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Exhibition Baseboard legs - Advise needed.


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I'm thinking about baseboard legs at the moment, and I was hoping to appeal to member of RMweb for suggestions on what they have chosen to do.

 

I've 3 boards made using the Ply and Softwood sandwich beam method for the frame, along with cross bracing and a plywood top. The two scenic boards measure 1308-mm x 457-mm, and the non-scenic board measures 1320-mm x 457-mm.

 

I was hoping to produce two stand alone units to support all three boards. Hopefully some form of folding or collapsable four legged (complete with adjustable feed) unit, which can fit inside the baseboard frames for transportation.

 

So basically, i'm fishing for inspiration.

 

Regards

 

Matt

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We have a 24'x18' roundy-round that used to be supported by fold-down legs. This was always an issue in that the whole layout wobbled a bit. We have since replaced these legs with new sawhorse-style supports fabricated out of metal (the layout lives in an auto shop owned by one of the members, so fabrication wasn't an issue). Basically, these supports consist of a metal sawhorse frame with two threaded rods extending up fron the top of the frame. There is a metal channel across the top that the two board ends drop into. This simplifed setup too, since the supports are free-standing, so that we can set up two, drop the first board into place, set up the next one, and drop the next board into place, etc. without having to ensure that the boards are firmly attached until the whole lot is in place (the channel holds the boards together as well as up). The threaded rod allows easy adjustment to correct for uneven floors. There are still fold-down legs for the corners of the layout, but if it was a linear layout they wouldn't be needed (just have 4 supports for three boards). Because they don't fold up, they do take a bit of space, but we have found that the increase in layout stability and the ease of setup more than make up for that.

 

Adrian

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Guest jim s-w

Hi Matt

 

Build the legs into the boards - Saves a load of time setting up and you wont forget them (its been known to happen!)

 

Cheers

 

Jim

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Thanks for the replies gents.

 

I was debating using the FHL038 Locking Leg Hinges (Pair) from station road baseboard et al. I can hopefully inset the legs inside the framing, which will make the whole arrangement much neater.

 

Regards

 

Matt

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Built in legs solve a lot of problems. have a loo at Lancaster Green Ayre in the laout thread and you will see them. They are quite easy to make and just drop down and lock into place automatically. If youa re interesetd contact me by Pm and I'll try and explain how they are done. You need 5 hinges per leg. With 3 boards you would need a king board with 2 sets then 2 others with 1 set. My old layout had detachable struts and they are a messy thing to rrasnport. jum S W is correct, build them in.

 

Jamie

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Thanks for the replies gents.

 

I'll defiantly try to build them in. I think i've an idea in mind, so i'll pop up some pictures once completed in a few weeks.

 

As a side note, Steve, any chance of some photo's? I can't quite picture your method,

 

Regards

 

Matt

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Thanks for the replies gents.

 

I was debating using the FHL038 Locking Leg Hinges (Pair) from station road baseboard et al. I can hopefully inset the legs inside the framing, which will make the whole arrangement much neater.

 

Regards

 

Matt

 

I used similar hinges (Not from Station Rd BBs) for Awrhyllgwami and they fold away nicely. Just one word of caution. Those that I used did not open the full 90°, in the end it was only about 85° which means that packing is necessary under the fixed part of the hinge so that the legs are vertical.

 

Richard

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Jamie - do you have a link - not getting anywhere rapidly looking for "Lancaster Green Ayre"

 

It's in layout and workbench topics under layouts on about page 5 depending on which other layouts have been looked at recently.

 

Jamie

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After an experience with trestles on an extremely uneven concrete floor at one show, I'm giving this idea of individually adjustable legs a go. They are aluminium extendable poles for paint rollers. Fine adjustment via a coarse thread at the top and main height alterations by sliding between locating holes along the pole.

 

legs.jpg?t=1272021692

 

 

 

The thread at the top is screwed into a slightly undersize hole drilled in the pine.

 

 

legtop.jpg?t=1272021816

 

 

 

And this holds the legs steady -

 

 

holdthelegsteady.jpg?t=1272021896

 

 

 

Wacol

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The ply board braces the llegs and only needs for srews to fix ( could be bolts) the basboard just sits on top. Other bords just have legs atone end.

post-8525-127206445609_thumb.jpg

 

Separate legs mean boards are much lighter to carry.

 

Donw

post-8525-127206445609_thumb.jpg

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