PROGRESS ON BENCHWORK

[aprofitt0002]

Here are some images of my progress on the benchwork for my English countryside layout marking a trip from Stowe to Wells in the Cotswolds (see Rick Steves' Youtube video on the Cotswolds). I have only one piece of underlayment to add to complete the underlay for the layout. I will then add a 1" layer of extruded foam board and then begin construction of the topographical features including the villages of Stowe and Wells and, in the middle a 13th century castle. My layout is 30' around the exterior perimeter built against two walls with a walk around in the middle. Any and all suggestions, help, advice, comments, criticisms, etc are greatly appreciated. Regards, Doc
https://imgur.com/jYKAgSy
https://imgur.com/8t9yQBZ
https://imgur.com/WD3GSZa

[dknelson]

Ah the inspiring aroma of freshly cut lumber.

One piece of advice or comment.  When dealing with plain dark joists and flooring above a layout (versus a suspending ceiling) I think it helps tremendously to paint it all white -- preferably before starting the benchwork but in any event before getting much further along than your pictures show.  It really helps open up the room and gives you more bang for your layout lighting buck (or pound sterling).   The benefits might be partly psychological - fights off the indoor version of Seasonal Affective Disorder perhaps.

Dave Nelson

[ROBERT PETRICK]

Ah the inspiring aroma of freshly cut lumber.

Hey ap0002

I couldn't help but notice you use two levels to check your column. We'll have to update Norm's famous advice: "Plumb twice, shim once."

Robert

[mbinsewi]

I'll go with Dave's advice, I wish I would've done that.  But NOOO... I was to anxious to get started.

The good part is above my layout, on the main floor, is the back side of the living room, which, because of furniture, gets no constant foot traffic, which cause all of the little particles of dust and stuff falling from the floor boards above.

Looks like the OP is off to a good start!

Mike.

[aprofitt0002]

Thanks, Dave. In this case, that would be difficult since there is a lot of stuff stored between floor/ceiling joists. Much of it belonged to my dad whose archetectural drawings/plans, etc are stored between the joists. I have an electrician friend who is going to run a dedicated ciruit on its own breaker to power my rr and included in that, he will install 8' flourescent lights directly above my bench. Hopefully this will provide all the lighting I need but we'll see I guess... Doc

[aprofitt0002]

Well, Rob ole pal, I actually used 3...2 24" levels and 1 4' level...you just can't be too careful now on precision work!  Doc

[aprofitt0002]

Thanks, Mike. I hadn't thought about dust falling from above...hmmmm..that may have to be dealt with in some way...now I have something else to worry about! Doc

[RR_Mel]

aprofitt0002

I have an electrician friend who is going to run a dedicated ciruit on its own breaker to power my rr and included in that, he will install 8' flourescent lights directly above my bench. Hopefully this will provide all the lighting I need but we'll see I guess... Doc

 

I would suggest that you use a LED 8” fixtures, more efficient and Fluorescent light like Sun light fades the scenery colors.

 

I had to redo my scenery flocking twice over 25 years before I switched over to LEDs.  Dinged my rocks too.

 

I have switched over to all LED lighting in our house, my wife loves it.

 

 

 

Mel

 

Modeling the early to mid 1950s SP in HO scale since 1951

 

 

My Model Railroad   

http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

 

Bakersfield, California

 

I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

 

 

[rrebell]

aprofitt0002

Thanks, Mike. I hadn't thought about dust falling from above...hmmmm..that may have to be dealt with in some way...now I have something else to worry about! Doc

 

Just staple up some plastic.

[hlwaaser]

Don't know how this fits with your post, but it's the only one I could find on benchwork.  I got some good info today at Home Depot.  All the things I am seeing about benchwork say to create L shaped legs and frame pieces by gluing and screwing 1" X 2" pieces together.  I went to H. D. to look for the cheapest wood I could find that was 1x2x8.  All the cheaper woods had severely rounded narrow edges, which would limit the glue joint and make it morer difficult to screw the pieces together.  I found what was called "trim wood" 1x2s that had square sawed edges, giving a larger glue and screw surface.  This was twice as expensive as the cheap wood, but I am pretty sure the price difference will be worth it, creating a sturdier table.  (Table is 4' X 4' for a 5 year old grandson to set up a Bachmann Thomas train for a layout of his own next to my layout.)

hlwaaser - The Penny Line.

[riogrande5761]

Is that the same benchwork you were showing earlier modified somewhat?  As I recall, the previous version had a very narrow width on the right side so the track curvature would have been very sharp.  It looks like now you can squeeze in 18 inch curves or a tiny bit higher.  That is still very sharp but if you are satisfied you can operate the equipment needed then good to go.

[hornblower]

aprofitt0002

I hadn't thought about dust falling from above...hmmmm

Doc

I was also thinking about how much dust will get knocked loose when someone walks around upstairs.  My own layout is in my garage and I was always amazed at how much junk would fall from the roof joists above with nothing but birds and squirrels walking around on the roof!!!  I was really puzzled when I walked in there and found a couple of old roofing nails laying on top of my race car! I'd guess they came from a previous re-roofing project.  

Anyway, the first thing I did before starting my layout was to finish the interior of my garage using 1/4" drywall (lighter and easier to install than thicker drywall panels).  Now my garage is a much cleaner (and better looking) room.

Now that your benchwork is in place, you have all that space underneath to store the stuff currently stored between the floor joists (easier to access, too).  Seriously though, if you really do have a lot of old blueprints and original plans stored up there, I would take them somewhere you can have them scanned and saved to a USB drive.  That way, you can actually look at any or all of them on your computer when you're in the mood.  You can also ditch all those "presto-logs" and make the fire marshal much happier.  If you really do find you need a print in the future, you just take your USB drive to a local printer and print out a fresh clean copy -- far better than trying to read a 50 year old blueprint that is falling apart and smells like a small animal died inside the roll!

On the other hand, I'm very glad to hear you're making progress! Looking forward to future posts.