Thanks for all the advice and tips everyone! It sounds like an open-grid style plan is my best bet, with foam directly on top. Uncle Butch, thanks for the specifics. TF- sorry, I'm a bit lost. What would I use the plywood for? Thanks for the tip on the screws.
Harrison
Homeschooler living In upstate NY a.k.a Northern NY.
Modeling the D&H in 1978.
Route of the famous "Montreal Limited"
My YouTube
You have received some "Sound Advice" here. I see no reason to add to it.
The only thing I would have to say is spend the extra money on the number one clear select pine 1x4's as it's worth it. If you have tools, ripping 1/2" or 3/4" inch plywood depending on length of span for your framing is even better. As long as you pilot hole before screwing it together not to split the plywood.
And it sounds kind of silly but I dish soap my long screws treads. And I buy the screws with the threadless shake by the head to draw things tight.
TF
I have built 4 layouts with foam. Unless you already have the doors and/plywood or can get them really cheap,I would pass,there is no need .
My 1st had ply under the foam,and the only difference from it and the others ,was every time I needed to drop a wire I needed to find the drill.The first time you try to get a wire thr a hollow core door;you'll regret it.
All you need is a frame of 1X4s. I have spaned 6ft and up to 8 [with braceing ]
For cross supports; 24in for 2in foam. 16 for 1in. I am now useing 3/4 and find 12 works better. IMO Lgrider is over kill.
I have added on to, and changed my bench work many times,As long as its strudy,dose not move when leaned aganst, and [somewhat] level the trains do not care whats under the foam.
My current layout is kinda shaped like yous. I just built tables to fit and the screwed them together.
A little common sence will get you there faster then over thinking it
Harrison, I would suggest 2 inch thick foam over open grid framework for what you are doing.
My first layout was built on a door, and unless you get a good one, they can, and do warp. I learned that the hard way.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Thanks for all the advice. If I were to build the whole thing with doors, how would I make the parts that stick out (the yard, the branchline)?
Hi Harrison,
You certainly can use pink foam for the entire layout and support it on L-girders or even on a plywood base.
If you use 2" thick foam you can get away with not having to build a plywood "table" first (like I did.) I tend to overbuild, but others here will be able to tell you how to space the framing members underneath better than I. (I usually read that people using L girders space around 16"-24"...)
I basically built a table and then glued foam to the top of it. But 2" pink is pretty sturdy and some modelers like Lou Sassi and Bill Darnaby have used it without any sort of "table" underneath, just a basic frame of 1x3 or 1x4 lumber.
Hollow core doors is another method frequently mentioned by MR and other publications. Very doable.
You might want to consider how you will connect the different sections if you use different methods for some of them. I would think it would be easier to build the whole thing with doors, or with a frame, or with L-girders, rather than a mish-mash; you could end up spending more time trying to get the door and some other framing to line up than just picking one or the other.
I don't have a staging yard at this point so I don't know, but seems that the same methods above can/will be used to build that as the rest of the layout.
Andy
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Milwaukee native modeling the Milwaukee Road in 1950's Milwaukee.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/196857529@N03/
Hello all,
I am currently finalizing the plan for my future layout. It's not completely finalized yet, but the benchwork will be something along the lines of this configuration:
I would like to use foam as a subroadbed across the entire layout. Is this feasable?
Also, what construction should I use to support it? L-girders, frame, etc.
I had someone suggest that for the part along the wall at the right I should use hollow core doors.
Also, the gray part is a removable staging yard. How should I construct that?
Thanks for the help.