Building an old barn diorama

[misterNNL]

I recently purchased the "building an old barn"from the model junkyard boys and have some questions for the diorama builders on this site.First of all I am attempting of convert their metric/decimal dimensions into inches to create a workable Bill of materials for this project and nothing works perfectly.An example is their decimal dimension of .31" x .31".Am I going to convert this to the next nominal size up in inches to get close in American basswood?I know that the rest of the world runs on metrics but basswood is not sold in metric sizes here.Anyone else attempting to build this old barn that can offer any suggestions?I found a conversion table on line that converts the decimals into 1/32's since converting it to 1/16th' s simply will not work on the small sizes needed.

Thanks in advance for your time and help.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Most scale lumber in basswood I'm familiar with IS dimensioned in decimal sizes...English decimal sizes and sometimes also in metric sizes...which are not the same thing obviously.

See the listings for scale lumber here for examples.

http://www.hobbylinc.com/cgi-bin/s8.cgi?cat_s=RCE&str_s=dml modelers

If for some reason you still DO have to convert from decimal sizes to fractional sizes, remember that nothing WILL work perfectly. There are no exact multiples of 1/32 that will equal all decimal dimensions.

Obviously, you first have to convert any metric dimensions into decimal English dimensions, and then convert your decimal dimensions into fractional dimensions.

Again, it won't be prefect and you'll have to "round up" and guesstimate somewhat.

Just FYI....31" is about 1/3 of an inch, obviously. There are 32  32nds in one inch, so 1/3 of 32 will be about 11/32".

Here's a short video about converting decimals to fractions in general. It is simple arithmetic.

https://www.khanacademy.org/math/pre-algebra/pre-algebra-decimals/pre-algebra-decimals-to-fractions/v/converting-decimals-to-fractions-1-ex-1

 

Edited September 26, 2016 by Ace-Garageguy

[Modelbuilder Mark]

Glad you mentioned this. I had considered those books before. 

 

[landman]

There are conversion charts around too. Look it up on Google. I'll try and find some. That is what I use.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Again, scale lumber is usually sold in decimal sizes. This isn't hard.

And if it's sold in fractional sizes, it's a straightforward in-your-head conversion to 32nds. 1/2=16/32. 1/8= 4/32 Etc.

This basswood is sold in even fractional sizes.

http://www.nationalbalsa.com/Basswood_Sticks_s/46.htm

 

Edited September 26, 2016 by Ace-Garageguy

[Art Anderson]

I recently purchased the "building an old barn"from the model junkyard boys and have some questions for the diorama builders on this site.First of all I am attempting of convert their metric/decimal dimensions into inches to create a workable Bill of materials for this project and nothing works perfectly.An example is their decimal dimension of .31" x .31".Am I going to convert this to the next nominal size up in inches to get close in American basswood?I know that the rest of the world runs on metrics but basswood is not sold in metric sizes here.Anyone else attempting to build this old barn that can offer any suggestions?I found a conversion table on line that converts the decimals into 1/32's since converting it to 1/16th' s simply will not work on the small sizes needed.

Thanks in advance for your time and help.

For most all 1/25 scale modeling purposes, I simply treat one millimeter as .040" (which is on inch in 1/25th scale EXACTLY), because in actual measurement, the difference is about the thickness of a gnat's hair--only about 1/1000 of an inch or so--too small to be noticeable for most of our purposes (really, how many of us are dealing with dimensions that are is minute as needed in really fine "instrument" machining?  Answer is, IMHO, not even close:  One swipe of 400'grit sandpaper on a piece of styrene MIGHT equal a thousandth of an inch--and when working in basswood or styrene, I rather doubt that any of use EVER get that precise--nor for most applications, would we even worry about.

 

Art Anderson

[misterNNL]

I looked at every package of basswood I have and none have metric or decimal information on them.All are in "regular"good old Amercian parts of inches.I like the basic concept of their book but with my weak math skills it's frustrating.There are still some very old post and beam peg style barns in this area so I will be photographing some of those as part of my research for this build.

[Ace-Garageguy]

I looked at every package of basswood I have and none have metric or decimal information on them.All are in "regular"good old Amercian parts of inches.I like the basic concept of their book but with my weak math skills it's frustrating.There are still some very old post and beam peg style barns in this area so I will be photographing some of those as part of my research for this build.

All the Midwest basswood packages of current manufacture carry decimal dimensions...as per the link I posted above.

But I have a better idea. Math-free, and I use it frequently because it's so quick.

As Art mentions, in 1/25 scale, one millimeter equals one inch.

Get yourself a cheap digital micrometer that has both metric and decimal readouts. Most do these days, and they're only $25 or less.

Measure the basswood you have with the readout in millimeters.

This will tell you what the full-scale size would be in inches.

Or when you measure the old barns, take the dimension you get (let's say 12.5" for a heavy column) and simply set your micrometer to read 12.5 mm. 

Presto.

If you DO happen to see basswood dimensioned in decimals but you can't open the package to measure it directly (or even if you see the dimensions on the web), all you have to do is open your caliper to read the decimal dimension, and then press the button that switches the readout to millimeters. You now know what size, in inches, your scale lumber represents in 1/25.

Edited September 27, 2016 by Ace-Garageguy

[misterNNL]

Thanks guys!I knew the answer was out there and all I had to do was ask.

[Art Anderson]

All the Midwest basswood packages of current manufacture carry decimal dimensions...as per the link I posted above.

But I have a better idea. Math-free, and I use it frequently because it's so quick.

As Art mentions, in 1/25 scale, one millimeter equals one inch.

Get yourself a cheap digital micrometer that has both metric and decimal readouts. Most do these days, and they're only $25 or less.

Measure the basswood you have with the readout in millimeters.

This will tell you what the full-scale size would be in inches.

Or when you measure the old barns, take the dimension you get (let's say 12.5" for a heavy column) and simply set your micrometer to read 12.5 mm. 

Presto.

If you DO happen to see basswood dimensioned in decimals but you can't open the package to measure it directly (or even if you see the dimensions on the web), all you have to do is open your caliper to read the decimal dimension, and then press the button that switches the readout to millimeters. You now know what size, in inches, your scale lumber represents in 1/25.

Two things:  1)  A digital caliper works much better and much more easily than a micrometer--unless one is a precision machinist.  2) Bear in mind that all wood is both temperature and humidity sensitive, the more humid the conditions, the more the wood will  swell up, and with temperature this is also true, but to a lesser extent.

On another note:  When building two dissimilar model subjects, such as a barn in wood to be presented with a plastic model car built from a kit--is a silly little millimeter's difference in exact scale measurements of that barn or any of its timbers or boards REALLY going to make a serious difference in the overall diorama--probably not--as again, that "silly little millimeter" isn't likely to show up as being way inaccurate, IMHO.

Art

[Ace-Garageguy]

Two things:  1)  A digital caliper works much better and much more easily than a micrometer--unless one is a precision machinist. 

Absolutely correct. I was thinking of a caliper in my head but my fingers typed "micrometer". Duh.

Glad you corrected me, because a digital caliper IS exactly what I'd intended to recommend.

Sorry for posting the wrong info there, folks.   

Edited September 27, 2016 by Ace-Garageguy

[misterNNL]

After doing some comparative price shopping yesterday,I will probably buy my basswood"lumber"at Hobby Lobby.I can buy five pieces of 1/32 x 1/32 in a package for $ 2.99.I checked at Michaels Crafts and their price is $ 1.29 each for one piece.That may not seems significant but if the entire structure is covered with individual pieces of siding(which looks the most realistic) if takes 151 feet of one size material.HL does not mark their basswood with metric or decimal dimensions.

[misterNNL]

I finally have figured out exactly what I need to build this barn as described in the book.If anyone is interested in knowing what that is just let me know and I'll post the list.The only brick and mortar stores in this area that carry basswood strips in stock are,Hobby Lobby and Menards.HL has everything needed in stock but is not always the best price.

[Art Anderson]

I finally have figured out exactly what I need to build this barn as described in the book.If anyone is interested in knowing what that is just let me know and I'll post the list.The only brick and mortar stores in this area that carry basswood strips in stock are,Hobby Lobby and Menards.HL has everything needed in stock but is not always the best price.

Tom, go to Walthers website.  They are the primary source of basswood in scale strips for the HO model railroading hobby.  Look up the O-scale "lumber" sizes there (1:48 scale) and simply double the size from O-scale which will give you 1/24 scale lumber sizes.  In other words, an O-scale 4X8 is a 2X4 in 1/24 scale, and so on.

Art

Edited October 4, 2016 by Art Anderson

[misterNNL]

Thanks Art.See you Saturday at the NNL?

[Warren D]

I get my wood direct from :  https://www.northeasternscalelumber.com/shop/

Fast service and too many size choices!

[Art Anderson]

Thanks Art.See you Saturday at the NNL?

Dave and I are planning on being at Detroit NNL, but not at Sylvania ththis year.

 

[1930fordpickup]

Tom does this help any? 

[1930fordpickup]

I should see you on Saturday and have a printed ( in black and white ) copy with me. 

[mredjr]

Thanks Andy for posting the chart. Elvin