Planning to build several wood buildings HO scale and a bridge/trestle as well? Where do you guys like to buy your HO scale lumber? Thanks much.
A couple of Mfgrs, I have used extensively over the yrs. with no problems in quality:
Northeastern Scale Lumber:
http://www.northeasternscalelumber.com/
Mt. Albert Scale Stripwood:
https://www.handlaidtrack.com/scalelumber
Take Care! [:D]
Frank
I’ve used both of the ones mentioned by Frank and both are very good!!!
About three years ago I went with MidWest Products:
https://midwestproducts.com/collections/basswood
Each package of scale lumber has the lumber listed in a chart for the proper scale.
Double click to enlarge
Their products are very good quality and I really like the chart on the package.
Northeastern does make one product that I use for all of my wooden structures, corner posts #316. One time it was out of stock everywhere so I made some on my Dremel Router, since that time I now make my own corner posts.
My blog post on making corner posts
Northeastern Scale Lumber. Google will get you there. You can also order thru Walthers.
Another excellent brand, if you can find it, is Kappler scale lumber. I see that Walthers no longer carries it and is selling off inventory, and I just found it impossible to get onto the Kappler website so perhaps they have shut down? I do not want to start an unfair rumor here. Websites go down for all sorts of reasons.
Years ago at a swap meet I bought some very old scale lumber sold by Ayers, a name that has not been active in probably a half century or more. Ayers sold their scale lumber as part of a piece of cardboard, and those entire packages are intact and still totally usable. Northeastern and others now put their scale lumber in long plastic bags and once you get to the very small stuff – HO scale 1x2s for example – the chances of getting broken pieces becomes pretty high. Often this makes little difference but should you want or need the full length piece for a given project - good luck.
Because I live near Walthers and the Walthers showroom has some bookshelves with damaged packaging and returned or defective materials selling at low prices, I get my scale lumber really cheap but ALL of it has broken pieces, often every piece in the bag is broken. I can work around it or do not need full length anyway. But the LHS may not give a discount for that like Walthers does. Look carefully before buying if you need long lengths.
Dave Nelson
P.S. Amended post: don’t ignore the packages of craft sticks and dowels that you can find cheaply at a Michaels or Hobby Lobby or other craft/art supply shop. They are usually uniform in size and of decent quality wood. There are many projects where they work just fine and at a considerable savings.
I wrote up an article about these products (giving their scale dimensions in various scales) in my Frugal Modeler column in the NMRA Midwest Region Waybill. You can find the article here on page 3 and 4.
Most hobby shops (RC type) stock basswood in long strips (36”) for making airplanes and boats. I keep a good stock of 1/16”, 3/32”, 1/8”, 3/16” and 1/4” basswood strips. The big box hardware stores (Lowes & HD) stock dowels, I use 1/16”, 3/32” and 1/8” for power and telephone polls.
Mel
My Model Railroad
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/
Bakersfield, California
I’m beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
Connected to the site 5 minutes ago
Yes it works and Kappler lives! Their website has tutorials with drawings, and a very good consumer portfolio of examples. Part of it did say under construction. For those who like working with quality materials, add Kappler to your list. Thanks, DSchmidt.
Dave Nelson
Mel, that is a very useful chart you showed that indicates the conversions to standard dim lumber…Thank you
Much good info DN…Thank you…
Thank you all…I’m building a file of these firms to contact when next project…Thank you
JJO,
Norrtheastern also has dimensions charts for all scales for all their products:
https://www.northeasternscalelumber.com/uploads/pdfs/NESLCatalog_2013.pdf
A scratchbulit side porch, built with Northeastern scale lumber:
Take Care! [:D]
Frank
Doggone it, Frank, that side porch looks real good. [bow]
Rich
Frank, thanks for info…Like your project of side stairs etc. Lumber looks real. Thnx
There also is Mt. Albert Scale Lumber, https://www.handlaidtrack.com/mt-albert-scale-stripwood
I’m amazed at how much is available…Thought I was going to have to cut carefully on my Table Saw…
Speaking of table saws . . . . two of the best hobby tools I have is my Dremel Router and my Harbor Freight 4” Mighty Mite Table Saw. Both work great for making scale lumber from strip and sheet basswood.
After assembling a couple of Campbell Craftsman Kits I fell in love with their corner posts (from Northeastern Scale Lumber). When I couldn’t find any I made my own from 3/16” square basswood strips. It’s a bunch cheaper as well as I end up with 24” or 36” long corner posts.
The HF saw even cuts PVC pipe. I used it to cut the 1½” PVC pipe and couplings for my static grass applicator, it was easier than cutting it on my 10” table saw.
Mel