Pro tip: don't buy a cheap drafting board off Amazon

I lost about $80 on a folding drafting board I got from Amazon last spring. The board warped after three weeks because the frame was just thin particle board with a plastic coating. I spent more time trying to level it with shims than actually drafting. Has anyone found a solid budget board that holds up better, or is it worth just saving for an Alvin?

2 comments

2 Comments

valsullivan24d ago

My old roommate bought one of those cheap folding boards a couple summers ago for a comic he was trying to penciling. The whole thing literally split down the middle seam on day two when he leaned on it a bit too hard with his elbow. He ended up just taping it back together with gaffer tape and using it flat on the kitchen table anyway. I swear half those boards use the same factory in China, just different logos slapped on them. I've had good luck stalking Facebook Marketplace for used drafting tables though, picked up a solid steel one for forty bucks that's been going strong for years now.

jenny58023d ago

This is just like those cheap "ergonomic" desk chairs that claim to support your back but start squeaking after a month. Everyone chases a bargain and ends up paying twice, either in tape or in frustration. It's almost always better to hunt for something used and solid than to gamble on a no-name folding table with a flimsy hinge.