Baseboard fasteners

Squires model and craft tools

100 London Road, Bognor Regis, West Sussex, PO21 1DD 01243 842424

They're called Drawbolt or Toggle catches and you can get them at B&Q, Screwfix or Maplins.

for example.

Pete

We used to call them overcentre clips.

I know what you mean, and my advice is to use them with some sort of alignment device, such as pins one one baseboard and corresponding sockets on the other; these should be a snug fit, even to the point where it takes a little pressure to mate the baseboard ends. These snaps have just enough play both horizontally and vertically that the rails will not line up reliably every time.

HTH&HF

Having used both bolts and then later dowels and toggle clips, I can honestly say that I'll never go back to bolts. If only for the time saving bit. Trying to line up 6mm bolts in a 6point something hole that seems to changes shape/size as the wood expands and contracts is not fun. 6mm bolts in 8mm holes requires far more precision than any dowel/pin combination!

Wear?? On steel pins and alignment plates? Maybe if it was put up and down thousands of times. But we're only talking a maximum of a couple of hundred times over the lifetime of a portable layout. I had one layout that had alignment dowels made from broom handle and in the

40 or so shows it attended never suffered any alignment wear problems............

Cheers, Mick

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This may be referred to as 'toggle clips' or 'snap catches'. Try searching for 'flight case catches'. Also I've seen them advertised under pattern makers supplies for securing 'core boxes'.

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We use pattern makers alignment dowels. There are a variety of these available with the most commonly used types being the brass pin and tube or a turned pin and plate.

"Chris White"

For theatrical use, "Butterfly Catches" are what are used on road cases in touring shows.

See

These catches pull the road case lid or door closed and securely lock them in place.

-- Cheers Roger T.

Home of the Great Eastern Railway

You mean less precision, no need for super exact measurement to make it. I agree it's slower to put together, but over time layout boards can change shape. The clearance in the bolt method allows fine adjustment. I still use this method for my lift out section, which carries double track curved mainline over the baseboard joints.

Layouts which I have seen using this system for exhibitions have suffered from wear, there is always some clearance to start with and if baseboards change, you have a problem. Pins can also loosen and sometimes get damaged. However this was an old layout that had been given a rough life transported on a trailer.

I've been a member of the same MR club since 1969 and built more baseboards than I care to remember. In the end and after so many differing methods, I have found that 'Red Dog' brass alignment dowels glued into their holes and then 8mm coach bolts with wing nuts to be the best of all. Absolute matching pf the tracks every time.

Best of luck

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The clearance in the bolt method allows +/- 1mm How does that fall within your definition of "fine adjustment"? Unless you believe in "that looks about right - let's try a couple of trains over it and we'll knock it about a bit to set it correctly"

And I bet it takes more than 4 clicks of toggle clips to set up?

8mm holes soon become 8point-something, thus adding to the possible error in lining up joints.

transported

Believe me, my 40 or so shows layout suffered a rough life in the back of a Transit at up to 85mph (allegedly.............). The record time from "still in the van" to having a train run was about 30 mins - and that's for a 14 board, 16'x8' layout Ask my layout crew!!

Mick

That's right, you need to adjust it before final tightening of the nuts. It's slow, but your eye produces correct alighnment.

The track alighment using the bolt method does not rely on the bolts or holes. They are deliberately sloppy to allow for adjustment.

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And if not tightened properly, causes derailments and needs adjusting during the exhibition..........

exhibitions

Believe me, I am not a precision engineer - especially when it comes to carpentry and associated hardware. (There are other contributors on this newsgroup that have seen my "engineering"). My precision work is reserved for the rolling stock! The important part is to get all the baseboard joints made - dowels, clips etc, then lay the track, then cut the track.

Cheers, Mick