you can start with a piece of paper and an architect scale ruler to see if your plan will actually fit the way you want it to fit.
Design a new kitchen in your home. The best way to start is to find a picture of a kitchen in a magazine, then see if the components will fit into your space. An architect ruler will let you make precise measurements in your drawings of different kitchen designs.
Design a garden in your back yard. If your space is limited, the architect ruler will help you to make the best of the space you have. You may discover that you don’t need to buy as many tomato plants, or pepper plants.
Most people don’t need an architect scale ruler, but for those who do need one, this is for
Architect At Work
you.
This ruler will make your job easier, so you can obtain measurements off the drawing without having to convert from the drawing’s actual measurements. You can use the 12″ size in the office. Or, you can take the 6″ pocket version with you into the field. For larger drawings, you can use the retractable pocket architect tape. This will work either in the field, or the office.
