In the old days drafting tables would have been known as architects tables and were always large, heavy pieces of furniture. They were designed so that anyone using them would be able to put large sheets of paper onto them. These large pieces of furniture were used for many different purposes, whether drawing sketches, writing or for drawing precise plans, the designing table was a real workhorse for the user.
These older models of the now classic designs, were ornate pieces of furniture made out of exotic types of wood. There were so beautifully made that very often you would find them in libraries or in study rooms, who would use these tables as a writing desk.
With the Industrial revolution a new specialised trade appeared in the world, these draftsmen, as they were known, began using these large stands to draw out the plans that they had been commissioned to do and within a short space of time, the drafting table was to be made out of steel instead of the traditional wood.
Today tables are totally utilitarian in design, enabling the professional draftsman to use them as tools of their trade. All tables come with every necessary drawing instrument incorporated into their design. Whether it is a set square, a protractor or any other tool that is required, it is to be found on the drafting table.
Although called a table, a drafting table is actually vertical in design which permits the user to stand upright in front of them in order to draw whatever they need to on the sheet of paper which is placed on the board. At the base of the large frame that holds the sheet of paper there is a narrow ledge where the user can place his drawing implements, such as pencil or pen. Everything that the user needs is close to hand so that the task he is attempting is made as easy as possible for him to do.
In the modern world of computers, the drafting table enjoys less of a demand amongst some professional draftsmen, as plans can now be drawn on a computer using programs that are specifically designed for the job. In some areas of the world the draft table is still sought after, whether it is the modern model or the antique style table, some people still like to have one such piece of furniture in their workplace or in the home.
It is interesting to think that reproductions of the classic, traditional and antique style of drafting tables are now being produced to fill a niche market for people who decorate their homes with these large pieces of furniture.
As with everything else drafting tables have been superseded by technology but to the true traditionalist they will always be the basis of an essential tool of their trade. It is a tool that does not rely on electricity, nor does the draftsman have to worry about computer viruses or their machine crashing right in the middle of a job. Add to this that you do not have to learn how to use the complicated programs that can do the job for you and you end up realising that these counters will always be found in the workplace.
