Mine vary between a minimum of 3.5" and a max of 14". Because of a disability, where possible mine are positioned to allow knee clearance as I roll around on my stool.
If you will work and operate exclusively standing, 3" is probably enough. Think of the toe space you have at the bottom of your kitchen counters.
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Mine are at 8". Robert, that's the first pictures I've seen of your layout progress that show bench work and progress. Maybe I've missed a few post due to my summer time absence. Looking great!
Same with Jim's layout, would love to see what's going on.
Mike.
My You Tube
On my layout, the legs are set back 6" on the two (3/4 freestanding) peninsulas and 18" on the benchwork that abuts the long wall.
18" on the right side of the photo (wall), 6" on the left (peninsula):
6" on both sides of the aisle (both sides are peninsulas):
The work was easy to do, and I had a lot of leftover framing 2x4s. I cut everything in the shop, transported the pieces and parts to the layout room, and assembled with 3" torx-head screws. Piece of cake. And like Batman, I like to play with my toys.
Just chiming in.
Robert
PS The tape strips on the floor in the bottom photo show the overhang of the benchwork. It has been there for about two years, and I still use it to know when to stand up when crawling out from under.
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ATLANTIC CENTRALand need not have lap joints or other fancy cuts.
Agreed, but I like to play with my toys (saws) That bench is 6' x 18' long, I cut all the lumber up first and it all went together perfectly as planned.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
I've recently built the benchwork for my layout. Its 53 inches high, and 23 inches deep away from the wall, and the legs are 22.25 inches away from the wall. I have no problem reaching to the backdrop with my palm and I don't come close to kicking the legs.
Its around the room, so the corners are protected. The U shape or L shape makes it very sturdy, especially being screwed to the wall.
The two corners that are exposed, don't have legs. They have big 45 degree brackets I made from scrap pieces that are anchored to the wall.
If I had a peninsula where the corners are exposed, I'd want to think about moving the legs in.
- Douglas
Thanks Rob et al. I went ahead and set legs in about 3 inches on two legs so far. I can move them in more and reattach.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
Damn, I didn't even think about doing this until it was too late after building the first section. I do have a little bit of overhand with the foam but its only about 3 inches.
And I am already hitting my feet is some spots.
I will make sure I inset the legs more when I start the steel mill layout room.
Michael
CEO- Mile-HI-RailroadPrototype: D&RGW Moffat Line 1989
riogrande5761...For those who have attached the legs in-set from the outer edge, how deep did you need to go to mitigate kicking the legs with your feet? Two inches? Three? More?....
I built the support system for my 1"x4" open grid using mostly 2"x4"s, and in most areas, it's about 2' deep, although there are a few places where it's closer to 3', as all under-layout area is used for storage.
The set-back of the support structure at the room's entrance aisle is about 3"...
...while it's about 10" here...
...and 6" to 8" for most of the remainder...
However, around the peninsula, the set-back of the layout support is, in some places, around 30"...
The width and placement of the support structure was dictated by what some larger folks might refer to as a pinch-point, although I and an equally slim (and hopefully attractive) woman could slide through here face-to-face without appearing to be doing anything rude...
Here's a view from above, showing how the open grid overhangs the support structure (it's secured together with blocking and screws, so no chance of bumping it out of position or having it tip if leaned- or stood-upon)...
...and this is how the varying amounts of overhang were done on the rest of the layout, too.
Wayne
The benchwork legs on my layout are in-set 6" to 12" from the aisle. Avoiding bumping them with your feet is one reason. Having space to install fascia skirting is another reason, as you may prefer to have the skirting in-set from the fascia by a few inches.
Jim
The easiest way to build open grid benchwork is to simiply run your front to back "joists" as one piece, just like buiding a floor deck of a house.
They will connect front and rear to a "band board".
Legs can be at the band board in the rear and set back in the front, or even set back a little on both front and rear. Many basements do not have smooth/level floors where the floor meets the wall, so if you are using legs, and not attaching to the walls, setting them in some can make leveling eaiser.
Depending on the front to back depth, the setback could easily be as much as a foot for deeper layouts (3-4 feet or more, example: a penninsula).
Intermediate stringers parallel to the front and back band boards can be installed as needed, in any location, and need not have lap joints or other fancy cuts. In fact, purposely staggering them will make it easy to screw them in thru the joists, into the ends of the stringers.
Sheldon
Grid is all lap joints.
Mine are inset by a minimum of 6", more if possible. The 6" setback seems to prevent any interference with the legs, and the open grid benchwork above is more than strong enough the be cantilevered for that distance.
Rob Spangler
Some have mentioned when building benchwork, if the legs are attached against the inside of the outer edge, they are prone to being kicked.
For those who have attached the legs in-set from the outer edge, how deep did you need to go to mitigate kicking the legs with your feet? Two inches? Three? More?
On my last layout, I attached the legs to the inside edge of the benchwork framing, which was and is 1x4 frames. I don't recall kicking the legs on that layout much at all, but it seems better to check now while planning to errect some frames.