Description

Reviews (14)

Description

Alvin PXB Portable Drafting Boards with Parallel Bar are the go-to choice for students, designers, engineers, and hobbyists who need precision without the bulk of a full drafting table. Each board includes a built-in parallel straightedge with a smooth gliding action, folding tilt legs, and a durable white melamine surface.

Available in multiple sizes—from compact 16" x 21" to classroom-ready 30" x 42"—these portable drawing boards are ideal for school projects, home studios, and on-the-go design work. Choose the size that fits your workflow using the dropdown menu above.

Whether you're sketching on an 18" x 24" pad or laying out large-format drawings, there's a portable drafting board with parallel bar to match your workspace and course requirements.

Looking for a more professional setup?
Explore our DEW Exclusive Portable Drafting Boards

Features:

Built-in under-mounted parallel bar for accurate line work
Available sizes: 16x21, 18x24, 20x26, 23x31, 24x36, and 30x42
Smooth-glide cross-wire system keeps the straightedge parallel
Locking brake mechanisms and adjustable parallelism knobs
White melamine surface with foldable tilt legs for angled or flat use
Lightweight and easy to transport with built-in carrying handle
Ideal for drafting, sketching, model layout, and field work
Ships fully assembled—ready to use out of the box

Ideal Size by Use Case:

16" x 21" (PXB21): Field sketches, tight workspaces, on-the-go measuring
18" x 24" (PXB24): High school and college drafting classes, compact student use
20" x 26" (PXB26): Intermediate coursework, 19" x 24" pads, home studios
23" x 31" (PXB31): Architecture & engineering students, layout work, studio use
24" x 36" (PXB36): Full-size drawings, advanced design work, blueprint planning
30" x 42" (PXB42): Large-format plans, jobsite drawings, blueprint planning

Add a vinyl board cover? (Optional Upgrade)

Protect your investment and improve your drawing experience by adding a vinyl drawing board cover to your portable drafting board. These covers provide a smooth, slightly cushioned surface that’s ideal for drafting, sketching, and cutting.

Protects the board from cuts, stains, and wear
Reduces glare and eye strain with matte surface options
Creates a more forgiving, non-slip surface for inking and precision work
Makes the board more comfortable to use over long sessions
Extends the life of your drafting board

Choose to have us install the cover for you—your board will arrive ready to use!

Reviews (14)

14 reviews

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4
Title of review 2104

Brian on Mar 22nd 2025

First, a disclaimer: I'm not using this board for any professional work nor am I a student putting it through its paces every day. I use it at home purely for the enjoyment of drafting. With that said, I'm really enjoying this board; it does exactly what it's supposed to. My only point of uncertainty right now is that the parallel bar is proving a little hard to trust. I've had a few times where I've wondered if it worked itself out of alignment, and once when it did indeed come a bit loose. But overall, it's still been a great board.
2
PXB Portable Drafting Board

E. Rivera on Mar 21st 2024

The Alvin design for the board itself is good. However, for anyone who still drafts, the parallel rule is terrible, which makes the board totally useless. If you've ever used a Spiroliner Drafting board you will be frustrated with the Alvin parallel rule immediately. It doesn't stay parallel regardless of how you adjust it and you need to pick it up each time you need to move it. Don't waste your money on this. Alvin makes a parallel rule with rollers that costs as much as this total board assembly. That rule mimics the Spiroliner rule.
5
Great little portable board

marqie on Dec 17th 2023

Love this little board. Easy to store, carry& use. Good value, nice paraliner.
4
This is a pretty nice portable drafting table

B Davis on May 23rd 2023

I had an issue initially with the parallel attachment - there was significant play allowing nearly 10 degrees of deviation from parallel. I ultimately found that one of the "wire capture T-nuts" wasn't properly clamping the wire. That was an easy fix and the parallel attachment now remains parallel when moved up and down the board. It slides smoothly and can be lifted off the work surface to clear thicker materials. I purchased the 20"x26" size and it is a great fit for my small (and crowded) workspace. I like the fact that it can overhang the edge of my desk, increasing the work surface angle. Overall I'm very happy with it.
5
Title of review 1569

Debora on Apr 25th 2023

The board I received was delivered in good condition and arrived quickly. The board itself was what I had hoped for.
2
Unreliable Parallel Bar

Santana on Apr 24th 2023

Soon after purchasing the table with attached parallel bar, the bar doesn't stay parallel when shifting it as it should. This was also observed and confirmed by a university professor during its use.
5
Drafting Board

Janice on Feb 21st 2023

Good value for the price Customer service was very helpful when FedEx messed up and returned the package to the sender. Once it finally arrived the product was damaged but a replacement was sent out immediately.
5
Better than my old 35-year-old version

Retired Arch on Dec 22nd 2022

I'm giving this as a gift, and I wish I was keeping it. It is nicer than my own that is 35 years old. Much less costly than AutoCAD.
5
Great service & product

Cher on Oct 11th 2022

It was my first time ordering with DEW supplies & so glad I found you guys. I needed the board ASAP for some drafting work, they shipped within a few hours!! Item was packaged nicely & will not be my last time ordering from DEW supplies. Highly recommended!
2
Defeats the purpose

GONZO on Sep 27th 2022

The slide bar doesn't align square no matter how many times I adjust it. I ended up just deleting the bar and using t squares right now because I don't want to have to deal with returning the items, mainly because I threw away the box before really testing it out. :( . I should have coughed up $50 more to get one of better quality.