How thick is your benchwork?

[fredswain]

This of course assumes you are running on the floor or a hollow core door. I'm curious how thick the average table is underneath the average custom O gauge layout which is why I didn't post this in the model railroad section. Do you just use a simple framework with 1/4" ply on top that you lay roadbed to? Do you use 2" of foam on top of 1/2" wood? How thick is the average surface? Add it all up from bottom of tie to bottom of table. Do you use open construction? You get the idea. Let's hear how others do it.

Fred

[wyomingscout]

fredswain

This of course assumes you are running on the floor or a hollow core door.

 

Did you mean not running?  I just put 3/4" plywood on 2x4 framing with 2/4 legs.  My layout is 40" high - a little too high for my grandson, but he copes.  The Homosote (sp?) would have been a good idea for cutting in waterways & for sound insulation, but I didn't do it.

I like the sound of the trains running & it's in the garage, so the noise isn't really a problem for me.

wyomingscout

[lionelsoni]

Mine is probably the thinnest you'll ever see.  It is 15/32-inch CDX plywood supported by 1 1/2 x 45-inch schedule-40 PVC pipe legs and stiffened by 1 1/2 x 1 1/2-inch 14-gauge slotted steel angles as needed (1 1/2 x 2 1/4 for a couple of long spans).  The O27-profile track is screwed directly to the plywood with number-4 x 1/2-inch Phillips button-head sheet-metal screws.

[dwiemer]

I have 1x4s made into L-Girders as support with 2x4 legs at 40" to table height.  Put 1/2" plywood on top with 3 levels.  On top of the plywood, I have 3/4" extruded foam for both sound and also for scenery.  Another great thing about the 3/4" width is that many of the accessories have 3/4" bases and so it is easy to make them level.  For track, I am using Fastrack from Lionel.  This system has 1/2" plastic base, so from bottom of rails to bottom of plywood would be about 1.75" for each level.

Dennis

[rha90272]

It all depends on whether you need to climb on the benchwork or not.  I designed my layout so all parts are reachable from the edges.  So I find 1/2" plywood on 1x3" latticework (about 2' apart), on 2x2" legs is totally adequate.  Then I put 1" Styrofoam on top of the plywood for some sound deadening.  Works for me.

   Bob Anderson

[Sturgeon-Phish]

Before I took it apart, 1/2 OSB on 2x4 frame 24" on center;  but I tend to "overbuild".

Jim

[lionelsoni]

Bob Anderson's post prompts me to mention that I do climb on my layout occasionally.  I weigh about 240 pounds.

[traindaddy1]

My current layout is 39" floor to track.   Each leg is made of three 3/4" x  2 3/4" boards (scrap) screwed together.  The base is 1/4" thick peg board (also scrap), 1/2" homasote and 1/4" indoor/outdoor grass mat beneath the track. The entire base rests on a double frame of  1" x 4" boards (scrap, again) sort of like a wide picture frame built around the legs.  It really is simple construction and inexpensive.  ((Local dumpster pads and construction sites, with permission, are great sources of raw material)) Thanks for asking.

[Seayakbill]

My layout which is still under construction is 22 x 22 and stands 48 inches high. I use 3/8 inch plywood on 2x2 bracing that is spaced about every 2 feet. On top of the plywood is 1/2 inch pink foam.

[dagison1507]

My setup stands about 38" high. 1/2 osb sured up with some 2x4 bracing. I trimmed the outer layout with some 6" 3/4 board. If your running fastrack the foam helps out alot. My local menards had it for 7$ a sheet and ive found the pink stuff tends to be a little denser and thereby quieter.

[mdainsd]

 The top is 5" thick, solid wood. all on top  of base cabinets. Its heavy.

[Cobrabob8]

My layout has two 2x4s screwed together to make an 'L'  for it's legs and for the table top I used 1/2 inch plywood. The framework for the table is of 1x4 construction and the cross members which run from side to side are spaced about 16 inches on center. I can climb up on my table if I have to with NO worries about the layout being able to supprt my weight.

Cobrabob.

[fifedog]

1/2 inch plywood on open grid benchwork. Outside frame work is 2x4, with 2x3 cross sections on 16 inch spacing.  I'm fortunate to have a dedicated 13 x 17 foot trainroom, so much of the layout is bolted to the wall joists.  I use 4x4 pressure treated lumber for legs, 40 inches high, so I'm not sweating climbing up on the layout from time to time.  Also, floor sometimes gets wet down in the basement.

[dsmith]

Here is the thickness of my lightweight benchwork from top to bottom.

1.  carpet

2.  1/4" fir plywood

3.  1/2" x 4" plywood framing on 24" centers

Total benchwork thickness 4 1/2"

[laz 57]

Mine is 34 inches from floor to the top of layout.  Top is done with half inch homesote,under that is 2x4s spaced every 16 inches held up with 4x4s and old cabinets that school district were throwing out.  Yes I can stand on the top of my layout.

laz57

[Andrew Falconer]

The benches that I built are open frames of 1"x 3" furring strips with 1/4" Plywood tops.

Upon the benches are 2' x 4'open-frames made of 1"x 3" furring strips. Along the 4' edges are 1" x 2" furring strips that are used to hold in place the DOW Wall-Mate Extruded Polystyrene Sheets. On top of the modules are layers of 2" and 1 1/2" thick sheets of extruded polystyrene foam that have a combined maximum height of 7" to make hills and valleys for scenery and accessories.

Andrew  

 

[11th Street]

 Plan on standing on top of it to install/repair a Lionel Hot Air balloon ride? replace light bulbs, etc?

Concerned about rigidity for soldered/electrical connections, seasonal/humidity warping, accidental stubbing of your toe on a post?  With all the operational & equipment problems a hobbyist can encounter why would anyone want to build dreams on  shoddy, flimsy,  cutesy bench work?

1/2" ply, 1x3/1x4 rails; 2x3 posts; entire structure/grid drywall screwed; ply nailed w/finishing tails;track screwed directly to ply.

Tip: paint the ply a medium sienna/umbra brown before laying track.

[Andrew Falconer]

The Benches and modules that I built are locked together with metal latches.

The benches have 2"x 2" legs with 2"x 2" horizontal spacers at the top and bottom.

The benches and modules are framed with 1"x 3" furring strips spaced every 16".

This is very strong and light for a portable around the wall O Gauge Layout.

 

Andrew 

[Andrew Falconer]

All of my benchwork was primer painted before assembly, then topcoat painted after assembly.

Andrew

[lionelsoni]

"...why would anyone want to build dreams on shoddy, flimsy, cutesy bench work?"

What are you talking about?  Do you think someone suggested building a shoddy, flimsy layout? 

I would not stand on a structure held together with drywall screws if I were you.  They are brittle and have little shear strength:

http://www.ehow.com/how_5482375_dos-dangerous-donts-drywall-screws.html

[tjsprague]

I used 1" x 4"  lumber, 16" on center, then have it topped with 2" foam. Super light, but mine is only 4' deep, L-shaped so I never have to get on top of it.

 

Tim