How to Use an Architect's Scale Ruler

Architect's Scale Rulers are commonly used in blueprints and engineering drawings to determine distances on a scaled drawing. It is important for individuals in this line of work to gain a working knowledge of how to use an architect's scale ruler. There are four steps on how to use an architect's scale ruler: determine the scale, measure feet, draw the ruler back, and measure inches. The first step is to assess the scale of the drawing with which the ruler will be used. This will allow the user to know which of the many scales on the ruler to select. Architect's scale rulers have two scales on each side of the ruler; one reads right to left, while the other reads left to right. The ruler has a total of eleven different scales to select from, including a traditional inch ruler. Once the appropriate scale has been determined, say 1/8 inch is representing one foot, line the correct side of the ruler up with the beginning point of whatever is being measured at 0 on the ruler. Count the number of 1/8' "ticks" on the ruler until reaching the endpoint of what is being measured, rounding down to the nearest foot and ignoring the "extra" (for now). The number of tick marks represents the number of whole feet the item is. The third step is to draw the ruler back, meaning that users line the endpoint of the object that was just measured up with the exact tick mark corresponding to the number of whole feet the object is - the number decided upon in step 2. This will allow the user to get an accurate measurement of the "extra" that was ignored earlier by looking at the end of the ruler near 0, measuring how many of the smallest tick marks located on this end of the ruler (each representing an inch) there are from the initial starting point of the object to 0. Combining the feet measured in step 2 with the inches measured in step 4 gives users the accurate measurement for the object.