Sketching with a Protractor

An illustrated guide, Dan Green 2017

The protractor allows precision plotting of survey stations to help make scaled sketches of
the cave. These guidelines are concepts, not rules, to show the basic steps.

30 25 20 15 10 5
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310 50

5
Scale bars match sketchbook grids,
305 55 marked with length every five metres

20
70
300 60

295
30 65
60

10
290 70
40 Internal guidelines and numbers used for plotting
285 75
50 steep shots. Further explained on page 5.
50

280 80

275
40 60 85
15
270 70 90
265 30 95

260 20 100
Degrees for marking azimuth and inclination
255 105
20
250 110

245 115

240
8x4 Field 120
25
235 125
Crosshairs to align survey stations
230 130

225 220 215 210 205 200 195 190 185 180 175 170 165 160 155 150 145 140 135
30

P1
 Page Setup

This page setup captures the data needed to plot survey points. You will need columns for
each of the From and To survey stations plus the survey data: Distance, Azimuth and
Inclination. The plan and profile can be on the same page or different pages, depending on
the space you need.

Scale bar +
Magnetic north

The next survey shot to

sketch is A17 to A18

Plan +
Cross section

Extended
profile

P2
 Plan | Step 1
Marking the Azimuth Align the protractor on
30 25 20 15 10
315 320 325 330 335 340 345 350 355 5
5
10

1
15 20 25 30 35 40 45

310
50
the FROM station
305 5

20
55

70
300
60
295

30
2
65

Mark the azimuth

60
290 10
70

40
285
75
280 50

50
80
275
40 60 85
270 15
70 90
265 30 95

20
260
100
255
105
20
250
110
245
1/8” 115
240
120
25
235
125

230
130

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30

P3
 Plan | Step 2
Plotting the Station

Align the protractor to the

3 pencil mark

5
45

50

10
55

60

65

15
70

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80

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85

90
95

100

25
105

110

115

120

30
40

125

130

135
5
35

140
Measure out the length of
4a the survey shot. Plot the

70
30

145
20
25

150
60
next station here only if the

10
20

30

155
inclination is nearly level.

15

50

170 165 160

40

10

40
5
30

15
20 50

180 175
350 355
60
70
When inclination is steeper,

190 185
335 340 345
4b the guides on the protractor

20

205 200 195

will correct for shortening.

330
See the next page for

25
325

210
Plotting Steep Shots.

1/8”
320

215
315

310

305

300

220
295

290

270
285
30

280

275

265

260

255

250

245

240

235

230

225
P4
 Most survey shots are not level—the steeper they are the more they will shorten on the plan view.
Plan For example, a 14.52m shot at a -58 degree inclination will shorten to 7.69m. This is the distance
apart the stations will be plotted on the plan.
Plotting Steep Shots
The protractor corrects for this shortening. To find the adjusted position of the station:
(1) measure the 14.52m length of the shot along the scale bar, then
(2) follow the curved guidelines until they meet with the -58 degree inclination, and finally
(3) follow the straight guidelines back to the edge of the protractor to plot the station.

Hint: The shortened distance can also be pulled from the profile when that view gets plotted first.

T F 7.69m
F

-58º

m
.52
14
2

P5
 Plan | Step 3
Sketching Detail
Sketch the walls using
5 estimates or measurements

6 Draw complete floor detail;

no blank spaces

7 Make cross sections

P6
 Mark the inclination
2

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310
50
5
305 55
20
70

300 60
30

295
65
60

290 10
70
40

285
75
50
50

280
80
275
40 60 85
15
270 70 90
265 30 95
260
20 100
255
105
20
250 110
245 115
1/8”
240 120
25
235 125
230 130
225 220 215 210 205 200 195 190 185 180 175 170 165 160 155 150 145 140 135
30
on the FROM station
Align the protractor

P7
1
Profile | Step 1
Marking the Inclination
 Plotting the Station
Profile | Step 2

P8
30
315
320
310 325 25
330
335
340 20
305 345
350
15
355
300
5
295 10
10
15
20
290 25
30
5
70

285 35
20

40
280
45
275
30

50
60

270
5
265
55
260
40

50

255 60

250 65
50

245 70 10
40

75
60

240
1/8
80
30

235
”
85
70
15
230 20 90
95
225 100
220
215 105
210 20
205 110
200
195 115
190
185
180 120
175
3

170
165 25
125
160
155
150 130
145
140
135
30
survey station
the scale to plot the
Align the protractor to
the pencil mark and use
Profile | Step 3
Sketching Detail

Sketch the ceiling, floor and

4 useful detail using estimates
or measurements

P9
 Protractor | 8x4 Field Grid
Adjust the scaling of your printer to the scale bar.
Print on transparency film and laminate.

0 4 inches

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5 5
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15
275
40 60 85
15
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255 105 255 105

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240 120 240 120

8x4 Field 8x4 Field
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30
225 220 215 210 205 200 195 190 185 180 175 170 165 160 155 150 145 140 135
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310 50 310 50

5 5
305 55 305 55
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70

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60

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290 70 290 70
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285 75 285 75
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50

50

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275
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15
275
40 60 85
15
270 70 90 270 70 90
265 30 95 265 30 95

260 20 100 260 20 100

255 105 255 105

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250 110 250 110

245 115 245 115

240 120 240 120

8x4 Field 8x4 Field
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235 125 235 125

230 130 230 130

225 220 215 210 205 200 195 190 185 180 175 170 165 160 155 150 145 140 135
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225 220 215 210 205 200 195 190 185 180 175 170 165 160 155 150 145 140 135
30
 Protractor | 2mm Metric Field Grid
Adjust the scaling of your printer to the scale bar.
Print on transparency film and laminate.

0 10 cm

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5 5
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50
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275
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40 60 85

270 70 9025 270 70 9025

265 30 95 265 30 95

260 20 100 260 20 100

30 30
255 105 255 105

250 110 250 110

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245 115 245 115

240 120 240 120

2mm Metric Field 2mm Metric Field
235 125 235 125

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225 220 215 210 205 200 195 190 185 180 175 170 165 160 155 150 145 140 135 225 220 215 210 205 200 195 190 185 180 175 170 165 160 155 150 145 140 135

35 30 25 20 15 10 5 35 30 25 20 15 10 5
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5 5
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50

50

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275
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40 60 85

270 70 9025 270 70 9025

265 30 95 265 30 95

260 20 100 260 20 100

30 30
255 105 255 105

250 110 250 110

35 35
245 115 245 115

240 120 240 120

2mm Metric Field 2mm Metric Field
235 125 235 125

230 130 230 130

225 220 215 210 205 200 195 190 185 180 175 170 165 160 155 150 145 140 135 225 220 215 210 205 200 195 190 185 180 175 170 165 160 155 150 145 140 135