Benchwork 8X10 tabletop - need a plan Going to have a 5 X 10 tabletop. Need to make some benchwork. Anyone have any plans available? I'm going to use 3/4" plywood for the decking and about 5-6 layers of 1" foam on top. I was thinking I could get away with 4X8 benchwork underneath and hang over the edges. I was considering a 4X8 "kit" from Mianne or using modules from Sievers. But honestly, if I can get a decent plan to work from, I could probably do this myself. I don't have a table saw, but I do have a nice compliment of other tools. I also need to figure out how to mount Casters on the bottom of the legs. And the leg bracing needs to be strong so I can roll this thing when its time to play. I guess I need to find out of there are adjustable/leveling casters out there that would have a small enough bolt to fit into the ends of the legs. Anyone already try this out there or know a plan I could work from? I spent a fair amount of time on google today looking and didn't find anything workable. Thanks in advance.
Is the layout going to be against the wall or accessible from all sides? 5 feet is obviously a stretch to reach from one side...I'm sure you thought about that.
Thats why its going to have casters on the bottoms of the legs. It will be against a corner for storage and I can pull it out 2 feet in each direction when its time to work on the layout or run the trains.
I'm trying to consider how to attach the 3/4" plywood decking to the benchwork from below. If I build my own benchwork using 1X4" framing, I don't want to have to destroy the scenery if I need to move the layout. How do I fasten it from the bottom? Mianne uses some type of "Top Attachment Block". Anyone know what that looks like or have a picture in case I wanted to fashion my own method?
You cut smallish blocks of 2X2 pine/spruce/cedar to fit in the corners of the frames, screwed in from the outter face, through the 1X4 members. The plywood could be screwed either from the top or from the bottom (better) using long wood screws driven into those blocks. Incidentally, the blocks also help to buttress the corners.
Perfect. Thats exactly what I needed to know. I could then use about a 2 inch screw (or slightly longer) from the bottom through the blocks. Much appreciated.
I advise putting 2-1/2" #8 screws in from the top. That way the screw heads are "clamping" the plywood to the 2x2 blocks, with the threads extending 1-3/4" into the blocks. Pre-drill 1/8" pilot holes through both the plywood and the blocks so the blocks don't try to split. Actually, if you used 2x2s for the legs with the top ends mounted flush with the top of the 1x4s, they would double as the blocks. BTW, I believe I've seen rubber wheeled adjustable height industrial casters at either Home Depot or Lowe's, or both.
5 X 10 benchwork plans Thanks for everyone's help. I tried to remember back to highschool drafting classes and made a few drawings. Attached are images. I've got no carpentry background. I'm just sort of wingin' it here. This will all be made from Poplar. Its a soft hardwood. Better than pine and still reasonably priced. (9) 1"x4"x10' Poplar boards - most of the framing is made from these (4) 1"x4"x8' Poplar boards - for the long stretchers that run between the legs (2) 2"x2"x10' Poplar boards - for the legs. Can easily substitute with 2"x3" for more support (1) 2"x2"x6' Pine - doesn't have to be straight - cut into 2"x2"x2" blocks for securing the decking (2) 3/4" BC (sanded one side) sheet of plywood - 5 ply. You can get away with two sheets if you have enough scrap lying around to make the strips covering the seems of the butt joints. If not, then get three sheets of this. You'll have two 4X5 pieces and one 2X5 piece. The rest you can use to double up on the underside of the seams (top decking butt joints). (12) 1/4" X 3" threaded bolt - for mounting legs to joists (12) Nut for threaded bolt (24) Flat washers (1) box of 1 3/8" deck screws - for screwing the strips over the butt joints, for end screwing the strips into the outer joists, and for screwing the stretchers to the legs - make sure to pre-drill before screwing these in (1) box of 2 1/2" deck screws - for screwing the decking into the 2x2x2 blocks - Screw these in from the bottom so you can remove them without ripping up your scenery - make sure to pre-drill before screwing these in (6) "T" nuts for the bottoms of the legs - you'll drill a hole in the bottoms of the legs for the casters and bang these T nuts into those holes (6) Pedestal mount 3/8" casters. You have some choice on the diameter of the wheel - this will help determine the height of the benchwork. Options: There are myriad ways to deviate from these plans. Here are a few: The casters are optional, so is leg height Where the decking sheets butt joint, you could have those joints fall over a joist. Rather than using 2x2x2 blocks to secure the decking, you could simply screw the decking from the top down into the joists. Or, you could use a jig to cut holes for pocket hole screws (Google for "Kreg Jig"). This is a more elegent approach and saves you from messing with those 2x2x2 blocks which you'll have to glue or otherwise secure to your legs and joists. Here are the rough drawings. Let me know if there are any major design problems. This is my first crack at something like this.
Had one more attachment left, but it only lets me attach five at a time. EDIT: I also just noticed in one place the drawings indicate a 2"x3" leg and in another it indicates a 2"x2" leg. I couldn't make up my mind which I wanted to go with. Also, for those not used to working with "Dimensional Lumber". The 1x4s actually measure 3/4" x 3 1/2".
Well, I finally got around to starting the benchwork. I changed the plans up quite a bit. Rather than using standard 4X8 sheets of plywood, I located some 5X5 sheets of 3/4" thick Baltic Birch plywood. This allowed for only one seam down the middle. I also chose to reinforce the structure from below by building up an "T" beam. The legs fit into the "T" beam to form a solid joint. The first two attachments are the plans. I did deviate from the plans a bit. The legs are farther out towards the end. Also, there are two joists right at the seam of the plywood.
I used a Kreg's jig to drill the holes for a Pocket Hole joint. This not only creates a very solid style joint, but it is really easy to use and makes for a nice finish.
I have just begun fitting in the legs. I still need to drill the through-bolts for the legs (2 per leg). Once I have the legs positioned I will measure and cut four stringers. These will pass between the legs near the bottom to provide extra support.
Hey guys and gals, I've moved forward and put the fascia on. I ran into a snag with gluing the foam down and I could use some help/advice. I plan to use three layers of 3/4" pink foam on the thickest parts (1 layer on the thinnest). I put down the first layer of foam and I've had some problems getting it to stick. I used 3 tubes of the DAP Latex caulk (ALEX) to secure the first layer to the plywood. I spread the caulk all over, put down the foam, then wiggled the foam a little to help it spread around. Next I covered the surface with weight all over the surface. I used books, weights, power tools, whatever I had around. I noticed without the weight, the foam would want to pop up in some places. It sat this way for three weeks while I was on vacation, etc. When I came home I removed the weights. It was apparant in some places the foam wasn't fully tacked down because it sprung up a little. A couple hours later I noticed it got worse. I pulled up the foam with no effort, it wasn't really attached. The caulk underneath had dried, but it didn't do its job. Any ideas? I'm not sure I want to use liquid nails - its a bit more expensive, isn't it? Plus, I don't want to use that to secure the layers of foam together because I'm going to be cutting into and sculpting the layers. I don't want something that hard getting in the way. Thanks, Hammers
Use Liquid Nails that's compatible with foam. Place some bricks and Particle board on top of the foam and leave the bricks in place for ten days. The Liquid Nails will do the job properly. Here are some photo's of some of the bench work I'm building for the "new" JJJ&E. The room is 20x12'. I used three one inch thick pieces of pink foam on top of 3/8" plywood base. I'm placing a turntable in one of the turnaround areas and didn't use the Liquid Nails in that part of the layout as the foam would have to be removed for the turntable.
Seems they make a variety of liquid nails. Is there one you recommend? My concern is that it dries very hard. I'll be looking to cut and sculpt into the foam... even shave it away with a little cheese-grater type thing where the river goes. I'll need to be able to cut into the seam of the layers of foam.
The liquid nails for foam isn't that hard to carve. I would say it dries to a consistency only slightly harder than silicone. Sure, not as soft as foam, but it can still be cut with a razor easily.
