Scale Calculator? How about this one.

[fantacmet]

So I know there are physical scale calculators you can buy out there, but that's spendy, and you're stuck with something that can't be upgraded as needed. So I enter................

ScaleSoft Scale Calculator for Aircraft, Armor, Auto's, Ships, Trains, and then even a cross genre scale converter(this last one is functional but might not be 100% accurate).

The best part? It's FREE! At least for now, but I don't really think I'll ever end up charging for the computer version.

Also in the future I plan to have a cheap Android version.

It should install fine on any windows based machine. Sorry Apple people, too many internal Apple politics, and gigantic amounts of cash required by Apple to do anything with them. Which is a shame really, you guys shouldn't be left out, though if someone else has Apple programming experience and the equipment, we may be able to work something out. Even if it's just the pseudocode I used, along with the layout and imaging and graphics(if any) in order to make a more cohesive bit of software.

Anyway, you can download the installer from my dropbox account: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/hjwi5qq5nl7woz3/xgelncOPkI

[Austin T]

Yes a scale calculator is something handy to have on hand when ever your working on something. I have the woodland scenic's one on my Android.

[DrGlueblob]

One of my most handy scratchbuilding tools is my old Modelcalc. Pity they're not made anymore.

Good onya for providing this.

[Ace-Garageguy]

How about this one.

Dollar store calculator.

Enter full size dimension.

Divide by scale denominator. (For the math challenged, this would mean divide by 8 to get 1/8 scale, etc).

Pretty basic.

[Harry P.]

How about this one.

Dollar store calculator.

Enter full size dimension.

Divide by scale denominator. (For the math challenged, this would mean divide by 8 to get 1/8 scale, etc).

Pretty basic.

You took my reply away from me!

Exactly! There's no need for any "scale calculator," any calculator will do it. It's just basic math.

To figure out how big a 6" part would be in 1/25 scale, simply divide 6 by 25. If you want to know how long a 119" wheelbase should be in 1/12 scale, divide 119 by 12. It works for any scale, because "scale" is just another word for "proportion," it's not some sort of model-car-only concept.

Take the full size dimension and divide it by the scale you want the answer in. Any scale.

[Harry P.]

Actually, if you build with a PC, laptop, smart phone or tablet nearby, you already have a "scale calculator"... pretty sure all of those devices have a basic calculator function built in.

[Agent G]

I am a proponent of "Math for Marines"

uhn too trree hoor

after that comes "many".

G

[bill w]

Harry and Bill are correct, I've been using a basic calculator to scale all my parts.

[grayghost]

I am a proponent of "Math for Marines"

uhn too trree hoor

after that comes "many".

G

I don't care who you are that's funny right there.

I have wonderd what those Marines were saying.

[Jeremy Jon]

LOL

How about this one.

Dollar store calculator.

Enter full size dimension.

Divide by scale denominator. (For the math challenged, this would mean divide by 8 to get 1/8 scale, etc).

Pretty basic.

[Tony T]

Thanks, Michael...will give it a try...Maybe there is something worth trying other than the calculator!

[ScaleDale]

You took my reply away from me!

Exactly! There's no need for any "scale calculator," any calculator will do it. It's just basic math.

To figure out how big a 6" part would be in 1/25 scale, simply divide 6 by 25. If you want to know how long a 119" wheelbase should be in 1/12 scale, divide 119 by 12. It works for any scale, because "scale" is just another word for "proportion," it's not some sort of model-car-only concept.

Take the full size dimension and divide it by the scale you want the answer in. Any scale.

With the aforementioned handy device, you can also convert inches to mm and back without a computer.

mm x 0.039 = inches

inches / 0.039 = mm

0.03937 is the more accurate number to use here.

or

mm / 25.4 = inches

inches x 25.4 = mm

Dale

[Harry P.]

With the aforementioned handy device, you can also convert inches to mm and back without a computer.

You don't need a computer. You need a calculator, and a calculator function is already built into computers. So getting a special "scale calculator" is completely unnecessary, as any calculator, either a hand-held one or one built into your computer or laptop or tablet, can "do the math."

If you like the idea of using a special "scale calculator," that's fine. I'm just saying it's not needed, as any calculator can be used to figure out scale conversions, inches to mm or cm, etc. The reason I brought that up is because the OP mentions that Apple users are "left out" because his scale calculator doesn't have an Apple version... but the fact is a special scale calculator is unnecessary. If your device has a built-in calculator function, you already have all you need to do any scale conversions.

[Modelbuilder Mark]

caleDale, on 16 Apr 2014 - 08:34 AM, said:

With the aforementioned handy device, you can also convert inches to mm and back without a computer.

You don't need a computer. You need a calculator, and a calculator function is already built into computers. So getting a special "scale calculator" is completely unnecessary, as any calculator, either a hand-held one or one built into your computer or laptop or tablet, can "do the math."

(snip)

Um, isn't that what he just typed?

[sjordan2]

There are so many scale calculators available for free online, I don't understand why anyone would want to spend money on a program or, for math-challenged people like me, remember any kind of formula. But the calculator-based applications mentioned above couldn't be simpler.

[Harry P.]

caleDale, on 16 Apr 2014 - 08:34 AM, said:

Um, isn't that what he just typed?

Maybe I misunderstood him?

[jbwelda]

its not "math", its arithmetic. look it up.

But yeah. Calculator on everything these days, probably your watch too if you still bother.

thanks again!

jb

Edited April 16, 2014 by jbwelda

[Pete J.]

And I thought it was

Up, du, tree, foor.

Dumb jet jock anyhow!

[Harry P.]

its not "math", its arithmetic. look it up.

Thanks, perfesser, but arithmetic is a branch of mathematics.

Look it up.

[Tom Geiger]

I was trained as a draftsman and prior to CAD we drew everything to scale using scale rulers. So it was only natural that I bought a 1/25 scale ruler to use in the hobby. There is no math. Use your regular ruler or measuring tape on the full size item, say it's 34 inches long. Then pick up your 1/25 scale ruler and measure off 34 inches on it. And if you forget about feet and measure everything in inches, your measurements are decimal. So you can just add, subtract or divide them. So if you have something that's 3 foot 2 inches long, and you want to divide it into two to find the mid point, simply say it's 38 inches long and half of that is 19 inches. No dealing with feet and inches. No reason to!

[Tony T]

I tried a few things with this tonight...easy to use and the crossover function is neat. Thanks for this, Michael...I appreciate the time you took to do this and to share it with us...more fun than a calculator!

[Aaronw]

I was trained as a draftsman and prior to CAD we drew everything to scale using scale rulers. So it was only natural that I bought a 1/25 scale ruler to use in the hobby. There is no math. Use your regular ruler or measuring tape on the full size item, say it's 34 inches long. Then pick up your 1/25 scale ruler and measure off 34 inches on it. And if you forget about feet and measure everything in inches, your measurements are decimal. So you can just add, subtract or divide them. So if you have something that's 3 foot 2 inches long, and you want to divide it into two to find the mid point, simply say it's 38 inches long and half of that is 19 inches. No dealing with feet and inches. No reason to!

Yep, I've got one with 6 scales on it, 1/24, 1/25, 1/32, 1/35, 1/48 and 1/72. Not necessary if you are comfortable with math (which many are not), but still pretty handy at times.

[ScaleDale]

Maybe I misunderstood him?

Harry, the "aforementioned handy device" I was referring to was the standard calculator you mentioned in your post. That's why I quoted you. To give you credit.

Doing conversions of any type on my computer got to be too cumbersome so I decided to just learn these formulas aka algorithms and work the math aka computation. I have algebraic, electrical and engineering calculators as well as the usual tax time stuff, but the apps on my iPhone are handy. I can even work this stuff out on paper. With a pencil.

Dale

[Tom Geiger]

Yep, I've got one with 6 scales on it, 1/24, 1/25, 1/32, 1/35, 1/48 and 1/72. Not necessary if you are comfortable with math (which many are not), but still pretty handy at times.

The one thing that keeps guys from trying scratch building is that math thing! I've done a seminar at club meetings showing how to measure off something in 1:1 and how to draw it in 1/25 scale using one of those rulers, and only using inches to avoid the 12:1 inch to feet conversions. Once you eliminate the math, it's so easy that it's easier to scale things than to approximate. And why make anything any more complicated than it needs to be!

Edited April 17, 2014 by Tom Geiger

[Harry P.]

Harry, the "aforementioned handy device" I was referring to was the standard calculator you mentioned in your post. That's why I quoted you. To give you credit.

Apparently I did misunderstand you.