Login
or
Register
Subscriber & Member Login
Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!
Login
Register
Home
»
Model Railroader
»
Forums
»
Layouts and layout building
»
Building a layout
Edit post
Edit your reply below.
Post Body
Enter your post below.
Donald: I think it depends a lot on how you're layout is going to be configured. FWIW, here's what I did. Bear in mind I consider most layouts to be dramatically overbuilt: You mention 1x6 lumber... I haven't (and wouldn't) feel the need to use a single scrap of 1x6 lumber in a layout. Unless you're doing something crazy like spanning 20' with no legs, it's overkill (and if you're trying to do that, go get some engineered trusses from the home store, not 1x anything). <br /> <br />Anyway, here's what I do, that might be very applicable for a multi-deck type layout: I have a single-deck layout in a 20x28 space. It is mostly a "bookshelf" style layout around the walls, with several pensinsulas coming out into the room. <br /> <br />I'm using brackets for the 'shelf" (i.e. 2.5 foot width or less) areas. <br /> <br />I cut a triangle roughly 3" more than the width of the shelf out of 1/2" plywood. My room has open studs, so I screw the extra 3" or so directly to the side of the stud - rock solid. I don't glue this in the interest of portability if I'm ever forced to move (and it would be 'forced' - believe me). <br /> <br />Then I Dado a 1/2" wide, 1/4" deep groove in 1x4 dimensionals for the top and cut it the length of the shelf. This grooved 1x4 gets glued to the top edge of the plywood bracket. (I shoot a few brads in with the nail gun to hold it while it dries). The trick here is to mount the bracket to the wall before you put the top on - if you try and assemble them "offline" before mounting, you'll never get the same strength in the glue bond. Mount the bracket, glue liberally, press the top down and nail it to hold: I've tried to disassemble a couple of these when I messed it up and hoped to reuse the material. Let me tell you that you'll pull that wood apart before you break that joint! <br /> <br />If I didn't have exposed studs in my train area, I would do another dadoed 1x4 for the back, attach as noted, then use that as an attachment point to the wall. <br /> <br />So now I have a _very_ stable 1x4 support platform every 16" along the way, more than enough to hold up the layout. I have used both 3/4" plywood and 2" foam to span across these brackets, and prefer the foam. <br /> <br />In areas where scenery will NOT extend below the 'top' level, I cut a 1x2 to length and glue/nail it between the 1x4s. This gives a nice stable 'nailer' to attach any fascia, control panel, etc. I use drape to hide the underside of the layout, it gets stapled to the back of the 1x2s. The 1x2's also avoid any 'left/right' sway in the brackets, though I've never really had that problem anyhow. <br /> <br />For the peninsulas, I use a modified L-girder design. I don't like the nature of L-girder construction resulting in a 8-12" depth of lumber under the table. Instead I'll span the "long" end of a peninsula with an l-girder on each side. <br /> <br />Then I add 1x4 cross-bracing every 16", but not running across the top of the girder. instead, I put it flush with the girder, screwed directly into it, with the top of each end notched out to accomodate the "L". While this sounds suspiciously like traditional open-frame design, using the L-girders this way allows you to span a much longer distance than just a straight 1x4, without sag or added legs. I have peninsulas that run 12' with only two legs at the end supporting them (the 'back" side hooked to the wall). <br /> <br />Now I understand that the point of traditional L-girder construction is to be able to go "outside the box" to not have that hard-defined edge of the traditional open-grid construction... So in my system, If I need to "extend" out beyond the perimeter of the L-girders, I cut a piece of L-girder to the needed length (I've gone at most 12" this way) and simply glue/screw it directly to the outsideof the L-girder. We're not holding up battleships here, gang. A butt-jointed, glued-and-screwed joint will more than suffice. I do get these 'outside the box' supports a bit closer together thiough - 8-12" I'd say. <br /> <br />That's my diatribe on benchwork, hope you find some/all of it useful.
Tags (Optional)
Tags are keywords that get attached to your post. They are used to categorize your submission and make it easier to search for. To add tags to your post type a tag into the box below and click the "Add Tag" button.
Add Tag
Update Reply
Subscriber & Member Login
Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!
Login
Register
Users Online
There are no community member online
Search the Community
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Model Railroader Newsletter
See all
Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter
and get model railroad news in your inbox!
Sign up