What's a drawing set?

I'm a colored pencil artist and I don't have a clue what you mean.

What immediately popped into my head was an India Ink Drafting Set.

I guess it depends on if you are buying it for your own pleasure or as an investment,

I do a bit for both.... so I may want to re- sell them one day.

Any sugestions?

BUT....what is it you have? What is a drawing set?>.pencils? chalk...both? brushes? easel too? wooden box to keep it in? assorted rag papers? stencils?

Is compasses drawing set. The mechanical devices that used to make circles and arces on the old paper drawings....

Drafting set?

Yes correct

In a drafting set, some pieces may be replaceable if you do not insist on matching the brand name, whereas some pieces are near impossible to find. What part of your set is missing?

In the image above, that small capsule like object at the left end of the box may hold spare points and pens. That container is hard to find.

With advent of desktop computers and work stations with drafting software, the production and sales of manual drafting sets have all but disappeared.

This is why I am collecting them...because they are rare...

• I am certainly no collector expert, but I would suggest that these sets are Not rare. First, they Were in common usage; and second, with the exception of missing parts, practically indestructible; and in their attractive cases, hard for people to lightly throw away.

There are pages and pages of antique complete drafting sets on eBay in the $10 to $70 range....depending, I guess, On how large they are.
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2047675.m570.l1313.TR12.TRC2.A0.H0.Xdrafting+set.TRS0&_nkw=drafting+set&_sacat=0

In the early part of my career, I have used drafting tools like the ones in the photo above, to make ink drawings on vellum for the government. (That was a long time ago.) That was a tedious process. Sketches, layouts, and experimental work was done with pencil; Final drawings made for archive records were made with India Ink on Vellum.

I see three ink points in the phoro. The maker of this set is K & E, makers of good quality equipment.

In this photo, second row from top, there is a long bar with a peg in one end and an adjustable slide on the other end. This is a compass extender for making large arcs or circles. The peg of the extender is installed in place of the lead holder in a compass. It is a bit awkward to use, but with skill and care it does work. What works better is a bigger compass. It is not often that large arcs are needed. I'd guess that 95% of arcs and circles on engineering drawings are less than 15 inch diameter.

I used ghe compass when I was producing drawings for my old job place

In 1998 I moved to Cad drawings...long time

Thanks for your info. jemdandy: very useful instruction for use of these sets. However, I would like to point out that the set shown above was just an Example posted by carolb. Andrea's set has not been shown.

And lindac's comment on $10-70 ebay listings is indeed Asking Price and as lindac herself Often points out, not the sold price that one supposes is often lower or not-sold.

"The mechanical devices that used to make circles and arces on the old paper drawings...."

LOL!! That really makes me feel old :-)) I got a degree in architecture long before CAD was on the scene........I used these tools (like in the photo) routinely. And now that I'm a landscape designer and still draft by hand - those "old paper drawings" - I continue to use them from time to time.

CAD programs are expensive and the better ones have a high learning curve and since I learned the skill of hand drafting years ago, I continue to practice this more or less "lost art" :-))

btw, you can still purchase these mechanical drafting sets at most better art and engineering supply stores.

Since we've got a couple of drafting people here, I had only one drafting class that was all straight line drawing on a wooden drafting board. Question: when drawing arcs, did one use some other backing to prevent many pin holes in the wood backing board?

Wood is only good for a rough base. Most drafting tables/boards are covered with a vinyl covering that is self-sealing and absorbs any pin pricks, lead holder indentations, etc., and can be wiped clean. Hand drafting is not a tidy process and cleanliness is essential for quality drawings. Wood is next to impossible to clean thoroughly and will take on any heavy impressions, scarring the wood and distorting the lines.

chas045: I was very much aware that the set shown was an example set, and a complete one at that. I spied the compass extension bar and decided to explain what it was because at present, it is not commonly seen in use.

FWIW, I still have my small student drafting set from my days learning graphic/commercial art in the late 70s.

We were taught to use a layer of small pieces of masking tape (maybe 2-3 pieces) to prevent those annoying pinholes. And if you press the tape against your clothing first, you reduce its tackiness, which makes it less likely to tear the surface on removal.

We worked on ink-stained wooden drafting tables - the only protection was a large piece of bristol board or oaktag taped down to the surface.

I remember having some difficulty with those drafting pens...

Oh my. The good old days!