I'm confused about what to use for Benchwork. I plan to do an "N" scale layout which I originally saw in a book in a 40 X 60 layout. But, I wanted to change that to a bit wider (4') and a bit longer (at least 6') so I'd be up to 4 X 6 layout. So, based upon the book I'm reading (The N Pire roadway), I thought of using foam board. Nice and light. Then, I went to the local hardware store and for the same price as the foam board I can purchase a 5/16" 4X8 sheet of plywood plus either a 1", 1 1/2" or 2" sheet of Pink foam to put on top of the 4X8 sheet for the same cost as the foam board or a bit less.
So, my question is, which should I go for:
1) The Foam Board 48" X 76" (4' X 6') or
2) The plywood with pink foam on top (4' X 8').
I have the room to do either and I'm sure I can find "something" to put in the extra 2 feet (or just leave it blank for future stuff).
Thanks.
I'm not sure what exactly you mean by foam board. I will assume you mean the foam with a paper surface on either side.
I would imagine the foam board is going to need some sort of supports - that it won't be a rigid enough table top by itself. I have seen the supports made with vertical sections of foam board as "girders". Supports could also be made with lumber or aluminum.
The plywood with pink foam on top is a well known way to produce a flat top model railroad. I'm not sure the plywood and 2" of pink foam by itself is enough to prevent sagging in the middle on a 4x8. Usually, some wood girders and cross pieces are added to provide the necessary rigidity. An alternative is to "frame in" the foam/plywood sandwich with the verticals both protecting the foam edge and providing the necessary stiffening.
Kalmbach books on building project layouts or on benchwork will have other suggestions that work, too.
Is there a reason for keeping the layout ultra-light? Personally, I find unless there is a good reason to keep the layout very light, I prefer the layout be on the heavy side, both weight and structure-wise. Possibly because I'm a little bit clumsy, but I don't want an accidental lean or shove sending the layout crashing or breaking under the impact. Maybe you don't have that issue, and all the layout ever has to support is a few N gauge trains, structures, and lightweight scenery.
Are there grades involved in your layout plan? Grades are actually harder to build on a closed surface flat top than on an open grid, but the Woodland Scenics risers can help with that issue.
I'm a big fan of picking methods and materials that best suit the end goals, rather than picking the materials and methods first, and hoping I achieve the goals. The various benchwork construction methods all have their pros and cons. IMHO, picking one (or several) methods where the strengths of the method mesh with your planned layout makes for an easier build.
my thoughts, your choices
Fred W
What are you going to support the board with?
What type of legs are you planning to use?
How do you plan to attach the legs to the board?
Obviously you are talking about two different materials, but I'm not sure what the difference is?
How is "foam board" different from "pink foam"? If foam board is white beadboard, run away, "Danger, Will Robinson". Not good stuff. It isn't strong, its messy and hard to work with.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
This is an old picture of my original benchwork. It's 5x12 feet, and I model in HO. The outer frame is 1x4, the cross-rafters are 1x3 and the legs are 2x3. I put this on casters so I could roll it around the room, to make the back easier to get at during construction.
Here's another shot:
This is a very easy construction method, and the results are sturdy but light. I used a pink foam base for my layout, but I didn't put down complete sheets. I left openings for parts of the layout that would be at different elevations.
I find the pink foam to be very easy to work with. I can cut down into it easily to make railside ditches or small ponds. Scraps can be glued on to form the base of small hills. Mostly, I cut it with a knife or foam cutter, leaving very little mess. It takes paint and glue well, too.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
I built my small HO layout in a similar manner as Mr. Beasley, except I used the blue foam for the table.
I put the cross rafters at 1 foot intervals all the way across, then covered it with the layer of foam. I wouldn't stand on it or lean too hard on it as it can dent the foam, but I never expected to stand on it either, and the plywood underneath would not prevent the denting of the foam...
I put my small layout on wheels means I can roll it out too, just like Mr. B did.
Build a good strong frame for your pike and it shouldn't matter what you put on top the frame. I just wanted a lightweight yet strong layout for moving around.
my 2 cents worth
-G .
Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.
HO and N Scale.
After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.
I used 1 x 4 with 2" foam. I am very happy with my decision. I would either go foam on open grid or just plywood, not both. Working through one or the other is okay but having to deal with putting things like feeders or switch machines through both would be a royal pain.
Also you can easily punch a whole through the foam if you want to tie into the grid to support something.
This bench is 18' x 6' and two of us can pick it up flip it on its side and carry it without much difficulty.
Good luck.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
I figured I'd create legs 48" high. I'm thinking of taking a 2" X 3" X 8' and cutting it in half and then screwing the 2 pieces together along the edge.
I figure I'll create a base work for the table using 1" X 3". I'll again screw them together along the edge and create a perimiter to screw the plywood to. Then I'll create cross members, not sure if I'll do a length-wise one or not but I'll do some cross-wise ones, again either 2" or 3" (by 1"). I figure 3 cross-wise, one every 2'.
So, based upon that framework, my choices are:
BC Don So, based upon that framework, my choices are: Use Foam Board (I think it is 3/16" thick), it is foam with paper / light cardboard on each side. Due to the thinness of Foam Board I would glue two together to create a thickness of 6/16" (3/8"). or Create a plywood base (5/16") screwed to the legs and cross members with Pink Foam glued to the top (I'm thinking either 1" or 1 1/2" although could do 2" as well).
If those are the routes you are going to take, I would opt for the second. The foam with the paper on it is probably the beaded foam type compressed together between the paper and not worth a plug nickel for the layout. It crumbles and isn't very sturdy. YOu can use the pink foam 1" or better yet 2" think directly right on the frame without the plywood, it doesn't need really need the support of the plywood. That is how I and others here did it.
BC Don Create a plywood base (5/16") screwed to the legs and cross members with Pink Foam glued to the top (I'm thinking either 1" or 1 1/2" although could do 2" as well).
Is there a reason why you want to put foam atop the plywood? I'd go with either one or the other - the supporting framework is just as important as the top surface.
Personally, I like the strength of plywood:
In some areas I used it in sheet form, laying the track directly on it...
...while most other places it was used only beneath the track on cork roadbed, as a sub-roadbed, and fastened to an otherwise open grid framework:
Wayne
Don, will the layout be free standing or against a wall? If against the wall I would use plywood and 2 inch foam. 2 inch foam will support any trains and details you want to add. But, if you have to reach across 4 feet to work on the bench it will not support you. If it is free standing then foam by it self should be fine.
Cuda Ken
I hate Rust
I build with open gird bench work and up until recently I had used the standard big box store 1"x4" pine. I spent most of my time in the store picking out lumber that wasn't resembling a boomerang. Just last week I decided to try something I should have done a long time a go 3.4" oak plywood ripped into 4" wide lengths.
I made one section of my new yard so far and attached it straight to the studs and have two cantilevered braces supporting it. For $25 per sheet I have 12 pieces of straight strong lumber to build with and the guy in Lowes was nice enough to rip them into 12" sections saving me some work. For my money it's the best way to go.