Ian Holmes Posted June 19, 2011 Share Posted June 19, 2011 Having signed up for this group a few days ago and perused the links posted I was getting quite fired up to build some kind of boxfile/snack box type of layout. Now many moons ago I came up with this concept for a snack box P4 layout. I bought some stock and the trackwork for it but somehow never got started. So I thought perhaps I might resurrect the scheme. But on looking at the IKEA website I couldn't find the SNACK box any more. What I did find however was the APA box at 28" x 14" x 11" it seems a really good size to produce a micro, shelf type layout. I don't know if the APA box has been discussed elsewhere before having been such an infrequent visitor to RMWeb over the last few years. But it looks like a good started to me. I'll be driving past an IKEA on Saturday morning. I might just pop by and see if I can get one. Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Mikkel Posted June 20, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 20, 2011 Just checked my own local Ikea websites, and couldn't find a Snack box either. Looks like it's a thing of the past. If you experiment with the APA box it would be very interesting to see how it looks with the top lid and front removed. One thing I found with the Snack box is that it didn't have enough support under the base for layout purposes (ie it sagged) so it needed some extra support. Could be an issue with the APA box as well? Anyway, your layout design looks great. I especially like the sketch on the left hand side of your site, which has a very nice use of viewblocks etc, and manages to portray one of those rarely modelled "middle grounds" in a station in between all the features that we normally model. Really looking forward to seeing this develop. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Holmes Posted June 20, 2011 Author Share Posted June 20, 2011 Just checked my own local Ikea websites, and couldn't find a Snack box either. Looks like it's a thing of the past. If you experiment with the APA box it would be very interesting to see how it looks with the top lid and front removed. One thing I found with the Snack box is that it didn't have enough support under the base for layout purposes (ie it sagged) so it needed some extra support. Could be an issue with the APA box as well? Anyway, your layout design looks great. I especially like the sketch on the left hand side of your site, which has a very nice use of viewblocks etc, and manages to portray one of those rarely modelled "middle grounds" in a station in between all the features that we normally model. Really looking forward to seeing this develop. I figured that support for the baseboard inside the frame would be an issue. I would be expecting to reinforce that should it get used for a model railway. The inside of the box isn't shown either so I'm wondering if thats foil lined as the product description states that the panel are made from fibreboard, foil and acrylic paint Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Y Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 fibreboard, foil and acrylic paint In 'furniture' terms foil normally means the wood-effect printed paper type surface which is bonded onto the fibreboard or chipboard. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted June 20, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 20, 2011 As the APA box is also self-assembly, it would be quite easy to add track exit holes in the end panels and a contoured shape (ie large hole in which to look through to see the layout) to the front panel, whilst still keeping the rigidity of the 'box'. I'll be watching how you get on with this. Stu Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 That looks quite useful, good find! I'm tempted to get a couple, one for a possible layout box, another for actual storage use. kelly Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Holmes Posted June 20, 2011 Author Share Posted June 20, 2011 In 'furniture' terms foil normally means the wood-effect printed paper type surface which is bonded onto the fibreboard or chipboard. Thanks Andy, that's handy to know. I did have visions of the interior being lined with tinfoil and having to reverse the sides during assembly so that the layout would look like a silver box from the outside. Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Holmes Posted June 20, 2011 Author Share Posted June 20, 2011 As the APA box is also self-assembly, it would be quite easy to add track exit holes in the end panels and a contoured shape (ie large hole in which to look through to see the layout) to the front panel, whilst still keeping the rigidity of the 'box'. I'll be watching how you get on with this. Stu It would be too much to hope, wouldn't it, that the thickness of the fibre board panels would be 1/3 the thickness of the wooden frame so that you could remove the "front" and "top" sections, trim them to size and bond them to the base thus giving the base some extra rigidity. The worlds not that perfect surely. Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Holmes Posted June 20, 2011 Author Share Posted June 20, 2011 That looks quite useful, good find! I'm tempted to get a couple, one for a possible layout box, another for actual storage use. kelly Yep; Even if the layout concept fails I could still get a decent stock box out of the deal. Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Holmes Posted June 27, 2011 Author Share Posted June 27, 2011 As good as my word I popped into IKEA by the Mall of America today and purchased an APA box. I took it home and assembled it in about 10 minutes it comes with all the screws and a strange screw driver contraption to enable you to put it together. There are 10 parts two ends and top already assembled four rails, a base and two sides. Here is the box assembled. When screwed together it is EXTREMELY rigid. The base and sides are from hardboard so for a base you would need to add something more substantial in there. Remove the front and the possibilities for a cabinet style layout open up. Once again the inside dimensions are 27.5" long x 14" deep x 11" tall Its very cear that you need to add something in the base to bring the rail level up to the top of the wooden frame rails. Something that would be easy to do I think would be add a hinge to the lid to open the layout up to make access easier. It might be possible to mount some small light fixtures in the lid too. With the lid on lighting would be a must Now I'll work on seeing how locos and stock of various scales fit in there. For just $14.99 this seems a good deal Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Holmes Posted June 27, 2011 Author Share Posted June 27, 2011 Just threw some stock in there in a couple of different scales to see how it works 4mm scale Gn15 The APA box would seem to be a very workable proposition in most scales I think. Now to the serious planning work... Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Mikkel Posted June 27, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 27, 2011 That certainly looks good - almost as if it was made for this purpose ! The hinged lid is a great idea, too. You just may have started a new trend here Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonB Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 Could be next year's Challenge! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maws Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 I don't write on here much, I've been out and bought one of these. I've removed three sides to just leave the timber frame, and used 9mm mdf to provide a baseboard. This also adds strength to the overall structure. An excellent find Ian! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Holmes Posted July 17, 2011 Author Share Posted July 17, 2011 Some further thoughts about APA baseboard construction here http://smallmodelrailwaylayouts.blogspot.com/2011/07/can-we-learn-from-flat-pack-boys.html Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supaned Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 Thanks for bringing this to our attention Ian. Certainly food for thought.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
65243 Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 Thanks for this Ian. Just what I needed (not!). Thankfully I need to go to IKEA, so SWMBO might not notice a couple of these being snuck in. With a few modifications I can see the basis for a folding layout, or a 27.5" square box for a pizza or ... I must stop now Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Holmes Posted July 27, 2011 Author Share Posted July 27, 2011 Thanks for this Ian. Just what I needed (not!). Thankfully I need to go to IKEA, so SWMBO might not notice a couple of these being snuck in. With a few modifications I can see the basis for a folding layout, or a 27.5" square box for a pizza or ... I must stop now Tony: I have had three neatly stacked in the three season porch for a couple of weeks now and SWMBO hasn't said anything... Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maws Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 Tony: I have had three neatly stacked in the three season porch for a couple of weeks now and SWMBO hasn't said anything... Ian I got permission for two boxes (I'm going to sneak in a third one). It's ideal because all the modelling happens in the box, I can easily move it around the apartment away from the wife,dog, visitors etc. it's turning into a stirdy little layout Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
65243 Posted August 27, 2011 Share Posted August 27, 2011 Mrs 65243 is away at a Guide camp this weekend, so I took the opportunity to obtain a couple of APA boxes and some suitable lights (Komplement from IKEA), a pair of hinges and some coachbolts. Some work with saw, drill and screwdriver gave me this, posed with some Metcalfe buildings to give an indication of the size of the box thus produced: It looked promising, so I put some 4mm scale stock in too: Now, what can I put into a box just under 4'6" long and 10" wide and 14" high? Something along the lines of Paul Gittins' Enigma Engineering looks doable. But for now, I need to hide the evidence before SWMBO gets home. Thank goodness she hardly ever looks at the contents of the garage! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Holmes Posted August 28, 2011 Author Share Posted August 28, 2011 I like the way everything works together in your APA Boxes there Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenton Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 Comparing Ian's APA and Tony's is there a difference in the framing used in the APA box. Tony's seem more rounded? I think that some form of insert base is required aka Ian's styrofoam to avoid having to cut the frame and allow movement from one APA to the next. They certainly look up to the job. (garages like sheds are the only place to hide in - they are territory that don't get frequented by the "she" element because they contain things like tools that are not generally understood) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwyaneward Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 Comparing Ian's APA and Tony's is there a difference in the framing used in the APA box. Tony's seem more rounded? I think that some form of insert base is required aka Ian's styrofoam to avoid having to cut the frame and allow movement from one APA to the next. They certainly look up to the job. (garages like sheds are the only place to hide in - they are territory that don't get frequented by the "she" element because they contain things like tools that are not generally understood) Ian's box is setting upright with the front panel removed, Tony's box is on it's side. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted September 14, 2011 Share Posted September 14, 2011 Now, it just needs someone to hinge the top, and lay it on its side with the lid laid flat in the front, and work out what could be put onto the lid - thus enlarging the area available - the other alternative is "Fiddlesticks" fitting into each end and making fiddle yards/cassettes. BTW - a suggestion for those worried about alignment issues for sector plates - a 1" slice out of a loco lift, soldered to the track on a sector plate, protruding over the end by ½" slots very nicely over the rail-ends on the main board, and supplies power to the track on the plate - to use raise the end slightly and move it to the next track. "Seemples <tzick>!" Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CourthsVeil Posted September 15, 2011 Share Posted September 15, 2011 tz tz tz, Jack! What are you doing to those innocent Loco Lift thingies? You double them in length, here you slice them, then solder them... In earnest: quite a brillant idea - would be even more brill, if we here in Germany could obtain them as easy as you can over there. Thank you Armin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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