The Carolina Sandhills Lines in HO Scale

[Dave V]

You laugh, but it happens.  Part of the reason I want to switch over to Sergent Couplers.  Much less slack action.

DFF

I served with Sergeant Couplers.  He was in my squadron back in the day.

[davefoxx]

I served with Sergeant Couplers.  He was in my squadron back in the day.

Ba dum tiss.   

DFF

[jpec]

I served with Sergeant Couplers.  He was in my squadron back in the day.

I was with Cpl. Punishment in the BTU

[mu26aeh]

My commanding office was Sergeant Slaughter

[Kisatchie]

I was with Cpl. Punishment in the BTU

We're currently waiting on Private, Major and Genera jokes...


Hmm... enlisted men
aren't funny...

[davefoxx]

Alright, alright.  You guys are clogging up my thread.  So, bringing this back on topic, it's time that construction has begun.  A few days ago, I built the table legs.  Tonight, I built the L-girders and connected them to the legs.  The L-girders are built from a 1"x4" web and a 1"x3" flange, giving me plenty of strength and a significant area to screw the joists to the frame.  Most of the joists are not actually screwed to the L-girder yet, but I wanted to get a feel for the size of the table, which is 6' x 10'.  The 1"x2" joists' lengths will eventually be trimmed, as possible to fit the track plan, to avoid the plain old rectangular table.  My next real task is to cut some 1"x2" material and build the angled braces to secure the table legs and ensure they're plumb.



I'm loving the casters, as it's cake to roll this frame around the room, while I jockey everything around.  Regrettably, I'm going to have to take down the HO layout on the HCD, so I can move some bookshelves to make room for the new layout's space.

Oh, and most of this wood is clear poplar, which was the best quality in the sizes of lumber that I needed.  The white pine was atrocious.  I may have paid a little bit more, but I want a solid frame that is as square, straight, and sturdy as possible.

DFF

[mu26aeh]

Thread drift 

[glakedylan]

great work with the carpentry, Dave...looking good!
thanks for sharing...
sincerely
Gary

[Dave V]

I was with Cpl. Punishment in the BTU

In all seriousness, though, the DO of my first unit (21st Air Support Operations Squadron) was a Major Hassel.   

So Dave, I'm following the benchwork build...  I've been less than pleased with past experiences using the cheap pine, so thanks for the tip on polar!  Plus, I really haven't built real benchwork in 16 years (my last HO layout).  The CMRy has a 2.5 x 5 foot table framed of 1x2s and 1x3s with a nice piece of birch plywood, but no legs.

I've been debating on whether I really even need plywood at all, or if I can just use foam on the frame.  The bus wires can be suspended between joists.  What are your thoughts?

[davefoxx]

@Dave Vollmer,

Depending on how far apart your joists are, you likely don't need plywood.  2" foam is fairly sturdy.  I'm going to use 1/4" lauan plywood under mine for several reasons:

1) I'm building sectional pieces (approximately 4'6" x 6'), so that I can take the layout apart one day and get it out of my basement.  A little extra sturdiness built into the layout pieces is a good thing, especially while disassembling and moving the layout.  I'd rather overbuild the layout than underbuild it;
2) I spread the joists out to 18" on center, so a little extra support won't hurt;
3) It'll be easier to glue and screw the plywood to the narrow joists, giving me a much larger area to glue the foam to the plywood; and
4) If I decide to install Tortoises or Blue Point switch machines, I'll already have the plywood to screw the machines to the bottom of the layout.

Hope this helps,
DFF

[casmmr]

Good wood is a problem in this day.  Neither BIG BOX home improvement store has good pine in this day.  When you look in the store, you see it going all directions.  The clear white pine is pricy and no better than the #2 or #3 white pine.  Even plywood will cup and warp.  I found a piece of 1x12 #2 white pine I purchased in 1974 when cleaning out my mom's basement about a year ago, it was about 4' long and was stored on a end, it was as straight as the day I bought it.  That day is long past.  Poplar is now your best choice.

[davefoxx]

Sadly, it still took a lot of sorting to even pick out decent pieces of poplar.  It was a challenge.  I also forgot to mention that I visited three stores before I chose where to buy the lumber.  The quality of wood is terrible.

You're right about the plywood, too.  I bought a 2' x 4' section for my daughter's new N scale layout.  Out of more than one dozen pieces, I found only one that had just a minimal curl to it.

DFF

[chuck geiger]

While binge watching YOU TUBE videos, Conrail Joe said the best way to get 1x2's is get a fresh stack, that
has been banded together. Less warpage.

[conrail98]

While binge watching YOU TUBE videos, Conrail Joe said the best way to get 1x2's is get a fresh stack, that
has been banded together. Less warpage.

Yep, get items that are banded. For a little switching layout I just started I bought even the cheapest furring strips and bought them in bands. I laid them flat and kept them banded and had no worse warping on them then I got from any other high grade wood I've bought for woodworking in my basement environment. i do the same getting poplar or pine or oak from L/HD. In fact, if I can swing it, I'll get the 6' pieces that are sometimes down below laying flat and not standing up on edge,

Phil

[p51]

Thread drift

I had an NCO (three striper E-5 type) in my company with the last name of 'Major'. Nobody would call him, "Sergeant Major" for obvious reasons. People actually called him, "E Five Major" instead!
I once flew in a Chinook with a pilot with the last name of Massengil. You can imagine what his nickname was!
My last name is Bishop and I used to get calls all the time from people who’d look through the Battalion phone book and saw there was an officer with that last name, assuming I was the chaplain without stopping to look at the roles by the names. I wasn’t even in HHC, which owned the real chaplain (who was an odd former ROK –Korean Army- infantryman). It got old, and once I was so annoyed with a solider seeking absolution over the phone for some comical sin, I told him to say ten hail Maries and to turn around 4 times and spit.
I’ve always assumed he did it after the call.