This method also covers sizes where each side is 36" or less and the sides are unequal.

1. Convert the drawing to a PDF and open in Acrobat Pro.
2. Optimize the PDF.
3. On the toolbar, set the view to 'Fit One Full Page'. This makes it easy to view the entire document on screen.
   
   
   
   
4. Rotate the document on the screen so that the widest edge is the width. Click View > Rotate View > Clockwise. You want the screen view to mimic how the document will come out of the printer (same orientation). Since the plotter paper width is 36", we rotate on screen so the width is 36".
   
   
   
   Correct orientation:
   
   
   
   Incorrect orientation (wastes a foot of paper and takes longer to print):