How to construct a basic drawing on AutoCAD 2010

By: David Lubkin and Paul Christner

Background Information:
AutoCAD is a computer aided design software used to create 2D and 3D drawings for
multiple purposes. Invented in 1982, AutoCAD has become a staple in the drafting community
for creating engineered drawings once done by hand. At the very least, individuals should have
knowledge on the basics of AutoCAD, which is the goal of this instruction set.

This instruction set’s mission is to teach the user a few basic skills in AutoCAD which
will create a strong foundation for future learning. The introductory two steps will involve
setting up the program and drawing. Secondly, steps three through eight will encompass
commands such as drawing a rectangular shape, using the “ERASE” function, drawing lines at
specified angles, and manually connecting lines. Next, the user will spend step nine creating a
circle and placing it in the desired location. Finally, steps 10-12 will be used to teach the user
the “TEXT” command and the “MOVE” command.

Depending on previous knowledge, the project should take roughly 15-20 minutes. If the
user has experience in other computer aided design programs, expect that time to be reduced. On
the contrary, if the user is someone who struggles with computers, expect the completion time to
increase minimally. In order to make this the best learning experience possible, minimize
distractions, follow the exact instructions, and don’t get flustered, this is your first time working
with AutoCAD!

Description of Drawing:
This particular instruction set is used to create a simple hockey stick and puck, along with
corresponding text. The intended result can be viewed in the figure below. The hockey stick is
broken down into two basic parts, the shaft and the blade.
Materials:
 Laptop or Desktop Computer
 Fully functional keyboard
 Downloaded AutoCAD 2010 program
 Mouse (optional but preferable)

Troubleshooting Tips:
 If an error occurs press the “ESC” key to end the current command, and redo the step.
 If the final product does not match the desired result, analyze both drawings, identify
the problem, and find that step in the instruction set.
 If you find that your drawing is too far zoomed in or too far zoomed out, scroll with
the mouse wheel to position the drawing.

Setting Up the Program & Drawing:

Locate the AutoCAD 2010 Icon on the desktop

1 and open.

Type in “UNITS” on the command line at the

bottom of the screen. Once the screen appears,
2 change “inches” into “feet” under insertion
scale. Press OK.

Drawing the Shaft & Blade of the Hockey Stick:

Type “RECTANGLE” in the command line

3 and right click anywhere in the middle of the
screen. Type “DIM” and the program will
ask you to enter the length and width of your
rectangle.
4 Type in “10” and hit Enter. For the width, press
“5” and hit Enter. Move your cursor towards
the bottom right of the screen and click.

To trim the right side, Type: “TRIM” → “ALL”

5 → Press Enter → Press Enter → Click the
right side of the rectangle with your cursor →
Press ESC.

To add the first line of the shaft, Type

“LINE” → Click the top right point of the rec-
6 tangle → Type: “@” → “45” → “<” → “45”
→ and press Enter.

To add the top of the stick, Type: “@” →

“4.5” → “<” → “315”.
7

To finish off the stick portion of the drawing,

8 simply click the bottom right point of the
rectangle. Then press Enter.
Drawing the Hockey Puck:

To draw the hockey puck, do the following:

Type: “CIRCLE” → click a point a fair distance
9 away from the left edge of the face of the stick →
Type: “3” → Press Enter.

Typing Text:

To start the text: Type: “TEXT” → click a point

10 somewhere above the puck and to the left of
the hockey stick → Type: “2” for the height
of the text.

To finish the text: Press Enter → And type the

11 following: “CLASSIC HOCKEY: NHL STYLE”
→ Press Enter → Press Enter

To position the text in the desired location:

Type: “MOVE” → Press Enter → Click
any part of the text → Press Enter → Click
12 below the “C” in Classic → Move cursor to
desired location and Click.
 To save the file: Click the “A” symbol in the
13 top left corner → Click “SAVE AS” → Save
as Drawing1.dwg in Documents Folder.
You’re Finished!!

The Finished Masterpiece:

After a brisk 13 step instruction set, not only do you have an interesting drawing but you
have also gained some basic knowledge about the AutoCAD program. Although this experience
doesn’t apply to all professions, having a background in AutoCAD may be useful in other
regards of your career. This instruction set won’t teach you the ins and outs of computer-aided
design, but it does provide you with the foundation to build upon. The easiest way to enhance
your knowledge is to practice and explore the program, in which we hope you take the time to do
in the future. This concludes our instruction set.