how to use a Mutoh drafting head?

[civilsid]

Greetings All-

I recently bought a Hamilton Industries drafting table that is super cool. It was seized up when I got it but I now have it working up, down and pivot from horizontal to vertical.

There is also this Mutoh drafting head with two attached scales / rulers that are perpendicular to each other. There is no battery in the Mutoh head (It is model PG-05) and I can't find any online manual or other information. I would really like to learn how to use it and maybe freak out the county when I submit some hand drawn plans. Nice change of pace after staring at AutoCAD all day.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[jeb6294]

What's a drafting table?

I assume by hand drawn you are talking about some cross-sections or a road profile that you've drawn in by hand rather than having AutoCad run them. That is hilarious...when they see that your elevations aren't to 4 decimal places, that'll drive those County guys crazy.

 

[Road Guy]

I bought a similar drafting table when a company i used to work for was ditching them, I couldnt ever figure out how to exactly use what your describing, so I removed everything except the one black bar that slides up & down so that you have a perpendicular straight edge.

of course its been sitting in my basement collecting junk for the last 7 years, but one day I plan on drawing something on it.

 

[maryannette]

I just found this thread. It sounds like a machine I used for many years. If I remember correctly, there are quite a few adjustments, but I don't think I can remember the location of all the controls. From memory:

There is an adjustment that aligns the entire head to the board. This is so when you tape your sheet to the board, you can align the horizontal (longer) scale to the edge or border. I can't remember where this is, but when you release it, the head rotates freely without locking into any position. Once you get this set, don't use it unless you want to re-align to the sheet.

Each scale should have a metal piece screwed in that has a little bit of angle adjustment. Don't mess with the horizontal one, in general. The vertical (shorter) scale can be "squared" using the screw adjustment. Use a big triange, if you have one. You can also rotate the head 90 degrees and align it to the same line you used for the horizontal scale. This should only be adjusted if it gets moved out of alignment. If you're careful, that's never (almost).

There should be a release button (near left thumb, maybe, if it's a right-handed machine) that allows the head to rotate. If you hold the button in while rotating, then release, it should lock into position at 15-degree increments. There should also be another release (possibly in the same button--maybe it's a lock-out for that button) that allows adjustment and locking position between increments.

That's all of the drafting head adjustments I can remember, but there should also be some balance adjustments in the rail system and mounting to keep the head steady where you set it. If I remember correctly, the head will not lock into place. You just have to use an easy touch.

How are your hand-lettering skills?

 

[Capt Worley PE]

Hand lettering was the bain of all my students.

 

[maryannette]

I was very good at hand-lettering, but OUCH! It just occured to me that the damage to the CMC joint in my right thumb is probably related to all those years on the board.

 

[Ekodas]

I just bought one, the battery is under the cap of the handle with mutoh written on it

 

[Bruce Rout]

How do you take off the cap? I have a PG-10, and it has a battery somewhere. But it jammed, and I cannot rotate the head, nor can I figure out where the battery is. I tried taking it apart and the whole thing fell apart. So I have to put it back together again. I got so far, but don't want to wreck it. It appears the cap does come off, but it is jammed in pretty hard. Does it screw off?? How do you remove the cap? I think if I get that far, I can continue on. Thanks for your post.

 

[stigi]

How do you take off the cap? I have a PG-10, and it has a battery somewhere. But it jammed, and I cannot rotate the head, nor can I figure out where the battery is. I tried taking it apart and the whole thing fell apart. So I have to put it back together again. I got so far, but don't want to wreck it. It appears the cap does come off, but it is jammed in pretty hard. Does it screw off?? How do you remove the cap? I think if I get that far, I can continue on. Thanks for your post.

Did you manage to get the plastic cap off without breaking it?