Profil HO proužek 1,1 x 3,4 mm

A strong beam for large structures

A millimeter and a tenth in thickness changes the character of the material. A strip like this already carries, holds its shape and will take even a slight load in a structure without bending. With a width of 3.4 mm it represents, at a reduction of 1:87, a twelve-inch beam, that is, the dimension of bridge trusses, crane jibs, the roof frames of large halls and the frames of heavy flatcars.

It is offered in single pieces 35 cm long.

Cutting heavier material

Here scoring alone is no longer enough. Lead the knife several times in the same groove until the blade has passed more than halfway through the thickness, and only then break the part off. An angled miter cut comes out cleaner if you help yourself with a simple miter gauge made from an offcut of bar.

The cut face is usually slightly convex after breaking. True it up on abrasive paper laid on glass, otherwise a gap will appear in the joint.

Where it proves itself

Besides building structures it will also serve as a hidden stiffener inside large models: a beam glued in will strengthen the thin wall of a building or a fuselage that tends to sag. In that case there is no need to worry about looks, as only rigidity matters.

Combining with finer sections

A heavy strip comes into its own only paired with something slimmer. Main beams from this size, with braces and ties from thinner strips, is exactly the difference that gives a structure a hierarchy. A structure built from a single section looks toylike, even if it is assembled perfectly accurately. The same goes for color: leave the frame a shade darker than the infill.