Warning about Kinko copies

I would like to warn any of you guy's that I have had all my plans copied at Kinko's so I could build useing the copy rather than damage the original and have found that the copies even though they were supposed to be exact copies came out slightly larger which may not matter so much when scratch building but when building from a kit definately throws one of as the parts supplied with the kit wont fit the copied plan.
Of course I may be the only one that uses copies of plans to build from but I rather doubt it.

..... Dont let them grind you down keep on flying .....

I use Kinko's giant photocopier to make copies of plans. Usually 2. One to hang on the wall and one to cut up for templates. My experience is that they are dead on. Could be the machine you use is out of spec. I know the one I have used is pretty much an exact duplicate.

I would explain the problem to the manager, and have a sheet with known dimensions handy to use for testing. The copy machines are adjustable, down scale that is pretty near exact. Generally, KINKO's reproduces posters and verbiage, where scale isn't an issue, but they can do the job correctly!

See Ya

>I would explain the problem to the manager, and have a sheet
>with known dimensions handy to use for testing. The copy
>machines are adjustable, down scale that is pretty near
>exact. Generally, KINKO's reproduces posters and verbiage,
>where scale isn't an issue, but they can do the job
>correctly!
>
>
>See Ya
>
>Peabody

As a follow-up, the "local" Kinkos (40 miles away) replaced their old machine with a newer one. The old one was dead on. The first time I used the new one I noticed that the copies had grown--probably a good inch on a full-size plan. For most applications that would be no problem. For me it was. But they knew what I was doing and when I showed it to the manager and told him that was unacceptable, he understood. He did a couple of test copies himself, then said he would call the repair technician and have it taken care of that day. The next time I returned they were acceptably close. I would suggest, perhaps, that you do the same. Explain the problem and they should be able to take care of it.

(Oh, and the other place I use is also dead on. They can get it right.)

What they all said. My local Kinkos had an older Canon machine that consistantly made all copies smaller in one dimension. Thgey have replaced it with a newer machine (different brand) and it is dead on. When I drew a ruler on the X & Y planes to prove it was off, the manager adjusted it. The new one was installed with all dimensions perfect. But I always check to make sure. Like any man made machine, it will go off kilter with use.

The thig to do is to never trust plans.

Measure everything, and use the plans only as a guide for building.

My experience with copiers at various places that make professional copies is that they can be inaccurate by as much as a percent. On a 50-inch span plane, that's half an inch.

I don't know that any of the operators have recalibrated their machines, but when shown the problem, they have been willing to improve the accuracy by changing to my suggested settings - like going from 100% to 99.1%. .1% (1/10%) seems to be their incremental adjustment at my present copier place. I always take my pocket calculator. The final result is usually within 1/16" along a full span. They seem to be able to separate out the X- and Y- scales.

SK

I found the same thing with Kinko's and other copy places. In most cases, I was having them duplicate my own plans that were drawn in CAD. After finding a couple of 'inaccurate' plans, I drew myself a little represenation of a builder's square with 4" arms. I paste this in the corner of my plans before I have them printed. Then you can measure the little square and be assured the drawing is correct.

One other thing to remember- don't just measure the wingspan or some lateral measurement. You need to measure a vertical measurement as well, as I have found some that were fine left to right, but not top to bottom........

Good point. I also found that paper sometimes feeds crooked, or its path changes, creating curved lines. So I always sight down some lengthy line in the direction that the paper feeds. I have found some problems that were then corrected at the time of purchase.

SK