Pro and Cons of Sievers and Mianne

I have the Mianne and I can't see it getting any easier to build bench work. He is a great guy to work with and he will even design your bench work for the area you have free of charge. Highly recommended.

Can you use risers with this system?

I have a friend who is in a wheelchair and obvoiusly can't be crawling on the floor putting together traditional benchwork. He ordered his benchwork from Sievers and put it together himself. It is strong, easy to put together and pretty customizable with many different modules. I don't have experience with Mianne but it is an engineered product with lighter but just as strong members. Both will cost more than standard DIY benchwork (however use of #1 Pine at $1.00 a foot runs up standard benchwork cost to almost the same level) but then you don't have to cut or drill either. Both are good for the condo/apt dweller where noise is a concern. The Sievers system seems to be more suited for open-grid contruction with risers (they sell risers as well) while the Mianne is more for plywood-topped tables as it doesn't look like a traditional riser could be used (would have to toe-nail risers into the plywood).

Peter

I have Mianne and have no complaints with it.  The quality is good.  One advantage of this approach is that you can disassemble the frame and move it if that becomes necessary. 

On the Sievers website www.sieversbenchwork.com they state that "All wooden parts made of unfinished 3/4" x 3 1/2" No. 2 pine lumber".  On the Mianne website www.miannebenchwork.com a Review by Railroad Model Craftsman they mention "The wood appears to be tulip or poplar and is light, straight-grained and strong".  If moisture is an issue as to where you have your layout you may want to talk to someone who really knows lumber.  Just my 2 cents worth.

I have the Mianne and I can't see it getting any easier to build bench work. He is a great guy to work with and he will even design your bench work for the area you have free of charge. Highly recommended.

I couldn't agree more or say it better.

Tim Foley is a great person to work with and his product is superb! I'm very pleased that I went with Mianne 8 years ago when I built my current layout.

I only have experience with Mianne (it is used for both of my O gauge layouts), and have been happy with it in every way.  The two activities I least like in the hobby are benchwork construction (might feel differently if I had access to a well-equipped shop), and wiring.  Mianne took care of that first "problem" and command control took care of the second.  I can honestly say that the benchwork was fun to put together, and is easily reconfigured as the layout changes or grows.

I used Mianne to build the first layout at the Lionel R & D center in California some years back. I sent an RR-track file of the track work and got a custom designed set of parts. Everything fit well, and the communication and service was first rate. I would recommend Mianne in a heartbeat.

the only "con" I can think of is the cost, but as others mentioned, lumber cost is rising, plus you don't have to have a woodworking shop and lots of power tools.

As I recall, the only tool needed was a number 3 Phillips screwdriver. And if you value your time, this bench work goes up in a flash, plus you can redesign it on the fly. If you need more parts, just call and order them. They arrive quickly and everything fits well.

Its been about 20 years since we were in an apartment with two very little boys and I got the train bug. I ordered from Sievers ... I believe it was a family farm in Wisconsin and they had set up a woodworking shop in a barn.

Everything went together effortlessly, as was switching things around ..... and the wood was very nice.

I still have 2' X 8' assembled sections stored in my Mother's garage ... where its gets hot and humid in the summers, and it has had no effect on the wood. (The sections, and leg assemblies, hang on the walls .... only protruding a few inches.)

I would use Sievers again. I have no experience with Mianne.

Good luck

Jim

Mianne.....Fabulous product and Tim is a pleasure to work with.

I have a 3 level plan.  Lower level: subway.  Middle level: mail ROW.  Upper level: engine yard.

I highly recommend it!

As you can see, I had a lot of help from my friends and I have a way to go.

Peter

Once I get my railroad going, I will choose between the two above-mentioned

manufacturers.  What I want to do is paint each piece before assembly, a white

or similar light color.  To anyone who has done this:  would there be any warping

issues if I used water-base or oil-base?  I'm a real novice when it comes to these

issues (despite being 60 y.o., so, pardon my ignorance.  Thanks.

     HOPPY

Just ordered Mianne's 12 x 6 starter kit for a Standard Gauge layout I want to do.  Going to pick it up at York.

I consider myself handy, and could have saved myself a few bucks doing it myself. But, I really had no desire to, and this will help me get off my arse and get going with the layout.  Also, I saw an article in CT and they had attached wheels instead of the leveling feet to the legs so it could be moved.  This is something that interests me also.

I haven't had the product yet, but I can tell you it's been over a year for me considering my options.  I should have purchased it a year ago so that I'd have something up and running.  My old layout was just a big floor layout.  I don't feel like sitting on the cold basement floor any more.

I think I might go with the Mianne. Just wondering about the cost? A secondary question would be how best to paint it? We prefer to use the one coat Primer/Paint to do the colors.

Folks can check out costs and other details for the two benchwork systems at the following sites:

www.sieversbenchwork.com

www.miannebenchwork.com

TrainHead,

Stop by our website, Bluejeans Place, to see photos and text related to our experience with the Mianne Benchwork several years ago.

Cost is a relative issue to each of us, but it should be only one factor in your decision.  For us, it was a factor, but having equal weight to the other factors like "can we build the benchwork correctly ourselves" and "can we take the benchwork with us when we move". 

Finding decent lumber, not twisted junk lumber at a big box store, was another challenge and factor, especially during the housing boom several years ago.