schematic track plan

Plywood? Wood? How quaint. :-)

1. Draw and print out track plan using whatever CAD package turns you on.

1. Spray drawn on side with spray adhesive.

2. Apply this side to same size piece of 3 mm (or whatever) clear plastic - dunno what its called these days, I keep thinking perspex :).

1. Rotate, drill holes at point positions for switches, either push button or DPDTs, whatever you use.

2. Screw completed plastic panel to whatever frame you have built, then wire. Although I prefer to wire on the work bench.

1. Run trains. :)

HTH

Steve Magee Newcastle NSW Aust

If Steve's idea doesn't appeal, then build up a plan using thin(ish) coloured tape. Where you would draw a line, mark it with the tape instead.

PhilD

Lining tape is a good idea, at least to start with as it can be changed easily, but it can be a bit fragile. When the plan is finalised (are they ever?) then you can either varnish over the tape, or draw round it, remove it, and paint the lines in.

The tape is easily bought from car accessory shops, or craft shops if you have one.

Another possibility is to produce the diagram on the computer then print and laminate it. If A4 is acceptable then you should be able to find someone who can do this (drop me a line if you are stuck). If you need a bigger plan, then you mould be looking at either piecing it together, or taking it to a print-shop who should be able to print at larger sizes and laminate - at a price.

Adrian

4a. As you are doing this, realise that the spray adhesive has caused the ink or toner to smudge and made a real mess 4b. The paper is, however, well and truly stuck and the (expensive) acrylic sheet cannot be salvaged.

1. Use Adrian suggestion and laminate it instead.

MBQ

rossnos said the following on 15/01/2008 22:40:

Yes, as others have suggested, forget wood! Get yourself a clear piece of perspex (B&Q sell something appropriate). Paint a schematic of the track plan on the *back* of the perspex, using different colours for different sections. Make sure you use masking tape to get crisp, clear lines. Once that's done, paint the whole of the rear panel a pale green background colour.

Turn it over, and you have a bomb-proof control panel ready for drilling!

Or first paint the board a light colour, and after lining out the trackplan in tape, spray it a dark colour. Remove the tape...

The first, and so far only time I've built a control panel, I used 2x1 timber for the frame, put a hardboard surface on it, then stuck an inkjet printed track plan done on the PC to it, then covered the whole surface with that sticky backed plastic film you can get from stationery suppliers. Worked a treat, can be wiped clean, drilled through, and if a change needs to be made it can be patched without too much difficulty.

Ian J.