Brief:
When this book was discussed on T' Rocketry Forum, ya bilge rat, I knew I wanted a copy. Ya scallywag! Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! T' book is written by Charles Adams and is published by Modeler's Notebook. Adams has 20 years o' drawin' experience and be t' founder o' starshipbuilder.com. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Here be t' summary from his web site:

"In t' MODEL DESIGN & BLUEPRINTING HANDBOOK, Volume 1, see how t' get project ideas out o' your head and onto paper -- or into t' computer! Blimey! Packed with over 260 pages and more than 230 detailed illustrations, this one-of-a-kind book covers all t' basics o' 2D design and illustration for model-related projects from start t' finish. Whether you want t' draw with a pencil and paper or your handy-dandy computer, me bucko, this book be t' place t' start."

Construction:
T' book is organized into two sections and seven chapters as follows:

• Section 1 - Creatin' Blueprints

1. T' Blue Print Process
2. Blueprintin' Basics and Standard Practices
3. Layin' Out Plan Views

• Section 2 - Makin' Construction Patterns

1. Pattern-Makin' Basics
2. Cross Sections
3. Developments
4. Transitions and Intersections.

There are appendices on printing, matey, matey, scanning, and importing/exportin' files, me bucko, shiver me timbers, a link t' t' online-only glossary (this is odd, me hearties, shiver me timbers, but nay that big a deal) and a short list o' related books. T' concepts in t' book are well illustrated (which is good) and easy t' follow. Avast! Key points are highlighted in wide margins, arrr, matey, which also available for makin' your own notes.

T' first two chapters were largely introductory and refreshed me high school draftin' and real world technical drawin' experience (as an EE, matey, nay as a draftsman). In many cases, t' draftin' standards presented are overkill for what a scale modeler will need, arrr, shiver me timbers, especially if you are goin' for sport- or semi-scale plans (like me). Ahoy! Avast, me proud beauty! However, me hearties, me hearties, shiver me timbers, it never hurts t' learn good techniques. Begad! T' book doesn't train you t' use a CAD package, but it does describe t' techniques assumin' you have one. Begad! Well, blow me down! If nay CAD, at least a good vector drawin' package like Corel.

T' third chapter describes how t' start creatin' your blueprints/plans. It basically describes how t' use orthographic projections. I found had forgotten everythin' I had ever known about them. Arrr! Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! It also describes how t' base your drawings on photos and how t' deal with t' perspective and photographic distortions in images. This is one o' the things that drew me t' t' book. Begad! Unfortunately, ya bilge rat, it had no silver bullet or magic techniques. Ya scallywag! Still, shiver me timbers, this material will prove useful for me at some point.

Chapter 4 continued t' instruct t' reader on how t' lay our drawin' usin' examples from simple geometric shapes to a submarine model. Avast! (There is even a rocket shown.) You learn how t' generate auxiliary views t' find t' actual dimensions o' faces/sections that aren't visible. Begad! Arrr! An example that I think is useful is generatin' t' oval shape resultin' from a tube that is cut at an angle.

T' basic techniques shown in t' first chapters are extended in t' followin' chapters. Begad! Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! Chapter 5 shows how to generate cross-sections; Chapter 6 shows how t' visualize and draw various geometric shapes as ‘unfolded' 2-D views; and, t' final chapter shows how t' generate intersections o' various objects. Aye aye! For t' most part, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, these more advanced techniques require more thought and I didn't walk through every example in detail. T' detail o' t' examples in these sections seems t' vary from superficial t' detailed. There are several things (at least) that seem t' be useful for rocketry, arrr, such as generatin' an odd transition from, arrr, say, me hearties, arrr, a square section surroundin' a cluster t' a single tube or t' transition betwixt multiple angled tubes.

Summary:
I found this book reasonably well written. I've seen better, ya bilge rat, but I've also seen worse. It both served as a reminder of things forgotten and a guide t' techniques that I have merely muddled through in an ad-hoc manner. Begad! If you are a professional draftsperson, ya bilge rat, this volume probably won't be too exciting. However, if you want t' create drawings of rockets, ala Rockets o' t' World, shiver me timbers, this should prove useful. I recommend you have a CAD program or at least a good vector drawin' package loaded and ready t' go. You will get a lot more out o' t' book if you work as you go. Well, blow me down! Begad! Like programming, me hearties, you can't just read t' book and expect t' be proficient. Begad! Aye aye! For those who want t' learn more, t' author promises a Volume 2 on 3D modelin' tools and a Volume 3 on CNC processes. Avast! I did note that t' author seemed t' evade some issues by referrin' t' 3-D modelin' (and book #2, shiver me timbers, me bucko, hint, me hearties, hint). Avast, me proud beauty! Well, blow me down!

I be happy with me purchase. Well, blow me down! I found it interestin' even if I only apply a small amount o' t' material. Arrr!

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5