Holding Benchwork together???

I use screws now.I predrill the holes only to avoid splitting. I have used nails. The platform (plywood,homasote) should hold the 1x4's together if using nails. My father always said'you are only going to do it once'. We did construction work for many years.Bob

If you are like many of us, you will want to make changes in the layout and the benchwork at some point down the road.

I would strongly suggest using screws rather than nails of any kind.

Jim

Virtually my entire layout is glued together. My legs are all 1"X4" pine, glued & screwed together at 90 degrees. Once the glue dried, I removed all the screws and made more legs. The L girder supports are 1"X4" pine with 1"X2" pine glued & screwed at 90 degrees. Again, once the glue dried, the screws where removed to make more.

I use nothing but "TiteBond Original Wood Glue"! There is absolutely NO movement/give in my layout. If you bump into it someplace you will hurt yourself, NOT the layout.

For my previous layouts I also used 1x4's. I glued and nailed the "L" legs (also 1x4s) but everything else was 1/4-20 x 2" long bolts, washers and nuts. Easy to take apart when necessary.

For my present layout, which I have no plans at all to take apart (and it is by far the largest) I used 2x4s, nailed and glued, or screwed and glued. To see the layout, use the link below.

BTW, I would not recommend just nails - regardless of the application.

Good luck!

Alex

quote:

OrI would strongly suggest using screws rather than nails of any kind.

Yes!

I glue and clamp a module together, then 1/4 20 screw the modules to one another. Most of my modules have no fasteners at all. They are not needed when you clamp.

Even built a 160 MPH big block Chevy powered plywood hydroplane 7 years ago with no fasteners for the hull. In a few high speed crashes the wood fractured around the joints.

Individual modules are easy to modify in a change up. I have reworked previous modules easily extending or shortening the length or width.

When you bolt modules together always allow room to remove the bolts from the bottom later on.

Tight Bond original has a short open time and requires 175 lb per sq. in. clamping for proper setting. TB III is a tad more forgiving. Franklin will walk you through the differences.

Individual sections -- screws and glue. Section to section -- bolts, buts & washers (good enough for the railroads to those wooden trestles together.)

I made everything in two foot by eight foot modules with nails, and screws to hold down roadbed, and screw modules together. all track joints are at module ends easy to change or move. I guess I could even sell A section then make a new one.

With and impact driver and a drill driver available there was no need for nails.

It may never apply for you but when I dismantled two large layouts in '08[14x32] and another upstairs here in '09[13x23], I was mighty glad I had built them with removable deck screws. The only nails I had used were 7/8 brads to hold cork roadbed in place. On the latter I recycled enough of the framing, and even deck screws, to build my new teeny 9x16 attic layout.

Not to short nails. A lot of 12D and 16D common nails are rosin coated and difficult to remove. This remodel required the removal of a wall partition and a couple of bi-fold closet doors. I had forgotten how we did this 30 some years ago, we used a spiril shank nail, kind of an elongated screw you pound in. I tried for about 15 minutes to pull the nails, then got out the Sawzall with a hacksaw blade. Those nails were not coming out.

Hi Gromet:
While agreeing with all who say use screws only if you really want to use the nailer I would suggest glue and nail the legs only and use screws for the frame and top. This way if you ever want to dismantle and set up a different scheme you have the legs ready to go and can reuse the framing wood. You can even cut down on the length of the legs since it is the glus that is holding them together.
Joe

I used #6 wood screws on my benchwork:

Screw or Glue and Screw. Lynn Wescott's "L" girder construction was glued and screwed and then he suggested removing the screws once the glue set IIRC.

If you'll be doing any modifications to the layout in the future better leave out the glue as todays modern glues will be a bear to separate.

Butch

Future changes to the benchwork are important to some of us. Linn Westcott's book recommends glue on the L-girders themselves, but not on any other joints. In fact, effort is made in that design to leave all screw heads easily accessible.

The use of nails or glue leaves the Sawzall as the only practical way to make changes down the road.

Jim

I have nowhere near the expertise of some of the posters here. That said, I have built a number of train table, and have employed similar techniques on other projects (Model Railroading does teach skills that are useful elsewhere).
I build my layouts in a semi-modular fashion. I build sub-assemblies consisting of framework and tops that are glued and screwed together. Legs and bracing are bolted on, and the resultant tables are bolted together.

As far as framework goes, all my layouts to date were built with 1 by 4 pine. But when I moved my current layout, I found it was sagging a bit in the center, along the long side, so I sistered some plywood to the frame. I used 8 inch wide by eight foot long pieces, with the extra material above the table. There is an added benefit of the boards preventing trains from traveling to the floor. And they can be decorated.

I use duct tape. LOL Only kidding. Screws are the best. As mentioned above if you ever want to dismantle it to move or change anything screws are better. And, as usual, even if you think you'll NEVER change it as soon as you are finished you'll want to add or change something and need to undo a section. Never fails.

And, if I remember correctly, rule of thumb is at least 3 times longer than what you are screwing thru. So, screwing thru a 1 x 4 (actually 3/4") you would need a screw 2 1/4" long. Deck screws or course drywall screws are good. Predrill near the ends of the board.

Rick

My layout is modular. Each modules joints are glued and screwed. Modules are bolted together with thumbscrews and wing nuts.

Jan

Drywall screws are for drywall, use the correct wood screws. I've had too many drywall screw heads snap when I cheated and used them for other applications.

I used 2x4 with a 1x6 band around the outside no glue(You'll be sorry if you do)
Finishing nails don't have enough holding power in soft wood like pine 2 and 3 1/2 inch drywall screws are cheap and be taken loose as easy as putting your drill in reverse .

And to the guy that snaps his drywall screws what are you putting them in with a 3/4 drill? My layout is 7 feet wide 1x6 with 2x4 cross ways and I climb on it all the time I weigh 225 pounds .

Drywall screws will work fine , you don't need to predrill and if you ever have a need to take them loose for that expansion project it won't be a problem.

David

I used a combination of nails and screws. Much of my current layout is attached one side to the wall for support. I used my framing nail gun much like I used to finish the basement, 2x4 construction with 1x4 cross pieces. Some of the cross pieces and all of the top are screwed in. The air nailer went quickly and the nails were secure.

quote:

Originally posted by DPC:
I used 2x4 with a 1x6 band around the outside no glue(You'll be sorry if you do)
Finishing nails don't have enough holding power in soft wood like pine 2 and 3 1/2 inch drywall screws are cheap and be taken loose as easy as putting your drill in reverse .

And to the guy that snaps his drywall screws what are you putting them in with a 3/4 drill? My layout is 7 feet wide 1x6 with 2x4 cross ways and I climb on it all the time I weigh 225 pounds .

Drywall screws will work fine , you don't need to predrill and if you ever have a need to take them loose for that expansion project it won't be a problem.

David

Drywall screws snap all the time, even with a 39.00 craftsman 19.2 volt drill, buy deck screws. I would use 1/4 bolts, nuts, and washers to put sections together, I just helped take down a large layout and am glad that is what he used, no worries about rounded out screw heads.

i am impressed by what people are capable of doing on this forum. i've seen some layouts that are so nice, they could be in the living room. my layout is a collection of folding tables with platforms on them. i use 1 x 4's to build a frame, put cross pieces in, and then fill the inside with a sheet of 2" foam. wires just dangle underneath and they are twisted and then taped. transformers are screwed into the 1 x 4. some day, i hope to actually build a "pretty" layout. for now, i enjoy throwing some track down, building a scene, running a few trains, and then tearing it up and starting over again. i'm 1 step above carpet central, but i'm too lazy to bend over.

Gromet,
Predrill and use screws only to build your base. As stated earlier, it's much easier to make changes in your layout down the road. I've been using the same layout since 1959 with only minor changes. My using screws made everything alot easier.
God's Blessings,

Hey everyone,

Thanks for the replies but as this thread was started December 13th, i'm well past the Benchwork Phase...

Everything was predrilled and screwed with Wood Screws.

Here is a video of the elevation progress I made this past weekend.

You're certainly well on your way! Looks great & good choice of screws too!