How large is scale wood?

[bandit0517]

I have some pieces of basswood, and would like to make some wood loads for my flats. The question is what dimensions the scale wood should be?

Would like to model 2x4x8, 2x8x8, 2x12x8, and maybe some sheets of 4x8.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[egmurphy]

Depends on what scale you're modeling in. Let's assume HO. That's 1:87 scale, which is to say, if you divide the real life dimension by 87 you should get the size you need your lumber to be.

For example:

2x4 2/87=.023" 4/87=.046"

8' long 8x12=96" 96/87= 1.1"

So for your 2x4, 8' long, you want scale lumber as close as you can find to .023" x .046" x 1.1" long.

If you're working in N scale, substitute 160 for 87 in the calculations.




Regards

Ed

[Anonymous]

If you don't feel like doing the math as Ed suggested, go to the Walthers catalog, look up scratct building supplies, look up Northeastern Scale Lumber. It's page 944 in the 2003 book - the new one is upstairs and I don't feel like going up. They list the various sizes.

2"=.024, 3"=.036, 4"=.048 and so on.

Unless you have a very steady hand you'd be better off just to buy it off the shelf. About $2.00+ for 14 11" pieces. Two packs aught to do a flat car load as your only going to use 1/2" pieces on the end and full lenght pieces only on the top two rows.

Bob

[Eriediamond]

Just a thought and a hint here. years ago I purchased a box of popcicle sticks and a box of those wooden coffee stirrers. The coffee stirrers make into good looking lumber loads for steam era flat cars or truck loads. The popcicle sticks could also be used for this but would be more representative of unplaned or rough cut lumber. Also if you have a church on your layout and want a quick solution for a cemetary for it you can cut the popsicle sticks off about a half inch from the end and paint them or stain them to look like head stones for your grave yard. Use the rounded end you've cut off of course. Ken

[Anonymous]

Go to the hobby shop, a well equipped one, and you will find scale dimensional wood wood by either Kappler or Mt. Albert in correct sizes already for HO, S and O scales. You will see a packages marked for scale, say HO, and they will have 2 x 4 (or what ever the size) printed on them rather than the dimensions in inches. No hobbyshop nearby? Caboose Hobbies, or look in the back of MR and order direct.

Milling your own 2 x 4 s and 2 x 8s etc in HO is going to be a bit dicey without special equipment or take so long that you might want to consdider the commercial stuff. The drawback is the cost : around $2.50 for 6 or seven 2' sections. Micro Mark has better deals but you have to do the conversions from inches yourself.