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The day a shop drawing from a big firm in Chicago made me double check everything | Drafters - Guest Forum

The day a shop drawing from a big firm in Chicago made me double check everything

We were working on a steel frame for a warehouse addition last fall, and the fabricator sent over a set of drawings from a major engineering firm. I was laying out the base plates and something felt off with the bolt hole spacing. I pulled out the spec sheet and did the math myself, and sure enough, their dimension was a quarter inch out from what the steel member actually called for. If we'd drilled to their print, we would have had a massive fit-up problem on site. Now I treat EVERY shop drawing, no matter the source, like a first draft. I measure twice and trust my own tape. Has anyone else caught a major error from a 'finished' set like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

gonzalez.rowan7mo ago

It's a good habit to check the math yourself. I've seen errors slip through from even the best offices, usually from copy-pasting an old detail. That extra step can save a huge headache later.