Here is my planned Benchwork.
The Blue is 2 X 4's.
I plan the 8' uncut length with crossmembers at both ends inside.
The green are 2 x 4 but I'm considering 2 x 2's there.
The Magenta are 2 x 4 legs.
[IMG]http://www.metrocast.net/~catpurk/Pics/11_x_24_benchwork(lo-res).bmp[/IMG]
Link to Higher res here:
Big View of Benchwork
Please make recommendations on the leg placement/count in the center bench VS the far left one.
I plan 1/4" T-Nuts and bolts in the leg ends for height adjustment.
Planned height to bottom of plywood is 32"
then 1/2" ply, then 3" pink foam for sculpting in streams, rivers etc.
I'm doing western Colorado so LOTS of vertical is a must.
There will be a mountain around the 2 water heaters and the chimney shown in the rt loop as circles and a solid rect. Track will spiral up around it.
The elevated benchwork for that is not shown here.
Right now I'm on temp benchwork and I need to get this started.
Thanks, Russell

Nice design Russell! I would leave the green cross members 2 X 4's and I would use the same leg configuration as the far left table with the center table. You may not plan on climbing on it but you will, nothing like having a solid table that won't shake and wobble when your balancing on top of it.

Paul

2 x 4s are overkill. You can use 1 x 4s for the basic framework and 2 x 4s for legs. Consider L-girder benchwork--it's efficient and very strong. There are books on benchwork design that have been available for years. There's no need to reinvent the wheel.

Very nice work. I have used a similar design, but not with 2x4s. (Used 1 1/4 x4 for sides and cross pieces, 2x3s for the legs - but I don't intend to ever stand on mine, and I also went somewhat modular so the tables could be moved.)

As Paul said, if you want to be able to crawl or stand on top of it if necessary, you should be able to with this heavy duty design. Depending on your reach, I would possibly be worried about the upper left corner, you will likely need a step stool (or climb on top) to get to this area. This design should also help support the extra weight as you stated you will have quite a few levels running.

I'll second the recommendation for the left 4x8 table leg configuration. If for no other reason, if you do ever have to stand on it (or even lean heavily), it can't easily tip. The center 4x8 leg configuration could tip upwards, though it's probably very unlikely due to the weight of the 2x4s.

I would suggest the center 2x4 going down the middle of the slim right hand section near the water heater might be overkill, but I guess that was done due to the need to have the "cut out" where the water heater stands.

Best of luck, and when you get it worked out, pictures please!

-Dave

BTW, you mentioned bolts for height adjustments, what do you plan for the actual 2x4 to 2x4 interface?

Screws? Carriage Bolts? Nails?

-Dave

Properly constructed L-girder benchwork will carry your weight. I'll say again-2 x 4s are overkill.

Another vote for 1x4s instead of 2x4s. I would also space the bracing on 16" centers instead of 24". Not necessary for overall strength, but it would reduce the potential for annoying "plywood rumble" train noise.

And don't forget to provide some openings for access to those far corners, as well as planning for how to replace those water heaters someday when they fail, as you start building those mountains around them.

A very neat space for a layout - well planned.

Jim

Russell,

If the benchwork is against a wall at the top, it's going to be very difficult to access portions of the top of the layout unless you have either an access hole, or room to walk/crawl on top of the layout.

Russell:

The 1 by 4s would work, but I used 2 by 4s for the table surface and legs for super strength. Because of the size of my table, 23 by 36, I knew I would be spending a lot of time on top of the benchwork, so it was worth it to me to go with added strength. This also allowed for fewer legs, so working underneath is a breeze. My creeper and I are best friends.

In the final analysis, both will work. Go with what you feel is most comfortable for you. Good luck as you start one of the best parts of model railroading, building your layout.

OK, I expected the 2 x 4 was heavy, which is why I'm considering 2 x 2 for the internal crosspieces. All the 1 x 4 in the area is crap, warped, split, etc.
I also don't want to spend the time to make L girder. I also don't have the tooling to do it right. Reducing to 18" spread on those is do-able, I will consider that. I realize the top left is going to be a tough reach. the track is O-72 around that corner and I'm dropping a building there.
I already plan a couple stools in the are as I have young family members that will want to run the trains.
This will be modular in that each section will be attached to the others with loose pin hinges. If I work the Scenery right I'll be able to open it up. I will be able to stand inside with the heaters even without that.
Here is a Track Layout That I'm still adjusting.
Particularly, I'm not happy with the Yard yet.

I am replacing one of the water heaters prior to putting in the Rt side. It's about shot.
Thanks, Russell

I'm not aware of any special tools needed to construct L-girders. Actually, L-girder benchwork is far easier and quicker to build than open grid. I would look for a better lumber yard if I couldn't find decent 1 x 4s.

I started my tabletop benchwork with several 3'x6' sections. I used 2"x3" lumber for the legs and 1"x3" for the frame and all the cross-members (spaced at 18"). I also topped it with 1/2" plywood. It is plenty strong for my 185 lbs. which always seem to be on top of the table!

One thing I learned with plywood is that it's not always the same thickness. I've leveled up the cross-members only to learn that their were slightly different thickness if plywood that I've bought at different times.

I would try to get the biggest T-nuts that you can find. Thus, I would recommend 3/8" if you can find them, otherwise 5/16". The thicker the bolt, the larger the head and the more surface area that is actually on the floor.

Jim

I broke every rule of benchwork when building mine - including using 2 x 4s because that was what was available to me. Looking back I would do a lot of things differently, but I went with what I had.

I agree that L-girder construction and 1x4's is the best way to go.

2x4's or 2x3's are overkill in any part of benchwork.

Buy a copy of Lynn Wescott's book on L-Girder benchwork. You'll use a lot less lumber (and save lots of money). The 1x4's used in L-girder benchwork don't even have to be very nice to produce strong and even more importantly, rigid benchwork. The l-girders are very fast and easy to make and require no tools other than a screwdriver and a saw. In fact the 1x4's are so easy and fast to cut that a power saw isn't even needed.

As others have said, L-girder construction is actually simpler and requires less critical cuts than a rectangular grid. In the grid method you are planning, each cross brace must fit precisely between the side pieces.

In the L-girder, the joists do not have to be as precisely cut since they lay on top of the L-girders, not between them. Plus you have the advantages of being able to round the corners and create easy cut-out access panels without disrupting a grid. Legs can be set back away from the edges of the table and fewer of them are required.

Jim

You need the six legs as shown in the left corner table. The center table with only four legs, I would not do.

In the upper left corner, I assume you are going to have a curved track there, so just leave the corner open behind the curve so you can get up in there for better reach.

I used 2 X 2 legs and 1 X 4 side members and cross members spaced every 16". It's strong enough.
.....
Dennis

For fine tuning leg height, these adjustable padded bolts are available at Lee Valley. They fit perfectly into the end of a 2x2.
http://www.leevalley.com/hardw...41&cat=3,40993,41283

I would not use 2x4s or 2x3s in layout construction; 1x4s, especially in L girder, are just as strong. 2x4 and 2x3 warp cannot be controlled. At the big boxes in my area, 2x4 and 2x3 are construction grade spruce, 1x4 is cabinet grade pine. The big box stores let customers pick the pile and I can always come away with enough wood for a couple of tables. When dropping wires or adding undertable switch machines, a 2x4 has twice as much wood as a 1x4 to get in the way.

Also, before you start, take a laser level and mark a horizontal reference line on your basement walls. The legs that you use in the corners of your basement will be shorter than those in the part of the basement near the drain.

To repeat what Dennis has written, leave off the corner of your leftmost table so that you can pop up behind it.

This may be obvious, but I'll mention it anyway: no nails; screws only and floor or deck screws are much preferred over drywall screws. Legs should be bolted, not screwed, to the frame; lag bolts are good.

Allan

This message has been edited. Last edited by: northeast,

I used the same leg layout that you propose and it worked out fine. I used 1x4 for everything else. I did not find it necessary to run a 1x4 down the center I simply used 1x4's the full width of the table. This saved a lot of cutting and extra screws. I used to drills to speed things up. One had the counter sink bit and the other had the screw driver bit.

Al

OK, Sounds like L girder is the most recommended, So I'm looking into that.
Home Schleppo has no decent lumber here. Lowers is not much better and EXPENSIVE. I went to a local Yard and got decent stuff at mid price for the ply. I'll ask there. The lot is not open for you to wander around and look at stuff. But I expect they have the best material around here. The 2 x 4's were MUCH better than the big boxes. And they did let me choose my pieces. L Girder is new to me but I found some data on the net. It looks simple enough & I can get the book if I get stuck. I expected clamping to be required for it but it appears not to need them (just glue & screw it together, I'm using alphatic (sp) resin for my glue). I can use the 2 x 4's for my legs, they work out nice for my desired height. 3 legs per board. 32" legs, Girder top, Ply, 3" foam and I'm up around 37" track ht on the flat. The Mountain track will go up 18" at the top. At a 2.5% grade I can make it according to RRtrack But that a long way off. I just got the track to make the larger curves out on the right this month.
But I'm holding back installing it until I get real benchwork in there. It's very tempting to slap a 1 x 12 in there and lay track, but I'd just have to rip it back up later.
On another note, whats the consensus on OSB? I was given some and it's light & has a nice surface, but I am curious about it's strength & sound characteristics compared to ply of the same thickness.
Also to cut down the Rumble I plan on cutting the ply or OSB into 2' X 4' sections. So a 4 X 8' sheet becomes 4 sections side by side of 4' x 2'. This should help reduce noise transfer across the layout.
On top of the ply I will have 3" or more of Pink Foam for sculpting rivers, ditches, ponds and such into.
since I'm modeling Western Colorado I need a lot of depth. I am considering Homasote on top of that but will experiment first to see if it's needed. I have a couple sheets of Homasote to use in comparison tests both sheet and cookie cut. I will let everyone know how it works out. Since my track is RealTrax, I expect to need all the noise damping I can get. Does anyone have recommendations on cutting Homasote?

Later, Russell