roofintrash
Well-Known Member
There are tons of u-tube vids on how to work with that stuff, and it looks real easy to assemble. Just figured it would maybe work out for your conditions.
You did say a "sure fire way". Can't get much more sure fire than a Battleship. What makes the real difference in plywoods are the number of plies themselves, i.e. 5 is better than 3 and 7 is better than 5, so on and so on. As is the hardness of the wood the plies are cut from.. Plywood is very much favored in the US as bracing on stick frame houses and is probably more weather and damp proof. Usually doesn't have a really smooth finish, but that's not so important and you can sand it somewhat if you want. Personally, I wouldn't go below 5 ply.Toot you make it out that I need to build a battleship layout. 3/4 ply is heavy! I suppos it wouldn't warp as badly if at all.
Where there is excessive moisture, there is warping, however there can be other contributing factors.I had wanted to purchase all the materials today before the storm hit. With current prices of lumber I was afraid to invest that much for fears of it all warping again. Is there a sure fire way to avoid warping? Is it something I'm going to have to learn to deal with?
I have considered using foam. I wasn't sure of it's advantages over plywood or what the issues would be if I used it.Just throwing this out there.....could you eliminate some of the material susceptible to warpage, like the plywood? Open grid bench work supports rigid foam nicely. That was the method I used on my first layout, 2" rigid foam on 1"x4" select pine lumber open grid bench work. Any expansion/contraction issues resulted in the foam joints moving horizontally, didn't have a problem with any vertical movement.
Ok so out of curiosity if I were to do a flat table what style bench work should I use? L girder? I do have a jigsaw so sub roadbed is an option.Since you are going to make it 'open grid' benchwork, do you plan on having risers supporting jig sawed sub-roadbed ply attached to it ?
Or are you planning a flat table ? Because, in the end, if you go flat table, you don't need open grid style benchwork...
I read your thread a couple times and I think you have fully addressed the warping issue with the foam. However, if your plywood base bowed, it would take an edgewise glued 1 x 4" or similar. Still, if you have humidity issues you might be fighting that perennially.I find that 48" at my age is ok. My current layout is 36". I work on it just fine. Then again I'm young still as well. Now I use 1/2 plywood as well. That's what I used for my current layout. The previous layout was 3/8. It warped to the point I couldn't run my trains anymore. So I upgraded. I had thought we had a conversation about my current layout in regards to it's location and the conditions it in. My layout resides in my garage. So it falls victim to all sorts of conditions. Even though I have air vents in the garage to help with temperature it's still gets rather cold in the winter and hot in the summer. I blame my current issues on the shoddy 2x4s I used for the sides. I went against my better judgement. Looking at other layout bench work in all the books I have and they all use 1x4s for the framework. After looking at my warp spots. None of them seem to be caused by the 1x4s I used. Then again I may be missing something as well. I re-used 1x4s from the last layout. This go around I plan to use all un-used lumber. Rule out any concerns with my current lumber. So that's where I'm at.
You know I've read both good and bad on using osb board for a layout. Most have said that it is prone to obsorbing moisture. Which wouldn't work for me in my current location. Now the fix for it was to seal it. Which has been suggested I do to my next layout. I wish I could have a dedicated room for my trains. The garage is like a dungeon. It's my biggest plague to my layouts.I read your thread a couple times and I think you have fully addressed the warping issue with the foam. However, if your plywood base bowed, it would take an edgewise glued 1 x 4" or similar. Still, if you have humidity issues you might be fighting that perennially.
The 1 x 4's should be straight grained and large knots should not be present.
My new layout is at 48" and I am just starting to lay down the track. I use sheathing as the base, which is set about 1" below grade of my key features. So, I lay out the plywood and build above it for the most part. It makes a good workbase and I can go up a lot.
I do not like foam at all because it feels "weak" to me. A totally personal feeling.
I go about it somewhat backwards in that I start with my surface, which in this case is 7/16" OSB. I cut out the size I need outdoors and reinforce it outside as well, then bring in to the train room and assemble. I just kind of keep reinforcing it until it is strong enough. This doesn't work for everyone.
This layout in progress is 48" in height. The room is 8':
View attachment 139082
To enter you duckunder where I am standing taking the picture. Door is closet, cut out to access. With a more open bottom, access is a breeze for even a 64 year old.
My legs are 2-2x4 screwed together.
I await your progress, Dave LASM