over the past year i have been lurking and seldom posting all of the rr boards and reading MR. one thing that seems strange to me is the approach to benchwork in the mags. an amatuer woodworker, myself, some of the systems and materials used are so different than i have used in the past. the construction techniques used by some are really different. i have seen the work of a few on the boards that are more tradional one thing i have put a lot of time in is workbenches. to my surprise, MDF,medium density fiberboard, is a great stable and econonomical material to work with. wait! the one drawback is you can't get it wet. a benchtop of two sheets wood glued and screwed together and you can take a hammer and beat the!@#$%% out of that cheap engine you bought when starting this hobby, with out bounce (if properly supported). i seal my workbench tops with shellac/alchol 50/50. (caution! shellac will desolve instantly, no matter how long it has been dried if alchol is spilled on it). i don't know if this a good material for mrr (with the amount of water and alchol i have read that are used on layouts), but am going to try it for the stability. i once thought of this a cheap particale board but have seen it gain acceptance in the woodworking world. next time you are picking up your favorite mrr mag, scan the woodworking mags. there are some great ideas in there. look for annual workshop issues. i am always looking for ways to improve so if anyone has found a great way to do this post away. (i really like the idea of hollow core doors for light weight portable layouts). respectfully david oglesby
David, I have used MDF on my layout, but it is laminated with oak. I just happen to get a "bargain" on it after a contractor walked away from a large order he had placed. Some of us use alcohol as an agent to help the viscosity and absorbance of glues, etc. I think if I wanted to seal MDF, I'd just use a cheap paint, or if I wanted to go high tech, polyurethane. The only thing I don't like about MDF other than you need to be a superman to move it, is the dust from cutting it. Its almost worse than plaster dust from dry walling, if that's possible.
Since I have absolutely no woodworking skills, I lucked out when I explained my benchwork plight to our contractor/carpenter who was remodelling our kitchen. He is a true master carpenter and happlily agreed to build my benchwork for a fair price. He used 2x4 framework and MDF for the top. The total benchwork is about 23x17' and you could drive a truck onto it. The MDF has worked out fine, but I agree it is really heavy, and it took weeks to clean up all the dust (some trim work was done in the RR room). And BTW, the kitchen which keeps the dust out of part of the basement where the RR is turned out ok too... Lou
ah, yea, the dust is terrible. i have a dust collector in the shop(though some of the MDF dust will go right thru the bag). but prefer to machine MDF outdoors when possible. get ahold of MDF with a router and it looks like on of the old newsreels of Kansas dust storms. a little study in joinery will help frame work go together. now, if i could just get this @#$^% flextrack straight and flat. respectfully david note to lou: my shop is by the kitchen where my wife has her large collection of HULL dark brown stoneware. the dust "pops" on that color. deo
My frame is made of willow and the base hashomosote on top of a nother that i have forgotten for now.
I started with 2x4's, 1/2" ply, 1/2" homasote. Now I use 1x3's, 1/4" ply, 3/4" pink foam. Much lighter weight then furniture I've built. You don't have to build for 100 pound locos. Loco1999
ah, homasote. since i have more hobby's than the average bear i know a little about that stuff but have yet to use it on a layout. i do a little stained glass work and use homasote as an assembly base. i pin small aluminum angle as a square. pieces of glass can be pinned in place when doing foil tape/solder method. now the question. the material i use is 1/2"- 4'X8' sheets. isn't 1/2" 80 scale inches(assuming to use it as roadbase)? show/tell me your method. respectfully david oglesby
Used to use homasote as a base for layout. (thickness doesn't matter) Then use cork or foam roadbed. Too Heavy. Hard to carve or cut. Doesn't cover well with latex paint. Track nails pop up over time. Try the pink or blue foam 1/2", 3/4", 1" ,2" whatever thickness you like. Then use cork or foam roadbed. Loco1999 Edit: I'll take some pics to post this weekend as I am building a new base. ( 38" x 76")
I use 1/2" plywood for the base and 1x6" 's as well as 1x2"'s for the legs and supports. I use one inch foam on top of the plywood base and use foam for the risers.
