How is a scale ratio applied?

A scale of 1:N means the model is N times smaller than the real object. The tool divides your real-world dimension by N. So a 1800 mm door at 1:87 (HO) becomes about 20.7 mm tall.

What scale is 28mm heroic wargaming?

28mm refers to the figure height (foot to eye) of a human miniature, which corresponds to roughly 1:56 to 1:60. This tool uses 1:56 as the working ratio for 28mm heroic, the common Warhammer-style standard.

What are HO and N scale?

HO scale is 1:87 and N scale is 1:160, both standard model-railroad scales. HO is the most popular worldwide. N is roughly half the linear size of HO, useful for fitting more track in a small space.

Can I work backwards from a model size?

Yes. Switch the direction toggle to scale-up and the tool multiplies your model dimension by the ratio to give the equivalent real-world size, useful for figuring out what a miniature represents.

Does the scale affect volume and weight?

Linear dimensions divide by N, but volume and mass scale by N cubed. A 1:56 figure has roughly 1/175000 the volume of the real object, which is why resin miniatures use so little material.

Miniature Scale Converter

Whether you paint 28mm wargaming figures, build HO model-railroad terrain, or 3D-print scenery, you constantly need to translate a real-world measurement into its scaled equivalent. This converter does that instantly across every common modelling scale, plus any custom ratio you enter.

How it works

A model scale of 1:N means the miniature is N times smaller than the real thing in every linear dimension. Converting is a single division:

model size = real-world size / N

To go the other way (figure out what a miniature represents at full size) you multiply instead:

real-world size = model size × N

Named scales map to ratios: HO is 1:87, OO is 1:76, N is 1:160, O is 1:48, 1/72 is a classic plastic-kit scale, and “28mm heroic” wargaming corresponds to about 1:56. Pick one or type your own denominator for anything unusual.

Example and tips

A real door is 2032 mm tall. At HO scale (1:87) it becomes 2032 / 87 = 23.4 mm. At N scale (1:160) the same door is just 12.7 mm. Remember that only length, width and height divide by the ratio — volume and mass shrink by the cube of N, which is why a tiny resin figure weighs a few grams while its full-size subject weighs tens of kilograms. When mixing parts from different ranges, always check the underlying ratio rather than the marketing “mm” number, since one maker’s 28mm can be noticeably taller than another’s.