# About N scale wood...



## Brakeman Jake (Mar 8, 2009)

I'm planning on custom building wooden structures on my N scale layout.But I'm having problems with sizes.I've accumulated different small wooden sticks (coffee stirs,popsicle,etc) with this purpose in mind but all of these are way too large for most uses.Four inches equal to 1/40 in. in N scale,barely thicker than a needle.

Does anyone know where I could buy pre-cut scale wood?

And while at it...did 4X8 plywood exist in the forties?I'm modelling the steam era.


----------



## cole226 (Feb 8, 2013)

*lumber*

you could try these guys:

https://www.northeasternscalelumber.com/


----------



## Overkast (Jan 16, 2015)

Why does it have to be pre-cut? You can't cut yourself? I think trying to find pre-cut lumber for everything you need in N Scale is going to be mission-impossible...


----------



## Brakeman Jake (Mar 8, 2009)

I do have a fair number of tools to cut regular wood planks,plywood,etc.Though not professionally equipped,I've built my benchwork,shelves and many other commodities over the years.

However,none of my tools can safely handle such small items.I care a lot about my fingers.May be I can make some sort of a jig with sharp blades and cut small sticks myself,but I'd rather spend the time on the layout if possible at a decent price.

The idea is my mind...just studying the options for now.


----------



## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

I sympathize. Working in N scale is tough going
when scratch building. 

But, with a nice hobby knife set you should be able
to safely cut balsa or basswood.

Don


----------



## Overkast (Jan 16, 2015)

Jake, I'm in N Scale and I find all I need to make precision cuts are a metal ruler, and either a good box-cutter razor, a finer razor (exacto knife), or a hobby saw.

Box cutter helps for cutting through thicker styrene or wood, but you don't need a saw to cut the wood necessarily. I can make crisp cuts using the ruler edge and a box cutter or exacto by lightly going over the same cut line repeatedly. Start with the first cut line with a semi-firm pressure, but not too hard. Then keep going over and over the same cut and the razor makes its way through the wood slowly. On thicker wood pieces, once you get halfway through you can usually snap it the rest of the way and get a clean break out of it.

In fact, right now I just happen to be scratch-building a wheelchair ramp out of a wood shim and a log conveyor out of matches. I'll take some pics later tonight when I get home and post them for you if you want to see?

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk


----------



## Brakeman Jake (Mar 8, 2009)

I guess my problem is that I've never attempted it.I have all sorts of Exacto and other sharp blades and also a good stock of different balsa wood (from my R/C past) so I have no excuses,I'll sure give it a try.

I still would like some kind of a jig so that my cuts are both safe and consistent.


----------



## Overkast (Jan 16, 2015)

Brakeman Jake said:


> I still would like some kind of a jig so that my cuts are both safe and consistent.


Check out this video of Luke Towan making a river scene. At the 9:06 mark he uses a homemade jig to cut his fence posts... might give you an idea of something you can make.
 https://youtu.be/MGKmhmo79zw

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk


----------



## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*Scale wood*



Brakeman Jake said:


> I'm planning on custom building wooden structures on my N scale layout.But I'm having problems with sizes.I've accumulated different small wooden sticks (coffee stirs,popsicle,etc) with this purpose in mind but all of these are way too large for most uses.Four inches equal to 1/40 in. in N scale,barely thicker than a needle.
> 
> Does anyone know where I could buy pre-cut scale wood?
> 
> And while at it...did 4X8 plywood exist in the forties?I'm modelling the steam era.


Brakeman Jake;

As cole pointed out, northeastern makes scale lumber. The long thin plastic bags it comes in generally show the size in both HO-scale and N-scale. The same company also makes scribed basswood. This comes in many sizes. I've used the 1/32" scribed and 1/32" thick sheets to scratch-build many N-scale structures. With the combination of beams, and scribed siding you should be able to build a model of any wood structure you want to. 
You can cut the coffee stir sticks with a tool called a, "Balsa stripper" made by X-acto. It works in combination with their larger knife handle. It is adjustable down to very small strips. The problem will be keeping the stick rigidly in place. A jig made of track nail driven into a workbench would probably do it. While I have one of these tools, I find I hardly ever use it. The classic steel ruler, and X-acto knife method works well for me. It also does a decent job of holding the wood in place. The coffee sticks are also a bit brittle, and prone to splitting. That doesn't mean they can't be used, just that it might be more trouble than basswood. 

The N-scale structures in these photos were built using basswood beams and scribed basswood.

Good luck, and post photos of your structures please;

Traction Fan:smilie_daumenpos:


----------



## Brakeman Jake (Mar 8, 2009)

Very nice work...thanks for showing.I won't be able to show any structure for a while as I'm still working on the trackage.At the moment my layout is a dull looking pink surface.I'm actually concentrating on installing,powering and thoroughly testing sections of track as I go along,making sure they're as good as possible before I do any scenery.


----------

