Sheet Metal

[Anonymous]

I need to widen a Lionel Die-Cast girder bridge, but don't know the best way to do it. Should I cut the sheet metal plate and then weld them back together with a joiner piece, or just order new sheet metal the width I need, then use the existing plate to mark and drill the holes for the screws.

What thickness sheet metal do I need? I know the width and length.

[fifedog]

Will this particular bridge be close to the viewer, or in the background?

If viewer can see up close, take a 1/2 inch piece of plywood to needed width, rout out cross members, paint flat black, plop girder sides on, voila!

If in background, simply cut 1/2 inch piece of plywood to needed width, paint flat black, plop girder sides on, voila!

[johnandjulie13]

I need to widen a Lionel Die-Cast girder bridge, but don't know the best way to do it. Should I cut the sheet metal plate and then weld them back together with a joiner piece, or just order new sheet metal the width I need, then use the existing plate to mark and drill the holes for the screws.

What thickness sheet metal do I need? I know the width and length.

Just out of curiosity.  What is the best way to cut it?

Regards,

John

[Anonymous]

Fife... I'll give that a try

John... I would use a bandsaw with guide.

[fifedog]

My girder span that extends to the Kestone Viaduct actually is part of the O-42 grade that you climb to get over Flagherty Creek, hence increasing the strength of the span, and gave me a seamless transition from structure to terra-firma.  The plywood "span" was then screwed directly to the abutments.  Now, I can't kneel on it like the rest of the layout, but it never moved when I was carting the layout up and down the stairs for Christmas time.

[wrmcclellan]

I have cut the sheet metal down the center and then I use the remaining sheet metal as a flange to attach it with #4 wood or machine screws or to the base of the bridge roadbed, which is usually 1/8 (use machine screws) or 1/2 inch plywood (wood screws). In a couple of cases I just hot glued the flange to the underside of the roadbed when it was not possible to screw the flange and girders on since the roadbed was already mounted to the layout.

[Jumijo]

The bridge in the photo below is a very cheap Plasticville model. I added a 1/4" thick strip of wood underneath it for strength. It's perfectly hidden from view. The boy's suggestions are the way to go. Wood is quieter than metal anyway.

 

Jim 

[ChiefEagles]

Will this particular bridge be close to the viewer, or in the background?

If viewer can see up close, take a 1/2 inch piece of plywood to needed width, rout out cross members, paint flat black, plop girder sides on, voila!

If in background, simply cut 1/2 inch piece of plywood to needed width, paint flat black, plop girder sides on, voila!

I like fife's suggestion.  I have some aluminum I used to rig boats several years ago.  I use it a lot.  Easy to cut with jig saw and right blades. 

[Buckeye Riveter]

I need to widen a Lionel Die-Cast girder bridge, but don't know the best way to do it. Should I cut the sheet metal plate and then weld them back together with a joiner piece, or just order new sheet metal the width I need, then use the existing plate to mark and drill the holes for the screws.

What thickness sheet metal do I need? I know the width and length.

Brent....If you are using a track with a pre-installed roadbed such as Fastrack you could use a thin piece of plastic in place of the sheet metal.  Glue the Fastrack continueously to the plastic to provide stiffness. If there is a track joint on the bridge reinforce it so not to bend.  To add to the affect, glue some I shaped plastic pieces to the bottom of the plastic to look like the cross beams. 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the ideas guys!

Buckeye - Not using FasTrack or RealTrax... use Atlas.

I was thinking on this last night and found some old 1/4" oak planks I was planning to use on another project, so I think what I'm going to do is cut some oak planks, glue them together, and then paint flat black. Then I'll cut the sheet metal base of the girder bridge and attach that to the top of the oak plank. Then get some of the plastruc steel angles and attach them to the edge of the oak plank and bottom of the steel girder base. Paint all that flat black and then weather with some burnt sienna...

Probably do something similiar with the girder bridge I need for the other side, but that I am going to use some aluminum corners I have left over from the bathroom remodel (they came with the shower door and weren't needed).

Also going to paint the arch-under bridges the same as the girder bridges, flat black with burnt sienna highlights...

[Anonymous]

I would use the plywood instead of pieces of solid wood. solid wood does crazy things with changes in heat and humidity. not really noticable on full size stuff like furniture, but on small scale stuff a 1/8" warp or curl in the wood is not good. choose the plywood with the most plys for stability. 1/2" baltic birch has 12 plys plus the skins. regular 1/2" ply ranges from 3 to 5.

[Anonymous]

Jim,
Thanks for the tip, having built furniture before I know what you are referring to.

The oak has been in storage for about 5 years now, so if it hasn't warped yet I doubt it is going to, plus it has the added benefit of being free.

I could show you some ply that I have had in my garage for about 3 months that I could use for a nice scale ski jump scene!

[Jumijo]

Thanks for the ideas guys!

Buckeye - Not using FasTrack or RealTrax... use Atlas.

I was thinking on this last night and found some old 1/4" oak planks I was planning to use on another project, so I think what I'm going to do is cut some oak planks, glue them together, and then paint flat black. Then I'll cut the sheet metal base of the girder bridge and attach that to the top of the oak plank. Then get some of the plastruc steel angles and attach them to the edge of the oak plank and bottom of the steel girder base. Paint all that flat black and then weather with some burnt sienna...

Probably do something similiar with the girder bridge I need for the other side, but that I am going to use some aluminum corners I have left over from the bathroom remodel (they came with the shower door and weren't needed).

Also going to paint the arch-under bridges the same as the girder bridges, flat black with burnt sienna highlights...

Wicked good ideas, Brent!

Jim 

[jefelectric]

I need to widen a Lionel Die-Cast girder bridge, but don't know the best way to do it. Should I cut the sheet metal plate and then weld them back together with a joiner piece, or just order new sheet metal the width I need, then use the existing plate to mark and drill the holes for the screws.

What thickness sheet metal do I need? I know the width and length.

Brent....If you are using a track with a pre-installed roadbed such as Fastrack you could use a thin piece of plastic in place of the sheet metal.  Glue the Fastrack continueously to the plastic to provide stiffness. If there is a track joint on the bridge reinforce it so not to bend.  To add to the affect, glue some I shaped plastic pieces to the bottom of the plastic to look like the cross beams. 

Buckeye, I hope you don't specify plastic for the bridges you design.

[ChiefEagles]

I need to widen a Lionel Die-Cast girder bridge, but don't know the best way to do it. Should I cut the sheet metal plate and then weld them back together with a joiner piece, or just order new sheet metal the width I need, then use the existing plate to mark and drill the holes for the screws.

What thickness sheet metal do I need? I know the width and length.

Brent....If you are using a track with a pre-installed roadbed such as Fastrack you could use a thin piece of plastic in place of the sheet metal.  Glue the Fastrack continueously to the plastic to provide stiffness. If there is a track joint on the bridge reinforce it so not to bend.  To add to the affect, glue some I shaped plastic pieces to the bottom of the plastic to look like the cross beams. 

Buckeye, I hope you don't specify plastic for the bridges you design.

John, plastic is standard Ohizo engineering.  Especially if you graduated from OSU.

[Anonymous]

So last night I decided to clear off the layout of extra cars and engines. Started building some display tracks for that cubbyhole the aquarium used to be in. Had some ply that was sitting around and decided to try that... Never again. This stuff is so friggin warped it isn't funny. So now I've got to either buy new ply or just get some 1x4 dimensional lumber and do it the second time.

Now have two mainlines fully powered. Can't say the wiring is complete because I haven't ordered the rotary switches yet.Maybe this week I'll order some of the switches and get the mainlines wired correctly.

Found out I can't move forward on the second level without the switches as I may have to change things up a bit due to space and clearance issues. Also need to find a place I can get a sheet of 1/8 ply so I can do the mountain edges, and I found out last night that the outter mainline is too close to the edge on the back corner... where I of course have already built the second level

Going to the Greensburg show tomorrow in PG County (Maryland), a friend of mine called last night and he wants to go, so we're going... Fife you want to meet up or is that too far for ya?

[Buckeye Riveter]

I need to widen a Lionel Die-Cast girder bridge, but don't know the best way to do it. Should I cut the sheet metal plate and then weld them back together with a joiner piece, or just order new sheet metal the width I need, then use the existing plate to mark and drill the holes for the screws.

What thickness sheet metal do I need? I know the width and length.

Brent....If you are using a track with a pre-installed roadbed such as Fastrack you could use a thin piece of plastic in place of the sheet metal.  Glue the Fastrack continuously to the plastic to provide stiffness. If there is a track joint on the bridge reinforce it so not to bend.  To add to the affect, glue some I shaped plastic pieces to the bottom of the plastic to look like the cross beams. 

Buckeye, I hope you don't specify plastic for the bridges you design.

John, plastic is standard Ohizo engineering.  Especially if you graduated from OSU.

Well if you guys would have taken Bridge Engineering 101 you would know that we are building bridges from composite lightweight materials very similar to "plastics"   Wright Patterson Air force Base in Dayton, Ohio is one of the leaders in composites.  There are several plastic bridges in use today that are being monitored by the Feds for durability under load.

Chief, FYI, I have never taken a course at OSU. 

[fifedog]

88 - Ain't never been to the Upper Marlboro show.  Saving my pennies for YORK.  Say "hi" toTom while you're there.  Worked on the 45 degree crossing a little, routing out some flange-ways with a dremel disc.  Chessie steamer chugs right thru with 5 coaches at 16 volts.  Need to get back to work on next ridge (Haystack Mountain), and saying goodbye to Point of Rocks Station.

dbaker48 - Raw deal on those race tix.  You Ceritos guys are having a time of it this week with NASCAR.

anjdevil - Pics of C&O please.