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Scale Lumber?

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Scale Lumber?
Posted by mikesmowers on Monday, September 10, 2007 2:36 PM
   I am wanting to do some detailed scratch building and am in need of scale lumber. I will be mostly needing 2X4's, 2X6's, and 1X12's any good place on line to find this sort of building supplies? I also would like to find some scale coragated roofing tin.  I guess you will need to know, I am in HO scale.    Thanks,     Mike
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Posted by Railphotog on Monday, September 10, 2007 2:40 PM

Better hooby shops should carry an assortment of prepackaged stripwood in all kinds of sizes.  Some mail order shops may offer it too.   Northeastern Scale Models, Mt. Albert Scale Lumber, etc. are some of the firms that offer stripwood.  Check out Walthers website to get an idea of what is available and the prices too - small packages do not come cheap.  Larger packages or bulk purchases might be the better option if you need a lot.

 

 

Bob Boudreau

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Posted by DigitalGriffin on Monday, September 10, 2007 3:01 PM

2'x4' is ~1/4" x 1/2"

1'x12' is ~1/8" x 1 1/2"

These are common sizes for doll house projects available at your corner craft store.  But micromark and walthers will sell you scale lumber.  Either place is going to be a lil pricey.  Plastruct will also sell you simulated wood siding and tin roofs.

 

Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions

Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!

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Posted by mikesmowers on Monday, September 10, 2007 3:17 PM

   I guess I didn't make myself plain,  I am wanting HO scale 2'' X 4'',  2''X6'', and 1''X 12'' Lumber, what is commonly used to build old barns and sheds.

   Sorry for not making myself clear.     Mike 

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Posted by Emma Junction Railway on Monday, September 10, 2007 3:42 PM
I have been buying my scale lumber - both HO and O scale - for many years from Kappler Mill & Lumber Co.  The quality is fantastic, even on the smallest sizes and they are great people to deal with.  kapplerusa.com
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Posted by on30francisco on Monday, September 10, 2007 4:15 PM
Coronado Scale Models, 1524 Cypress St, Phoenix, AZ 85006 (602) 254-9656  stocks a very large selection of HO, S, and O scale lumber and ships postpaid. Don't overlook using some of the dimensional pieces or lumber from other scales. Although I'm in Large Scale, I find a lot of scale lumber - from HO and O scales and many of the dimensional pieces - very useful. Some larger arts & crafts stores also stock HO scale lumber at discount prices.
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Posted by doctorwayne on Monday, September 10, 2007 7:43 PM

If you want to use wood, Kappler is good.  Personally, I'd use styrene:  Evergreen offers HO scale 1" thick strips in widths from 2" to 12", and likewise for 2" stock.  They also have 4"x4", 6"x6", and possibly some larger sizes.  For HO scale sizes not available, they have an even more extensive range of sizes measured in thousandths-of-an-inch:  1 inch in HO scale is approximately .011".  For corrugated siding, you can use basswood sheets from NorthEastern, or styrene sheets from Evergreen.  If you're looking for something a bit more 3-dimensional (most likely if you're doing board-by-board), I'd recommend the aluminum sheets from Campbell.  The strips (several in a package - the amount depends on the length) come in a variety of lengths from 4' to 16' HO, I believe.  These can be applied over a built-up framed roof, or atop a plain styrene sub-roof. In the photo below, the sheets are applied over a sub-roof of .060" styrene sheet.

 

This structure has a sub-roof of built-up styrene trusses, strapped with styrene strips. The sheets are applied directly to the framework.

 

Finally, on this structure, the walls are Evergreen styrene corrugated siding, while the roof is individual Campbell sheets, on a .060" sheet styrene sub-roof.

 

The Campbell sheets are also useful for making fences:

 

In all examples, the Campbell sheets are joined to the sub-roof or framework with contact cement.  To ease the tedium of applying the cement to each individual sheet, apply the cement to the uncut strip of roofing material, then allow it to dry to the touch, as per the manufacturer's instructions.  I use a NorthWest Short Line "Chopper" to cut the individual sheets: set the stop to the width you need, then chop away.  Make sure that the pieces don't come in contact with one another:  I spread them, face-up, on a spread-out sheet of newspaper.  Most contact cements will give you at least an hour of "working time", so you don't have to rush.  When you've got the sheets cut, use a brush to apply more contact cement to the framework or sub-roof, and again, let it dry to the touch.  For a sub-roof of sheet styrene, I find that it helps to use a suitably wide brush to apply a coat of lacquer thinner first, as a "prep" for the contact cement.  By the way, if you've got a lot of roofing to do, or some other projects around the home that require contact cement, splurge on a can of gelled contact cement - a lot less strings and a lot neater.  I've found it only in 1 litre or bigger cans, though.  Anyway, when all of the contact cement is dry to the touch, start roofing, as you would on the prototype, from one side and from the bottom up.  Overlap the sheets by a corrugation or two at the sides, and by at least a couple of scale inches over the course below.  The sheets will stick as soon as they touch the cement on the sub-roof, so be careful as you position them.  They won't stick where they overlap another sheet, though.  This is not normally a problem, but if the situation calls for it, use a small, stiff brush to slip a bit of contact cement beneath the overlapping sheet, wait a few seconds (or minutes) then press it into place.  I use an airbrush to paint or dullcote the shiny sheets after installation, as required, then add rust or other weathering with an airbrush, drybrush or chalks.

Wayne    

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Posted by tsasala on Thursday, September 13, 2007 4:07 PM

I think both Evergreen and Plastruct make scale lumber. I also bought some wood scale lumber, but can't remember who makes it.

 Tom

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Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, September 13, 2007 7:50 PM

Scale lumber can be obtained from the above sources, plus a few others not yet mentioned.

If you're serious, you might want to get a sample packet of 2x4's from each manufacturer, and test it for size and workability.  They are not all the same.

I model in 0 scale, and it's interesting that most scale lumber is labeled in H0 sizes so I am constantly making that mental conversion.  It's also interesting, the sizes are cut for 1/4" fidelity; therefore, the H0 sizes are actually 1:96 scale, or 1/8" scale, instead of 1:87.

The smallest I think you'll find are 2x2's in stripwood, and 1 1/2" thick in plywood (H0 scale or 1:96).  In 0 scale, that would be 1x1's, and 3/4" plywood respectively.

 It's tough enough working scale lumber for the 1/4" scale, and I've seen some pretty fine work done in H0.  Get some and start building.  The learning curve is pretty quick.  And we will want pictures.

-rrick

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Posted by wm3798 on Thursday, September 13, 2007 11:16 PM

Well, DUH!  You have to go to the scale lumber yard!

And if you can't get there yourself, they deliver!

Lee 

Route of the Alpha Jets  www.wmrywesternlines.net

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Posted by mikesmowers on Friday, September 14, 2007 10:55 AM

 wm3798...   Duh for me to. I never thought of going to the scale lumber yard.

  And yes, We Do Deliver.

 

  We even have a building being built with Fillmore Concrete doing the concrete work.

    Thanks so much for the info, I will order some lumber in the next few days.    Mike
 

Modeling Trains Is Not A Matter Of Life Or Death, It Is Much More Important Than That!!
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Posted by wm3798 on Friday, September 14, 2007 3:47 PM

Those scenes look great!

Lee 

Route of the Alpha Jets  www.wmrywesternlines.net

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Posted by lilivalley on Saturday, September 15, 2007 9:30 PM
cloverhouse puts out a good product, I have used a lot of his lumber

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