Drafting Glossary

Drafting Chair and Drafting Stool
An adjustable, ergonomically designed seat created specifically for use at a drafting table. Drafting chairs and drafting stools can be distinguished from other ergonomic chairs by their longer cylinders and increased adjustability. Drafting chairs generally range in adjustable seating height from 24 to 36 inches. Most drafting chairs and drafting stools also feature a footring that can be raised or lowered with the seat height.

The primary distinctions between drafting chairs and drafting stools is that the seats of drafting chairs are square and those of drafting stools are round, and only drafting stools are ever without backs.

Drafting Machine
A mechanical device that employs a sliding track to enable the drawing of a straight edge at a constant angle on the surface of drafting table. The best drafting machines permit both vertical and horizontal movement.

Drafting Table and Drawing Table
Drafting tables or drawing tables are work tables with large, flat drawing surfaces. Unlike a drawing table, the surface of a drafting table can be adjusted in height or angle for the convenience of the draughtsman. The drafting table gets its name from its use by architects and engineers to draft plans.

The surface areas of modern drafting tables often feature a split top. The design of split top drafting tables combines an adjustable work surface with a small, flat and stationary surface for placing supplies. CPU compatible drafting tables use a larger split top design that allows a computer to be placed on the non-adjustable portion of the work surface.

Adjustable drafting tables can change surface angle or height via a manual device or electric motor.

Flat File
A flat file is a type of filing cabinet used to store artwork, blueprints, or drafting plans. Unlike standard filing cabinets, flat file cabinets feature very large and thin rectangular drawers to accommodate the paper sizes used on drafting tables or drawing tables.

Light Box and Light Table
Most drafting tables and drawing tables are lighted by an attached swing arm lamp, but light boxes and light tables actually house their own lighting source. The light source within the light table or light box shines upward through a translucent top, making it possible to examine photo negatives, artwork, or architectural and engineering plans without the interference of shadows. Light tables are otherwise similar in design to drafting tables, but light boxes are small and comparable in nature to desktop easels.