Calling out size- height 1st, length 2nd?

[Andy D]

Since we are talking about measuring, does anyone else still use a Pica pole? I use it ALL THE TIME when I apply vinyl and for apparel.
I started out in graphic design in 1993 and have been using the same Pica pole I bought for school. I just recently purchased an additional 12" and a 24". Tape measures hook on edges but the Pica pole is perfect every time, never loose from the thingy on the end, always perfect!
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Good Lord, what have you been a-pickn' with that Pica pole?

 

[Stacey K]

Good Lord, what have you been a-pickn' with that Pica pole?

It's old Andy! LOL

 

[Boudica]

Since we are talking about measuring, does anyone else still use a Pica pole? I use it ALL THE TIME when I apply vinyl and for apparel.
I started out in graphic design in 1993 and have been using the same Pica pole I bought for school. I just recently purchased an additional 12" and a 24". Tape measures hook on edges but the Pica pole is perfect every time, never loose from the thingy on the end, always perfect!
View attachment 152986

I used to have one of those! I wonder what happened to it. I might still have it somewhere in the archives of my college crap.

 

[Gino]

My poles are either from Europe or danceable.

 

[Moze]

When I got into the sign business, I was taught to give dimensions as height x width. This was for a large company that primarily dealt with electrical signs, so most signs were landscape-oriented rectangles. So that was the preferred format used by the art department, manufacturing/production, vinyl department, etc. A few 'rules' were:

1) Be consistent and provide dimensions as height x width, regardless of the shape of the sign. This was a company-wide practice.

2) Don't leave dimensions open to interpretation (aka: an opportunity for a screw-up). Always indicate the height and width on all dimensions given. If a sign is four foot by eight foot, it was always given as 4'-0"h x 8'-0"w (not 4'-0" x 8'-0").

3.) All dimensions should be provided in a consistent manner. Either 4'-0"h x 8'-0"w or 48"h x 96"w (not 4'-0"h x 96"w......and definitely not 4' x 96"...that's a recipe for disaster).

Dimensions for smaller signs could be provided in just inches, but larger signs were generally always provided in feet and inches. Reason being is if you surveyed a pole sign that was 12'-0"h x 18'-0"w and the overall height was 85' or some such thing, writing 1,020" is a bit silly.