Profil HO proužek 1,7 x 2,3 mm

A beam 1.7 x 2.3 mm for load-bearing parts

A beam with a section close to a square is, in real construction, an element that carries. The ratio here of one point seven to two point three represents six by eight inch lumber, the classic beam from which trestle bents, mine timbering and the ceilings of farm buildings were built. On a model you can see it in the silhouette: a structure made from it looks robust even without further detail.

It can be assembled into the pier bent of a wooden viaduct, the roof frame of a barn, a gate frame, the ties of a loading track, the timbering of a mine gallery or the palisade of a fortification. In scenes with vehicles it will serve as the support under a bridge deck or a block under an axle. Anyone building a background will appreciate that a credible structure can be put together from a few pieces faster than from thin strips, because each part already carries and does not need temporary propping.

Joints and surface

Crossings are worth working on: a shallow notch to half the height of both parts makes a half-lap joint, which holds more firmly than simply laying one on the other. Cuts are made with a saw so that they stay clean, and the ends are trued up with a sanding block. In terms of color the beam looks best when a gray base is complemented with patches of brown and the edges are finally picked out with dry white, which suggests weathered wood.

• Dimension 1.7 x 2.3 mm, a section close to a square
• It matches six by eight inch lumber
• Trestle bents, roof frames, ties and timbering
• A half-lap joint is made with a notch to half the height
• A gray base with patches gives the look of old wood