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Author Topic: Scale rulers - do you use them?  (Read 4031 times)

tigertiger

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Scale rulers - do you use them?
« on: December 20, 2008, 12:13:42 am »

Does anybody on here use scale rulers?

If you do, are they worth buying?

They vary in price. Maplin's is £3.99
The dearest I have seen is £12.99


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andygh

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Re: Scale rulers - do you use them?
« Reply #1 on: December 20, 2008, 12:40:06 am »

No  :-))
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tigertiger

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Re: Scale rulers - do you use them?
« Reply #2 on: December 20, 2008, 01:52:47 am »

No  :-))

Thank you Andy
Very insightful  ;)
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mike_victoriabc

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Re: Scale rulers - do you use them?
« Reply #3 on: December 20, 2008, 02:17:06 am »

I use a number of them - 1:24, 1:32, 1:48
I prefer the direct read ones - find them at your LHS, possibly in the model railroading section.
Flat scales used to be available at 1/4, 1/8, 1/16 etc but really hard to find since the design guys gravitated to CAD.
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tigertiger

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Re: Scale rulers - do you use them?
« Reply #4 on: December 20, 2008, 02:19:10 am »

Thanks Mike

Yes direct read is the way to go.

How useful do you find them?

Useful? Indespensable?

Is it worth investing in them is what I am getting at.
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kiwi

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Re: Scale rulers - do you use them?
« Reply #5 on: December 20, 2008, 04:00:25 am »

Hi Tigertiger,
As a draughtsman of very long standing (well sitting most of the time now), my recommendation for anyone even remotely interested in model ship building (especially those who want to scratch build), get yourself a good quality set of scale rulers in the scales you are likely to model in. I've had a set since I started work (towards the end of the sixties) and even though I do most of my drawing electronically, I still use my scales on a regular basis.
So, the short answer is, go get yourself a decent scale, the use you get from them will more than pay for the initial cost.
My thoughts
cheers
kiwi
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dougal99

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Re: Scale rulers - do you use them?
« Reply #6 on: December 20, 2008, 11:44:58 am »

Tiger

Use what you think might help. I am a great believer in spreadsheets and to some extent calculators. (My mental arithmetic is rubbish  <:( ) but I like spreadsheets as you can keep a record of the calculations.

Cheers

Doug
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RickF

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Re: Scale rulers - do you use them?
« Reply #7 on: December 20, 2008, 12:11:43 pm »

I bought one of those three-sided things a couple of years ago from the local "cheapo" shop (QD) for about 99p. I use it for giving a firm grip when cutting! I have never used it for scale calculations.

I do most of my "scaling" with a calculator, either the one on the PC when using my drawing package (which also has a scale facility I don't use!) or with a pocket calculator in the workshop. I've also got a couple of architects' scale rules from my railway modelling days - needless to say they don't get used either.

Rick

Rick
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amdaylight

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Re: Scale rulers - do you use them?
« Reply #8 on: December 20, 2008, 03:41:14 pm »

Hi Tigertiger,
As a draughtsman of very long standing (well sitting most of the time now), my recommendation for anyone even remotely interested in model ship building (especially those who want to scratch build), get yourself a good quality set of scale rulers in the scales you are likely to model in. I've had a set since I started work (towards the end of the sixties) and even though I do most of my drawing electronically, I still use my scales on a regular basis.
So, the short answer is, go get yourself a decent scale, the use you get from them will more than pay for the initial cost.
My thoughts
cheers
kiwi

I completely agree with Kiwi on this on, I also am a draftsman (American spelling) and I would be lost with out them. I must have six or seven of them from three of the three sided ones to several that are specific to the scales that I am working in, 1/160th (n), 1/87th (HO), 1/20.3th (F), and 1/35th (military)scales, for 1/64th, 1/32th, and 1/48th I use my architectural scales. I also have a US engineering scale and a metric scale. The reason that I use scales rather than a conversion factor is that I will take the dimension off of one plan and then transfer to the subject that I am working on. Then again lately I have done all of my working drawings in AutoCAD and then scale the drawing to the scale I want and use the computer to get my dimensions and then use a scale to layout my work.

Andre Anderson
over yonder in Portland Oregon
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towboatjoe

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Re: Scale rulers - do you use them?
« Reply #9 on: December 20, 2008, 04:05:22 pm »

I don't use an architect's rule (three sided thingy) for calculating. {:-{ I use them to take measurements of plans.  %%
Then I use a metal rule to do the measuring of what scale I'm building in and use it as a straight edge for cutting.
I work in 1:87, 1:48 and 1:32 scales
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kiwi

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Re: Scale rulers - do you use them?
« Reply #10 on: December 20, 2008, 06:07:45 pm »

Hi,
just to add to my last post and to Andre, even in Autocad (and other programs, I scale from drawings (and photos etc using my own special scales), and draw the ship full size (not the model size) in model space, then scale through into paper space to the scale I want the model. That way any errors or inaccuracies transfered fron the original, are minimized. I also draw in the units which the original was built (ie imperial or metric) as modules used in full size construction are different. (ie frames at 2 feet spacing is quite different to frames at 600mm centres, when taken over the length of a vessel).
Rick, I have done the same at times (scale from plan, then calculate conversion and draw), all very time consuming, another point for 'murphy' to slip into, and how easy is it to have a module of frame spacings of 609.6mm when drawing an imperial ship with 2foot frame spacings, especially if measuring from an original full size vessel with frame spacings varying from 603.3mm to 615.9mm? ( thats 24inch frames varying by + or -1/4 of an inch, fairly standard for the hulls I have been drawing up).
Using scale rules also means you can measure direct from your model (in real measurements, which may mean something) when checking from photos etc. ie you have a photo with some known reference (say a 15" high bucket on deck next to a doorway) using a scale rule draw in the 15" bucket on your plan and eyeball it from there, no fiddling with calculators or buts of scribble on scraps of paper - works for me.
Each of us have our own "favourite" way of doing things, but for me to think in imperial (or metric), for the whole of one job, is a definite plus (and 'murphy doesnt pop up as often).
You all have a happy Christmas, and enjoy your modelling, whatever way you do things
cheers
kiwi
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SteamboatPhil

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Re: Scale rulers - do you use them?
« Reply #11 on: December 20, 2008, 07:43:44 pm »

I have to say that I use scale rules all the time in my job, the three sided ones and the RIBA flat style, and every now and then I do use them for modelling. Would never be without them  :-))
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