Why Blueprints are Blue

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In this video:

Making copies of architectural drawings hasn’t always been the easiest thing in the world to do. For the majority of human history, the most economical solution was simply to have someone make a tracing of the original plans.

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[TodayIFoundOut]

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[DedhedWaldo]

Thanks for this explanation. I've been in the machining industry for over 30 years. Blueprints were always black and white and usually just called "prints". I have never seen an actual "blueprint" before. When the younger guys whom I'm training ask why they're called "blueprints", I've never had an answer. Today I found out...

[ErikPelyukhno]

Thank you for making interesting informative videos with high quality and no extra "fluff" to make the video longer. I really appreciate what you're doing!

[TechnoGolem]

I have  to give you a lot of credit. You do a great job of answering interesting questions that are less commonly asked/answered.

[jethrodesilva]

As an former engineer with over 40 years in the industry, I have never heard the term 'Blueprint' used or ever come across such a thing. I have come across blue lines on a white background in my early years but modern processes gave a black line on a white background. Secondary masters, some years ago, had brown lines on a plastic sheet. Have vivid memories of the ammonia process. I always regarded the term blueprint as used mainly in fiction books or films.

[DustyTheDog]

I was CAD engineer for the Great American Desk Company, before it closed, and it was really neat to look at some of the older blueprints from the 50's and 60's. Everything I dealt with personally was digital(CAD=Computer Aided Design).

[BeastOfTraal]

When I was a teen I worked at an engineering firm making blueprints a very stinky process.

[ga]

Wow, Simon... I didn’t realize this was a father and son enterprise... so good to see Simon Jr taking after The Old Man...

[winghead]

Wow, a short video that gets straight to the point. This was phenomenal. So here have some engagement

[ozdergekko]

Simon, can you pleease edit the template and turn down the volume on the signation? It's at least twice as loud as the rest. thx

[neurofiedyamato]

Thanks, very interesting stuff there. Love how your videos are always questions I never think of but am curious as to the answer. This is a 'Huh, never thought about that. That's a good question' channel.

[djcfrompt]

You also have to wash the new copy to run the reaction. It won't go quickly in a solid state, but add a bunch of water and the reaction in aqueous solution goes really fast.

[stevenclark]

If you have an unholy amount of patience you can even use "blueprint" papers to record a photograph with a camera (probably large format of at least 4"x5" for practicality). The sensitivity's low so the exposure time is really long. Content would as a result end up limited to static subjects...like architecture.

[daveubermensch]

Anyone remember making diazo prints? How I loved getting papercuts while making sets of those.

[rummy]

I love this channel. They teach me things I didn't even know I wanted to know.

[zeighy]

This channel needs more This is the best recommendation Youtube has ever shown me.

[aceroadholder]

The oldest blueprint drawings I've ever seen are WW1 German Zeppelin construction drawings at the University of Akron. They're kept in drawing cabinets and they are in excellent condition though they are 100 years old.

[lloydtatum]

I worked in reprographics many moons ago. I was going to berate you for this when I saw the image on YouTube that shows diazo prints. Decided to watch the video. You got it right.

[tchevrier]

I think actual "blueprints" dates back quite a ways, either that or its unique to certain industries
.
I've been an engineer since the mid 80's and I've never ever seen a blue print, nor heard any anyone use the term "blueprint".
They were always simply referred to as "drawings". If you wanted the original, you asked for the original mylar. If you wanted a copy you made a "white print". That is until large scale photocopying and then CAD systems.

[ethanwagner]

They're blue, because otherwise they wouldn't be called blueprints, silly.