# Scale or Semi-Scale?



## up9018 (Jan 4, 2008)

If you were to scratch build some type of rolling stock or structure, would you use (or make) wood that is the correct dimension to the board size for the scale you are modeling in? Or do you tend to take the nearest stock piece that can be found in hobby stores and online places?

Also, how close to you try to get to actual dimensions? If something is close to a 1/16th, do you just round up/down so you can find it on your tape measure or ruler? 


Chris


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

If I were to try building something in wood to a paticular scale, I would try to make it as close to correct as possible. 

But how close to scale can you get with an old hand saw and wood file?


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## Dr Rivet (Jan 5, 2008)

Randy 

Measure with a micrometer, mark with a crayon, cut with an axe.


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## spincaster (Mar 10, 2012)

I do a lot of scratchbuilding and have the ability to saw or cnc mill to fairly close tollerances BUT I usually just try to get close to the scale dimension. If it is within 1/4"scale I'm very happy. 1/4" scale is about .018" in 7/8 scale which is what I model in. Most of the time I'm a lot more accurate. 

While on this topic, I have a very nice table saw intended for modelmaking. Jim Byrnes makes these and they are fabulous. I also bought a micrometer adjustment option for the fence and it makes for very accurate cuts. Though not cheap, the Jim Byrnes saw is much better made and more accurate than the other other hobby saws. I think this saw will last longer than I will !


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

Yes, the Byrnes products are great, I really like his thickness sander.


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## Grimm (Oct 5, 2009)

I would really love to have one of Jim Byrnes table saws. *sigh* I will have to save up my penny's.  

Jason


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Depends how retentive the builder wants to be. I usually use whatever is available and smudge the details. I use a straight edge but lately Scales are only found on fish. I eyeball everything but I'm definetly not after drop-dead accuracy. Representative model depiction is the goal, not scale depiction of miniature reality. But thats just me.


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## Amber (Jul 29, 2011)

I try to get as close as I can to the scale dimensions, but I don't have the equipment to get really accurate wood cutting, so I do the best that I can with what I have. If I find basswood at the hobby shop that's close to the dimensions that I'm looking for, I'll go with it. I know you can order "exact" scale wood in 1/20.3 scale online, but I'm not quite that picky. Cutting small stripwood is difficult for me, but I use a 10 inch table saw, one of the bench top models, with a 7-1/2 inch fine cut blade in it. I think it's a 40 tooth blade. I also use a home made zero clearance plate made from a piece of 1/4 inch hardboard that I clamped to the top of the table and then raised the saw blade up through it with it running. I got that idea from somewhere on line and it worked pretty well. I have to clamp the cutting fence on to the table with a couple of C clamps, I use a piece of aluminum angle for the fence. It's about as accurate as I am with setting the fence for the cut.


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## rhyman (Apr 19, 2009)

Garden railroading, by its very nature, is a mix of compromises. One of the most obvious compromises is in the selection of suitable scale lumber sizes. For example, 12” square timbers are commonly used for posts and sills on prototype trestles. In F scale (1:20.32), this equates to 15mm or 0.591 inches. 

I use an old Dremel 4” table saw with a precision fence called an “accurizer” to cut my scale lumber. As a general rule, I like to use fractional measurements wherever possible for convenience. For items where the appearance is critical, I cut to the closest 1/32”. for items where scale is not so important, I cut to the nearest 1/16". For large quantities, I have Jim Warren from Northwest Precision Lumber cut my wood for me. He will cut to the closest 1/32”. The only item I attempt to keep in true scale is 8” square bridge ties. Here are the sizes I use to represent prototype bridge timbers: 



timber prototype model equates to[/b]
bent posts & sills 12” x 12” 19/32” x 19/32” 12.065” x 12.065”
bent caps 12” x 14” 19/32” x 11/16” 12.065” x 13.97”
stringers 8” x 18” 3/8” x 7/8” 7.62” x 17.78”
stringers 8” x 24” 3/8” x 1 3/16” 7.62” x 24.13”
guard timbers 5” x 8” 1/4” x 3/8” 5.08” x 7.62”
sway braces 4” x 12” 3/16” x 9/16” 3.81” x 11.43”
sway braces 3” x 10” 1/8” x 1/2” 2.54” x 10.16”
girts 6” x 10” 5/16” x 1/2” 6.35” x 10.16”
bridge ties 8” x 8” 0.394” x 0.394” 8.006” x 8.006”
regular ties 5" x 7" 3/8” x 3/8” 7.62” x 7.62”


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## Bob Pero (Jan 13, 2008)

I use scale rulers when building. I have one for 1/29 and one for 1:20.3. I have found that I need to cut basswod on my hobby saw, especially for my rolling stock projects.


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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)

Chris get as picky as you feel comfortable at, it is your model. If viewed by 100 people 98 will look at it saying wow that really looks great, and tell you, you are a great modeler, the other 2 will look in real detail, look how you made your joints fit, look at how close to scale you are. They will either compliment you or be critical or say nothing. The first 98 would say the samething if your model is scaled very accurately or off some. 
So with that in mind I would use what is available as long as it is close. you can drive yourself to an early stages of NUTS if you are critical. Some people thrive off building something to the INTH degree..My question is, would you rather have a model you spent 200 hours on getting just perfect that 2% of the viewing people can really appreciate, or have 4 really good models that 98% of the people think that is really good. As a business owner i am always at the drawing the line in the sand, saying we spend time here that will not benifit the final finished product, but only reduce the profit line. We must move on at this stage. 
Dennis


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## harvey (Dec 30, 2008)

Hi Dennis,
Good commentary here. I guess we just need to remember that rivet counters are people too.
Unfortunately some people do take offence at criticism, but if you can look beyond that and look at it as advise expressed without consideration to the recipient it can sometimes be useful.
Personally I believe my skin is now thick enough that it's almost bullet proof. However, when someone looking at my work wants to bet me his next pension cheque that I've got it wrong I usually take another look at things and if I'm wrong make an effort to get it right. I just want to replicate my models to the best of my ability to the way things were and not make them the way I think they should have been.
Cheers.


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## harvey (Dec 30, 2008)

Hi Bob,
Here's an exception to the rule on bridge ties. The exCPR bridge in Edmonton has 1,978 ties, they are 18 x 8 x 120 (approximately) and not one is interchangeable with another. Each is milled for its own position. The Edmonton Radial Railway Society that currently operates a streetcar over the bridge throughout the summer months is in a perpetual tie replacement program which at nearly $1,100.00 per tie placed is a staggering drain on the society's resources.
Cheers.


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

Well, I'm not going to extrude my own brass rod to get perfectly-scaled handrails, or scribe my own siding so it's exactly 2.268367" wide. On the other hand, if I'm building a flat car frame and it was made from 4" x 8" timbers, I'll rip a plank of basswood to the accurate size. So I think the correct answer is "yes." 

Later, 

K


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