mike morley Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 For the last ten years every layout I've built has been carried on bearers bolted to the walls of my cellar. Building a layout that has the potential to be exhibited, so needs a set of legs to go with it, is something of a departure for me and I'd appreciate a bit of advice on the subject. The layout will not be big - two metres scenic length with a total length of three metres - spread across three baseboards that are 18" wide. All the baseboards are constructed from Barry Norman-style beams using 6mm ply throughout, including integral backscenes, so are comparatively light. So:- How high? Made of what? Attached to the baseboards by what means? Anything else I ought to take into account or consider? Your recommendations, please. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenton Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 Builder's trestles (ex Wickes and others) or simple A frame pairs. Both are (reasonably) lightweight, fold away flat for storage/transport, can be set up as free standing by one person and the layout boards simply lie on top (between two trestles) can add lacking bolts if required. The downside is the (relatively) fixed height. Though this is fairly comfortable for most viewers and operators. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanLister Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 Hi. I use folding trestles as suggested, but mine are height-adjustable, made by Brennenstuhl and sold by Axminster Tools...robust, well made and not expensive. Axminster was the best price I could find..... Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 The last layout that I built that needed legs, used Broom Handles (Honestly!) which bolted to the under frame They cost me 60p each from my local ironmongers I also drilled the ends and fitted tee-nuts and 40mm bolts for level adjustment, My current one sits on an infinitely height-adjustable (between fully up and fully down) Lidl Ironing board Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Kris Posted January 15, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 15, 2012 I just use simple 2x2 legs that are braced together. These plug in to the bottoms of the boards. As to height - Make it comfortable for yourself - You're the one going to be spending most time looking at it / operating it etc so you don't want it to be uncomfortable. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coombe Barton Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 You may want to have a look at how the St Merryn people have made their supports - two trestles and a couple of long beams. It's in their book - http://www.scalefour.org/eshop/eshop.html - chapter 2. And they're at the Leamington/Warwick show next weekend at Stoneleigh. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike morley Posted January 15, 2012 Author Share Posted January 15, 2012 Thank you all for your advice. Shortliner Jack; could you enlarge a little on bolting the broom handles to the baseboard? I wouldnt have thought broom handles were substantial enough to have holes big enough to accommodate bolts drilled through them without reducing them to cobwebs. Was anything needed to strengthen them? 2mm Kris; could you enlarge on "they plug into the bottom of the boards"? With regard to height, I fully agree with the "The higher the better" philosophy - probably because I'm 6'4" - but with a baseboard width of only 18" I'm worried about stability if I go to the kind of height that Iain Rice (Who, if he wasnt the originator of the theory, did most to publicise it) suggests. I've experimented with baseboard heights by balancing baseboards on top of stacks of books piled upon my kitchen worktops and the four-foot-plus that he recommends seems distinctly precarious. I also realise that the kind of baseboard height he recommends places the layout quite literally right under the observers nose. That is fine if you are capable of Iain Rice's standard of modelling, but I am a lesser mortal and would appreciate a bit of breathing space. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 The ones I got were substantial enough to take m6 bolt clearance holes drilled through them Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Kris Posted January 15, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 15, 2012 2mm Kris; could you enlarge on "they plug into the bottom of the boards"? As a picture says a thousand words hopefully this will help. The legs are only held in by friction but it's a solution that works well and there is nothing stopping you putting a bolt on them to hold them in place (this helps when moving a board about) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike morley Posted January 15, 2012 Author Share Posted January 15, 2012 Jack and Kris; thank you both very much indeed. Has anyone any thoughts on baseboard height? PS. What happened to Red Dog baseboards? They used to be at the far end of town from me, but now I come to need leg height adjusters they seem to have disappeared. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanLister Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 I have the adjustable trestles (referred to above) set to give a rail height of 46 inches, which is fine while I'm building it. I'm 6'2" and the height allows me to get underneath and is comfortable for construction work, which I like to do standing up. I have my workbench at the same height so I can swap easily from one to the other...it's better for my back, which has seen better days on the cricket field and basketball court over the years!! My baseboards are quite big at 1500mm x 750mm, with one tapering out to 1000mm at one end, but the trestles are wide enough to keep it all very stable. I can use them for other things too; we take 2 when we go away in the motorhome. Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Worsdell forever Posted January 15, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 15, 2012 I build them similar to how Kris has only in 2x1 with a cross piece near the top with the baseboard frame resting on it (uprights don't go right up to the baseboard top). Diagonal braces from about 12" from the floor to the baseboard hold them rigid. I like to have my layouts quite high but in reality this is dictated by the width of curtain material. Felton Lane's trackbed is at 47". There's some pics in my Felton Lane thread, see link in my sig below. EDIT - page 4, post 96. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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