Plot PDF half scale

This morning I send out my first survey signed electronically. The result of the full size PDF plot came out fantastic, just exactly how I envision it. The line-works came out clear and crisp, just like how it was plot in AutoCAD. This is so much better that a scan.

Here are the steps:

- Plot the autocad drawing full size (34x22) using DWG to PDF option.
- Sign the PDF.
--- The seal can be plot with the AutoCAD drawing, or as a watermark in PDF
- Certify the PDF.
- Send to client.
- Plot said signed PDF and keep a copy for self.

There are some little setback because the client also request for half-size copies. So when I tried to plot the signed PDF to 17x11 using options like Fit, or Shrink oversize paper, the scale was off. This is of course because of the default paper margin that every plotter has. I also tried to plot 50% scaling option to the big plotter, but of course it leaves a set of paper to waste, and it still cut part my drawing off.

(A side note here, many CADD border using 0.5" margin on full size paper, and it came out 0.25" on half size prints. However, 0.25" is the default margin of many printer/copier, so if the clients make copy of the 17x11, the border will be cut-off. You can test this by scan 17x11 to PDF, then print it out, full scale, the border will be cut-off even though the screen show there is a border. Therefore I recommend the full-size border should be at least 0.3")

Anyway, after many paper sheets were wasted, and Google searching, I find out my plotters don't have option to print borderless or change margin. So I have to resort to cheating.

I plot the signed PDF, choosing Adobe as the plotter, Full Scale, 34"x22", but in Printer Preferences, choose 50% scale. The new PDF will come out half scaled on 34x22. Now I crop the paper to 17x11 (using Adobe Acrobat). Then, I plot this 17x11 PDF to an HP Printer, Full Scale. The drawing came out perfectly, half size scaled on 17x11.

Of course, there is another easy option (and not wasting that much paper too), that is to plot 17x11 PDF inside AutoCAD. Then signed and sealed that PDF too.

The only reason I jumped through the hoops because I think the 17x11 should only be a copy of the full size drawing, not a signed original. But I also see people sign original full size hard copies, then also sign original half size hard copies (with little bitty signature, and full size seal).