Has nyone ever seen or made a plan or photo of a “rotating” layout - i.e. a layout (say 4 x 8’) that rotates 90 degrees in the X-axis so that you can work on the wiring without having to climb underneath the layout, as well as for convenient storage. I could probably come up with a design myself. I was just wondering if anyone else had tried it.
Thanks!
Tom
Good idea, but everytime you tipped it you’d have to shift everything off the top!!
It is a pain crawling round under there, mine especially it’s just 32" off the floor.
I can reach the underside lying on my back!!
Ken.
Not what I envisioned. I had picture of a drum that would rotate and the train would always be on top traveling from one end to the other like riding in the threads of a screw. Think of the mileage possible in a 4’ x8’ area. Lets see 3.14 x 4 is about 12.5’ per revolution. With track centers 4" apart that would yield three revs. per foot so 24 revolutions time 12.5’ per rev = around 300’ of mainline in a 4’ x 8’ area. 2" centers would = over 600’ of track. There is an idea there somewhere that could have some legs.
Ken,
I’m actually interested in this for my 72 year old father-in-law. Dad’s in good health but climbing under a layout would not be very enjoyable for him. It would also be something that he could work on out in the garage and roll it out of the way, if need be. Obviously, you would need something that made for a sturdy frame to hold the 4 x 8’ table when it was “swung down” into the horizontal position. Yes, you would have to remove locmotives and rolling stock everytime you put the layout in “vertical mode”. (I guess a suspended layout that could be lowered down wouldn’t be out of the question either. Hmm, I remember someone had a post about that recently on the forum.)
Dad used to have a layout about 30 years ago and enjoyed it. When my wife and I were visiting recently, he became quite intrigued with my MR magazine and the recent developments in DCC technology. Dad also read my DCC Made Easy by Lionel Strang cover-to-cover. Anyway, this is more an inquiry for him than it is for me.
Tom
I imagine you could mount it with an inexpensive engine stand (automotive type) on either end. That way, whenever he wanted to work on it, pull the pin from each stand and rotate it. Just a thought.
I’ve seen foldup table tennis tables too with wheels on the legs, roll out, unfold, operate.
Simple.
Ken.
Hmmmmm … is this kinda what you mean Tom?
Here are some very early pics, 1 month into construction, on my ‘old’ layout. I used garage door springs as a counterbalance device and later added ‘dead’ weights to the back as the layout increased in weight as needed, this enabled it to be raised and lowered easily with one hand. If I ever did this kind of layout again I would eliminate the springs as I was always scared of getting back there incase one ever broke, I think I would just use counterweights from the start. Its relatively simple to do and a great space saver, I used 2x4’s to eliminate flex although I think this may have been over kill, especially if you are going to make an open grid/L girder ‘light’ foam layout.
Hope this helps.
Have fun & be safe.
Karl.
Tom,
I did something like years ago with a small 4x6’ HO layout. Wish I had a pic or two to show it. Essentially I made a pair of A-frame brackets about 36 - 40" high. Connected them with cross-bracing at floor level. On each side I simply put a bolt through the top of the A-frame into the side of the table about 32-36" from one end… After removing anything loose, I could easily pivot the table into a vertical position, put a locking pin in one side to make sure it stayed up, and push it back against the wall. Worked well for me at the time: we had a small house with no garage or basement, and twins about 3 years old. By pushing the layout back toward the wall, it kept inquisitive little hands from the layout. Good luck.
Karl,
Thanks for the pics! Yeah, garage door springs are pretty scary. Some type of counter-balance would be the way to go. Miss seeing and reading your posts. I hope you’ll be back with us on a regular basis. [:)]
Tom
Do reconnaissance at a furnature store that sells simple trellis style dining tables.
That style base is simple to build…a hand saw, drill, square, and tape measure will do. The trellis itself can be put on casters for more portability. For the table top, a stressed skin design…along the lines of a hollow core door…an actual door or build to suit. The top is fixed to the trellis by removable pin hinges. The table top (and trellis) length is limited only by the dimension of lumber used for the trellis and table top perimeter. The top width can be up to the ceiling height of the room, minus the height of the floor level horizontal legs (and casters if used), minus a couple inches of swing clearance insurance. Folding or screw on legs can be added on the corners for extra support under wider table tops. The key is to make the vertical of the trellis long enough so that it extends slightly longer than 1/2 the width of the table top above the horizontal legs…so that with the trellis on the center line of the table top, when the top is folded to the vertical position, it clears the horizontal legs of the trellis, and the ceiling.
Probably 10 years back I built a 4x6 table of this type for my mom to do craft work. The trellis was made from 2x4s, the table top perimiter from 2x2s, the table skins from 1/4" luan. I used 1-1/2" blue foam insulation for the table top core. It’s still in regular use and solid.
I did something like that on my existing layout. I have layout sitting on top of support frame and tip it up to work on bottom. Layout is 3 x 7 and it is a hassle raising something that heavy and reaching over the frame to reach part of layout I want to wire.
I am going to layout in sections 18" to 24" deep that I can pull loose from layout and turn over or on end or side to work.