Tom
QUOTE: Originally posted by kchronister QUOTE: Originally posted by clinchvalley Big step, congratulations. It looks like it's going to be a fun layout to operate. And yes, backdrop should be next. How about ceiling and lights? Anything you can do in the prep work now before you actually start laying track will pay big benefits down the road. Good luck, keep us posted on your progress. Looking great. Thanks... Ceiling and lights... Sigh. Lights are easy: You're right, and I just forgot to write down that lighting is next too, lumped that in with backdrop. As for celling... that's problematical. I'm not sure if you can tell in the photos, but the homebuilder didn't exactly make it a finishing-friendly basement. To put in any kind of celing other than drop tiles would be near-impossible. To put in drop tiles, i would either have to have an extraordinarily complex structure on about 6 different heights and sections, or drop the whole thing to 6' to just make it a flat plain... I don't really want to make what is mostly a 9' ceiling down into something that challenges anyone 6'+ tall (which includes the most-frequent visitor - me... The other thing I thought was to put in some sort of ceiling/ceiling boards over the 80% of the ceiling that's relatively flat and level, and just deal with vents, pipes, and other basementy stuff protruding down in the other 20%... Whaddya think there? So I hear ya and will re-ponder that issue... But previous ponderings have resulted in much "Uhhh Dunno, I give"
QUOTE: Originally posted by clinchvalley Big step, congratulations. It looks like it's going to be a fun layout to operate. And yes, backdrop should be next. How about ceiling and lights? Anything you can do in the prep work now before you actually start laying track will pay big benefits down the road. Good luck, keep us posted on your progress. Looking great.
QUOTE: Originally posted by mecovey On my last layout I used black heavy plastic (actually silo covers) purchased from a farm supply store. They are cheap but much sturdier than the plastic garbage bags. I stapled the plastic directly to the ceiling joists. If you can get a couple of guys to help you keep the material stretched while you staple, the finished product not only protects the layout from falling dirt etc but is also inexpensive and easy to install. Lights and valence can then be mounted to the joists. The staples will show you where they are so the "hunt for wood " is minimized.
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Larry
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