Grrrrrrr..... ! Getting the legs right!

[Anonymous]

Congratulations on the good looking bench work. T nuts and carrage bolts in the bottom of the legs should be all you need to get the sections level. They worked for me and I do not have the carpentry gene.

[jacon12]

Good luck with it Big Oz, I think you're doing the right thing
Robert, that looks like the best way and in the long run, the easy way.
Jarrell

[bogp40]

After seeing the pictured benchwork, you can just unfasten any secured sections, turn them over and drill the legs for "T" nuts. Install a carriage bolt w/ locking hex nut

If unable to disturb the sections, then shim the layout to where you like, the replace the shim with matched size/ thickness block- glued of coarse
Bob K..

[BigOzzy86]

I have a basement that gradually slopes towards the drain so I will have the same problem. I bought some T-Nuts this past weekend at home depot for my layout that is under construction.... Ill be installing them into my 2x2's this weekend so I'll let you know how it goes. My layout is composed of two seperate 6ft by 2ft sections that will have to match up exactly for things to go right. Ill let you know how it goes.

[jacon12]

QUOTE: Originally posted by rrinker

Not without a lot of sanding. If the table is 1/4" lower on one side before the foam, the foam will be lower by 1/4" on the same side.
The question is, how much does it matter? Obviously you do not want the layout to slope in a noticeable fashion. But if it's REASONABLY close, does it REALLY matter if it's exactly level? If we're talking 1/16" over an 8 foot long section - that's a .065% grade. Pretty meaningless.
Sloppy benchwork is bad. But we also do not need micrometer precision here.

--Randy

Randy and Spacemouse, your answers are a help. I'm going to try and get the table tops as close as I can if I can get them within 1x8 inch I think I'm going to try and adjust it out in the 2 inch foam layer
My other problem is I want to keep building benches on around the room (15x21) feet and this is my first layout so I need to stop and learn to do something else... like lay track and wiring and scenery and on and on..[:)]
Jarrell (jacon)

[SpaceMouse]

The easier method than sanding is to shim the foam board up where it is low. Just make sure you shim evenly on each board.

Randy make sense about your tollerences. On my layout, there are very few spots where layout matters. Everything else is some sort of grade.

[rrinker]

Not without a lot of sanding. If the table is 1/4" lower on one side before the foam, the foam will be lower by 1/4" on the same side.
The question is, how much does it matter? Obviously you do not want the layout to slope in a noticeable fashion. But if it's REASONABLY close, does it REALLY matter if it's exactly level? If we're talking 1/16" over an 8 foot long section - that's a .065% grade. Pretty meaningless.
Sloppy benchwork is bad. But we also do not need micrometer precision here.

--Randy

[jacon12]

Sorry guys for not making in clear that this benchwork isn't attached to the wall.


I'm building it in sections and I've completed one more since taking these pictures. I'm thinking now that the best thing I could do is cut off the legs about an inch and put in the levelers.
I do have another question concerning the two inch foam to be used on top of this. Won't the foam make up for some of the difference in table heights, say 1/4th inch, if I can't get them dead level?
Jarrell

[jkeaton]

T-nuts and carriage bolts - I got used to using them with modulars, but they work equally well for fixed layouts.

Jim

[Seamonster]

There was a good article in Trains.com about 1X4 brackets to support a layout against the wall. I plan to use that for part of my expanded layout. You can see the article at [code]http://www.trains.com/content/dynamic/articles/000/000/001/389evpgm.asp?[/code]

[Anonymous]

I used a cantilevered sidewall support system made from 1 X 4 's that were braced with 2 x 2 's and anchored to the studs in the walls. You don't have to worry about floors and it frees up the space underneath the layout. Most layout books should show you how it's done. Get rid of the legs.

Larry

[davekelly]

the t nuts and carriage bolts have always worked for me. Allows you to reposition the benchwork around the room without major effort at releveling (is that a word?)

[dwRavenstar]

I've used clamps and a bullseye level on all three of my layouts.

Build the basic benchwork and clamp the legs in place, adjusting them until the level is settled directly in the center of the circular bullseye.

Mark the legs for adjustment cuts and predrill for the screws once everything is leveled.
When attaching the adjusted legs use the level all over the place to verify that everything is working properly.

Dave (dwRavenstar)

[rrinker]

Chip beat me to it. Yup, just don't make the leg run all the way to the top of the frame, there's no reason for it. That way you have alittle room to level the frame BEFORE fastening the leg on. Use a clamp to hold it in position as you level things out, and once it's right, screw the leg to the frame.

--Randy

[cwclark]

use a level with a glass leveling bubble before bolting it to the wall...

[SpaceMouse]

There are a few things you can do. First of all, legs don have to go all the way to the top of your frame. And for starters to hold things in place, they can stick through the top.

Depending on the variation, cut your leg 1/2 inch short or so. If you are bolting your leg to the frame, make the holes a little large. That gives you adjustment. Find the right height by moving the bench up and down. When you find the right height mark it with a pencil line. Bolt it down, and set a couple of screws to keep it from slipping.

IF you are just using screws it is even easier. Cut a board to an approximate lenght. Put it in place raise or lower the bench to level. Mark it with a pencil. Cut it if you need to. Clamp the boards togehter and screw.

For the first one, run a level off the top of you wall brace. Stand a too long board where your table edge goes. Mark level with your pencil. Cut the board at that point.

Now as to setting the whole frame in. Cut your legs a little long. and let them stick up through the frame. screw them into place temporarily, then go back and adjust each leg.

Ask questions if you don't understand what I'm talking about.

[Anonymous]

Put leg levelers in the bottom that allow +- 1" or so. You can do this by putting T-nuts in the bottom of the leg and screwing in a 2 1/2 or 3" carrige bolt.

If you have more money, you can actually get proper feet - for example:

http://www.leevalley.com/hardware/page.aspx?c=1&p=40045&cat=3,41306,41308

Andrew

[jacon12]

I'm building an around the wall layout and, like everybody else, I'm finding floors ain't exactly level!
[:0]Surprise!![:0]
How do you guys handle this? Keep trimming legs and hope you get it right? Shims? Those screw out leveling things for the bottoms of the legs? Shave off the top of the plywood table where two of them meet?
Jarrell