Just wondering.....

[Anonymous]

I've been kicking around the idea of expanding my layout. I have a 4 by 8 board, but it is VERY old. I was wondering whether I may buy a new one, or with some good framing it would be feasible for it to work. I think the board is a bit weak, but should be able to do the job. Also, I have a problem with legs. When my dad built the layout he decided to make the legs out of plastic pipe which causes the layout to be very wobbly. Would wood [:)] be a better way to go?

[daan]

If you plan to make the layout in the same rectangular shape, you could do with the board, but support it with wooden legs and a framework. Even if you would buy a new 4x8 plate, you stil would have to make a frame to support.
The easiest way to do so is building it like a giant table. Connect the 4 legs with the framework and make it as sturdy as possible, so that it remains stable even without the plate on it. You could use a new board to make sure it gets a good base for your layout.

[lionelsoni]

There are two things that make tables wobble, the legs themselves and their attachment to the table.

As for the legs themselves, the need for stiffness and increases very rapidly with the length of the legs. However, stiffness also increases rapidly with thickness; so you can always find leg material that is thick enough and stiff enough. This is the same for lumber and for pipe.

As for the attachment, it is very difficult to attach wooden legs rigidly to a table top. Usually, they are attached to some sort of framework under the top and, even then, work loose all too easily. Pipe, on the other hand, can be attached directly to a plywood surface in an absolutely rigid way.

Braces are often used to eliminate wobbling. In the case of pipe legs, braces allow use of slender pipe. In the case of wood legs, they avoid the need to make a rigid connection to the table.

I prefer pipe, properly attached to the plywood: Drill a hole through the pipe at the top for a heavy bolt. Put the bolt through the eye of a screweye. Put the threaded end of the screweye through a hole in the table and snug it up with a nut and washer on top.

I use 1 1/2-inch schedule-40 PVC pipe, a half-inch bolt secured with nuts on the inside of the pipe, and a screweye with a 1/2-inch eye and a 1/4-20 shank. This thin a leg would be too limber for the 45-inch height of my layout, except that it goes around the walls of the room and is therefore braced against them. But it would be fine for a shorter layout.

This method eliminates the need to build a frame under the plywood. Legs can be placed wherever needed under an irregularly shaped layout. I also use steel angles bolted to the underside of the plywood to stiffen it where I need a long clear span under the layout.

[Anonymous]

thank u guys, i appreciate your input and will atleast attempt to follow the instruction when and if i actually get around to makin the extension. i also had another thing pop into my head, is there a way from preventing rusting of the track? i'm away from home a long time due to college and when i get home i gotta sand all the gargraves track, yet the old american flyer always seems fine.