Question about door layouts

[MichaelT]

Good day,

A quick question about the hollow core door layouts that are popular among N scale hobbyists. I picked up one from a guy who was getting out of N scale, it needs some work but I look forward to working with it. The foam base is not glued to the door, something he just didn't get around to doing. With that thought, I'm considering building a 1x3 frame to glue the foam onto, in the same footprint as the door would be. My thought is the frame and foam would be extremely lightweight, possibly allowing for one person to handle it.

I guess I'm just wondering if the lure of the door is because it's no fuss, no cuts, no screws, etc?

Michael

[Chris333]

The door should just about be as light as a frame of 1x3's. Unless it is a solid door. Most layouts are built on hollow core doors. They have like a 1x3" frame around the edges with 2 thin sheet of ply on each side. The whole center is supported by a honey comb of corrugated cardboard.

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Build-a-Home-Office/step1/Anatomy-of-a-Hollow-Core-Door-Slab/

[ednadolski]

A hollow core door would be much more rigid than a 1x3 frame of the same size.

Also with the door, you don't have to make joints, and a door won't warp like most 1x3 solid lumber today will.

Ed

[Dave V]

A hollow core door would be much more rigid than a 1x3 frame of the same size.

Also with the door, you don't have to make joints, and a door won't warp like most 1x3 solid lumber today will.

Ed

I actually have noted some minor sagging in my hollow-core door layout as it nears its fourth year of existence.  It's enough that free-rolling equipment is difficult to keep in one place when spotted on a siding.

[ednadolski]

I actually have noted some minor sagging in my hollow-core door layout as it nears its fourth year of existence.  It's enough that free-rolling equipment is difficult to keep in one place when spotted on a siding.

How is it supported?  Hollow core doors are only made to hang vertically, so if it is sagging over time then that says to me that it wants more support.

EDIT:  Is that the one with the pic in the "Newbie Needs layout advice" thread?   Looks to me like an extra set of legs in the center could maybe help with any kind of sag.

Ed

[Blazeman]

I recently completed my benchwork which was a frame of 1x4's with a cross piece at the middle as well as another one a foot in from the end )for the legs to attach to and not be in the way). 2" foam was then cut to fit on the sections which are bolted together to make a U.

I didn't use doors because the dimensions are much larger than doors (8X 3.5) with a 2'x 2.5" connector.

The 1x4's (#1 grade to boot) offered much better resistance to sway. Legs are 2x4's at the ends and 2x3's in the center.

The 2' foam is pricey. 4x8 sheets were $40 at the only yard in town that had them.

Right now, they sit comfortably on the frame. Plan is to use 3.5" screws through the foam into the frame to secure the alignment of the foam.

[Dave V]

Ed,

Sorry I didn't see your question earlier.  Yes, More legs would help, but don't fit into the portability scheme that is the whole reason I'm on a door in the first place.  When and if the Juniata Division ever finds a permanent home, if the door stays a part of the layout it will be mounted on L-girder and un-warped.

[MichaelT]

I ran some engines and stock on this door layout I picked up from a friend last night. There is one inner curve that is about 10" radius that I personally don't like, although the 2-8-0 pulled a couple of heavyweight coaches around it without any perceivable problems. There are some track issues (it's all code 80) that I have to work on, and some wiring issues (will probably pull the Atlas panels off and start over) and it needs much more scenery and structures, but for now it's a good "go-to" and I can plug it in and run a train now...so some stress has been relieved!

I do want to widen that small inner curve, and I'm pretty sure I can without making too much remodeling work to the outer curve.

[TrainCat2]

I am seriously considering build a door layout myself for some switching fun and have been wondering what to do about turnouts. My big 2-car garage layout (gobbled up by hurricane Andrew) had Tortoises for automated TO's and Rix throw bars for manual TO's. With the wood and then foam on top for door layouts, I am assuming that most people are using ground throws. Is this a correct assumption, or what are builders doing for electrically operated TO's ?

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I had covered my door in 2" foam, which then introduces a host of other under-the-table mounting issues, but my plan for the current project is to route in holes and then place a thin sheet of plywood on top to provide a mounting base.

[ednadolski]

I had covered my door in 2" foam, which then introduces a host of other under-the-table mounting issues, but my plan for the current project is to route in holes and then place a thin sheet of plywood on top to provide a mounting base.

Do you mean a thin sheet of plywood on top of the foam, so that the hole for the Tortoise would go thru both the door and the foam layers?

I thought with a Tortoise you could just use a longer wire to go thru both the foam and the door, and thus have a much smaller hole.  The tradeoff is that the Tortoise sticks out from the bottom of the door, which may or may not be acceptable depending upon how you want your table legs set up.  One other plus is that the tortoise is much more accessible for maintenance/replacement.

Ed

[TrainCat2]

I have used foam and routed out the top of the foam to accept a piece of ply and a square hole through the foam for the Tortoise to be mounted to the underside of the ply. With the top of the ply even with the foam, you mount the TO points over the small hole for the Tortoise wire.

This works, but would make the the door into swiss cheese. Not to mention the problems of making track changes at a later time. With all of the door layouts out there, there has to be a better solution . . . Anyone . . .

[wcfn100]

Just put an open grid of 1x4s on top of the door and foam and lay 1/2"  ply on top of that for the subroadbed.  That will give you plenty of room for the switch machines and all the wiring.

Jason

[Philip H]

Just put an open grid of 1x4s on top of the door and foam and lay 1/2"  ply on top of that for the subroadbed.  That will give you plenty of room for the switch machines and all the wiring.

Jason

OK, but couldn't you just make that sandwich for the benchwork and eliminate the door altogether?

[wcfn100]

 


Jason