Baseboards:
Underside view of the first three baseboards.
Baseboard Construction:
There is nothing too revolutionary about the baseboards. They are constructed from 6mm and 9mm birch plywood, 9mm for the tops and ends and 6mm elsewhere. As I needed to have a different level for the "water level" at the dockside I arranged for a lower level area at the front and rear.
The boards are joined with pattern makers dowels and M6 bolts, wing nuts and tee nuts, both threaded and un-threaded as appropriate. To date nothing has moved and it all still lines up perfectly.
I feel it is very important to include diagonal bracing in the baseboard construction as this resists any twisting of the boards.
The boards are joined with pattern makers dowels and M6 bolts, wing nuts and tee nuts, both threaded and un-threaded as appropriate. To date nothing has moved and it all still lines up perfectly.
I feel it is very important to include diagonal bracing in the baseboard construction as this resists any twisting of the boards.
I decided that to support the boards I would construct a separate trestle that would be erected first and the boards then laid and assembled on top.
To avoid too many trips between van and hall when setting up at shows I wanted the trestle to be in one unit. This picture shows the trestle as a folded unit for transport.
It is basically a framework of ex 3" x 1" planed softwood with ex 1" x 1" cross members. The legs are ex 1.5" x 1.5" with 6mm ply horizontals top and bottom.
The folding system took a bit of working out but I'm sure you can see the principle. Good old "trial and error" calculated the precise dimensions!
To avoid too many trips between van and hall when setting up at shows I wanted the trestle to be in one unit. This picture shows the trestle as a folded unit for transport.
It is basically a framework of ex 3" x 1" planed softwood with ex 1" x 1" cross members. The legs are ex 1.5" x 1.5" with 6mm ply horizontals top and bottom.
The folding system took a bit of working out but I'm sure you can see the principle. Good old "trial and error" calculated the precise dimensions!
Here the trestle has been unfolded and set up ready to receive the baseboards.
I've not found it necessary to physically locate the boards in position on the trestle. Their weight stops them from moving and also allows easy adjustment to get everything neatly lined up.
I've not found it necessary to physically locate the boards in position on the trestle. Their weight stops them from moving and also allows easy adjustment to get everything neatly lined up.
Here are the first three boards viewed from the top, ready to be placed on the trestle.
The boards and trestle were given a coat of clear varnish to seal them before any further work was carried out.
A fourth board has now been added to extend the scenic section and provide a short run before trains enter the fiddle yard. Construction is similar to the other boards. This has of course necessitated building an extension to the trestle as well, which simply "hooks" onto the end of the existing trestle.