couple of questions on bench work.

[Anonymous]

I'm planing on taking my layout and building the bench work in 3 sections.
I'l have 2 4x4 sections that will make a 4x8 span, next to that, I'l have a 4x6
to make the leg off of. I was planing to use 1/2" birch plywood, and frame
each section with 1x3's and then tie all thee sections together.

Will the 1/2" plywood be enuff, or would I need 3/4"?
What can I use to level the platform? The floor in the room is not level, the rear of the room slops down slightly.

[wrmcclellan]

c-burke,

The 1/2" birch plywood will be fine. I would also run a 1x3 at 2' (middle of the 4' square) and at 2 and 4' for the 4x6 section. This makes a ladder frame for the table top.

Your proposed construction is good.

To level, if you use 3/8" or 1/2" "T-Nuts" in the bottom ends of the legs, you can simply run a bolt into them and then adjust the bolts for leveling the platform. If the bolt heads are too rough on your floor, get some of those rubber cups that hardware or furniture stores sell to protect hardwood floors from chair and table legs.

Good luck!
Roy

[Dr. John]

I can't add anything to what Roy said. Are you building the layout you posted on another thread you got from Thor's website?

[Anonymous]

Thats the one I plan on building, I'm working on now getting some of the track
together, mainly the switches. I picked up a few from ebay, looks good, just need to clean, lube and replace some bulbs. I still have a lot to get.
I was planing on building a latter frame with cross braces, and then tie the 3 pices together to form my platform.

[Jumijo]

c-burke,

I'm building a layout with the same dimensions as yours. My benchwork is complete. I used 1/2 plywood and it's fine. I used 2" ridgid foam insulation on top of that so I could carve in a river and low areas without having to cut into the plywood table top. It also helps keep the noise down. Still haven't decided where to place the controllers.

Jim

[Anonymous]

I'm getting ready for layout #2/ first one was built be me & dad- all 2 x 4 s, 5/8 plywood, etc. You could have wrestled on it.For # 2, I noticed some builders using 1 x 6 s as stringers, with 4 x 4 as legs. Upside seems to be easy wiring, as it is simple to bore thru stringers to run wires, making for neat job. But I cant see these stringers spanning more than 6 ';also 6" takes away from ht off floor as opp to 2 x 4; any suggestions?

[Anonymous]

I would go with 3/4 inch plywood for the deck surface, with either foam or homasote on top of the plywood. Very sturdy, allows one to get up on there to do work, and will not warp over time.

[Anonymous]

guys i may be preachng herisy but i did'nt use ply wood on the deck,to heavy. i used 3" insulation board. under that i used 1x3 support members flat across width,about 36" ,to 1x3s on edge around the out side with the back fastend to the wall. the stringers across are about 2' apart. yo burke9 about 2yrs ago i dropped abunch on track and switches etc.in fact i think i cornered the market dr dan