Six years ago, when I bought my first (now-discarded) CAD system, I thought drafting skills would soon be as obsolete as wizardry with the slide rule. Maybe so for large offices, but not for those of us who do residences and renovations. I still use steam-age hand drafting, helped by some tricks and equipment that improve my efficiency. Here are a few of my favorite tools and tricks gleaned from several decades of drawing. Tool Notes Most of my tools are listed in the accompanying box ("Equipment and Supplies"). Some, however, are worth a few extra words. Triangles. Check any triangle before you buy it to be sure it is square. Very carefully draw a sharp vertical line off a straightedge;
