Planning to build several wood buildings HO scale and a bridge/trestle as well? Where do you guys like to buy your HO scale lumber? Thanks much.
A couple of Mfgrs, I have used extensively over the yrs. with no problems in quality:
Northeastern Scale Lumber:
http://www.northeasternscalelumber.com/
Mt. Albert Scale Stripwood:
https://www.handlaidtrack.com/scalelumber
Take Care!
Frank
Northeastern Scale Lumber. Google will get you there. You can also order thru Walthers.
David Starr www.newsnorthwoods.blogspot.com
Another excellent brand, if you can find it, is Kappler scale lumber. I see that Walthers no longer carries it and is selling off inventory, and I just found it impossible to get onto the Kappler website so perhaps they have shut down? I do not want to start an unfair rumor here. Websites go down for all sorts of reasons.
Years ago at a swap meet I bought some very old scale lumber sold by Ayers, a name that has not been active in probably a half century or more. Ayers sold their scale lumber as part of a piece of cardboard, and those entire packages are intact and still totally usable. Northeastern and others now put their scale lumber in long plastic bags and once you get to the very small stuff -- HO scale 1x2s for example -- the chances of getting broken pieces becomes pretty high. Often this makes little difference but should you want or need the full length piece for a given project - good luck.
Because I live near Walthers and the Walthers showroom has some bookshelves with damaged packaging and returned or defective materials selling at low prices, I get my scale lumber really cheap but ALL of it has broken pieces, often every piece in the bag is broken. I can work around it or do not need full length anyway. But the LHS may not give a discount for that like Walthers does. Look carefully before buying if you need long lengths.
Dave Nelson
P.S. Amended post: don't ignore the packages of craft sticks and dowels that you can find cheaply at a Michaels or Hobby Lobby or other craft/art supply shop. They are usually uniform in size and of decent quality wood. There are many projects where they work just fine and at a considerable savings.
I wrote up an article about these products (giving their scale dimensions in various scales) in my Frugal Modeler column in the NMRA Midwest Region Waybill. You can find the article here on page 3 and 4.
http://www.mwr-nmra.org/region/waybill/waybill20112summer.pdf
DN
dknelsonAnother excellent brand, if you can find it, is Kappler scale lumber. I see that Walthers no longer carries it and is selling off inventory, and I just found it impossible to get onto the Kappler website so perhaps they have shut down? I do not want to start an unfair rumor here. Websites go down for all sorts of reasons.
Connected to the site 5 minutes ago
http://www.kapplerusa.com/y2k/kp-main.htm
I tried to sell my two cents worth, but no one would give me a plug nickel for it.
I don't have a leg to stand on.
DSchmitt dknelson Another excellent brand, if you can find it, is Kappler scale lumber. I see that Walthers no longer carries it and is selling off inventory, and I just found it impossible to get onto the Kappler website so perhaps they have shut down? I do not want to start an unfair rumor here. Websites go down for all sorts of reasons. Connected to the site 5 minutes ago http://www.kapplerusa.com/y2k/kp-main.htm
dknelson Another excellent brand, if you can find it, is Kappler scale lumber. I see that Walthers no longer carries it and is selling off inventory, and I just found it impossible to get onto the Kappler website so perhaps they have shut down? I do not want to start an unfair rumor here. Websites go down for all sorts of reasons.
Yes it works and Kappler lives! Their website has tutorials with drawings, and a very good consumer portfolio of examples. Part of it did say under construction. For those who like working with quality materials, add Kappler to your list. Thanks, DSchmidt.
Mel, that is a very useful chart you showed that indicates the conversions to standard dim lumber.....Thank you
Much good info DN...Thank you...
JJO,
Norrtheastern also has dimensions charts for all scales for all their products:
https://www.northeasternscalelumber.com/uploads/pdfs/NESLCatalog_2013.pdf
A scratchbulit side porch, built with Northeastern scale lumber:
Doggone it, Frank, that side porch looks real good.
Rich
Alton Junction
Frank, thanks for info...Like your project of side stairs etc. Lumber looks real. Thnx
There also is Mt. Albert Scale Lumber, https://www.handlaidtrack.com/mt-albert-scale-stripwood
I'm amazed at how much is available.....Thought I was going to have to cut carefully on my Table Saw...
jjo I'm amazed at how much is available.....Thought I was going to have to cut carefully on my Table Saw...