Ray Von Posted April 9, 2017 Share Posted April 9, 2017 Hi all, just wanted to show what could be done with under a tenners worth of timber! As you might know I've had a bit of a wait for my previous - commissioned - layout, so I have struck out on my own and made a start on this New (edit 'N' not 'New') gauge set up. It is 4' x 21" on 12mm ply with 2" x 1" bracing (maybe a bit OTT.) I've cork-tiled the top and have just started to play around with the track formation. The inner radius track is flexible and is just taped in place at the min (hence the egg-shapedness!) I have drilled 5mm holes under the points for siting motors at a later date, hope that's sufficient? Any thoughts or suggestions at this stage V welcome. :-) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold chris p bacon Posted April 9, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 9, 2017 The only thing I'd add to the board is a bit more bracing. If you're going to have this as a temporary item or one that gets moved about, then I'd drop a couple of diagonal braces in so they resemble a 'V' That will take any warp out of the ply if it should try. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free At Last Posted April 9, 2017 Share Posted April 9, 2017 Hope your plywood is better than the sheet I recently bought. It was perfectly flat at the timber merchants but turned into this the next day. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold chris p bacon Posted April 9, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 9, 2017 Hope your plywood is better than the sheet I recently bought. It was perfectly flat at the timber merchants but turned into this the next day. There is a huge variance in ply quality. So much is used in the far East as shuttering ply that it's only designed for one short use, it's cheap so some of the importers here sell it to those that sell to a price rather than a quality. It's where the mantra of using Birch ply came from, although not cheap it is stable. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter220950 Posted April 9, 2017 Share Posted April 9, 2017 It's already looking a whole lot better than the one the 'professional' built, and proves you can do it as well as most on this Forum, well done and look forward to seeing progress. It might benefit from a diagonal cross brace across the two sections, but 12mm ply is pretty substantial, and I would wait until all the point motors are located to see how it all works. The only other query is if the cork has any sort of seal on it? I've noticed it tends to swell a bit at the edges if in contact with any moisture if it isn't, might be worth slapping a bit of clear varnish on if it's not already sealed, but I bow to others experience if they think its not needed. Keep up the posts, it's great to see that having a go yourself isn't impossible, and well worth the effort - bet you're feeling pretty pleased, you should be. Peter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free At Last Posted April 9, 2017 Share Posted April 9, 2017 There is a huge variance in ply quality.I bought two sheets of this carp, the other still looks ok but there is no way I would now use it for a baseboard. I ended up digging deeper into my pockets and bought some birch ply at over twice the price with two more still to come and I don't think I will be regretting it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Von Posted April 9, 2017 Author Share Posted April 9, 2017 Cheers for the input guys, I did actually buy five of the short lengths of 2 x 1 and some metal L brackets but the layout is currently about a week made and is still as flat as a pancake, so i haven't attached them as yet. The cork tiles are unsealed, but i have painted around the edge of the whole layout and the joins between tiles with a strong PVA wood glue and they are held down with double sided carpet tape, so far so good. I was going to plump for 9mm ply but, erred on the side of caution, it makes it a bit of a heavy b*gger - but I'm really happy with what I've come up with. PS, and it was made in about two hours (including driving time!) Maybe I could start a business.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
raymw Posted April 9, 2017 Share Posted April 9, 2017 Others may say no need, but i would paint top and bottom and frames with emulsion paint or some other sealer, before fitting track or anything else. Pleased to see you're 'going for it'. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
aac Posted April 9, 2017 Share Posted April 9, 2017 I bought two sheets of this carp, the other still looks ok but there is no way I would now use it for a baseboard. I ended up digging deeper into my pockets and bought some birch ply at over twice the price with two more still to come and I don't think I will be regretting it. i never buy ply stored on its end or edge as it inevitably distorts. My local Wickes sell it in horizontally stored piles. It still needs a rudimentary check - hold up the edge and look down it like a rifle sight, and get the straightest you can find. aac Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orange Cat Posted April 9, 2017 Share Posted April 9, 2017 I would add two more cross members between the existing ones. 12mm ply is going to work effectively as diagonal bracing and I think the bigger concern would be the top surface sagging in the unsupported spans. You could add diagonals as well if you wanted. After all, the cost of another couple of lengths of 2x1 is next to nothing compared to the cost of what will go on top. I think it a safe bet that every single person who had to scrap a layout because the baseboards warped thought it would be alright when they built it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free At Last Posted April 9, 2017 Share Posted April 9, 2017 i never buy ply stored on its end or edge as it inevitably distorts. My local Wickes sell it in horizontally stored piles. It still needs a rudimentary check - hold up the edge and look down it like a rifle sight, and get the straightest you can find. aac These were stored flat and I did choose them as far as not taking the one on the top that had a bit of a warp. It was the next day after being left on the floor in my shed that one turned into a skateboard jump, I never bought it like that. My local Wickes/B&Q stores them on the rack laying on two slats and they make you feel sea sick looking at them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted April 9, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 9, 2017 These were stored flat and I did choose them as far as not taking the one on the top that had a bit of a warp. It was the next day after being left on the floor in my shed that one turned into a skateboard jump, I never bought it like that. My local Wickes/B&Q stores them on the rack laying on two slats and they make you feel sea sick looking at them. If possible, buy sheet materials from a timber merchant who stores them on sacrificial OSB or MDF on the floor. Mike. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcD Posted April 9, 2017 Share Posted April 9, 2017 Cheers for the input guys, I did actually buy five of the short lengths of 2 x 1 and some metal L brackets but the layout is currently about a week made and is still as flat as a pancake, so i haven't attached them as yet. The cork tiles are unsealed, but i have painted around the edge of the whole layout and the joins between tiles with a strong PVA wood glue and they are held down with double sided carpet tape, so far so good. I was going to plump for 9mm ply but, erred on the side of caution, it makes it a bit of a heavy b*gger - but I'm really happy with what I've come up with. PS, and it was made in about two hours (including driving time!) Maybe I could start a business.... Ray, Looking at the quality of your workman ship have you ever thought about turning professional at the base board business? If the start of your layout is anything to go with you should have a really great layout in no time. Keep going. Marc Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium nick_bastable Posted April 9, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 9, 2017 a good start now keep up the momentum Nick Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartynJPearson Posted April 9, 2017 Share Posted April 9, 2017 Looking good! Before adding any more bracing though, you might want to have a clearer idea of your final trackplan. Otherwise, Murphy's Law says that your point motors will need to go where the braces are! You might also want to drill some decent sized holes (10 - 15mm) holes in the braces too for routing your wiring. One other thing is to consider legs or some other support, unless it's going to be a tabletop layout. Doing this now, before you have fragile scenery to consider will save you the fraught moments I went through adding supports after the fact! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Kazmierczak Posted April 9, 2017 Share Posted April 9, 2017 Looking forward to seeing how this progresses. Well done for taking the plunge Ray.................... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted April 9, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 9, 2017 If possible, buy sheet materials from a timber merchant who stores them on sacrificial OSB or MDF on the floor. Mike. Even that is no guarantee. Whilst building my layout which used something like 8 or 10 sheets the supply changed from Malaysia to even farther east and the ply went from dead flat to see-saw shape. It was stored off the floor, but on heavy duty racking with thick horizontal timber baulks under them to keep them supported. At the merchants the Chinese stuff looked fine but once home they dried out (?) and twisted - my layout is in a very dry room. It is the quality that has suffered. I cannot see why the quality Malaysian stuff had to be replaced by inferior product and at an increased price. The Chinese product also seems to have a poor surface which splinters when sawing and total thickness is down a mm or so on the nominal. BTW ply on edge is far better for bracing than softwood. There is no softwood bracing on mine, it is all ply on edge. Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted April 9, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 9, 2017 Ray The layout is coming on fine. Much better than a cowboy job. Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Dagworth Posted April 9, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 9, 2017 I hope you are finding building it yourself more satisfying Ray? Andi Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Von Posted April 9, 2017 Author Share Posted April 9, 2017 Thank you chaps, that feedback means a lot to me! I do have two more pieces of 2 x 1 - and I will probably place them as follows. I've enjoyed making the baseboard, a bit less confident about the wiring and electrics... Thank you again. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Pannier Tank Posted April 9, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 9, 2017 a bit less confident about the wiring and electrics... You only have to ask, you'll get plenty of help. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Von Posted April 9, 2017 Author Share Posted April 9, 2017 I will be taking you up on that! One of my point motor holes is way too close to the bracing! I suppose i could use a surface mounted motor tho, as it is in a non scenic area...? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted April 9, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 9, 2017 One of my point motor holes is way too close to the bracing! I suppose i could use a surface mounted motor tho, as it is in a non scenic area...? Depending on the type of point motor, you could mount it away from the edge and have a crank arrangement to operate the tie bar. I have done that with some Tortoises, but you could do it with others. It's just a bit of mechanics! Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium uax6 Posted April 9, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 9, 2017 Does it have to be a motor? A bit of wire in tube would work there... Andy G Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Von Posted April 9, 2017 Author Share Posted April 9, 2017 Ideally, I'd like it motorised. But, as I say - surface mounted would do just as well. I'd be interested to know though, if a crank mount would be an option as Keith suggested? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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