Mastering AutoCAD 2005 and AutoCAD LT 2005

If You Want to Experiment

Try drawing the latch shown in Figure 2.21:

Figure 2.21: Try drawing this latch. Dimensions are provided for your reference.

1. Start AutoCAD, open a new file, and name it Latch .

2. In the drawing editor, use the Line command to draw the straight portions of the latch. Start a line as indicated in Figure 2.21; then enter relative coordinates from the keyboard. For example, for the first line segment, enter @4<180 to draw a line segment 4 units long from right to left.

3. Click the Arc tool on the Draw toolbar to draw an arc for the curved part.

4. To start your arc, use the Endpoint Osnap to pick the endpoint indicated in Figure 2.21.

5. Type E to issue the End option of the Arc command.

6. Using the Endpoint Osnap again, click the endpoint above where you started your line. A rubber-banding line and a temporary arc appear.

7. Type D to issue the Direction option for the Arc command.

8. Position your cursor so the ghosted arc looks like the one in Figure 2.21, and then click the mouse button to draw in the arc.