Scale Drawings.

[tetters]

Is there a way to print off drawings in such a way that when they are printed off they come out in HO scale? i.e. A measurement of 10 feet on the printed paper = 10 feet in HO scale?

Can this be done with a program like AutoCAD? Or is there another program out there that can do this?

Thanks as always.

[Gary S]

When you say "drawings," what kind of file are we talking about?

[tetters]

Sorry. I am mostly referring to pdf file formats. Specifically I was curious to know if there was a program that can read a pdf file (other then Adobe) but also scale the drawing so that when printed it comes out in HO scale. I realize of course that the program can only do this if you know the drawing's current scale or have a way of telling it certain measurements so that it can properly scale a drawing for you.

[cnw1961]

I don’t know all the programs that are capable of reading PDF-files, but at least current DTP-programs, like my Adobe InDesign can. In InDesign I can easily load a PDF, scale it and either print it or save it as a PDF again.

[nkp_174]

If I don't have any clue as to the scale prior to printing, I use my scale after printing to figure out how much to enlarge or reduce the drawing. Once it is within 99%, there is nothing else I can do with the limitations of my copier. At 99%, details can be treated as actual size, but large distances are not. In the case of the Oahu Railway coach (a 36'2" coach in On3) that I am currently working on, there is a 4" error in the length of car. 4/434 < 1%

Little errors seem to be what I usually get with pdfs and enlargements.

[joefryfry]

I realize of course that the program can only do this if you know the drawing's current scale or have a way of telling it certain measurements so that it can properly scale a drawing for you.

That's just the thing, and even still, different programs read and print the same document different. I have a major problem when clients send me .pdf . There is nothing I can do with them other than look at them. What's even better is that they usually create the .pdf from an AutoCAD drawing. It would just be easier if they sent me the ACAD file in the first place. I feel the same way about Adobe products that I feel about Microsoft, but they're common, so that's what we get stuck with.

If you did have AutoCAD, and you did have an idea of the scale of the drawing, or you knew the dimensions of features in the drawing, you could scale them in ACAD and then print them to scale. That would be more accurate than enlarging from a photocopier, which I understand works in a pinch.

I'm sure other folks may have better ideas, but if you had ACAD, I could help you.
Or Kurt's idea seems good if you have that software.

[Sumpter250]

I know that Autocad will scale just about anything that can be imported, or drawn. Unfortunately, my PC is old (Windows 98), and since the hard drive crash, I cannot find a compatible PDF program, so no more PDF's for me, until I can afford a new computer........soooo, I can't verify scaling PDF drawings with Autocad. I have scanned a printed drawing, and used Autocad to resize it. There's a bit of "calculation" that has to be done to determine the scaling factor. The best way is to take the drawing to 1:1 scale in Autocad, and then reduce it to the modeling scale you want. A full size(1:1) drawing, multiplied by 0.0114942 (1/87) 0.011481 (1/87.1) becomes an HO scale drawing.
May I ask why you need "full size, scale drawings"?
A long time ago I purchased a set of proportional dividers. Once I know any measurement from any drawing (or photo), I can set one end of the dividers on that measurement, and set the other end for the exact scale equivalent, and then take off all the measurements directly from the original drawing, regardless of what scale I'm working in at the time. Yes, there's going to be a percentage of error, but then most calipers/micrometers will only take you to +/- 0.001"

[tetters]

I know that Autocad will scale just about anything that can be imported, or drawn. Unfortunately, my PC is old (Windows 98), and since the hard drive crash, I cannot find a compatible PDF program, so no more PDF's for me, until I can afford a new computer........soooo, I can't verify scaling PDF drawings with Autocad.
May I ask why you need "full size, scale drawings"?
A long time ago I purchased a set of proportional dividers. Once I know any measurement from any drawing (or photo), I can set one end of the dividers on that measurement, and set the other end for the exact scale equivalent, and then take off all the measurements directly from the original drawing, regardless of what scale I'm working in at the time.

I have a set of proportional dividers. I just have to figure out how to use them as I am not particularly handy when it comes to numbers and conversions.

I checked out that InDesign program and just about lost my lunch when I saw the price. I do have a version of AutoCAD 2000. I've been toying with the idea of trying it, however I figure by the time I get good with it, I could have hand drawn any number of diagrams or blue prints using my scale ruler, dividers, paper and pencil. hmmmm.... :?

Honestly, all I would like is a program that could read the drawings I have, convert them to HO scale so that I can print out accurate templates to work off of.

[Sumpter250]

I do have a version of AutoCAD 2000. I've been toying with the idea of trying it, however I figure by the time I get good with it, I could have hand drawn any number of diagrams or blue prints using my scale ruler, dividers, paper and pencil. hmmmm.... :?

I had the same belief. It took designing the boat kit before I became comfortable with Autocad. I use it now for all my drawings.
I used Autocad to design the pylon for the secondary hull, and the lower photon torpedo bay, of this "Podesti" class cruiser, USS Newport NCC 2418.
   

[tetters]

I had the same belief. It took designing the boat kit before I became comfortable with Autocad. I use it now for all my drawings.
I used Autocad to design the pylon for the secondary hull, and the lower photon torpedo bay, of this "Podesti" class cruiser, USS Newport NCC 2418.
[ATTACHMENT NOT FOUND]

Ah!! A Trekkie! That is a cool starship my friend. I enjoy Trek myself but I don't go so far as to have a Klingon uniform hanging in my closet. Although I have built several kit models when I was younger. The coolest was Enterprise NCC 1701 A - It had fiber optic lighting, Deflector dish and running lights, plus phaser and torpedo sound effects! Sadly it had a run in with gravity and I did not have the where-with-all at the time to attempt a repair... but I digress.

Perhaps I'll give CAD another go. Thank you to everyone for their input thus far. It is greatly appreciated.

[cnw1961]

InDesign is a bit steeply priced, I know. Maybe I can scale a few pdf files for you if it does not work out in AutoCad.

[tetters]

InDesign is a bit steeply priced, I know. Maybe I can scale a few pdf files for you if it does not work out in AutoCad.

That would be a really big help if I can't wrap my head around CAD. Thank you very much for the offer my friend!

[nkp_174]

In the past, I've had great success creating a drawing in AutoCAD by drawing shapes over a picture. The result is a basic drawing of the South Park's only 4-4-0 (a Dawson & Bailey product).

I've used CAD a fair bit in the past. There are a hand full of shortcuts which dramatically ease drawing stuff.

As a fall back, you can either copy from...or take a screen shot of the pdf. Then import it into a free photo program such as MS Photo Editor or GIMP. (GIMP is a free competitor to Photoshop) Your printer will consistently print from MS Photo Editor in the same size (I don't recall the pixel to measurement conversion)...allowing you to scale it that way.

The math to do it by hand:
For a 30' length in HO...
30 ft *12 inches per ft is 360"
360"/87.1 = 4.133" (so 4.331" equals an HO 30')

If that 30' length prints out to be a real 5" long...
decrease it to: 4.133"/5" = 82.66% of the size.

[Sumpter250]

"
The math to do it by hand:
For a 30' length in HO...
30 ft *12 inches per ft is 360"
360"/87.1 = 4.133" (so 4.133" equals an HO 30')"

Just for grins, I dialed in 4.13318"( OK I can't get the 0.00018 ) on my vernier caliper, and checked it against my "General No. 1251 Model Railroad Reference Rule"...............
It came out 29'-10", on the ruler..........(I never said the ruler was absolutely accurate, and temperature could affect the accuracy of both measuring devices, it's "energy conserving cool" in the house. )

[nkp_174]

Just for grins, I dialed in 4.13318"( OK I can't get the 0.00018 ) on my vernier caliper, and checked it against my "General No. 1251 Model Railroad Reference Rule"...............
It came out 29'-10", on the ruler..........(I never said the ruler was absolutely accurate, and temperature could affect the accuracy of both measuring devices, it's "energy conserving cool" in the house. )

Intriguing!

I just hunted down my HO scale and compared it to my calipers...mine were pretty much right on...maybe a 1/2" off (my eye sight isn't that good). There was no way around it for me...it was too good of a test! Perhaps we should use plastic measuring devices instead!