FIXED CURVE PLASTIC TEMPLATE BOX WITH DRAWING CURVES

These drawing tools were used by Jurgen Gossman in the 1980s and 1990s when he was a town planner and later a member of the planning department in the City of Armadale. These tools were used to create hand drawn technical plans for subdivisions, drainage systems, roads and other engineering tasks. In the mid to late 1990s the need to use these tools was slowly replaced by computer programs. Staff would have been trained in how to use these tools as they were gaining their engineering degrees.
Also known as hip or arc curve rulers, these were used for patternmaking (or pattern drafting) and are still commonly used in fashion and tailoring. Before garments were mass produced, garments were usually customized to fit an individual's unique body shape. Although large manufacturers have shifted to using digital technology, smaller manufacturers continue to do most of their pattern making on paper.
Since the establishment of local governments across Western Australian in 1871, they have been responsible for the designing and construction of local roads and drains. They also quickly became responsible for town planning, meaning staff with the skills to create accurate drawings have always been needed. The tool represents a manual skill that was essential for council staff who worked in the planning department that has now been replaced by computer programs.