Thanks Bill, that was before I joined the list but explains a lot. Oh well, a guy can wish I guess.
Carey Carey Probst Member, M.I.T. Educational Council Perm: [email protected] A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. On 7/28/2010 8:32 AM, Bill & Diane, B.T.S. wrote: > > Carey Probst wrote: > > > This discussion brings up a topic I have been thinking about for quite > >a while as to why there are not more laser cut structures made for the > >smaller (numbers wise) scales like S and it may be my lack of > >understanding of how the laser cutting process works. > > > >Once the manufacturer has entered all the cutting information into the > >computer for creating an HO scale structure I would think it would be a > >minor cost to simply scale all the dimensions up to S or O or down to TT > >or Z and make a small run. > > > >I do not know how the basic design translates from the CAD to the laser > >cutter but on a normal drafting program when you design in feet or > >meters you can print in any scale as a full size drawing. How is laser > >cutting different and why can't an HO laser cutting plan be easily > >changed to cut an S scale structure? > > > > > > > (snip) > > That has been discussed in the past.... my Feb 2009 post included below > to why we did not run our Civil War cars in S scale.... > > Urban legend!! Not even close to reality! While I can cut any > drawing on the lasers in any scale just by changing two parameters when > the job is submitted to the laser, the kits would never go together. I > have just spent over 100 man-hours over the last few months just > converting the Slatyfork Sawmill from HO to S Scale. Here is the > reality.... > > Every part must be evaluated to make a decision on what thickness of > material should be used. There are no equal thickness of materials > between scales. For example, a wall in HO cut on 1/16" stock makes a > scale 5.44" thick wall. That same 1/16" stock might work for S, but > then it is only a scale 4" thick, or it can be cut on 3/32" stock that > is six scale inches thick if it looks better that way. Either material > size means the walls are now a different thickness from the original > design specs, and therefore, EVERY piece that touches that internal > dimension has to be changed... the floor that fits inside the four 1/16" > thick walls now needs to be 1.44 scale inches larger in all directions, > the tabs and slots on the walls need to be modified to compensate for > the thickness change, the rafters that fit inside the walls need to > change, etc., etc. Then every piece needs to be tested... i.e., cut > and glued together to make sure it all fits together. > > Next the kerf of the laser beam comes into play for critical tolerance > parts such as window sashes fitting into the holes in the walls. The > beam thickness is 0.006" or about 1/2" in HO scale or about 1/3" in S > scale. So the sashes need mods as the scale changes or they will not > fit in the holes. Yes, it helps to keep a calculator on the desk! > > All the above is part of the engineering we go through with conversion > of a kit to another scale. In addition, sometimes the artistic stuff > comes into play.... a part that looks good as a scale 2" piece in HO, > may need to be a scale 3" piece in S to 'look right.' > > Now that every part has been modified, the layout on the wood has to > change. While a group of HO pieces could be cut on 4" x 24" basswood, > the same parts in S scale will now need two pieces of 6" x 24" stock. > > Then we look at detail castings. While we have a lot on hand already, > doing the Civil War cars will require new patterns for at least the > brake wheel, bolster washers, and stake pockets. Truck and L&P couplers > patterns would be nice also. Artwork for decals will be needed since > no one else does them. > > Then the instructions need to be gone through line by line to make sure > everything is correct. Wire sizes change as you go from one scale to > another, as do real dimensions mentioned in the instructions. > > How I wish it was as simple as most folks believe. Changing scales > is a lot of work with little reward in S Scale. > > Take care > Bill > > -- > == Scale Model Railroad Products == > == Manufacturer - Retailer - Importer == > > Bill & Diane Wade > > B.T.S. > RR 1 Box 141A > Belington, WV 26250 > > Phone: 304-823-3729 > FAX: 304-823-2901 > http://www.btsrr.com > > We wish you Fair Winds and Following Seas. > > ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
