That´s exactly the way I´ll be attaching my shelf layout to the wall. My benchwork will be made of 10mm plywood, supported by steel brackets like the one on the following picture:
Each one supports a weight of about 100 lbs, that´s more than just sufficient. I buy them in my local DIY store for little money.
Don't go with the cheapest ones.
The ones with the double-slotted tracks like Ulrich used in his illustration are stronger than the single track ones.
I'm pretty sure they come in aluminum and steel. Steel is preferred for strength, but a good heavy-duty aluminum one will work if rated for a substantial load.
You probably want to be able to tie the benchwork into the bracket, which may require drilling. Not sure exactly what people do about it, but it's something I'd consider.
Depending on your needs, the brackets come in a variety of widths. Make sure whatever weight rating and style you select comes in the widths you need.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
definately go with the double slotted ones as the others that can't be anchored can "drift" and this will basically resemble a scene out of a earthquake disaster film!
http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=5959
If one could roll back the hands of time... They would be waiting for the next train into the future. A. H. Francey 1921-2007
I've used the heavy rated aluminum singles before. Attaching to benchwork is easy. Just mount a block of wood to the side of the bracket,,the secure the block to the benchwork.
Karl
NCE über alles!
Whatever you do, be sure to screw the main supports into wall studs. Do not rely on drywall anchors.
When we built our new home, the builder installed wire shelving in our walk in closet.
Take a look at the two photos that follow.
In the first photo, you can see the vertical supports on the right, and they are screwed into the wall studs and then the shelf brackets are inserted into the vertical supports. But the shelving (and hangar system) on the left is supported by drywall anchors and a few nailed into wall studs.
In the second photo, the shelving supported by drywall anchors has collapsed. You can see the bent shelf support hanging down after the collapse.
Rich
Alton Junction
Yes I am using them on my around the walls layout. I bought the double slotted ones. The shelf brackets have holes in them so you can screw the plywood to the bracket with sheetrock screws from below. I have found that some of the shelf brackets are at an upward angle when installed and I had to file them to get them the sit level (probably cheap Chinese crap made with little quallity control). Bought them at Home Depot. I'm going to add an upper level to the layout with the same shelf brackets. The shelf brackets come in lengths from 5" to over 16".
While these would certainly work for a shelf unit the added expense is probably not necessary. I used the cheaper stamped metal brackets that have holes so they can be screwed into studs and they are more than sufficient to support a shelf unit and scenery. I attahed them every other stud and rested my 2 x 4 bracing on top of them. I also screwed the 1 x 4 against the wall into the same studs.
I think what you are considering will do the job - for a modest shelf width. You might consider what I used, if your shelf is wider that 12" or so. Available at http://www.supportbrackets.com/
Of course, as already noted, attach only to suds, whichever type you choose.
Ed
A friend has a double deck layout mounted on those dual slot wall brackets. I thing he uses the 22" ones. They are available from Big Box stores like Home Depot or Menards. I have been using steel angle brakets I get a Menards - I buy them when on sale for under $5 each. They are rated at 250 lbs each, and are 12" by 18" with a solid steel angle diagonally across them. Like others have mentioned, make sure you mount them to the studs, do not use wall anchors in drywall! The weight of a layout will surprise you....
Jim
Modeling BNSF and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin
My local hardware store has ones similar to the ones Jim mentiones, with a capacity 250 pounds. There was an article or thread on these some time ago. I tried to find it, but it didn't come up quickly. May be in the "Search the Community" as I got a whole lot of hits there with "steel shelf brackets." As I remember it there were still photos of them using a 1"x4" piece laid flat on top of the bracket, long enough to support the full width of the layout. They were leveled and screwed to the bracket with screws up through the holes in the bracket. Shims were used to insure that all the supports were level all the way around the room.
This is the method I plan to use for my next layout. The only problem I am facing is that two walls are concrete. Not sure how I will attach them to those.
Good luck,
Richard
Richard:
You get winters in Vermont. Why not build Two by four stud wall, insulate them for comfort and fuel says, and screw the supports to your new studs.
Here in Ontario the building code calls for insulation from the floor joist down to four feet below grade.
Dave
Dave,
Yes, we do get winters here and by the sounds we are going to get another round of WINTER tomorrow. Some schools already closed. When I left ours with the school bus, the thinking was "go in the morning and noon release." We'll see what time it starts. At 1' to 2" an hour it will pile up fast, up to 24" forecast. Will plug in the loader in the AM as the 5' snowblower is out of service. Drat!!!
Have thought of putting up an insulated wall, but have already lost about 8" when squaring the room up for a suspended ceiling. Beginning to pinch the aisle space. There is already 2" foam on the outside, down 8' and where it is exposed it has 1/2" plywood protecting it. The cellar is quite warm, but I know we are loosing heat out the walkout side. Had I planned the layout for the cellar originally, the bathroom and office would have been configured differently, so I could use the rest of the cellar for the layout. Was in too confused a state as we were doing the planning in the wake of a house fire. Such is life.
Still considering,
On the stantions and brackets from Home Depot and Lowes. At least around here they are made by Rubbermaid and they have a manual on them on their website. There are actually two kind of stantions and two kinds of brackets. One set is for solid shelves and one is for their wire closet shelves.
While it appears that the closet stantions will work for either, the brackets are different for the wire shelves and won't work as well for solid shelves. In my local Lowes they mixed up the two brackets. Fortunately, I down loaded the manual before I bought anything.
Enjoy
Paul
For my, 'Along the structural walls,' shelving I'm using the cheaper single slot type from Home Depot. The tracks, on 16 inch centers, are screwed into studs with deck screws. Each bracket was screwed to the inside of a sixteen inch length of steel stud. That supports the longitudinal 'C acts like L' girders and the three hidden tracks between. There are two more layers of track above the girders on the north side. On the south side there will only be two layers of track, none between the girders.
Home Depot also has the double slotted type, but at rather greater cost.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
I gotta say, I previously built a small switching layout along 2 walls, using the single track type verticals and brackets. and on one side I had a second shelf above the layout filled with my magazines and books (VERY heavy, much more so than the layout) and never had a problem with the tracks pulling out or buckling, or the brackets themselves bending. No earthquake type motion, either, it was nice and solid. The brackets and track were pretty heavy duty, not cheap stamped sheet metal though.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
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