|
Haywire's Hobbies
|
Minis /
ScalesSCALE REFERENCE CHART When I first took on this task of comparing scales between the three types of scales, I did not realize the trouble I would get myself into. Models from various manufacturer are usually different scale in actual size, even though they are the same "mm" scale. The problem is caused because the manufacturers use no true reference point. The "mm" scales were originally used to denote the height of a typical figure from ground to the top of the head. But what is considered the top of the head?? Is the scale in reference to a 5'10" individual, 5' 11", or a 6' tall individual. To make things even more confusing, some manufacturers set the yardstick from the ground to eye level instead of to the top of the head - the rationale being that figures with tall hats (Napoleonics) cannot be measured accurately. And then there are those that use 25mm = 1 inch and those that use 25.4mm = 1 inch in their conversions.What this means is that figures listed in the "mm" scales has no guarantee that figures from different manufacturers will be compatible in size - even if they are listed as the same "mm" scale. To convert between the "mm" scales and proportional scales (1/87, etc), simply divide the magic number by the scale's number. magic number/ scale in mm = fractional scale The problem is what is the value of the magic number. If you use 6' and 1' = 25mm as the representation, then 1800 is your magic number. If you use 6' and 1' = 25.4mm as the representation, then 1828.8 is your magic number. If you use 5' 11" instead, then 1776 is your magic number. If you use eye height at 5'8" Most of the time, this difference is not seen because the scales are too small. But once the scale is past 20mm, differences in sizes will be seen. This table is a list of scales and their approximate relation to each other. Please note that this chart is only a guideline, and anything using the "mm" scales is so open to scale interpretation that no one definite authority can be claimed by anyone.
|