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Tried a lighter touch with my scale and got a better surface finish
I've been drafting for about 12 years now, mostly doing architectural drawings for a small firm here in Portland. Last week I was working on a detail for a custom stair railing and decided to try using a lighter hand with my architectural scale. I usually press hard to get crisp lines, but this time I let the pencil do the work. The result was way cleaner, no dented paper, and erasing was a breeze. Has anyone else found that adjusting your pressure changes how your final prints come out?
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theabennett5mo ago
Honestly, that "lighter touch" thing makes total sense. It's like how when you try to force a conversation with a customer at the bar, it comes off awkward, but if you just chill and let it flow, people open up way more. Same basic idea, you're letting the tool do its job instead of muscling it. Ngl, I think that applies to a lot of skills, we just overcompensate by trying harder instead of smarter.
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kelly315mo ago
Not sure if it's that deep. A fencing post hole digger isn't some precision tool where you need a light touch, you just gotta get the damn thing in the ground. But I guess if we're talking about something like a table saw or a lathe, sure, forcing it will get you hurt. @theabennett the bar analogy works for customer service, but for most manual labor just brute force and repetition gets the job done.
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noahw534mo ago
Ran across a similar idea in a drafting forum a while back. Someone was saying the lighter pressure also makes your lines more consistent across long stretches. Been trying it on my site plans and the difference is pretty noticeable.
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