BASEBOARDS
If you have read the background to Beeches TMD you will know that lightness as well as strength was going to be important. I hope in time that this layout may be good enough to be exhibited so it needs to be light enough to be transported. I completed a great deal of extensive research at B&Q, other hardware stores and on the internet looking at different materials for the baseboards. I eventually settled on sundeala, in my view it is worth the extra cost for its lightness but it is worth shopping around for good deals.
There are three baseboards each 113 x 49 cms (approx 44" x 19"). The surface is 6mm sundeala. The boards have a frame around the edge made of 34 x 18 mm pine and one brace across the middle. The boards and bracing are screwed together and stuck with wood glue. I found this made the board sufficiently rigid as well as being very light. This will give me a total length of 340 cms about 11 feet.
I painted the edges and top surface of the boards with slightly watered down PVA, this made the edges and top surface firmer and less fibrous.
A word of caution though, the sundeala is more flexible than wood and may not form a perfectly flat surface. Track foundation needs to be built up in some areas more than others to get a flatter surface - not by a great deal but it is all added hassle. This problem could be overcome with more bracing but this can be awkward when it comes to placing point motors and also wiring. I think I have decided that for a larger layout I would use something like MDF for its strength and flatter surface.
I am sure if I were building a larger layout I would use a wood product and not sundeala for the added rigidity and flatness.
SUPPORTS
The twelve legs are made of 33 x 33 mm (1½" x 1½") pine. The bracing across the top and sides is again 34 x 18 mm pine. I may decide in the future to make the legs adjustable.
Privacy Statement
Personally-identifying information can only be collected on this website if you choose to provide it. This information may be in the form of, for example, joining the electronic mailing lists or providing an e-mail address in the Guestbook. You may opt out of the electronic mailing list at any time by emailing me.
Any information you supply will be used for the purpose specifically designated (for example, photos used on some pages).
