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Lightweight, Non-Flat portable Baseboard Construction


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I've decided I need to build a small demo layout to take to exhibitions to show off the 3-d printed trains I do. It will only be small and probably in 009 or O9.

 

Now recently I've used extruded polystyrene for all my baseboards , but this time I want to use plywood as the main surface as I'm intending to handbuild the points and want to control them with servos - I can't work out a decent method of fixing the servos to polystyrene for a start.

 

I have a hatred of flat top baseboards too  - I want to do something with different levels, including some below track level so I don't want to use a flat top board.

 

I want it to be light weight and easy to transport, so I guess I'll be looking at some sort of box structure made from thinnish ply. So has anyone built something similar or better still published details already ?  I have some ideas of my own but it's always useful to see what others have done.

 

Tom  

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I've decided I need to build a small demo layout to take to exhibitions to show off the 3-d printed trains I do. It will only be small and probably in 009 or O9.

 

Now recently I've used extruded polystyrene for all my baseboards , but this time I want to use plywood as the main surface as I'm intending to handbuild the points and want to control them with servos - I can't work out a decent method of fixing the servos to polystyrene for a start.

 

I have a hatred of flat top baseboards too  - I want to do something with different levels, including some below track level so I don't want to use a flat top board.

 

I want it to be light weight and easy to transport, so I guess I'll be looking at some sort of box structure made from thinnish ply. So has anyone built something similar or better still published details already ?  I have some ideas of my own but it's always useful to see what others have done.

 

om  

 

If you can ignore the ramblings of a deranged mind you might find the odd bit of relevance in my posts on Cadbury's

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/73214-cadbury-bournville/

 

Any queries just ask.

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Hi Tebee - I've done something like that with the initial modules for my 009 have a look at the 009 link in my signature - there are pictures of the boards being built in there...

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I'm in the middle of constructing lightweight portable baseboards using foam but I intend to bond 4mm ply to the top surface to act as a track bed.

 

I'm also thinking that a similar bit of 4mm ply bonded to the underside could provide a stable surface for mounting point motors.

 

Foam is easy to carve and so would provide the multi-level you're looking for.

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The baseboard is off the scale precision. Is your avatar a 348TS?

 

 

No, its my 355, - err no not quite, if you look closely you will find there's a twin turbo import MR2 underneath it all, I couldn't afford the real thing but it came out quite well.

 

post-18627-0-65649500-1399143376_thumb.jpg

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...Now recently I've used extruded polystyrene for all my baseboards , but this time I want to use plywood as the main surface as I'm intending to handbuild the points and want to control them with servos - I can't work out a decent method of fixing the servos to polystyrene for a start...

 

No need to abandon foam, just use 4mm ply as the track base. You can cut quite large holes in the foam and attach the servos to the underside of the ply. See, for example, my Camerton layout. All the track is hand built and turnouts operated by servos.

 

Nick

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The diamond criss-cross idea underneath looks interesting, but I think might be overkill on the size of board I'm thinking of ( about 100cm x 40cm) 

 

I did think about using foam with ply on top, but I want to use servos for coupling ramps and a selector plate/turntable as well as point control, so I suspect if I cut away round all these I will not have that much foam left, which is why I was thinking about an all ply solution.

 

Some interesting ideas anyway, more to ruminate on........

 

Tom 

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I an currently using 50mm thick Kingspan (extruded polystyrene) insulation with bonded dual layers of 4mm plywood 100mm wide bonded to the sides and best quality 15mm ply on the ends. There are lightweight crossmembers every 2 feet or so between the sides with cut outs to allow wiring.

Sorry no pics just now as I have just moved house and the garage is full of boxes (40+)waiting to be emptied. Somewhere in there is my "plank" of the above construction. Hopefully pics to follow soon.

Kingspan is available in 8'x4' sheets, quite expensive but available from Seconds and Co around half usual price. Easily cut with a knofe or saw

Jim

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