Printable Scale Rulers?

Got a question about techniques, materials or other aspects of physically building a model? This is the place to ask.

Moderators: DasPhule, Moderators

scottgirvan
Posts: 951
Joined: Mon Aug 20, 2007 10:00 am
Location: Bouctouche, New Brunswick
Contact:

Printable Scale Rulers?

Post by scottgirvan »

Hi,
Googling for a printable scale ruler in 1/35, 1/48 and 1/72. Would you have a link? I can't find nothing.
Thanks
Scott.
User avatar
Kylwell
Moderator
Posts: 29643
Joined: Sun Nov 02, 2003 9:25 pm
Location: Lakewood, CO
Contact:

Post by Kylwell »

I can make one for you, accuracy would be limited to that of your printer. How long you want it?
Abolish Alliteration
scottgirvan
Posts: 951
Joined: Mon Aug 20, 2007 10:00 am
Location: Bouctouche, New Brunswick
Contact:

Post by scottgirvan »

Cool, thanks. I'm thinking no longer than 10.5 inches so I can print it on one sheet. Thanks a million.
Scott.
User avatar
Chacal
Posts: 3654
Joined: Fri Jul 12, 2002 3:09 pm
Location: Rio. Always unseasonably warm, even in the Winter, when we'll host the Summer Olympic Games of 2016

Post by Chacal »

Yo, Rob. Why don'cha talk to John and make it an 'official printable scale ruler by Starship Modeler', with the SSM logo and all bells and whistles, in PDF, so folks can download it from SSM?

Are you building it in foot/inch only or in metric also?
Sheer elegance in its simplicity.

Political unrest in dictatorships is rather like a round of rock-paper-scissors: The oposition goes on denouncing the regime on the papers, the regime censors the papers, rock-throwing ensues.
seam-filler
Posts: 3889
Joined: Thu Apr 17, 2003 11:05 am
Location: Aberdeen, Scotland

Post by seam-filler »

I think this is a pretty good idea.

But just what scale(s) would you put on it? There are the larger 'figure' scales (e.g. 1/12, 1/8, 1/6, etc.); the 'military modeling/gaming' scales (e.g. 1/20, 1/35, 1/76, 76mm, 54mm, etc.); the ''aircraft' scales (e.g. 1/48, 1/32, 1/72, 1/100, 1/144, etc.); and then the 'starship' scales (e.g. 1/350, 1/1200, etc).

Obviously, you could stick at least two scales per ruler and probably 3 or 4 rulers per PDF page...

If there's a choice of units, metric, please. Imperial is a hateful, hateful unit (or rather, set of units). And don't forget your european colleagues who print on A4...... please don't make the ruler(s) so large that they go right to the margins of a US-size page!
"I'd just like to say that building large smooth-skinned models should be avoided at all costs. I now see why people want to stick kit-parts all over their designs as it covers up a lot of problems." - David Sisson
User avatar
Kylwell
Moderator
Posts: 29643
Joined: Sun Nov 02, 2003 9:25 pm
Location: Lakewood, CO
Contact:

Post by Kylwell »

I'll build set in metric also.
Abolish Alliteration
User avatar
Kylwell
Moderator
Posts: 29643
Joined: Sun Nov 02, 2003 9:25 pm
Location: Lakewood, CO
Contact:

Post by Kylwell »

Ok, speak now or forever hold your peace.

Scales will be in: 1/20, 1/24, 1/25, 1/32, 1/35, 1/48, 1/60, 1/72, 1/96, 1/100, 1/144, 1/350, 1/700, 1/1000, 1/1400, 1/2500.

Any other scales people want? Of course the smaller scale will be lucky to get feet, much less 10ft incriments and your best best for output would be to find a pre-press house to print out some positives for you but I will be double checking the that the file will print nicely off an Epson C88 and will be in a pdf format.
Abolish Alliteration
User avatar
Pat Amaral
Posts: 3730
Joined: Fri Jul 12, 2002 2:44 pm
Location: Ok, I'm here. You can start now

Post by Pat Amaral »

What about 1/6 and 1/12 for the action figure folks and 1/16 for the large scale armor folks?
Pat A.
=============================
50% Nerd, 50% Geek, 100% Cool
seam-filler
Posts: 3889
Joined: Thu Apr 17, 2003 11:05 am
Location: Aberdeen, Scotland

Post by seam-filler »

That's about as comprehensive a range as you could ask for. There are a couple of smaller ship scales (1/600 and 1/1200) but I don't think they'll be missed.

Three possibles might be 1/6th, 1/8th & 1/12th which are common for figures - anyone building a diorama or vignette might find these useful.
"I'd just like to say that building large smooth-skinned models should be avoided at all costs. I now see why people want to stick kit-parts all over their designs as it covers up a lot of problems." - David Sisson
Devin
Posts: 1027
Joined: Fri Jul 19, 2002 2:10 pm
Location: Hoboken, NJ
Contact:

Post by Devin »

Kylwell wrote:Ok, speak now or forever hold your peace.

Scales will be in: 1/20, 1/24, 1/25, 1/32, 1/35, 1/48, 1/60, 1/72, 1/96, 1/100, 1/144, 1/350, 1/700, 1/1000, 1/1400, 1/2500.

Any other scales people want?
1/200!
"Just slow it down. I'll shoot Hitler out the window."
-Professor Farnsworth
seam-filler
Posts: 3889
Joined: Thu Apr 17, 2003 11:05 am
Location: Aberdeen, Scotland

Post by seam-filler »

Devin wrote:
Kylwell wrote:Ok, speak now or forever hold your peace.

Scales will be in: 1/20, 1/24, 1/25, 1/32, 1/35, 1/48, 1/60, 1/72, 1/96, 1/100, 1/144, 1/350, 1/700, 1/1000, 1/1400, 1/2500.

Any other scales people want?
1/200!
?

Apart from a few Japanese kits from the '70s I honestly can't think of anything in 1/200th. I won't complain if it's included, but......
"I'd just like to say that building large smooth-skinned models should be avoided at all costs. I now see why people want to stick kit-parts all over their designs as it covers up a lot of problems." - David Sisson
User avatar
Pat Amaral
Posts: 3730
Joined: Fri Jul 12, 2002 2:44 pm
Location: Ok, I'm here. You can start now

Post by Pat Amaral »

1/200 is actually somewhat popular for airline modelers, and more importantly to some in this crowd, some missile and rocket kits. I happen to have a 1/200 scale model of the Hughes HK-1 "Spruce Goose" on the bench right now with plans to finish it in a "what-if" paint scheme. Personally, I'd find a 1/200 scale ruler quite helpful.
Pat A.
=============================
50% Nerd, 50% Geek, 100% Cool
User avatar
Kylwell
Moderator
Posts: 29643
Joined: Sun Nov 02, 2003 9:25 pm
Location: Lakewood, CO
Contact:

Post by Kylwell »

So it sounds like 1/200, 1/12, 1/16, 1/8, and 1/6 scale will be added. Thanks
Abolish Alliteration
seam-filler
Posts: 3889
Joined: Thu Apr 17, 2003 11:05 am
Location: Aberdeen, Scotland

Post by seam-filler »

Pat Amaral wrote:1/200 is actually somewhat popular for airline modelers, and more importantly to some in this crowd, some missile and rocket kits. I happen to have a 1/200 scale model of the Hughes HK-1 "Spruce Goose" on the bench right now with plans to finish it in a "what-if" paint scheme. Personally, I'd find a 1/200 scale ruler quite helpful.
:bow: And today I learned something. Thank you.
"I'd just like to say that building large smooth-skinned models should be avoided at all costs. I now see why people want to stick kit-parts all over their designs as it covers up a lot of problems." - David Sisson
User avatar
Kylwell
Moderator
Posts: 29643
Joined: Sun Nov 02, 2003 9:25 pm
Location: Lakewood, CO
Contact:

Post by Kylwell »

Could someone here give me a hand and print this one out and let me know how it looks? It's looking like a laser printer will do a sharper job than a ink-jet but I want to double check.

Ok, try it now.
Abolish Alliteration
User avatar
Pat Amaral
Posts: 3730
Joined: Fri Jul 12, 2002 2:44 pm
Location: Ok, I'm here. You can start now

Post by Pat Amaral »

I printed them at 100% on an HP laserjet 4000 (B&W small office laser). I made no adjustments. The result looks good to me. I can't speak for the accuracy of the reproduction since I don't have a handy reference. There may have been a wee bit of reduction. It also looks like the bottom was cut off since it came up in 8 1/2 X 11 and the bottom margin appears to be at the end of the page.
Pat A.
=============================
50% Nerd, 50% Geek, 100% Cool
User avatar
Kylwell
Moderator
Posts: 29643
Joined: Sun Nov 02, 2003 9:25 pm
Location: Lakewood, CO
Contact:

Post by Kylwell »

The rulers run off the page. I figured that was one less cut a person needed to make. I've got a call in to a friend who works Kink...er...The FedEx Store to see how they print on clear off a high end printer.
Abolish Alliteration
User avatar
Pat Amaral
Posts: 3730
Joined: Fri Jul 12, 2002 2:44 pm
Location: Ok, I'm here. You can start now

Post by Pat Amaral »

I'm sure the quality of my printer isn't good enough to adequately reproduce this thing. I reprinted at 1200 dpi and the finests graduations on the 1/6 and 1/20 scales look blended (since that's the highest res on my box, I'd have to live with that). I was able to compare the 1/6 and 1/12 scales to a standard ruler. The half foot (on the 1/6 scale) and the 1 ft (1/12 scale) grads come out 1/32 short. I don't have a means to check the other scales but I'm sure this is across the whole page and is a reduction artifact of the printer. I don't know if any of this helps you.
Pat A.
=============================
50% Nerd, 50% Geek, 100% Cool
User avatar
Kylwell
Moderator
Posts: 29643
Joined: Sun Nov 02, 2003 9:25 pm
Location: Lakewood, CO
Contact:

Post by Kylwell »

I was worried that those mm tick marks on the 1/6 wouldn't print unless taken to a pre-press shop. I may have to drop them.

That's the biggest thing I'm running into, printer limitations. Even with a 2880 printer it still acts like it's a 300dpi one. Mushes everything together. May have to generate a low res version for household printers and a hi-detail one for those will to search out a high end output device.
Abolish Alliteration
User avatar
LindaSmile
Site Admin
Posts: 13084
Joined: Wed Apr 30, 2003 11:14 am
Location: Chicago

Post by LindaSmile »

Looks good on my color laserjet. And it got John's approval too.

Linda
Is this plastic thingy on the counter a model part or can I throw it away?
User avatar
LindaSmile
Site Admin
Posts: 13084
Joined: Wed Apr 30, 2003 11:14 am
Location: Chicago

Post by LindaSmile »

John says "The only thing that's hard to read is the gray bar on the 1/6. All of the rest of them look fine." Maybe if you just printed every other mm on the 1/6 it would be better.

Linda
Is this plastic thingy on the counter a model part or can I throw it away?
User avatar
Kylwell
Moderator
Posts: 29643
Joined: Sun Nov 02, 2003 9:25 pm
Location: Lakewood, CO
Contact:

Post by Kylwell »

It appears that .6mm is just too fine for most printers, so I'll give it a boot and try again. Thanks all.
Abolish Alliteration
User avatar
Kylwell
Moderator
Posts: 29643
Joined: Sun Nov 02, 2003 9:25 pm
Location: Lakewood, CO
Contact:

Post by Kylwell »

Ok, lets try round 2
Abolish Alliteration
User avatar
LindaSmile
Site Admin
Posts: 13084
Joined: Wed Apr 30, 2003 11:14 am
Location: Chicago

Post by LindaSmile »

That one looks great!
Is this plastic thingy on the counter a model part or can I throw it away?
User avatar
Kylwell
Moderator
Posts: 29643
Joined: Sun Nov 02, 2003 9:25 pm
Location: Lakewood, CO
Contact:

Post by Kylwell »

Next one up: 32-100.

I've got some minor changes to the first and then final fixes on the 144-2500.
Abolish Alliteration
en'til Zog
Posts: 2405
Joined: Fri Jul 12, 2002 3:03 pm
Location: The Wilds of Northwoods Wisconsin

Post by en'til Zog »

Went to OfficeMax.

Printed on clear film.

COOL!

Printed on quality white paper.

Laminated same.

WOO HOO!

THANKS! :D
seam-filler
Posts: 3889
Joined: Thu Apr 17, 2003 11:05 am
Location: Aberdeen, Scotland

Post by seam-filler »

Great work - just a few comments...

I printed mine on an HP Laserjet 2100 - so nothing special - on quality paper, A4 size.

The 1/6 - 1/25 printed fairly well, with the possible exception of the 1/16 metric scale where everything merged a bit

The 1/32 - 1/100, again, prints fairly well, but on this one most fo the imperioal scales are just grey. The only metric one which does this is the 1/35 scale.

I also printed them on a Canon C4580 with much better results, but although clearer, some of the smaller divisions still mearge. Unlike the HP, the Canon has no scaling problem (it was about 0.6% short on the HP) and prints spot-on.

I think I'll be laminating these when I get home.
"I'd just like to say that building large smooth-skinned models should be avoided at all costs. I now see why people want to stick kit-parts all over their designs as it covers up a lot of problems." - David Sisson
scottgirvan
Posts: 951
Joined: Mon Aug 20, 2007 10:00 am
Location: Bouctouche, New Brunswick
Contact:

Post by scottgirvan »

Wow, that's great, thank you Kylwell!
User avatar
Kylwell
Moderator
Posts: 29643
Joined: Sun Nov 02, 2003 9:25 pm
Location: Lakewood, CO
Contact:

Post by Kylwell »

Ok, give this a try.
Abolish Alliteration
seam-filler
Posts: 3889
Joined: Thu Apr 17, 2003 11:05 am
Location: Aberdeen, Scotland

Post by seam-filler »

Kylwell - you are THE MAN !!!

I'm sure that everyone will want to say a big thank you for your excellent work.
"I'd just like to say that building large smooth-skinned models should be avoided at all costs. I now see why people want to stick kit-parts all over their designs as it covers up a lot of problems." - David Sisson
Post Reply