It was late last fall I decided the cantilevered benchwork coming out from the wall was a very bad idea. Originally the plan was to put commercial slides so I could slide the crib out two feet from the wall to duck under and work on the backside of the layout.
I found out rather quickly I don't like duck unders. I got sick of ducking under to work on the layout as the productivity became less and less in the months ahead. Again it was a very bad idea so I decided to make bench work on casters with wheels.
The wood was selected from research and I decided the Clear Premium Pine from New Zealand was the best. So I had the Bear send it up to me late last fall
He sure has some nice wood up there
I cut all the boards to length after a plan was made so all the lengths could be determined prior to assembly.
I just love the Kreg Jig, it is one of my favorite tools.
I made a few handfuls of cabinets for customers over the years with field tools on site. I always enjoyed this kind of work as I think it's fun.
I'm going to knock off a bit here before everything I put together with my phone disappears into Oblivion.
More to come later
TF
I'm sure many of you are familiar with the Kreg Jig. Those who are not, as far as I'm concerned the Kreg Jig was one of the best inventions for woodworking.
It replaces multiple hours of time gluing, clamping, adjusting, and waiting. This jig turns all that into an effortless short time putting cabinet face frames together.
These are the three sizes of board stock used in the cabinet face frames. 3 1/2 for the bottom rails, 2 1/2 for the top rails and 1 1/2 for the uprights is plenty of support to hold the top frame and the layout.
After all the members were Kreg Jigged, the face frames took about an hour and a half to assemble at a relaxed pace. Nobody needs to be a carpenter to work with a Kreg Jig. Easy, It ain't no thing.
I'll catch up with you guys here tomorrow.
Thanks for looking
This is all very interesting. I am looking forward to more updates.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Hi TF,
Very interesting! I look forward to seeing your future posts on the benchwork construction.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Good stuff, keep the pics coming.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Thank you for your interest gentleman.
Well I guess we left off here.
I don't seem to be able to locate the assembly pictures or maybe I was just a bit excited to get the thing put together.
The assembly was pretty basic. 3) 3/4 inch corner brackets per corner were used for the assembly. In case I decide to upgrade to a larger condo that I've been kind of leaning towards, I want to be able to take this large cabinet apart for the move down the hall.
The cabinet was made so the crib would have a 8 inch overhang. 7-8 inches to tuck your dogs under is that much less of a lean for a happier back while ones working on things. Triangular pieces of pine were installed in the four corners for the caster wheels. Those not only suited their purpose to fasten the casters but put everything into square.
I got to run but I'll catch up with you guys this evening.
That's a very impressive looking platform, TF!
Mark P.
Website: http://www.thecbandqinwyoming.comVideos: https://www.youtube.com/user/mabrunton
Good evening
Thanks Mark
It became Winter after I made the face frames and got them all together to support the layout.
I have a master key to the building. The Boiler Room seemed to be a good place to go continue the benchwork project while it was cold outside.
I don't like the Boiler Room I hadn't been down there in over a year. I saw a shadow move out of the corner of my eye. I turned to look but it was gone.
I called my Brother up that night and told him about it. Do you know what he said? Of course you don't.
First of all he busted a gut when I told him I thought I seen a Boiler Room Monster out of my profile vision.
He calmly said, Relax Bro. Don't look that way anymore while you're down there. Just continue with what you're doing and they will continue with what they do
So I never looked that way again and I haven't had a problem since.
I didn't have a rabbit blade. So I ran the cabinet door frame stock through the table saw plenty of times to get the rabbit
Rabbit dado cuts take a while when you don't have the right blade.
I don't care! I mill them anyway.
Freddy Kruger was prone to hanging about in boiler rooms.
SeeYou190 Freddy Kruger was prone to hanging about in boiler rooms.
Yep!
That's exactly what I was thinking Kevin.
I have timidly stopped back to that room to bravely look behind the Boilers. I cannot find him now, I'm almost hoping he comes back so I can get a better look at him
Track fiddler I cannot find him now, I'm almost hoping he comes back so I can get a better look at him
Just take a nap, he will find you in your dreams...
Seriously though... your work on the base for your layout is looking very good. I can't wait to see more.
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
“Quaility Custom Craftsman Cabinetmaking” would be far more appropriate!
Indeed! A fine piece of MRR cabinetry like that would make a wife insist you set it up in the living room.
Thanks for the compliments guys, appreciated.
Bear, you put another one of those big smiles on my face Thank you
The Kreg Jig was used to put the cabinet frames together as well.
For the panels quarter inch beaded wainscoting was used. They had to be cut to length and laid out. The end pieces of the four panels had to be trimmed so the board pattern was centered.
Then one of the pieces of the frame was taken off so the panel's could be slid into the dato slots.
And those are the six cabinet door panels in three stacks of two.
BATMAN
Nice work with the lumber and pic. Can you reach all of the layout regardless of location?
kasskaboose Nice work with the lumber and pic. Can you reach all of the layout regardless of location?
Thanks Kass
Yep, Its on wheel casters now. I can easily pull it out a couple feet from the wall to work on the back. My reach is only 25 inches as the layout width is 50" wide.
Well, I might as well post the last picture of the finished cabinet. I used a hand-rubbed oil stain I was introduced to from my high school shop teacher Cliff. He was such a talented woodworker and taught me so many things back then.
Danish Oil. I love that stuff and I've been using it on any pine project all these years. Cliff also introduced me to the owner of the old school Lumber yard in the Kabetogama State Forest. Rufus was such a great guy. He only had one hand from a bad Sawmill accident that happened years before we moved up there.
He would cut Rip-cuts of older Norway Pines and I would make coffee tables and end tables that Cliff taught me how to make. I stained them with the Danish Oil and sold them at our Resort. I knew Rufus never charged me what that custom cut and kiln-dried lumber was worth.
Well there it is. The Finished layout benchwork. I saw no reason to finish the back side and the right side as the layout will always be parked by the two walls in the corner. I could finish those other two sides some day if I'm looking for something to do I suppose.
I'd like to thank you guys for following along and all the great compliments you gave me too. I'll park this thread on the back burner and resurrect it when I get the guts inside of the cabinet done. I'm planning on having a bunch of pull outs inside the end doors.
Thanks again gentleman
Wow!
Fantastic results and well worth the effort you put into it.
Very nice TF.
I bet you could sell that in a heartbeat if or when you wanted to start a new project/layout.
Nice work TF!
I love doing cabinet work, not that I have done tons of it. I always get a kick out of peoples' faces when you tell them "I made that". So far anyhow, most of the looks have been positive.
Cheers!!
Great work TF. what size is the layout.
Nice work TF ! Actually, excellent work!
I've been following along.
Are some of those doors? or all fixed panels?
Mike.
My You Tube
Good morning
Thanks you guys!
The layout is 51"x 87" Energizer, it was 4'x7' but I needed 3 more inches for after thoughts.
The four front doors open to 110° Mike. I used some spendy concealed hinges l found at Rockler. The doors are not open all the way for the picture because it's a mess under there The two side doors are fixed panels.
The top crib is removable so I can tip the whole layout on its side when it's time to do wiring.
Thanks again for the compliments as they made me happy this morning
That is some excellent work, nice looking and functional.
Thanks SandaValley. I appreciate that