Moving My Train Table

I did this (furniture sliders and a couple friends) about 29 years ago when Warrenville was only about 9 x 13. Moved it about 20 inches from the back wall for access.

Slowly and with even pressure would be the way to go.

Video of the big move, please. AND good luck

Yes, I've done this successfully on a table about as large as yours. I used my automobile tire jack to raise each leg enough to put in a few shims. I then repeated the process, leg by leg to add more shims until I raised each leg to about 1", enough to replace the shims with one of these at each leg:

https://www.amazon.com/Shepher...pacity/dp/B0835LH6C6

I still have these wheels on all my legs and can move my entire layout without any assistance.

Why did i do such a crazy thing?  It was simply that I finished the train table before I finished drywalling the walls and installing a drop ceiling. To finish the basement, I needed to move the train table a few feet in several directions. That's why I encourage everyone now to finish their basements first before starting their layout construction

@Bruce Brown posted:

Yes, I've done this successfully on a table about as large as yours. I used my automobile tire jack to raise each leg enough to put in a few shims. I then repeated the process, leg by leg to add more shims until I raised each leg to about 1", enough to replace the shims with one of these at each leg:

https://www.amazon.com/Shepher...pacity/dp/B0835LH6C6

I still have these wheels on all my legs and can move my entire layout without any assistance.

Why did i do such a crazy thing?  It was simply that I finished the train table before I finished drywalling the walls and installing a drop ceiling. To finish the basement, I needed to move the train table a few feet in several directions. That's why I encourage everyone now to finish their basements first before starting their layout construction

This is the way to go.  If you choose to buy those dollies, shop around - I've seen them for anywhere from $4 (bargain) to $12 (way too much) each.  The link that was provided is a decent price.

Just one thing to add - when jacking up the layout, go slowly and be very conscious of not twisting or bending the benchwork - that's why @Bruce Brown mentions using shims.  Depending on how your benchwork is configured and how many jacks you have, you might want to use a spare 2x4 to bridge between two (or more) contact points, and then jack it at the middle of the 2x4.  Bottle jacks can be found for about $25-30.

Thanks Bruce, That’s a really good idea. I have a bunch of old wheels left from the old layout that I can repurpose for this.

Also raise it a little at a time as you and Mallard4468 suggest.

You can buy packs of furniture sliders at Harbor Freight for really cheap.

I bought two packs, put them under my 8 table legs, and left them there permanently.

I can slide my 10 x 5 layout table on the concrete floor by myself by just giving it long stead pushes or pulls.

Since your table is so long, your issue will be whether the structure  of the table will flex and crack when pushing or pulling it.

If you put the sliders under the legs, and get four guys to evenly space along the outside of the length, and then have them give gentle "heave-ho" pulls, I think that you will have little problems moving it, assuming the legs are strong enough and are diagonally braced.   

Mannyrock

@Mannyrock posted:

You can buy packs of furniture sliders at Harbor Freight for really cheap.

I bought two packs, put them under my 8 table legs, and left them there permanently.

I can slide my 10 x 5 layout table on the concrete floor by myself by just giving it long stead pushes or pulls.

Mannyrock

Thanks I will check out Harbor Freight today. The idea of keeping the wood off the concrete floor is cleaner.

I also read about putting down carboard and using rags under the feet and sliding it. The was recommended by movers for heavy furniture. Maybe sliders on cardboard would work. 

I do have it cross braced but may build it up a little more for the big slide.

Steve,

If the concrete floor of your basement is finished smooth, then you won't need any cardboard.   The tops of the furniture sliders have a deep foam pad, so the legs of your table will "seat" right down in the foam, and the bottoms of the sliders are ultra smooth, so the table will glide along the floor.

Even if the floor isn't finished smooth, I think the sliders without carboard would be better.  If you put cardboard under the sliders, the soft paper will crush down into the rough concrete and "catch" as you try to slide the table.  This won't happen with the furniture sliders, as they are really hard and smooth on the bottom. 

If you put the cardboard on top of the sliders, then the legs of the table will slip off of the gliders, because the bottoms of the legs won't seat down into the foam on top of the sliders.

Hope this helps.

Mannyrock

I have moved several large layouts and found my best results are with a lot of volunteers around the edges.  Worked great!

Those three wheel per leg furniture dollies come in a wide array of weight capacity which is reflected in their pricing.

The Harbor Freight dollies only are rated at 132 # each.   Probably marginally OK if you never climb up on the platform, but I am getting the HD dollies today rated at 200 # (for another purpose but similar).

Very true Tom, but what if his table has 12 legs?   Is it worth buying 12 of the Harbor Freight 3 wheel dollies, for perhaps a once in a decade move of 2 feet?   And if you buy the dollies, how are you going to put them under the legs one at a time, and what type of metal fasteners would you have to use to secure them?    Two short angle irons plus screws for every leg?

The sliders are ultra cheap, easy to slip under the bottoms of the legs,  and you can just leave them in place.  :-)

Mannyrock

Mannyrock,

I use sliders for carpet, they work like magic on carpet.

No, I do not use the tri rollers for moving a layout,  I like to use volunteers.

One of the biggest layouts on OGR used dozens of tri rollers on a hard surface floor with success when he cut it apart to enlarge his pike.  He used lots of volunteers to raise the platforms up onto the rollers.

At $60 per dozen of HF tri rollers plus some helpers vs damaging a layout...I would go for the rollers, then sell them on Craig's list.

Personally, most all of my layout is mounted on cinder block walls without legs. Nothing is moving.

Modules from my previous layout and other assorted left overs are mounted on the painted knees.

Tom,

Beautiful paint job on your basement walls, and really nice carpentry on the wall mounted knees!

Mannyrock

I am happy to report that the Great Table Slide of 2021 was a success. I moved the table 14 inches further from the wall. Now it’s 27 inches total.

Being cheap I tried the cardboard and rags approach first. Being impatient I pushed the table myself. Plus I didn’t want to risk someone else getting hurt.

A couple inches with each push was enough. You can see from the pics how the legs went from one side of the cardboard to the next  

Thanks for everyones input. I would -not- recommend how I did it. Do it as others suggested.