Scale conversion FAQ

I measure to the eyes at 160cm on a 175cm human baseline. This is what most of the fantasy and sci-fi hobby uses because helmets, top-knots, and headgear vary. Historical military kits often use top-of-head (175cm). The STL scale converter lets you pick either method.

Because nobody agreed on where to put the ruler. Some sculptors measure to the eyes, some to the crown. Some account for base thickness, some do not. A "28mm" miniature from a decade ago is often smaller than a "28mm" miniature from today. I built the 175cm human baseline to cut through the noise and give everyone the same starting point.

Sometimes. A 28mm miniature measured to the eyes is roughly 30-32mm to the top of the head once you add the forehead and a helmet. So a "28mm" miniature can stand 32mm tall. This is why labels are unreliable. Measure the eye level with digital calipers — a PARKSIDE caliper with 0.01mm resolution costs under 15 euro and gives you everything you need to know what you actually have.

Import the STL into your slicer and measure the eye height against the 175cm baseline. For a 28mm miniature, the eyes should sit at 28mm above the base. For 32mm, 32mm. If the model has a dynamic pose with a raised weapon, measure from the foot contact point to the eyes, not from the lowest point of the bounding box.

Modern heroic (32mm) models are 32mm to the top of the head, which is roughly 28mm to the eyes. This matches the standard 1:56 ratio. They are taller than older classic true-scale (28mm) power-armoured soldiers because the legs and torsos are proportioned like a real human, not compressed.

It usually means model height, but the publisher also uses 32mm as a base diameter for newer models. Do not confuse the two. A 32mm base is a plastic disc. A 32mm model is the miniature standing on it. The STL scale converter handles height, not base size.

No. A file designed for 28mm will look like a child next to 32mm miniatures, and a 32mm file will tower over 28mm ones. You need to scale it. Use 114.3% to go from 28mm to 32mm, or 87.5% to go the other way. The proportions also change: 32mm heroic has bigger heads and hands relative to the body.

Scale the gang-warfare skirmish models down to 87.5% to match 28mm, or scale your 28mm collection up to 114.3% to match 32mm. Do not mix them without scaling. A 35mm gang-warfare skirmish ganger next to a 28mm Guardsman looks like a giant. I have made this mistake. It is fixable, but you need to commit to one baseline for the whole force.

Officially 1:56. In practice, 1:48 model kits often look better because modern WWII platoon wargame plastics are closer to 30-32mm than true 28mm. A true 1:56 tank looks small next to chunky heroic infantry. Try both if you have them. I use 1:48 for my WWII platoon wargame motor pool and nobody has complained at tournaments.

Yes. True 1:48 miniatures are about 35mm tall. They will tower over 28mm tabletop miniatures. If you have 1:48 miniatures you want to use, scale them down to 76.8% to match 28mm eye level. Or just use them as officers and heroes who are supposed to be tall.

Most historical vehicle designers work in 1:35 for traditional model kits. 1:56 is a wargaming niche. You can downscale a 1:35 vehicle STL to 62.5% to get a 1:56 equivalent. On FDM the detail may soften at that reduction, but a 0.2mm nozzle helps preserve it.

No. A model with a raised sword or horn will have a tall bounding box that has nothing to do with the miniature's actual scale. Always measure from foot contact point to eye level. Ignore weapons, banners, and dynamic poses. The STL scale converter uses this foot-to-eye method automatically.

PLA and PETG can shrink 0.2% to 0.5% as they cool from printing temperature. This is small enough that it rarely matters for miniature scaling, but if you need maximum accuracy, print a temperature tower and measure the result. I do not add compensation for FDM because over-extrusion and cooling shrinkage tend to cancel each other out.

Yes. FDM at 28mm and 32mm works well with a 0.2mm nozzle at 0.06mm layer height. The detail is good enough for tabletop use. With a 0.4mm nozzle at 0.1mm layers, faces lose definition but armour, weapons, and terrain still look great. I print all my own models on a Bambu Lab A1 Mini with PLA. The percentages on this site match what I get on my own prints.

Bambu Studio, PrusaSlicer, and Cura all have a uniform scale field. Enter the percentage from the STL scale calculator, lock the XYZ proportions, and slice. The math is the same in every slicer. For FDM, check the preview before slicing — supports can add a few millimeters to the bounding box.