1/8 Masonite, 32" high on the walls (from 50" to 82" on the wall) and about 16" on the fre-standing portion, (from 54" to 70" above the floor).
The height of the backdrop isn't as important as the height relative to the viewer. A 40" high layout may need a 30-36" backdrop where a 60" high layout may be able to use a 12" high backdrop.
Dave H.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
Most people use foam core board, 1/8 inch masonite, 1/4 inch plywood, poster board. Any thing from 12 inches to 30 inches tall.
Too mount you can simply screw them to the layout frame or use two strips of Masonite outer over lapping the other under it or other material to form a slot along the frame work (but a few inches down from the top) for the backdrop to rest in and install one or two screws throw the backdrop into the framing about two inches up from the slot to stabilize the backdrop. Along the top of the backdrops use a clip of some kind to keep the edges aligned.
As for myself I plan to paint my backdrops on the walls.
Johnnny_reb Once a word is spoken it can not be unspoken!
My Train Page My Photobucket Page My YouTube Channel
Three answers in less than ten minutes.
secondhandmodeler wrote:I am just about done building my benchwork. Before I put everything into place, I want to add supports for a backdrop. For those of you that have one, what did you use and how tall is it? I can't decide whether to use a photo, or to try to paint one myself. My initial thoughts were in the two foot area. Then I thought eighteen inches would be enough. Any thoughts on the matter? Thanks for any ideas or thoughts.
Since my layout fore the mostg part will be around the walls, I am going to use the walls themselves. I haven't decided what to use on the free-standing penninsulas but I may decide to to put a divider down the center of those.
Irv
My layout is in the garage so i had to be sure that any connection or the breaker box had to be accessible, but at the same time be high enough to fir my needs. I was able to find vinyle coating in 24" which was perfect. Simple 4x1 for support and lattice srtips for bracing.
http://s50.photobucket.com/albums/f336/GIIG21/?action=view¤t=918cd90c.pbr
Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running BearSpace Mouse for president!15 year veteran fire fighterCollector of Apple //e'sRunning Bear EnterprisesHistory Channel Club life member.beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam
I used 1/8" masonite and 1x2's to make my backdrop. It's 2' tall. The table is 43" tall. The 1/8" masonite wraps around corners pretty good. Here is a couple pictures of mine while in the first stages:
Here is a couple finished and ready for clouds:
secondhandmodeler wrote: ... Do you finish the screw holes and seams with drywall compound? ...
I have heard quite a bit of talk that due to the flexibility and relative dimensional instability of Masonite/hardboard backdrops, it is better to use a vinyl spackling type compound as opposed to drywall joint compound because it is less prone to cracking during seasonal temperature/humidity changes. I am a few weeks away from backdrop installation, so the timing of this thread is most appreciated!
By the way, I believe I am going with a basic sky color and some generic mountain outlines for the contents of the backdrop. Can anyone possibly supply actual paint manufacturer & color names of what they used to paint their backdrop? This sure would streamline my trial and error process
Thanks, Jamie
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Pasadena Sub wrote: By the way, I believe I am going with a basic sky color and some generic mountain outlines for the contents of the backdrop. Can anyone possibly supply actual paint manufacturer & color names of what they used to paint their backdrop? This sure would streamline my trial and error process Thanks, Jamie
I just finished my backdrop. I painted the walls the same color of light blue that is on the Walthers backdrop scenes. I then painted some hills on the walls. Just a solid color filled in outline really. Next I added some darker green by sponge painting in the painted hills. For the colors, I tried to match the Woodland scenics ground foam colors by mixing craft paints together. When I was satisfied with the colors, I took a paint chip of my mix to Lowes and had a quart of the two colors mixed. Once the hills were painted, I over sprayed it all with a light mist of white acrylic paint from a can. (There was a thread about how to do that here on the Forums somewhere.) My only mistake -I think- was that the hills were not rounded enough. The colors say "hills" but the shape says "mountains". Oh well, live and learn. (Sorry, but I don't have any pictures yet.)
The rest of the backdrop will be cut-outs of buildings from commercial backdrops glued to the painted scenery walls, and building flats.
Elmer.
The above is my opinion, from an active and experienced Model Railroader in N scale and HO since 1961.
(Modeling Freelance, Eastern US, HO scale, in 1962, with NCE DCC for locomotive control and a stand alone LocoNet for block detection and signals.) http://waynes-trains.com/ at home, and N scale at the Club.
Someone gave me a roll of 24" aluminum, white on one side, brown on the other. I'm not sure if it was roof flashing or gutter material. I put up some scrap 1x3s, rolled it out, and put a few screws in. The white side takes paint very well--I brushed sky blue near the top and white near the bottom, blended them, then went over it with a roller. It left some streaks, which I then used to make clouds with thinned white and gray paint sponged on.
I followed Dave Frary's scenery method for painting a backdrop, using craft paints. I'm not happy with the near color, so I will remix and try again. I also want it to look more like rolling farmland and hills, not mountains:
Matching to your scenery materials is a good idea, which is what I will do one of these days. Even so, a simple backdrop makes your railroad look 100% better, as does some simple scenery. You can always change it if you don't like it.
Gary
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=painting+trees&search_type=&aq=f
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=painting+mountains&search_type=&aq=f
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=bob+ross&search_type=&aq=f
Great "how to's" on the Tube.
Did you watch the "Bob Ross has issues" one? Oh my!
Yup, painting it is! I'm a little intimidated, but it will be OK. The back drop is one of the things will not move well when I move in a few years. If it sucks, then I'll trash it. I can't bring myself to pay for a back drop. At least, not until I see my abysmal painting skills!
Backdrop painted with cheap acrylics. It really helps if you have some photos of the real thing to work from.
Mike
Modelling the UK in 00, and New England - MEC, B&M, D&H and Guilford - in H0
For my backdrop supports I used 1x2's. For the backdrop itself I used vinyl flashing from the local home improvement store. This stuff ( http://www.duraflash.net/ ) was great to work with.
You can see both sides of it in the construction stages in this pic. The dark spots are putty drying that was used to cover the staples.
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j319/pcarrell/Autumns%20Ridge/7-22-070.jpg
mikelhh wrote: Backdrop painted with cheap acrylics. It really helps if you have some photos of the real thing to work from. Mike
I would love to tell you how great your backdrop looks, but I can't tell where the scenery ends and the backdrop begins! I hope I can have some similar results...your scene is fantastic. Jamie
I'm so ashamed...
I stuck Walthers backgrounds on the walls with push pins.
One day I'll get it right.
Rotor
Jake: How often does the train go by? Elwood: So often you won't even notice ...
I used light blue craft paper, thumb tacked to the wall:
Nick
Take a Ride on the Reading with the: Reading Company Technical & Historical Society http://www.readingrailroad.org/
Grampys Trains wrote:
The subtle effect of the trains going by with only the tops visible is something I absolutely must incorporate in my scenery. I think it feels so real because there are so many places I see this locally when I am out train hunting with the kids, yet it never occurred to me to represent that on a layout. This is one I have to go put on the white board TO DO list in the layout room--thanks again for sharing this scene. Jamie
I used tempered masonite and vinyl flooring. The vinyl floor was used to create smooth curves while the masonite was used to provide structural strength. The vinyl flooring I got free from a flooring store.
My next layout will use the vinyl flooring exclusively, I will not need the strength of the tempered hardboard. The flooring was great to work with. I first saw this used on Joe Fugate's backdrop video which I downloaded from his site for $2.99.
Chris