The Scale Decision Not Always Easy

by Henry Quinn
(Golden Palace Katmandu )

First I want to say I find your site a great resource, and find what you do fascinating. I am about the same age as you , born JUNE 6, 1941.
To tell you my modeling story, goes like this. A few years ago, I decided to build a series of models. Six New York Apartments as seen on TV. Seinfeld, all in the family, the Honeymooners, etc and a series of 6 none New York apartments, such as Lavern and Shirley, etc.
After starting my third one I discovered I did not have the space to store such constructions. So I decided to change my scale. I had not built models since the 1950s. Knew nothing about scales, the only models I had any contact with was Dollhouses .
So I scratch built without knowing anything, about scale or materials. I was well into my third model when the thought struck me, where am I going to store these things? So I looked into different scales , I started a ship model of1/800 and discovered they did not scale anything the same on the model and detail was too fine to do much.

So I tried military scale 1/35, 1/32. Liked what happened, but difficult to scale also. By this time I had seen a copy of modelers annual, Russ was having a contest, of card stock scratchbuilt buildings .

So I spent what little time I have. (I am self employed at a business that I invented after working 30 years in the art

material business) I tried a new scale. I looked at 1/24 and decided it was not much better than what I was doing for storage. So I went with 1/48.

As the contest, was for buildings I had to change my content. As I had visited "Old Tucson" a couple of years ago I decided to make a model of their main street. But I could not find enough pictures of it to create it in miniature.

So I turned once again to TV. Dodge City of Gunsmoke fame. I was able to nearly complete one side of the street in time for the contest. And a picture of It appeared in a recent issue. So now I am committed to finishing Dodge City in card stock. Much of the construction I have completed was of cereal boxes and lean cuisine boxes. I am now using commercial card stock from staples as the box stock would not go through my printer for details.

I am committed to building dioramas from the TV and film industries. My dream project would be to do a movie company back lot in HO. Even though right now I am in O scale. I also want to do some sci fi such as the time machine, and historical such as the submarine Hunley.


I am also working with a local gallery to see if we can put up a show of model structures as an art form (outsider sculpture?) I have about 6 artists lined up for this project so far.