cruiseaholic Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 Have decided that the new base board I am constucting is going to be to long to manage easily when moved- 2430mm x 700mm. I am going to cut it in half and interested to know the best way to secure the two halves together. I am confused by what I have read. Regards Chris Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
meil Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 8 foot long certainly is too long to handle. Even 4 foot long can be too long so you might want to consider three 3 foot long boards rather than two 4 foot boards. You just insert two end pieces where the joints are to be; each end piece bolted to its mate so as to ensure alignment when you cut the board after the glue has set. You might also want to consider using alignment dowels on the new end pieces. Fitted to the end pieces before fixing to the baseboards. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karhedron Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 There are 2 issues to consider when joining baseboards. The first is ensuring accurate alignment and the second is making sure that the boards stay firmly joined together. To ensure accurate alignment, it is best to use something like pattern-makers dowels. These are sold in pairs with one male and one female. You will need 2 pairs for each board joint. There are plenty of places that sell these online, I bought mine on eBay. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230559231285&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT For a quick guide on how to fit them, try picking up the March issue of Model Rail. There is a short article together with step-by-step photos showing how to fit them. For holding the boards firmly together you can use G-clamps. Another option is to drill through the baseboard frames and holf them together with nuts, bolts and washers. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Kris Posted March 11, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 11, 2011 I would go with the 2 boards rather than 3, fewer joins makes for fewer potential track issues. Joints Dowels + Good for accuracy, providing they are fitted correctly. - Different types some more accurate than others. - Some can be harder to get hold of. Hinges + Cheap and easy to get hold of. + Can be very accurate. - Can make adding of scenery a problem. (Split pin solutions can solve this). Bolts + Very cheap and very easy to get hold of. + Holds the boards together. - Joints can wear causing poor alignment. There are others. Many layouts will use a combination. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bike2steam Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 Another alternative is to put a small lip under one board end for the other to rest on, and just use 2 bolts to fix together, any alignment problems just pack with shims, either under floating board, or between lip, and board it's fixed to. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiseaholic Posted March 13, 2011 Author Share Posted March 13, 2011 Thank you everyone for your constructive comments. Regards Chris Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
37114 Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 I use Hinges with removeable pins and they have been fine for my layout which has been assembled /dismantled 50 plus times, have used the same approach for all of my other layouts and not had problems, and as others on here will vouch for my carpentry is not my strong point either. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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