under layout Creepers

about 6 years ago, my wife brought one home from Sears. I looked at her like she was crazy, but it's one of the handiest tools in the room! Great to scoot around on while working on the underside wiring.

This has been a great tool.  Bought mine on Amazon.  Make sure it is padded and the back/head piece can be lifted to more than one position. 

It is a must for me. I have had one since 2006 and it has saved my "back" for several years.

One recommendation, when planning a floor covering for your layout room, I used wood laminate that looks good and the creeper just rolls slickly on this surface. I planned it that way knowing I was going to use a creeper.

I really like the idea but my flooring is carpet. Does anyone have any ideas for a carpeted floor/

And no removing the carpet is not an option for me.

Thanks!

Dave

Fabricate brackets for pneumatic tires? The bigger size of its wheels the more likely it is to roll, even if they are solid.

Gary, I bought that exact model creeper from Micromark - it is built much higher off the floor than most automotive creepers, and I figured it would put me that much closer to the underside of the benchwork.

Dissappointed in it.  The holes where the casters mount into the legs became eggshaped and the casters themselves self-destructed after a few hours of use.  

I reverted to a hgigher quality automotive creeper to finish the wiring under my layout, and it is still going strong years later.  It is more of a reach, but that's the trade-off.

On the other hand, the "Topside Creeper" that Micromark sells for working on hard-to-reach parts of the layout, is a very good tool.  It is much more robustly built and works every bit as well as Micromark claims.

That's a good idea!

While I was pondering this problem while sitting here in my home office with carpeted floors and rolling around in my chair smoothly another idea cam to me. Put down the plastic chair mats under the layout!

It would serve two ways. One I can roll around with a creeper and two it will help protect the carpet from the inevitable stain from scene construction.

I think I located a source close by that sells used office furniture so I'm going to contact them about the carpet mats.

I got one from Harbor Freight.  In store they are often $19.99.  It is a solid, hard plastics with a foam pillow for the head and depressed areas at the sides for tools and other stuff.  No beer can holder, though.

Usually, Popular Mechanics has a 20% off coupon which can be used on line.  Have used mine for intended purpose with the trains and right now it has a large box with extra stuff in the box sitting on it - so I can easily roll it out when I want to get inside the box.

I saw one made by the guys at NLOE from a moving dolley with a reclining bucket seat from a car mounted to it. it had a tool tray and you could recline it to the angle you needed for the task at hand. if you have carpeted floor just use larger casters, they will roll fine.

This would be one item that I would most definitely recommend not to scrimp on.Get the best you can afford.

I find that a yearly bug-bomb treatment takes care of most of the under layout creepers

around here.

This thread is timely. We were talking about creepers for an under-layout project today at the Open House. The one Micromark has looks like a winner.

With heat and a back massager, it would be great for a hidden naptime. And no backbend aches 

The Micro-Mark looked nice with the added height, although, is it really necessary? The extended wheel legs look like problem.

I have used them for automotive applications most of my life and found that most hag-up on stuff.

This one looks interesting, The Bone. The trouble is, you have to find one in a store somewhere to determine if you like how it feels.

I saw one that converted to a rolling seat. That may be handy. Pro lift Z creeper. But, that has typical casters that will hang-up on stuff.

Just don't get these Creepers. Don't think they'll help much, unless your 16. (Yes, they are actually named Creepers)

Jim Barrett, where are you?

Time to rerun the article you did about the under layout creeper you built.

I just received shipment of my new Sunex 8515 creeper. Not cheap, but wonderful. Wide, tipped down on the end so it doesn't dig into your legs, adjustable headrest, 3 1/2 inch casters. I searched around and found (at Home Goods) a rectangular cushion with about 7 inches of firm loft. It's like lying on a LAZ-Y-BOY.   Wonderful

Roger

The cushion is for the headrest (didn't make that clear above).

Roger