Today I finished the last section of L-Grider supports and bolted them to the wall. Then I loaded module 08 on top of the supports. Next step is to glue insulation foam. draw the tracks, install roadbed and track. Then run trains!!! Joe
After a two day break, yesterday I cut 12 pieces of 1x2in. boards to install on the ends of each module so I can bolt them together with 1/4in x 2 1/2in bolts, 2 per module joint. I'm installing them now and will match drill after that. Joe
I have been working on attaching wood blocks to the end of each module and ran into problems right off the bat. The block was separating from the module when I was trying to drill. A bar clamp would be the right tool for the job, but I couldn't find the three in our storage unit. So I cut out the insulation foam enough to allow me to use a large opening C clamp. Was able to attach six blocks, five tonight and one yesterday, about a hour each night. Joe
Last night I match drilled three module joints with the blocks that I attached yesterday. Still have to add two pieces of Masonite, cut scenery contours and drill. Today I cut off some spacers on the bottom of module 05, cut a foot off module 06 and cut some spacers of 1/4in Birch plywood to compensate for the difference between 3/4in. and 1in. insulation foam. Only 3/4in. foam is available in our area. Does anyone know where I can buy some 1in. and 2in.insulation foam in the Tulsa area? I will have to remove the road bed and replace it with new cork because it's in the wrong place with module 06 being a foot shorter. Module 06 will have a passing track and two industry spurs, one is going to be a stock yard or a oil refinery, they are interchangeable, the other will be a team track for Van Buren. Next is attaching the wood blocks, match drill and install the bolts between modules 05 and 06, 06 and 07, and if I have time modules 07 and 08. Tomorrow I will start drawing tracks!!! Joe Wood block on module 03 Modules 04 and 05 joint bolted together Module 06 cut off one foot in length. Modules 03, 04 and 05 bolted together Modules 06 and 07 bolted together, also bolted together modules 05 and 06. Edit: Added verbiage to the photos.
It's been awhile since I gave an update. After bolting modules 03, 04, 05, 06 and 07 together I attached blocks to modules 09, 10 and 11, will match drill them tonight. This leaves modules 01, 02 and 08 needing work. Module 08 is the most complicated module on the layout. There will be a lot of elevation change, a low level Creek to high level mountains along with a steel trestle that is 24in. long and 8 3/16in. high. I want to use Micro Engineering's steel trestle 75-519, sold on their website for $37. I haven't checked eBay yet, seems like I saw one for about $24 on eBay awhile back, heading to eBay next. Joe
I'm back from eBay and the bridge I spoke about is about $35 to $43. One thing I want to show you about how I match drill the bolt holes. It's called a Porkchop in the aircraft industry and it consists of a five gears, an input shaft that goes into the drill motor and output shaft with a 1/4in. threaded collet with a 1/4in. drill bit. The gearbox doesn't increase or decrease the speed of the drill, it does offset the drill from the drill motor by 2 3/8in. This makes it easier to drill in tight spaces. Also have a mini chuck that I can use for 1/4in. and smaller drill bits, only use it for extra special situations because it's a little fragile. Joe
Tonight, I attached blue 1in. insulation foam on modules 01, 02, 03, 09, 10 and 11. I used caulking as glue, a credit card size piece of plastic as a spreader and toothpicks to keep the modules in alignment. Sometime Sunday I plan on cutting Masonite for the end plates on the modules. Joe
Last Sunday night I started cutting the end plates out of Masonite and still working on it off and on. I decided to clean the hobby room instead of working on the layout last night. The photos show what tools I've been using to build the layout. My workbench is a two by six foot folding table from Office Depot. Joe
Tonight I worked on attaching the end plates, so far I've only been able to do three module joints. It's taking me a lot longer than I remember. The photo below is the end plate for module 05. Joe
This afternoon I completed the fourth set of end plates, hopefully I can get two or three more done tonight. Have six more end plate sets to go. At this rate I could finish the end plates tomorrow night. Also will start drawing tracks on modules 02, 03, 04, 06 and 07. Module 08 is the most complicated module on the layout. It has a low level stream and high level mountains along with a Micro Engineering steel trestle, may have to cut and splice one set of L-Girder supports to compensate for the height of the trestle. Module 08 will be the last module to build. Joe
Quick update, after a couple of days of company at our home and another couple of days taking a break, went back to work on the layout last night. I have only two end plates left to go and have module 08 about half way done. All of the other modules are match drilled and ready to draw tracks. Joe
Finally got to work on my layout day before yesterday afternoon by installing roadbed on module 05 and 06.Then the next day I installed track on module 06 and roadbed on module 07. There will be a passing track from the North end of module 05 to the South end of module 08, with a siding on the West side of the main. Joe
Early this morning I cut a couple of radius templates to help transfer my track lines, which is 19 inches on all mainline trackage. They were cut from a brown paper bag. I have a yardstick with holes drilled at the appropriate positions that I used to draw lines for tracks. The paper templates makes it easier, just flatten with your fingers and draw tracks. Joe
This afternoon I installed the main line roadbed on modules 02, 03 and 04. The other lines are for a passing track and three tracks for the yard. I will use Peco code 80 turnouts and flex track on the main and Atlas code 80 turnouts for the yard. Joe
Last night I installed roadbed for the passing track and three tracks for the yard. Next will be to tie them together where the turnouts go. Today I plan to install the track on all five lines. Joe
