I work construction and picked up 18 four foot sections of premanufactured wood I joist sections. My question is do any of you think it feasible to try and make benchwork for a 12 x 12 layout out of these materials. What do you think? Your input is greatly appreciated. Thanks
Kirk
I guess the real question is how are you going to join them together, to legs, to cross members, etc. Is there enough lip to use them as some kind of L girder? You probably need to notch legs and cross members to fit the beam profile. If you don't want legs every 4 ft, you'll need to splice them.
I would plan the layout and it's supporting benchwork in a conventional way and then see where you could sub the 4 ft sections in easily.
Enjoy
Paul
The whole purpose for using "I" beam TJI joists in the first place is to get a greater span for the L girder. The 4' lengths, especially in 8" or 10" widths are mostly unusable. The laminated hard pine top/ bottom rails tend to split and the OSB web, ? don't know what you could do with it. If you have a source for other framing lumber, build your own. These may be modified or use the web and mill new rails to the span needed. These joists will not scab/ fishplate well for extending the length.
Craig Bisgeier's Hoosatonic layout uses fabricated joists but to carry some extreme long runs w/o legs. http://www.housatonicrr.com/ibeam2003.html Check out the link as to building these strong joists.
Modeling B&O- Chessie Bob K. www.ssmrc.org
My immediate thought was, "How deep are they?" If eight inches or more, you can make T girders out of them.
Splicing? Plywood, Masonite or metal splice plates. The plywood and Masonite can be glued, the metal can be through-bolted (if you ever want to take them apart.)
Support? Legs with X-bracing, one set in the center of each section, or one set 3 feet in from the end of 12" benchwork with the middle section cantilevered.
Screwing joists to top? Use the classic Westcott system, and pre-drill countersunk holes from below. Some people swear by bugle-head drywall screws, while others swear at them. Whatever screw type you select, make sure the screws are long enough to get a good hold on your joists.
Keep us informed on how this works out. Engineered I joists may become a new option for benchwork construction.
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - on steel stud benchwork)
cnrail wrote: I work construction and picked up 18 four foot sections of premanufactured wood I joist sections. My question is do any of you think it feasible to try and make benchwork for a 12 x 12 layout out of these materials. What do you think? Your input is greatly appreciated. Thanks Kirk
It certainly should be strong enough for any layout. It might even work with real trains.
- Harry
cnrail wrote:chuck, in reply to the question of depth of I joists they are twelve or thirteen in. deep. Wasn't sure when I brought these home if I could use them for benchwork material.
cnrail.
With that kind of depth, I would cut the I joists into three pieces. Two T girders of about 4" depth and one middle section of plain plywood. The plain plywood can be cut into 12" to 16" pieces and used as a splice plate to join ( glued & screwed for strength ) the short T girders into longer lengths to suit your plan or for manufacturing support legs.
Wooden I beams are by their design, extremely strong, ( support a house ), so I would imagine that the 4" T girders would be capable of supporting a model train layout with no flexing once some type of top is secured to them.
Good luck.
Blue Flamer.