How do I match wood for a repair?


akb427

New Member
Hi--

I'm restoring an old kit-built Campbell HO building. I think some of the wood has odd dimensions I'll have to match; there are some beams that measure out at something like .047-.049" wide by .015-.019" thick. I'm borrowing a decent caliper soon to double check.

So how do I buy or make replacement lumber to match the broken bits?

--thanks!
--akb427
 
Once you can measure the wood acurately go to a wood manufacturers web site like Mount Albert Scale Lumber or Northeastern. They all sell scale wood in dimensional sizes. You can then pick the size you need. The size you have listed is probably 1/32" x 1/16". .015 is roughly 1/64" and I know of noone making wood this thin. It is very probably 1/32"x1/16" as Cambell's uses this size quite often. Which building is it you are restoring? I might possibly have the kit and would be able to check the sizes for you if needed. Here is a link to a dimensonal size chart.
http://www.mtalbert.com/lumber/multistrip.html
 
It's been so long since I built a Campbell kit that I don't really recall if they had actual dimensions for the wood. I don't think they did. The 1/32"x1/16" that RLundy mentioned was almost the "standard" size that Campbell used for framing lumber and roof beams. I suspect that will be the right size once you measure accurately. If you have a local hobby shop, you can always take in some samples and see if you can match it up with some stripwood there.
 



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