Hollow core doors (deal of the year so far)

[NZRMac]

I'm thinking about a new layout (again)

I went looking for hollow core doors at the recycle shed (council owned dump). lots of doors, I found 4 all the same thickness 35mm, no prices written on them. Big sign saying all $10 doors are free..........just happen to have a black marker pen in my pocket hehe. great start, free layout base, lol

Ken.

 

[nmaniac]

Ken, YOU THE MAN !!! I love" Hollow core" door layouts lightweight, fast to build and you can add on as many as you want when you want best thing to and I have done this many times is to cut out some of the bottom and run all your wireing UNDER the layout,During the mid 80's I was building hollow core door layouts and selling them at local shows for $200.00 each and could not make enough of them PLz post pics if you make one would love to see it
Larry

 

[MrTrain]

How can i get that deal, I am always late on the good deals

 

[68 Camaro]

Ken,

I used 18" hollow core bi-fold closet doors from Home Depot on my shelf layout. They work really well and are cheap.

 

[NZRMac]

Yeah that looks great, did you think about foam on top?

I'm thinking about making this layout portable, might go to train shows.
Going to build some trestle legs and just clamp the doors together with g-clamps. what do you think? will the foam line up correctly on the top or should there be a thin wooden edge around it too with locating pegs (modular style)

Ken.

 

[mike8693]

Wow thats a great idea, I wish I had thought of it I threw 11 out about 5 months ago when I got my house doors replaced.

 

[RexHea]

HI Ken! Glad to see you fell off the wagon and addicted again. Once an MR, always an MR (Now you don't have to attend those danged ole meetings LOL . ).
Can't wait to see what you get into with the doors.

 

[nmaniac]

Wow,68 Camaro that is great never thought of the bi-fold doors tell you what when the last kid leaves and I get "my office" I know what will be on one wall now Like I tell ppl at shows when I have my switching layout" anyone can go around and around,its how you get from point A to B that counts"

 

[nmaniac]

Ken, you hit the nail on the head fast and easy to set up at a show and with trakcs leading off both ends you cna add to and never really have the same layout at the same show twice

 

[68 Camaro]

NZR Mac,

I will be using 3/4 inch foamboard on top, however right now I am working on structure and track placement. Everything will be coming off when I paint the sidewall blue. I am using Micro Engineering Code 70 track, but for mockup I am using my Peco Code 83. The attached photo shows the work on the breezway between both Seaboard and Archive America's complexes in Miami, Florida.

Below the photo is the actual prototype map link.

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=...7e4DVgcnkeesIxQ&cbp=12,358.4672121107694,,0,5








http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v...&scene=35154762&phx=0&phy=0&phscl=1&encType=1

 

[Cjcrescent]

I'm thinking about a new layout (again)

I went looking for hollow core doors at the recycle shed (council owned dump). lots of doors, I found 4 all the same thickness 35mm, no prices written on them. Big sign saying all $10 doors are free..........just happen to have a black marker pen in my pocket hehe. great start, free layout base, lol

Ken.

Ken;

The club that I was a member of in Mobile, Al had our display layout built on hollow core doors. These were 36" wide and 6.5' long. We cut them down to 6' in length, and installed a small filler to make the end solid again. We built a light frame underneath out of 2X2's. The modules were connected at the ends by using brass door hinges with removable pins.

This made for a strong but very light construction. The only limitation that we found was everything had to go up from this base. This made it harder to get the "long trestle across the deep gorge" effect. But we did OK with it. The layout was arranged with 5 doors on the sides and 2 doors on the ends. A nice 30X15 sectional layout that could be assembled in less than 45 minutes.

 

[NZRMac]

Thanks Guys, all good ideas. I'd still need a fascia board around the foam to support it? especially where the tracks come over the edge?

Ken.

 

[brubakes]

Nice work so far.

 

[UP2CSX]

Ken, you don't "need" a fascia board but it makes the layout look nicer. If you have tracks less than 2" from the edge of the layout, having a fascia board that extends a few inches above the top surface can prevent some big falls when your train decides to got rocketing off the track.

 

[68 Camaro]

NZR Mac,

Lance Mindheim used baseboard trim for the fasica board on his Miami layout. This time, I will probably use the same. I initially used 1/8" thick hardboard and it worked really well especially when going into corners since it is very pliable. I enclosed a photo of the hardboard fasica.

Check Lance Mindheims "Voodoo & Palmettoes "Downtown Spur" at www.lancemindheim.com to see the base board trim fasica.

 

[NZRMac]

Hey that looks really nice.

I'm wondering if the foam will support the tracks etc at the edges where it joins the next module?
I thought if a fascia was there it would support the track and I could put pins thru to align with the next module?

Ken.

 

[68 Camaro]

The layout above is done with 1x4x8' square sections. They are butted up end to end. This is not a modular setup. The fasica is there to dress up the edges. The foam base in the photo is 2" thick. I have seen layouts where the foam is setting on a 1x4 grid without any sub-base material. I am a proponet of "lighter is better" and the sections in the photo above are that. They are strictly 1x4x8' sections with 2" foam glued to the grid work. Definately easy to move around, but not modular. I don't intend to stand on it.

 

[NZRMac]

Ooops, I'm asking if my modular style layout, foam, will support track at the edges?

Ken.