Stopped by a drafting supply shop in Raleigh and noticed their old parallel bars

I was in Raleigh last Tuesday picking up some supplies and this little shop had a bunch of vintage drafting tools on a back shelf. There was an old parallel bar from the 60s that was still in perfect shape, not a wobble in it. Made me realize how much I take my digital setup for granted with all the snapping and layers. I spent like 20 minutes just looking at it and thinking about how drafters used to work without any of that help. The guy at the counter said they still get people asking for parts to fix those old bars. Has anyone else ever run across old equipment that made you stop and think about how the trade has changed?

2 comments

2 Comments

lucas_carr241d ago

Found one at an estate sale a few years back that got me thinking the same thing. What really hit me was how quiet the room felt with just the sliding sound of it moving across the paper compared to clicks and whirs now. That simplicity made me slow down way more than I ever do with a screen.

jesse9881d agoMost Upvoted

That "quiet with just the sliding sound" part really got to me. I have a vintage machine too and it's amazing how something so simple can make you pay attention to each word.