Benchwork Design
Really nice stuff, Mitch! I am glad you posted! Wonder if you are working on a layout now or are willing to show us a track plan you are contemplating?
I haven't actually got a track plan as such, I'm more just sketching and erasing ideas directly onto the benchwork surfaces. I do have a photo of the benchwork though. It's not fully complete, but it's a start. It's an unusual design because I didn't want to go through the expense of entirely brand new benchwork, and my old layout is quite permanent. I realised I would rather be shot between the thighs with some kind of gun that fires cacti then spend hours and hours slowly chipping away at ancient liquid nails, cork, gravel and plaster left over from the previous layout's surfaces...
I turned to the CPR's Stoney Creek Bridge predicament for inspiration, and the new layout has been built
over the top of the old layout. The design means the new surface can be cut away leaving the old surface as a base for land form depressions, creeks, rivers, etc. Once the layout benchwork is complete and the fascia is installed, the old layout remains will be completely boxed in and hidden from view. It's kind of like a cross between a Shelf Layout, Cookie Cutter Benchwork, and an N Scale Mausoleum.
Here's some pics:
This picture is from when I was building my previous layout. It gives an idea of the original design of the benchwork, and how the brackets have been constructed. It also shows the backdrop and the early stages of the light box a bit, too. I'm fortunate to have a father who constructed the original brackets and assisted with the backdrop at the time. He's a perfectionist though, I swear the brackets were designed to support real trains!!
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This was the first 'riser' as such installed. The old layout had two extensions to allow for loops which formed a folded dogbone type of layout. The new layout will be bridged across the front and the height of the layout, being a shelf layout, means only a duckunder was necessary as opposed to lift out sections. The upper brackets are from my previous layout's light box. I plan retain the brackets and rebuild the entire light box to a higher standard.
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This is how the layout is currently. I purchased brand new 7mm plywood and had it cut to size at the local timber and hardware shop (Good ol' Bunnings, for you Australians). The ply was attached to pine risers which I spaced randomly apart, and oriented in random directions. This was necessary given the uneven surface of plaster, gravel, foam and other modelling bits and pieces still present from the previous layout. I'm pleased to say the spacing and random placement of the pine risers has only positively impacted the strength and rigidity of the new ply surface.
Most of the ply has been attached with liquid nails. I tend to try and avoid steel nails or screws if I can in my construction. Once I hammered in a nail on the old layout and the force reverberated through the wall that the shelf was attached to, and knocked the lounge room clock off the wall!!
Some tidying up is evident between the two photos... Usually if I put something neatly away, I forget where I've put it and can never find it again!!
Hope you guys like it,
Mitch
