I over build my layouts so they are very sturdy. For a 4X8 layout I would suggest 1X4's for the legs and frame, with cross members every 2 feet of the length of the frame. I secure a lenth at an angle from top to botton between the legs as stiffeners. Prevents wobble. 1X4's are $4.39 for an 8 foot length. and you would need 5 to build your table.
Ira
Good morning, i have an 4x8 ho layout with peco streamline cod 83's tracks.This layout is an american landscape with single main line that run oval with an small freight yard inside and in front of me to allow the operations.But i see that it's very boring and not realistic because i dont't know where put paved roads, houses,commercial buildings, gas station,trees and bushes to realize a real american town.Premise that i'm italian and the railroad here is very different.
Someone could help me to make it more realistic and fun than mine?
Thank you in advance
My grandfather used what was a common thing in his day. Not saw horses but blackiron pipe. He always said "because it is resusable and doesnt have the problem of screw holes or nail holes failing with time". He used 1.5 inch with the mounting bases and also made the brackets the same way. Using tee/nipple/ 45 degree pieces to join to the legs. And 99 degree/nipple/ mounting base to connect to the side frame of the layout. The leg mounting bracket attachted to a 2x6 piece mounted to the underside of the layout frame. Made for a very sturdy frame you could lean on
shane
A pessimist sees a dark tunnel
An optimist sees the light at the end of the tunnel
A realist sees a frieght train
An engineer sees three idiots standing on the tracks stairing blankly in space
Building small layout 4'X8'. 3/8" ply, HO gauge...Thinking of using 2X material for underpinings but wondering your opinion of the 4 corner posts...Considering 2X4 or 2X3's.....Probably overkill but prefer too much rather than not enough..Your thoughts? Thanks
Just finished building my 30" wide and 24" wide shelf layout benchwork. I ripped 1" off of the 2 x 4's I purchased leaving me 2 1/2" legs. I used the l" strips for cross bracing and am very pleased with the strength and stability of the finished product. I agree the big box stores have some bad lumber but I always pick through for the best boards. If they all look bad I go elsewhere or wait for a better shipment. I know this leaves the lousy boards for the next guy but I refuse to pay the prices for basically firewood that cannot be used for any quality project.
Raining here so,,,Finished about half of benchwork today.. .. Cut the 2X3 legs extra long so I can evaluate the actual height later and trim to size...My LEG levelerers are here so I'll install once the length of posts is determined...Looking forward to this next part.
Watch any of the MR layout build videos to learn how David Pop builds benchwork. His leg design is quite sturdy and remains removable from the table top. If the lumber available in your area is anything as bad as we get in Southern California, I would recommend skipping dimensional lumber and ripping a sheet of cabinet grade 1/2" birch plywood into strips of various widths. Three inch wide strips should work for an open grid tabletop framework. Two inch wide strips glued to 1 1/2" wide strips to form "L" girders would be perfect for the legs. One and a half to 2" wide strips would work for the leg bracing. The lumber yard can rip the plywood for you if you think you can't do it yourself. Since you're building a simple 4' by 8', I would also recommend gluing your framework joints for an incredibly strong and rigid structure. You can buy a 2x2 to cut into glue blocks to reinforce the various corner glue joints. I used this method along with a wire brad nailer to construct my 10' by 19' double decked layout and it is solid as a rock even though it is mostly cantilevered off the perimeter walls with legless spans as long as 13 feet. Best of all, the plywood has stayed straight for over 10 years now.
As far as cost, I doubt that a sheet of cabinet grade 1/2" plywood would be more expensive than the prive of all the clear pine would need to build David Pop style benchwork.
Hornblower
Hi jjo
My legs are set 1' in from the ends and 6" in from the sides this has more to do with protecting my toes by not kicking the legs.
The measurments have more to do with the way I make my bench work than anything fancy just easy measurments to get right.
Because of the way I do adjustable feet and gussets at the top of the leg I use 3" square legs.
I tend to over engineer the base board structure which is not a bad thing.
Also buy the best matierial you can afford you will get a better result that way.
More model railways fail due to poorly built bench work than any other reason.
regards John
Good points, cuyama. I do plan to inset as you said.. Realizing also that I'm probably considering material for posts that is too heavy and not necessary...Thanks for your thoughts...
The best practice is not to put legs in the corners. Insetting them helps with sag of the layout surface and keeps them from being kicked. Lighter material with an angle brace is suprisingly stiff – and better than heavier lumber without braces, which can "jelly wobble".
The best advice for benchwork is to "build bridges, not tables" (Linn Westcott)
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Yes, most of books I'm reading reco lighter corner legs and 1X4s throughout the bench work...I'm usually guilty of overkill....Also see the L shaped corner posts mentioned...Thank you guys, I'll continue to check in..May use levelers on the legs? Not sure..
Either of those will work. Use some 1x2's for diagonal bracing. Be careful about buying the cheapest grades to make sure they are straight. Even then theymay warp.
A better leg is to use 2 1x4's (or 1x3's) in an L shape. This is much less likely to warp. You screw and/or glue the 2 pieces together.
Good luck
Paul
The answer depends on where your layout will stand, if it will have a backing wall to which it can be pinned with a few screws into studs, how high you want it...these types of factors.
Most of us use 1X3 or 1X4 forming a rectangle with a couple of joists to support extruded foam or plywood. The legs can be the same materials, or 2X2, or maybe L-girder lengths for rigidity. I mean....they'll be plenty rigid, but how they are anchored is what will make them able to keep from folding up at the corners where you are talking about. You'll want some diagonal bracing, maybe 1X2. The higher the operating surface, the longer the legs, and the longer the diagonal braces.
You'll want to lean against this thing, possibly even get one knee up on it at times, so the structure will have to support maybe 120 pounds, and more if you weigh much more and want both knees up on it. Plan accordingly.
The higher you make the top of the operating surface, the more you'll have trouble reaching into the depths if you have it pinned to a wall for support. You'll need a footstool, and also to get up onto it at times. Do you want this robust and heavy, and immobile, or would you and the missus like to pick it up, sharing the load, and mover it to another corner for some reason?
If by corner posts, you're talking about the legs, I would say even 2x3s are overkill. Even on my layout, I use 2x2s for the legs and 1x4s for framing. However, 2x4s wouldn't be out of line for framework. (2x4s are going to be straighter than 1x4 but it is up to you. Anytime I build framework, I have had fun trying to get straight and true 1x4.) I didn't do it on mine but I know some people have made plywood braces that reinforce the legs for 2x2 legs and 1x4 framework.