Most of the precision items used by hobbyists were designed for other purposes. Things like X-acto knives, Dremel drills and jeweler's saws were meant for professional use. Hobbyists quickly adopted them. Rarely has any precision device been made strictly for the hobby, and those few were of mediocre quality.
The Scale card proved an exception to the rule. For the first time, there is a precision tool made strictly for the hobby. The Scale Card comes in a wide variety of popular and little-known scales, including model railroading, toy soldier, model car, plane, and ship scales. Each includes a linear measure in scale feet - some are also available in metric. Included are all of the scales attendant to G Gauge, the major and minor scales for model cars and planes, military model scales, and wargaming scales. There are even separate cards for 1/32 and 1/35, and for 1/43 and 1/43.5. (Cards available in 1/12, 1/16, 1/19, 1/20.3, 1/22.5, 1/24, 1/25, 1/29, 1/32, 1/35, 1/43, 1/43.5, 1/48, 1/64, 1/72, 1/76, 1/87.1, 1/96, 1/120, 1/144, 1/160, 1/192, 1/220, 1/350, 1/700, and the wargame scales.) Large scale cards provide linear measure in scale feet and inches, bar scales, and average human figures for the scale. These figures also have marks delineating average height and below average for male and female. As large scale modelers do a lot of human figures, it's a plus. Small scale cards have small line drawings of human figures, too. However, the small scale cards include a graph for determining the scale diameter of a circle. Just place the circle (wheel, grill, etc) on the chart and you instantly find its scale diameter. At 2 inches by 3 4/14 inches, these cards fit into a pocket easily. Their size makes them very handy.
We were skeptical, at first, when we heard claims made for the Scale Card. Though we hoped it was as good as claimed, we resigned ourselves to the possibility that it might be just another ho-hum thing. Two Scale cards were sent to us for review - an N scale version and the 1/32 version, allowing us to examine both the small and large scale styles.
When The Scale card arrived, I submitted it to comparison with precise measures: a desktop publishing rule, typographer's rule and engineering rules. The cards were compared with standard SAE, metric, point-pica and decimal inch scales. Precision was confirmed. Next, we put them to use. They made our work very convenient. We did not have to figure each measurement. It was as simple as using the card as a ruler. The diameter scale on the N card was terrific. Anyone who has measured diameters in small scales knows what a pain it is. With the Scale Card, it was a snap.
Quite impressive was the convenience of having cards in scales that do not readily convert to metric or linear measure. The 1/32 card does the work - saving time by cutting out all that multiplication ,subtraction, etc. Having worked 1/32 in the 70s, I can attest to the benefit of the card.
Both the N and 1/32 cards measured in scale feet and inches. The N card is marked in 3 inch increments - that's right, 3 inch! Since 1/160 is 2mm to the scale foot, imagine 3-inch delineations within the space of 2mm! The 1/32 card is marked in inches and feet. No more of the oddball math - just use the card! A black bar graph on each made other measurement a snap.
These cards were designed for hobbyists by someone who has obviously fumed and fretted like the rest of us. How else would he have known to add such features as black bars and a diameter chart? And make a scale that measured a disk as 22.60 scale feet? The precision afforded by both cards was admirable. At 4 bucks a pop, they're just too good to pass up. (Which is why they are ensconced now in the train room - where we will be using them for our projects.)
Serious scale modelers will find The Scale Cards a valuable and convenient pal. Toy soldier fans will love the 1/32 card - it's a must for any military modeler or toy soldier collector. As for the N scale card - don't work N without it! Why fudge scale when one simple tool will give you an accurate measure every time?
As far as we're concerned, the Scale Card sold itself!
And having worked scale models in the 60s and 70s, I really appreciate these little cards.
To get a card of your own, click here to The Scale Card website.
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