Creating a Detail from Scratch

Note: The following catalog of content covered in this webinar is time stamped to allow you to follow along or skip to sections of the video that are relevant to your questions. You can also search for content on this page using the FIND command in your browser (CTRL + F in Windows, Command + F in Mac OS.)

• Intro/TOC
• Drawing Setup
• Basic CAD Drafting Tools
• Basic Builder Blocks
• Using Templates
• Enlargement Tools
• Hatches
• Callouts and Annotations
• Dimensions
• Adding to the Detail Library

0:00 – 4:29: Intro/TOC

Looking for information on detail customization? See our Master Details Tools webinar. 

Don’t have the latest Land F/X ribbons, or do your ribbons not look like what you see in this webinar? Here’s how to get the latest ribbons. 

4:30 – 8:39: Drawing Setup

Opening a drawing and setting the units (4:45)

Loading a detail Layer State (a saved set of layers created specifically for details) (5:00)

Opening a Preference Set with different layer colors (5:45)

You’ll be drawing your details at 1:1 scale, but don’t set your plot scale to 1:1.

Inserting a reference image using the IMAGEATTACH command (6:49)

Scaling the image using the SCALE command, Reference option (7:40)

8:40 – 28:39: Basic CAD Drafting Tools

Selecting a layer for linework (8:40)

Enabling ORTHO mode (press the F8 key) to default to horizontal and vertical lines (9:20)

Creating linework using the POLYLINE (PLINE) tool (9:38)

Enabling snap points (press the F3 key) to “snap” easily to endpoints and midpoints (11:35)

Using the MOVE command to move linework (13:30)

Adding a reference image to use as a guide for a portion of a detail (example: a post cap) (14:10)

Cleaning up linework using the TRIM tool (16:45)

Copying and pasting linework (17:40)

Drawing a temporary reference polyline for snap purposes (18:00)

Using the OFFSET command to offset an object from another object (19:40)

Joining segments using the JOIN command (23:50)

Creating a mirror image of an existing set of linework using the MIRROR command (24:00)

Drawing a rectangle using the RECTANGLE tool (25:45)

28:40 – 40:09: Basic Builder Blocks

The Land F/X Detail Graphics library (28:40)

Adding a custom detail block to the library (29:13)

Saving the block into the library using our Save Detail Block tool (30:15)

Placing the custom block in a detail (32:10)

Placing copies of a block along a path using our Copy Along Line tool (34:50)

40:10 – 41:59: Using Templates

Placing a Detail Template (40:10)

For more detailed information on using Detail Templates, see our Design F/X Setup webinar. 

Keyboard commands for configuring and placing a Detail Template (40:40)

Need to title your detail with more than one line? See our Creating a Multiline Detail Title Power Tip. 

42:00 – 43:38: Enlargement Tools

Adding a close-up section to a detail using our Detail Enlargement tools (Polyline and Circle) (42:00)

Dimensions will remain accurate even in the enlarged sections.

43:38 – 44:52: Hatches

Placing detail hatches (43:38)

Adjusting hatch scales using the Select Similar option (44:05)

44:53 – 48:58: Callouts and Annotations

Placing Bubble Callouts and adding notes (44:53)

We recommend writing out your notes in a word-processing program before creating your details. You can then easily copy and paste them as needed rather than relying on AutoCAD for word processing.

Note that the Bubble Callout schedule updates automatically as you place each callout. (47:26)

Annotating a detail using the Detail Annotation tools (47:45)

Adding multiline text using our Detail MText tool (47:45)

48:59 – 50:59: Dimensions

Adding Linear Dimensions (49:05)

Adding a block from our Elevation Graphics library (50:00)

51:00 – end: Adding to the Detail Library

Adding a detail to our Detail Library using our Save Detail tool (51:00)

Finding the detail in the Detail Explorer (51:45)

Duplicating an existing detail and giving it a different scale (52:50)

Text, callouts, and other objects will be scaled automatically to fit the new scale.

Saving multiple details from the same sheet at once using the Window option (55:40)

Adding details to a project and placing them on a Paper Space sheet (56:30)