Good quality drafting instruments make technical drawing easier, cleaner, and more accurate. Shop drafting triangles, compasses, dividers, beam compasses, proportional dividers, irregular curves, pantographs, and other precision drafting tools used in architecture, engineering, design, STEM education, and manual drafting.
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Clear Acrylic Triangles - Straight Edge
Alvin Drafting$5.70 - $58.80The Alvin Clear Professional triangles will not discolor or warp with age and handling. Features: 30º/60º and 45º/90º professional clear trianglesAvailable in multiple sizes ranging from 4" to 24"Straight-Edge Triangles1/8" thickWill not discolor... -
Drafting Triangle Set
Westcott$6.45The Westcott Drafting Triangle Set includes two transparent triangles designed for drafting, technical drawing, geometry, and design applications. The set includes a 6" triangle with 45°/90° angles and an 8" triangle with 30°/60° angles... -
SALESALEProfessional 6" Pen/Pencil Compass with Beam Bar
PickettSALE: $19.95WAS: $34.10The Pickett Professional 6 Inch Pen and Pencil Compass is made of durable steel construction for long-lasting use. This 6 inch compass makes a maximum 10" circle and is delicately balanced, providing feather-light control. Made of chrome-plated brass and... -
10" Smoke-Grey French Curve - Inking Edge-1764695327
Alvin Drafting$4.40The Alvin French Curve is perfect for drawing irregular curves and connecting line segments. Its dual inking edges ensure smudge-free, precise results with pencils or technical pens on either side. Made from 0.10" thick transparent... -
Aluminum Calibrated Triangles
Alumicolor$5.95 - $13.45Alumicolor® Calibrated Aluminum Triangles are constructed from tempered aluminum for durability and long-term accuracy. The photo-anodized calibrations are permanently incorporated into the finish, helping resist wear from cleaning and repeated use... -
Introductory 6" Bow Compass
Alvin Drafting$17.40Introductory 6" bow compass.Features: Smooth center wheel adjustment. Matte silver zinc legs .Durable fiberglass head and leg parts.Double break-leg design. Includes an extra needle point for use as a divider, a universal adapter to hold pencils, fine... -
Masterbow Compass
Staedtler$16.10Precision metal compass with spring-bow head and center wheel. The nickel finish resists rust and stains. Maximum circle drawn: 10 3/4". Overall compass length: 6 1/8". Spare parts tube includes one piece of lead.Made in Germany -
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10" Fluorescent Triangles - Inking Edge
Alvin & Co.$2.80 - $3.80BulletsFeatures: 30º/60º and 45º/90º trianglesAvailable in multiple sizes ranging from 4" to 14"Inking-Edge Triangles0.10" thickFluorescent orange color reflects light along the drawing edgeEdges are double beveled with handy finger-lifts for quick... -
12" Vary form Curve
Fairgate$10.7012" Aluminum English Vary Form Curve.Draws a wide range of curves by simply turning.Practically replaces a set of French curves. Indispensible to the pattern maker and grapic artist.Calibrated one edge two sides.8ths -
3-Piece French Curves Set
Alvin & Co.$2.85Features: French curves molded of green-tinted 0.09" thick styrene plasticGreat for individual or classroom useContains French Curve sizes: 5.5", 6.5", and 12.5"Packaged in a convenient, reusable storage pouch -
4-Piece French Curve Set
Alvin Drafting$15.80Alvin Drafting French Curves are an ideal tool for drawing irregular curves and connecting lines and line segments. Use these French curves in manual drafting to draw smooth curves of varying radii.Features: Molded of smoke gray-tinted 0... -
5.25" Smoke-Grey French Curve - Inking Edge
Alvin Drafting$2.50The Alvin French Curve is perfect for drawing irregular curves and connecting line segments. Its dual inking edges ensure smudge-free, precise results with pencils or technical pens on either side. Made from 0.10" thick transparent... -
5.5" School Pencil Compass
Alvin & Co.$1.95Compass is constructed of durable, lightweight plastic with fiberglass reinforcement to resist bending. Quick release pencil holder holds all standard pencil sizes. Hand adjustable 6" measuring arc has easy-to-read ½" graduations. Blunt safety point... -
6" Basic-Bow Compass and Beam Bar
Alvin Drafting$27.20Designed with a fiberglass ringhead and pivot design for smooth, firm adjustment. Features: Accurate center wheel adjusts quickly Makes circles up to 10" in diameterBeam bar extension creates circles up to 20" in diameterBuilt-in spindle... -
6" Basic-Bow Pencil Compass/Divider
Alvin Drafting$15.10Designed with a fiberglass ring head and pivot design for smooth, firm adjustment. Features: Accurate center wheel adjusts quickly and easily Creates circles up to 10" diameter. Built-in spindle stop prevents over-extension. Supplied with... -
6" Quick Action Compass with Extension Bar
Pacific Arc$16.60The Pacific Arc QSB-810CEX 6" Press Button Quick Action Compass is designed for fast, accurate circle drawing in drafting, engineering, architecture, and geometry applications. The quick-action design allows for rapid radius adjustments, while the... -
8" 45/90 Acrylic Cutting-Edge Triangle
Art Alternatives$13.30These clear acrylic triangles features grid markings including centering lines to facilitate scaled drawings, geometric compositions, and detailed linework. These are multi-use tools, handy for measuring, drawing and cutting. Two edges are beveled for... -
Aluminum Triangles
Fairgate$22.40 - $45.60Lightweight, durable aluminum with matte-satin finish that resists stains and tarnishing. Features 1/16" graduations on the 90 angle. May also be used as a template for circles from 1/16" to 1 3/8".Made in the USA -
Math/Geometry School Kit
Staedtler$8.908 essential Staedtler tools contained in a flip-open storage box.Set Includes: CompassAutomatic/Mechanical Pencil6" Protractor6" Ruler 30°/60° triangle 45°/90° triangle Spare Lead Premium quality eraserPlastic Storage Case
Professional Drafting Instruments for Technical Drawing and Precision Layout
Good drafting instruments make technical drawing easier, cleaner, and more accurate. Whether you're learning geometry, working through architecture school, creating fabrication layouts, or sketching design concepts by hand, the right tools make a noticeable difference.
This collection includes drafting triangles, compasses, dividers, beam compasses, proportional dividers, irregular curves, pantographs, and other precision drafting instruments used in architecture, engineering, design, STEM education, and manual drafting workflows.
Many drafting and design students still use these tools every day alongside CAD software. Manual drafting remains an important part of learning layout fundamentals, geometry, spacing, proportion, and technical drawing techniques.
Choosing Better Drafting Instruments
One of the most common mistakes beginners make is buying an extremely cheap compass. Low-quality compasses often slip, wobble, or lose adjustment while drawing, which quickly becomes frustrating during classroom exercises and technical layouts. Many drafting instructors recommend spending a little more on a better compass because students tend to use them constantly throughout drafting and geometry courses.
Architecture and engineering students most commonly use drafting triangles, compasses, and parallel bars during manual drafting exercises. Many drafting kits include these core tools along with scales, pencils, and drafting media needed for classroom work.
A quality parallel bar is also one of the few drafting tools many professionals keep for decades. Even as software has changed over the years, a good parallel bar still provides a fast, reliable drawing surface for sketching, layouts, and technical drawing by hand.
Still Used Alongside CAD
Even in CAD-heavy classrooms and design offices, drafting instruments are still widely used for concept sketching, geometry instruction, manual layout work, presentation drawings, fabrication planning, and learning core drafting principles. Many designers and architects still find it faster to sketch ideas by hand before moving into software.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are drafting instruments?
Drafting instruments are hand tools used for technical drawing and precision layout work. They help create accurate circles, angles, curves, spacing, and measured lines for drafting, engineering, architecture, geometry, and design applications.
What drafting instruments do architecture students use most?
Architecture students commonly use drafting triangles, compasses, and parallel bars during manual drafting exercises and technical drawing classes. Many drafting kits also include scales, pencils, and drafting paper needed for coursework.
Are drafting instruments still used today?
Yes. Drafting instruments are still widely used for STEM education, concept sketching, geometry instruction, fabrication layouts, overlays, and manual drafting workflows.
Complete Your Drafting Workspace
Pair drafting instruments with related drafting tools and drawing supplies to create a complete technical drawing and design workspace.
Shop Drafting Templates | Shop Drafting Pencils & Leads | Shop Ruling & Measuring Tools | Shop Technical Pens | Shop Drafting Paper | Shop Drafting Boards |
