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[quote]QUOTE: Originally posted by orsonroy Unfortunately, this wasn't the case. All the lumber was mid grade pine with as tight a grain as you can find (these days...). Everything was sanded and sealed with two coats of latex paint before it was assembled. Didn't help. The problem is that wood will move dimensionally no matter WHAT you do to it. With over 20 joints on the longest side butted up to each other, if every piece swelled 1/32" of an inch (not an unreasonable amount) I'd have 40 pieces of lumber moving for a total of 1-1/4" of movement, and THAT's enough to pop a lot of track![/quote] I agree that using dimensional lumber is not the way to go with module/domino construction. But please check David Barrow's specs for his dominos. He uses 3/4" Birch plywood for all his dimensional pieces. True this method of construction is more expensive than dimensional lumber (even "A" grade birch dimensional lumber will warp over time), but the laminated plywood properly sealed is much more stable than any dimensional lumber. Direct quote from David Barrow's Cat Mountain and Santa Fe Soutnplains Switching Distric article on Domino construction in the September 1996 Model Railroader "The domino frames and tops in my construction are 3/4" Birch plywood. I stopped using 1 x 4 white pine for these frames because even the best lumber I could get would occasionally warp." "This allows you to save the significant towns & yard in a move to a new home." My new layout will be using dominos built with 3/4" Birch. Yes, it will cost me more money than using conventional construction methods but it also allows me the freedom to work on specific sections at the bench & also allows me to rearrange the layout without loosing the major portions if I choose to. In the MRP 2004 article, it appears that David may have saved parts of his staging yard & Mesa yard in this latest rendition of the Cat Mountain & Santa Fe. Orsonroy, you might try some 3/4 inch Birch Plywood ripped into 3 1/2 inch wide boards. You might find some of your dimensional stability problems will go away no matter what construction you use (especially in a damp basement). Good luck & remember Model Railroader's OLD motto Model Railroading is Fun! BTW, using extruded foam for benchwork tops is a very good idea in a damp basement.
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