Backdrops: A New and Simple Approach

[SilverSpike]

I like the whole idea and brunton has some great engineering topics on the stress points. Overall it appears to be a great alternative for those who have sectional layouts that require moving and for those with multi-layered layouts with not more than 20" between levels.

Thanks for sharing your discovery!

Cheers,

Ryan

[mondotrains]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Brunton

I hate to rain on your parade, but.....

Have you considered what will happen as the masonite starts to "relax" in the channel?

With the center of gravity well above the restraining structure (the channel), significant bending stresses are generated in the masonite at the channel, as the channel restrains the masonite from falling over. Unfortunately, masonite does not have a good internal structure for handling long-term stresses and dissipating the strain energy associated with them.

Masonite will slowly release this strain energy as it absorbs water from the atmosphere, meaning the panel will tend to start to deform at the high-stress areas. It will start to lean, and finally collapse. In humid conditions will happen much faster than in dry conditions.

But if you put a curve into the backdrop, or tack the top in place at one or two places, suddenly the bending stresses and the strain energy at the channel are reduced or eliminated, and the masonite should be fine for a much longer time.

Hi Mark,
You make some good points but I have to tell you that my backdrop has been in place for over 3 years and it is still standing very rigid. (Sounds like an add for Viagra). I checked to see if there is any leaning this morning and there isn't. It may be because it is only 15" high. The "track" in the Tuff-Bilt U-Molding is 1" deep so it is grabbing 1/15th of my Masonite. Maybe that is why I haven't had any problems. I also painted both sides of the Masonite with a wood sealer paint and then painted it blue. So, it probably hasn't absorbed any moisture. In addition, my layout is in a climate controlled family room, not a damp basement.

By the way guys, I just got off the phone with the wholesale distributor who distributes Tuff-Bilt products and he said you can call just about any local lumber yard in the country and find Tuff-Bilt Lattice products. He mentioned about 6 stores in the Hartford, Connecticut area.

Hope this helps.
Mondo

[Pruitt]

QUOTE: Originally posted by mondotrains

...my backdrop has been in place for over 3 years and it is still standing very rigid....I checked to see if there is any leaning this morning and there isn't. It may be because it is only 15" high. The "track" in the Tuff-Bilt U-Molding is 1" deep so it is grabbing 1/15th of my Masonite. Maybe that is why I haven't had any problems. I also painted both sides of the Masonite with a wood sealer paint and then painted it blue. So, it probably hasn't absorbed any moisture. In addition, my layout is in a climate controlled family room, not a damp basement.

Proof is in the evidence. If it works, it works. Maybe my analysis was all wet ([:I]), or your environment plus the "humidi-proofing" you did on the masonite prevented any problems from arising. In any case, your idea is a neat concept, and you've proven it out.

[mondotrains]

Guys,
I just wanted to make sure you all got the following message I put up in response to another reply above. I talked with the national distributor representative for Tuff-Bilt products this morning and he said that you can buy their products from most local lumber yards. He said that a lot of the Home Depots and other "Big Box" stores don't carry it. He mentioned 6 stores just in my area around Hartford, Connecticut that carry their products.

Hope this helps.
Mondo

[bogp40]

QUOTE: Originally posted by gsetter

[^] [tup]
Great idea.

The only problem I see is with Home Depot. If it's sold out they wont reorder any more. That's the way of big box stores. They buy a mass quantity and if it doesn't sell fast enough, they drop the product.

We need to find out where Home Depot buys these channels or who makes them. Maybe we can find other suppliers or buy direct from the manufacturer.

I wouldn't worry about the availability of this product, Tuff Built is carried by many others. Other manufacturers also supply a version of this for their 1/4" vinyl lattice panels.
Bob K.