Got the benchwork up and secured screwed to the wall with temp legs but basicly without legs she doesn't budge.
I cut down the large end from 5 foot to 4 foot square, much better. I started moving everything in from the second room where the rest of the layout will go. I need to close in the furnace duck work and install suspended ceiling then I can start on the rest of the layout.
Amazing how much storage area there is when benchwork is 48 inches.
starting from the left of layout, no longer a 5 foot across unreachable.
This is how big it was rest of layout Lynn
This is how big it was
rest of layout Lynn
rest of layout
Lynn
Present Layout progress
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/p/290127/3372174.aspx#3372174
Don't worry about the variation on how far up or down on the wall it is - the key is that the actual benchwork is level per a level, either a plain olf bubble type or a fancy electronic one. Basement floors alre almost never level, especially if there's a floor drain - it will slope towards the drain.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
That's why I LOVE my laser level.
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
rrinker No, I meant 2-3 INCH pieces - of the 2x2. My legs are 4 feet long L shapes made with a 1x3 and a 1x2. I glued and screwed a 2-3 INCH piece of 2x2 at the bottom as a place to screw in the leg levellers. The main structure of the legs are the L girders, the 2x2 is only there as a place to drill the holes for the t-nots. I actually prefer an even higher layout, but because one wall of my room has a sloped celing, it was a compromise between making the layout taller or making it wider - the higher I go, the narrower it gets. Full room width is available at only about 2 feet high, which is FAR too low. In fact, the first 4 legs, made when I started a layout at my previous place, had to have a couple of inches cut off them. --Randy
No, I meant 2-3 INCH pieces - of the 2x2. My legs are 4 feet long L shapes made with a 1x3 and a 1x2. I glued and screwed a 2-3 INCH piece of 2x2 at the bottom as a place to screw in the leg levellers. The main structure of the legs are the L girders, the 2x2 is only there as a place to drill the holes for the t-nots.
I actually prefer an even higher layout, but because one wall of my room has a sloped celing, it was a compromise between making the layout taller or making it wider - the higher I go, the narrower it gets. Full room width is available at only about 2 feet high, which is FAR too low. In fact, the first 4 legs, made when I started a layout at my previous place, had to have a couple of inches cut off them.
Ok I see . I just came home from lumber store with a 2x2x8 to follow your lead, only I used 2 1x3's in L shape.
For me this is a first having the layout up at 48 inches, I already see my one leg end that is 5 feet across has got to be cut back for reach.
I've already ran into a rut with installing the sections on the wall, I never took into consideration the basement floor differences. Because I started at the largest lower left leg and made that 4 feet high as level as I could and then continued around the wall with each section I'm finding if I continue with level around the wall its actually going lower than the first section I started with. I think I'm going to have to get the entire layout mounted in this room and take another look at that first 5 foot section , maybe starting lower with that one or something.
Dennis,
I stand corrected. Somehow, I missed the leveler part.
Randy,
I understand the sloped ceiling feeling. I have a part of the layout, that I need to redo the wiring for building lights I'm trying to get up enough energy to accomplish that, but at 72, the mind is willing, but! If my dog only had thumbs, that is his favorite hang out anyway!
Frank
Deleted: Had an error report and would up with two same posts.
Did Randy not say in an earlier post that he uses a 2" to 3" piece of 2" x 2" at the end of the leg for a "T" nut???
Dennis Blank Jr.
CEO,COO,CFO,CMO,Bossman,Slavedriver,Engineer,Trackforeman,Grunt. Birdsboro & Reading Railroad
Quote:
I think Randy meant 2" to 3" pieces.
I believe when he typed, 2-3'', he meant, 2-3' foot legs, in a L shape, one too many hash marks after the 3. What could you possibly do, with, 2'' to 3'' piece L shape legs.
zstripe I hope Randy meant 2, three foot sections, either that he is awful short. Frank
I hope Randy meant 2, three foot sections, either that he is awful short.
Me too. My last layout was 36" to the floor from lowest benchwork top. This layout I plan to be 50 inch at the lowest point.
rrinker That's why I did it the way I did, they don;t have to be very straight. I buy an 8 footer, have them chop it approximately in half so it fits in my car, and then I cut it up into 2-3" sections on my miter saw. Making the L-shaped legs also means I have two flanges to attach the braces to. And I can use shorter bolts since it only has to go through about an inch and a half of wood instead of 2 1/2". And there's still the place to install the levellers. Critical on cement floors - you want something on the bottom so the wood does not sit in contact with the cement, even if you don't actually use it to level the benchwork. --Randy
That's why I did it the way I did, they don;t have to be very straight. I buy an 8 footer, have them chop it approximately in half so it fits in my car, and then I cut it up into 2-3" sections on my miter saw. Making the L-shaped legs also means I have two flanges to attach the braces to. And I can use shorter bolts since it only has to go through about an inch and a half of wood instead of 2 1/2". And there's still the place to install the levellers. Critical on cement floors - you want something on the bottom so the wood does not sit in contact with the cement, even if you don't actually use it to level the benchwork.
im a bit confused Randy, are saying you make the legs 2foot 3" in length?
lynn
rrinker If only we still had those small lumber yards around here. Not one here that is not one of the chains, HD, Lowes, or 84 Lumber. Independent hardware stores - we have those, but they don't carry lumber. The 1x4;s, 1x3's, and 1x2's I get at HD and Lowes are good quality and straight. Only the one Lowes even has 2x2's that are not pressure treated for deck railings, and they are always twisted. HD and Lowes both have other dimensial lumber besides pine. Though I've never seen much need to use any of the fancier woods for layout benchwork. --Randy
If only we still had those small lumber yards around here. Not one here that is not one of the chains, HD, Lowes, or 84 Lumber. Independent hardware stores - we have those, but they don't carry lumber.
The 1x4;s, 1x3's, and 1x2's I get at HD and Lowes are good quality and straight. Only the one Lowes even has 2x2's that are not pressure treated for deck railings, and they are always twisted. HD and Lowes both have other dimensial lumber besides pine. Though I've never seen much need to use any of the fancier woods for layout benchwork.
2x2s are strange strange beasts. One of the HDs around me has some of the straighest and cleanest 2x2s I've ever seen. Go a couple miles down the road to another HD (we're talking less than five miles too) and they're nightmares of twists and bends.
Some nice layout setups and great info.
Got the old room benchwork together and now just need to make some legs, going to go the 1x3 L shape route. Strange thing , went to the lumber store and 1x3 per Linear foot was more expensive than 1x4, go figure. Wanted to know though do you's put legs at the wall side of the layout along with the outer edge or simply screw to the wall and leg the outer edge( front)? I'm thinking legs all around.
Thanks Lynn
Thanks
For my first peninsula I supported the steel stud 'C acts like L' girders with heavywall steel studs, angle-braced to the girder and the connecting joist.
All of the rest of my legs are 2x4 wood, studs, the cheapest thing on the lumber aisle.
The wooden legs have two advantages:
Actually, the 2x4s I used were salvaged from some in-house demolition, so they were already fully dry. Unlike fresh-bought stock, they didn't develop undesired twists and curves after being moved into the layout space.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
I used mostly 2"x4"s to support my layout, but there are also some 4"x4"s under the peninsula. All were mysteriously part of the lumber left-over after building my own house - "somebody" must have "accidentally" over-ordered material. Part of the reason for that is that such dimensional lumber is considerably cheaper than the "Select" pine which was used to construct the open-grid actual layout portion. (All of the materials, by the way, are from a real lumber yard.) The other reason is because most of the layout has a fully-framed plywood shelf beneath it, for storage of all manner of household stuff, tools, toys, lumber, etc.:
Some of it is also used for storing train stuff, as shown here. There are stacked staging yards above (there's another level yet to be built) and trains coming into them will have their cars removed from the layout and returned to their respective boxes, while new ones will take their place:
All of the supporting structure is lag-bolted to the wall studs, and eventually, there'll be sliding doors and lift-off panels to hide the clutter below while still leaving it easily accessible.Like Lee, I levelled the open grid layout atop this support structure with short risers screwed in place.There'll eventually be a full-depth partial second level, too. It'll be lag-bolted to the studs and also supported by brackets welded from angle iron. While this may also appear to be overkill, the brackets will also support undermounted fluorescent fixtures for lighting the lower level.
Wayne
Howdy
The next few pics are of my layout and how I made legs for it...........I used poplar 1/2 x 2 and 1 x 2 for the legs............at the bottom of the legs I doubled up on the wood and used a "T" nut with a leg leveler bolt (it gives a little bit of swivel).
I have always used two,1/2'' from outside, but I also put a bead of carpenters yellow glue on. 1x3's.
Thanks guys, moving right along with the bench work here, 3 sections built. For 1x4 open grid construction is it recommended 3 screws per joint?
Phoebe VetThe secret is to shop at a real lumber yard instead of a home improvement store.
This is the best advice I've seen in a long time when it comes to lumber for benchwork. All my lumber for anything is bought at the local independent lumber yard. I think Home Depots 1" x 4"s are spruce whereas they are Fir at the local independent. I still have a few left over from when I built my layout and they are straight as arrows after all these years.
Also you can still buy screws and nails in bulk by weight. That $20.00 box of screws at Home Depot is about $4.00 out of the bulk bin at any of my local independent lumber yards. I think to many people get brainwashed to go to Home Depot, go directly to Home Depot do not pass GO!
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
I didn't see any 2x3's at my local "home improvemant" store - but I'll have to look again next time I am there. The 2x2's seem to be working ok though with braces.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
Actually I use 2X3. 2X4 is overkill. With the 2X3 you can still nstall a T-nut, and you don't have to do all the fabrication when you make the leg out of 1X4.
4X4 and 2X4 are way larger than needed. Like others posted, L girder 1X3 and 1X2 with good trangle bracing will not wobble and are also lighter and cheaper.
rrinker Since everywhere I looked around here, there wasn't a straight, untwisted 2x2 to be found, I made my legs by using a 1x3 and a 1x2 in an L shape. Short pieces of 2x2 were put at the bottom so I had something to screw the adjustable feet in to. These have proven to be plenty sturdy. There are some photos on my web site. --Randy
Since everywhere I looked around here, there wasn't a straight, untwisted 2x2 to be found, I made my legs by using a 1x3 and a 1x2 in an L shape. Short pieces of 2x2 were put at the bottom so I had something to screw the adjustable feet in to. These have proven to be plenty sturdy. There are some photos on my web site.
The secret is to shop at a real lumber yard instead of a home improvement store.
Thanks guys for the great responses and the photos, photos always help the best. My last layout I used the 2 1x4's in an L shape and had the threaded teeth things that were tapped into a bottom plate of the L shaped leg and a bolt that was adjusted in or out to level the benchwork . The last layout was 36 inch to the base of the benchwork top. I'm thinking this layout will be about 50 inch to the lowest level of the grid top, so I will have to think about this somemore. You's gave some great ideas. Jim your excellent cabinet making skills still show from your other life.