Here's something which you might find amusing to do in the coffee break. You'll need a pencil, a ruler and a sheet of A4 paper (graph paper would be ideal but plain will do). I teach English to German technicians and one of the things we cover is the ability to produce and understand reasonably precise descriptions of simple objects. Below is one such description. I reckon that many of you will be able to identify what it is just from reading it and some of you might be able to identify the manufacturer if you do the sketch.
Assuming that the reader can understand all that is written (which is so in your case), this is more a test of the description writer than of the sketcher.
WHAT IS IT?
The object is 25.5 cm long and it consists of three main components: a wooden handle, a conical ferrule and a shaped metal bar.
The handle is 10.5 cm long, has a circular cross-section and the free end is slightly domed. The diameter at the end is 24 mm and it widens to a maximum of 30 mm at a point which is 30 mm from the end. It then narrows to a minimum of 20 mm at a point which is 7.5 cm from the end. It widens out again to a diameter of 25 mm at a point which is 10 cm from the end. It then narrows to 20 mm at the point in which it is housed in the ferrule.
Note: the transitions from each diameter to the next are curved.
The ferrule, which is made of steel, is conical, 2 cm long and tapers from a diameter of 20 mm (where it houses the handle) to a diameter of 15 mm (where it houses the steel bar).
The metal bar is made of steel, has a rectangular cross-section and is 13 cm long. For the first 20 mm of its length from the ferrule it is 7 mm thick. Its width is 14 mm at the point where it joins the ferrule. This tapers to 12 mm at a point 11 mm from the ferrule and then it widens to its final width of 25.4 mm at a point which is 34 mm from the ferrule. The width thereafter is constant to the end.
The underside of the blade is flat all along its length. All tapers are on the upper side only.
The thickness of the bar tapers from the last mentioned point from 7 mm down to 5 mm at a point 12.2 cm from the ferrule. A second taper, which is 1 cm long then begins and it goes from 5 mm down to zero.
Your sketch should include a plan and lateral view of the steel bar.
Assuming that the reader can understand all that is written (which is so in your case), this is more a test of the description writer than of the sketcher.
WHAT IS IT?
The object is 25.5 cm long and it consists of three main components: a wooden handle, a conical ferrule and a shaped metal bar.
The handle is 10.5 cm long, has a circular cross-section and the free end is slightly domed. The diameter at the end is 24 mm and it widens to a maximum of 30 mm at a point which is 30 mm from the end. It then narrows to a minimum of 20 mm at a point which is 7.5 cm from the end. It widens out again to a diameter of 25 mm at a point which is 10 cm from the end. It then narrows to 20 mm at the point in which it is housed in the ferrule.
Note: the transitions from each diameter to the next are curved.
The ferrule, which is made of steel, is conical, 2 cm long and tapers from a diameter of 20 mm (where it houses the handle) to a diameter of 15 mm (where it houses the steel bar).
The metal bar is made of steel, has a rectangular cross-section and is 13 cm long. For the first 20 mm of its length from the ferrule it is 7 mm thick. Its width is 14 mm at the point where it joins the ferrule. This tapers to 12 mm at a point 11 mm from the ferrule and then it widens to its final width of 25.4 mm at a point which is 34 mm from the ferrule. The width thereafter is constant to the end.
The underside of the blade is flat all along its length. All tapers are on the upper side only.
The thickness of the bar tapers from the last mentioned point from 7 mm down to 5 mm at a point 12.2 cm from the ferrule. A second taper, which is 1 cm long then begins and it goes from 5 mm down to zero.
Your sketch should include a plan and lateral view of the steel bar.
