Leg Bolts and T-Nuts

Errr, scraps of plywood/hardboard =8^( I've been intending to raid the local $2- shop for plastic castor cups but there's always more important things to do.

Regards, Greg.P.

You could just get actual leg levelers. Available at most (all?) hardware stores. Basicly the same thing as you are using, but with a smooth surface on the head (plastic or brass), designed to be non-marring on floors.

Electronic places sometimes have round plastic caps intended to protect round connectors ("Cannon plugs"). They come in lots of different sizes in bright primary colors. On-line places are Digikey and All Electronics. Funny you should mention the spare bedroom. I have been plotting similar things for my spare/guest bedroom. I'd like to have the layout movable, so that it could be taken down and stored when I have house guests. I have been thinking of putting bookshelf standards (metal channel with lots of slots to accept shelf holder-uppers) on the wall. The room is finished in hardwood paneling rather than sheetrock, so finding studs is easier. The layout would be made up of 4 foot long by 1 foot wide modules resting upon the metal shelf holder-uppers. Modules could be removed to the shop for messy operations (ballasting and scenicking) keeping messy stuff off the wall-to-wall. Modules would have a backdrop on the wall side and a one inch high Plexiglas railing on the outside to prevent derailments from leading to a trip to the floor. Carriage bolts and wing nuts bond the modules together. Some cheap multi pin connector would carry power and signals from module to module. Lift out sections or really really big drawbridges would get the track across the doors. Surely someone has tried something like this?

David Starr

I've used elevator bolts for leg leveling and footings.

gives an example. Its been several years since I bought any, but they were available at Home Depot at the time. With the relatively large head, you should have a good selection of doodads (technical term) to protect the floor.

fl@liner

This tagline has been certified to contain no political rants.

I've used elevator bolts for leg leveling and footings.

gives an example. Its been several years since I bought any, but they were available at Home Depot at the time. With the relatively large head, you should have a good selection of protective caps to protect the floor.

fl@liner

I've used elevator bolts for leg leveling and footings.

gives an example. Its been several years since I bought any, but they were available at Home Depot at the time. With the relatively large head, you should have a good selection of protective caps to protect the floor.

fl@liner

Here's what I use. Item 9444 under "Threaded Stem Glides". Fancy name for something that's easy to use and works well. I get them at Home Depot here in the US but I'm sure similar products can be found at home improvement/hardware stores just about anywhere.

Also, have you thought about building a shelf layout *without* legs?

Stevert

David, I am doing that very thing. I am using 30 inch wide by 4 foot long units hung on the heavy duty double slot standards and heavy duty double slot brackets that are 24 inches long. The units are at the bottom of the standard and I have put shelves above. When I had to span the door way, I did it as high as I could. It was about eye level so I would not have to bend much to get into the train room. (I don't bend that much anymore). (G)

>

Hmm. I was thinking in terms of the more traditional 34-40 inch height to allow seeing right to the back wall. Also I need to run under/level to a window ledge with is about 36". I visualized a lift out section for the door to avoid the duck under problem. Are the 24 ' shelf holder-uppers steady enough? I was going to do modules out of blue foam board with maybe 3/4" wood frames around them, which ought to be light enough.

David Starr

I like my RR at chest height, since it is so shallow.

You should be able to do that. I am using 1X4 frame with hardboard deck, since I am doing a flat city with lakeport. The Double standard has 4 wall mount holes in 25 inches. If you can locate them on studs, and lag bolt them in the framing will fall down before the standards come off the wall. At 36" you will have a tough time working under the railroad for the few times you will need to crawl under there. My current RR is at 54" and one section will span across a 6' window with a 10 foot section.

Thanks for the suggestions, all. I kind of like the threaded stem glides. We have a Home Depot so I'll have to check them out and see if they have any. If not, I'll have to order some I guess.

Regarding the shelf idea, I have considered it but it wouldn't really work well in this room. There are two doors, including a closet I need access to, and a double window. I'm not fond of the idea of having to remove or replace sections every time I want to run trains or leave the room. That just leaves running a track around the ceiling and I'll pass on that.

I kind of like the idea of a multi level shelf layout on one or two walls but I don't want to mess with the helix. Maybe someday.

It will push the railroad further from the wall, but think about a switchback.

To get up to a second level? Seems to me that if you want to get any reasonable separation between the levels it would take a lot of length to get up there. Has this sort of thing actually been successfully done? In a small to medium sized room?

I don't know. I was just throwing out a suggestion for consideration.

Thinking about it, one might need 3 or 4 switchbacks to make the distance, and they wouldn't necessarily take up that much room. (depending on the grade and the distance to climb.)

Frank A. Rosenbaum with quill in hand, penned :

My current module construction using switchbacks might be useful for this application

Railroad Module Pics

Now those are the kind of pictures I like to see, pictures of nice home layouts in progress, thanks for posting the link.

I do appreciate the switchback suggestion, it's just probably not for me. I think the multi shelf approach is a nice way to get more out of a limited space but I'm not fond of the idea of putting all those holes in my walls. If I did do it I would likely use a helix. It seems easier to suspend belief that the train would be traveling to a distant local (the second shelf, say) if you can just let it run up there without all the manual back and forth work a switchback would require.

iarwain snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com with quill in hand, penned :

You are welcome..

Understood, everyone has different needs.. I live in a mobile home, so no basement or attic..[g] Have to fit around SWMBO [g]. I have since moved Module 2 into computer/workbench room, for on going work. I have mounted the rear on a temporary piano hinge to a counter, with a fold down leg.. so that getting at the bottom is easy now.

If I did do it I would likely use a helix. It

I am currently working on designing a matrix and routing system incorporating sensors and tortoise machines to automate switches depending on route selected, hopefully, eventually going to use CTI

to control layout. Then all I have to worry about is actually driving the engine [g]

Plus, each switch is far more prone to derailment problems, switch machine motor problems, etc. A piece of track that has no moving parts is nicer that way.

Just to follow up, I did end up buying some stem glides from Home Depot. In fact, in that section of the store they had quite a few useful products that could have served, several of them noted in this thread. So there's plenty of stuff there to choose from, but I liked the stem glides.