Enlarging plans

Well, its not pretty, but what I would do is scan the plan, import into PaintShopPro or PhotoShop and expand to what you think is right. Print it out, cut it out and try it. Adjust to suit in the Paint/Photo application and print out/cut out until you get it right.

T2

What I do is to scan the plans with a thin plastic ruler included along one side. If you are going up or down in scale doesn't matter, figure out the amount of enlargement or reduction with a calculator and enlarge or reduce the scan accordingly. Use the scanned ruler to determine the amount of reduction by comparing it with the ruler that is on the side of the scan plate. Mine has two, an "X" and a "Y" axis. This technique helps a lot and also speeds thing up.

Not sure if the question is how to compute the magnification needed (we just had a thread on that) or on the mechanics of scanning.

If for a fighter, one should be able to scan and print on home computers. If it is a bomber, larger than your printer/scanner, take it to a copy shop.

Now, for the question of the math. The required enlargement is a ratio of the two scales. You did not state what the current scale is, but you say "enlargement," indicating it is smaller than 1:72. Make a fraction, the existing scale (say, for example, 144) over 72, like 144 over 72. That turns out to be 2.00, so you would scale up the plan 200%.

I have heard it suggested that if you are scanning, you make two scans, with a 90 degree rotation between scans, so you need to take the square root of 2, or 1.4, and make two enlargements at 140%.

This is to offset a printers tendency to "stretch" the enlargement.

Bruce

Thanks for taking the time to post these very useful replies.

Regards

Pat Macguire