Has it?

I've started building an O14 layout and wondered if any one has rescaled a Metcalfe Kit for 7 mm. Basically copying an unmade kit at 175%, then cutting and building it.

Hi Henry, Metcalfe used to make some of their kits in 7mm but then stopped I don,t know why, perhaps they didn,t sell or if they were scaled up they didn,t work out, however if you were planning to scan and print off larger copies why not do it with scalescenes downloads? I have seen some of their kits scaled up to 7mm and they looked pretty good to me, plus you would still have to stick Metcalfe scans to card the same as scalescenes.  :).


Cheers, Pete.   

That's very true Pete, just that Scalescenes don't do any of the buildings that Metcalfe do. Maybe twist Johns arm for a brewery kit?

I would think one problem with printing out 7mm scale would be that you can't print much on an A4 sheet, you'd probably need an A3 printer; an A4 sheet (297x210mm) in 7mm scale is about 30'x42.4' and that's including any margins. in N gauge A4 is about 102'x144' 00/4mm about 52'x75'

That's also true. However,I'm thinking about upgrading my printer to a colur A3 laser.

Good move, I use an OKI A4 colour laser that will print on card up to just over 200gsm, another advantage of the OKI's is that they will print banner paper up to 1200mm long, great for backscenes - less joins!

I did contemplate getting an A3 printer, but having downsized to a retirement flat I don't really have the space for it, plus the A4 machine is nearly heavy enough to give anyone a hernia, so shudder to think of the weight of the A3!

The A3 printerI've been looking at has a footprint not much bigger than my A4 machine, but it does weigh a bit more. What I was thinking of doing was to make it available to my local club members for kit prints,hence A3 capability.

If you allow others to take prints of Metcalfe kits, you're almost certainly breaching copyright by so doing, so I would tread carefully on this one ..

Didn't think of that.

If it were me, I'd take measurements of the Metcalfe kit, scale up to 7mm and re-draw it, then cover it with Scalescenes, or "proper" 7mm papers etc.

I'm not too sure what the Metcalfe prints would look like in 7mm - they'd probably start to break up.  Also, part of the cost is in the printed windows - I'll bet those won't scan too well in 7mm.

Then, as has been said, there's the ethical and legal situation regarding Copyright.  Scalescenes are sold to print as many copies as you like.  Metcalfe aren't ……………..:roll:

Scalescenes actually tell you how to convert their kits to 7mm here -
 
http://scalescenes.com/not-modelling-in-n-or-oo/

Petermac wrote:

If it were me, I'd take measurements of the Metcalfe kit, scale up to 7mm and re-draw it, then cover it with Scalescenes, or "proper" 7mm papers etc.

I'm not too sure what the Metcalfe prints would look like in 7mm - they'd probably start to break up.  Also, part of the cost is in the printed windows - I'll bet those won't scan too well in 7mm.

Then, as has been said, there's the ethical and legal situation regarding Copyright.  Scalescenes are sold to print as many copies as you like.  Metcalfe aren't ……………..:roll:

Copying the outline would probably infringe copyright. Ask Metcalfe if you can do what you intend. You never know.

Nigel

I'm not too sure taking the measurements then drawing it out at 7mm scale would infringe copyright Nigel ………….hmm

Probably taking a scan of it would but measuring is different.  Also, if it's for your own use, then I doubt copyright laws would come into play.  You're not "publishing" it or doing it "for gain".

It's all a very complex and "grey" area - that's maybe why there are so many cases of infringment - nobody understands it …….;-)

Hi Henry (and 'Petermac),

The design of the building is probably considered part of the copyright, somebody drew this up. Simply increasing the size to 7mm and keeping the measurement ratios from the original? I would have thought that might infringe copyright. Bit like taking a photograph of a page in a book and changing the dimensions. Most libraries who have copyrighted material available for reproduction (old railway records for example) charge a copyright fee or make you sign that it's for personal use only.

The UK has a policy of "Fair Dealing" with respect to copyright, dealt with in the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act (1988). It's pretty unambiguous.

• does using the work affect the market for the original work? If a  use of a work acts as a substitute for it, causing the owner to lose  revenue, then it is not likely to be fair
• is the amount of the work taken reasonable and appropriate? Was it  necessary to use the amount that was taken? Usually only part of a work  may be used

I would have thought that the first point applies. Point 2 means that you have to get permission from the copyright owner to reproduce something. I recently wanted to use a map for inclusion in a publication. Permission granted but I would only be able to use 10% of the image. Dimensions were changed in the publication, same situation as what is being proposed. Another copyright owner was quite happy for me to use 100% of a track plan.

Canada is different. Copyrighted material can be used for personal use. If I copied a card kit for a station at home fine, showing it in public and letting other know people what I did and potentially harming sales? Can of worms time.

The correct way is to get permission for the intended use, and to use it for personal use only. If it's going on a layout that will be seen in public say so in the request. You also have to acknowledge the permission if seen by the public. If you plan on reproducing it for gain, that requires a license.
Nigel