I came across benchwork that really appeals to me. It uses C-benchwork and is mounted on French cleats. Nice! Sets up a level for the layout and the top is for the valance. I think it has some real potential and wanted to share since it has been a while since it was first published. Here are two links:
http://smallmr.com/wordpress/modular-design-for-a-shelf-layout/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/nscalerail/sets/72157634574668227/
Cool ! Have at it ! I checked out the links. Looks like a plan to me.
Keep us posted.
Mike.
That is nifty.
I could never do that. There are no walls in my house straight enough for a long french cleat like that.
-Kevin
Very neat! Thanks for showing it to us. I hope you can continue to post photos of your progress.
seems like this approach using the angled cleat is better suited for temporary or removable applications.
This type of cleat is suitable for permanent installation of cabinets like these. Kitchen cabinet systems sometimes use this simple and foolproof support method. I’ve also seen slug and rail systems (IKEA) which involve a similar hanging cantilever design.
The key is creating the open box girder which you build as an open front cabinet. You hang these from the top edge and the required supporting vertical forces are converted to quite modest horizontal pull forces on the fasteners with most of the required force in sheer across the fasteners.
Shimming these cleats out to accommodate uneven walls is a routine process. It’s a really good way to fit new cabinets into old homes. You just have to also shim out the bottom edge of each cabinet to match. Since a levelling device is necessary anyway because of the nature of Model Railroads this is pretty simple to do also.
The physics are really no different to the open box girder you build underneath a layout using the open grid style benchwork. In that case the top creates the girder effect.
a cabinet has sides to support the horizontal panels.
Here are links to two videos on constructing C-benchwork and installing. The first shows construction and the second shows the installation. It is a father/son video series so not professional but well done for a family video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qR32rbA_zGA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xk3QckxCVJ8
While watching the installation, I noticed a gotcha. The valence, backdrop, and base are all installed resulting in a very rigid, solid benchwork. Nice. The gotcha is that the track plan is not yet drawn on the layout base and the track not been attached. I’m thinking it would be difficult to ensure bulletproof trackwork if sightlines are impaired while drawing and installing. I’m thinking it might be better to prepare modules on the bench and then install to the C-benchwork. For example, attaching 1x2 stock to the outer edges + cross pieces to the underside of the plywood + foam base. Would easily slide in and out of the C-benchwork until finally attached. Will have to give that idea more time to germinate!
Now that I see the top section is just a valance, I think that could be optional.
Less material, less weight, although it does provide a place for lighting, but, there are others ways to do the lighting as well.
Mike.
i had understood that each end would have a panel.
The top and bottom hang off the back panel which in turn hangs off the cleat.
There’s no difference in the physics between having end panels or no end panels as far as hanging off the wall is concerned.
The OP wants a top and bottom (and presumably ends somewhere) in order to close off the layout from workshop dust.
If you only need an open shelf then hanging the shelf from uprights above the shelf is more efficient than using L brackets underneath the shelf as is more common. Loads in tension are generally easier to support than compression loads. Removing the top shelf makes more sense than removing the bottom shelf, efficiency wise.
If you have any elevated scenery above the tracks putting the shelf support above the roadbed instead of underneath allows the scenery to cover the structure.
Woodland Scenics Modurail system provides the support for the roadbed above the base, not below.
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I posted that about a year ago. I was thinking about doing that for my layout. But the idea of making the C shapes, actually E shapes for a double deck design, just wasted too my plywood. I do have one section which will be a single deck branch line which I am still planning to use the C frame method.
Think of how much weight your kitch cabinets hold - just one shelf full of dishes weighs a ton more than any model railroad ever would. And then the shelf above that with glasses - a French cleat like that can support enormous weight. It’s not at all a temporary thing. And that’s even cabinets made with partical board parts - the ones in my kitched are all solid wood, not a track of particle board anywhere - it’s going to be a bear to rip that out to redo the kitchen, but there’s too much that needs to be changed to just refinish what’s there (already did that once anyway). I have no doubt that I will be able to use the top of my branch line to display various ‘railroady’ items as a display shelf, in addition to holding the layout - it also will be relatively narrow, much like a kitchen cabinet. Probably 12" deep in most places. It’s just a single track branch rambling through the countryside. Most of it isn;t going to be anywhere near the rest of the layout, except the connection point with the main line, so an operator running out there really will feel isolated from the mainline hustle and bustle. If I can pull off the scenery, or get good help with it, I suspect it may end up being my favorite part of the whole thing.
–Randy
Thanks for replying Randy! Yesterday was my first look at this approach, apparently I missed your earlier posting.
I do agree that cutting C-brackets out of plywood sheets wastes plywood. However, I figure I can get 8-2’x2’ sections from one sheet of plywood. This calculates into an average cost of $5 to 6$ per C-bracket and I have support for both the layout and the valence. If I use the common twin bracket shelving system, I’m looking at $11 for the support and $7 each for the two layout and valence metal brackets. So $25 for shelving versus $5 for the C-bracket + lumber for the French cleat, clear savings with C-bracket.
The C sections, espcially as mine would be about 16" inside height, don’t waste all that much wood. Especially if you are careful about how you lay them out and nest them. The problem is when it becomes an E shape as would be needed for the double deck parts of my layout. It’s hard to do more than just 2 facing each other, slightly offset (so one cut line divides the middle leg of one from the other, which means the same for the top and bottom legs), there are a pait of goofy siize rectangles wasted with each pair cut out.
–Randy
Cut L brackets for the bottom and back legs and straight pieces for the top brackets. Almost no load on the top structure. The straight pieces to support the top can be fastened horizontally to the vertical legs.
Hanging the base from L shaped brackets is the key. Hanging the base shelf rather than supporting from below produces lower loads on the fasteners because of the way the leverage works. That’s how most built in shelf wall units work, the loads hang from upper fasteners, the lower ones are just for lateral stability. The “moment” transfers the loads from the vertical leg resting against the wall to the upper fasteners. Use your longest fasteners into the top of the vertical legs, the lowest fasteners will have almost no load at all. Same as for beneath the shelf brackets but the leverage is much higher on the top fasteners in the brackets under a shelf.
In my garage I built an 8’ x2’x2’ plywood box with an internal shelf and nailed and screwed it to the wall halfway up, like a giant open front cabinet. That way there is leg free storage beneath the unit (my bikes are parked there as well as cantilevered lumber storage racks) and, bonus, rodents don’t climb walls so the shelf is rodent free being suspended entirely off the floor, holds all my sailing gear (including sails during the winter). This holds well over 100lbs of stuff conveniently at eye level plus the top also acts as a shelf. I built similar wall suspended L shaped shelves in the corner of my garage with portable shelving underneath sitting on the floor. The hanging shelves are also rodent free. These have no end or top panels. I just screwed 2x2 pilasters to the wall 4’ above the floor and fabricated 2x2 horizontal shelf frames to carry the actual shelves. There is a top frame screwed into the rafter joists to carry some of the vertical loads from the outer edges of the shelves but the main support is carried by the corner of the walls.
2x4 stud wa
That would work if I didn;t want to use the space across the top as display shelves. Strictly as layout space, the top just has to hold up some strings of LED light strips - practically no load at all. But to stack it up with artifacts, it needs a bit more strength. For the number of C frames I need, it won’t be much waste at all, and since the branch is all single track with just a siding here or there, a lot of the ‘waste’ is still usable as subroadbed.
–Randy
I did build this several years ago. It was very strong. I used plywood, but I cut each piece of the “C” sepreately and cut lap joints to Gorilla glue together. This saved wasting several sheets by cutting the “C” as one unit. I hung it from cleats and some I added legs. I should have also screwed the joints together.
thanks for posting Derf! I do not have a table saw and thus cannot rip a 4x8 sheet into 3-inch wide strips. Our local big box stores and lumber yards will not rip plywood into such narrow strips. It would be more 25% more expensive to cut 1x3 select pine boards with my radial arm saw and use a dado head to cut the lap joint. I’ve kicked myself many times for buying a radial saw over a table saw… Grrr
EDIT, I have cut dados in the past by making several passes with a single blade. Was only cutting a few pieces, not practical for repetitive cuts. Apparently, dado’s are not continued safe with a radial arm saw. Might give me a good reason to replace my saw for this and other projects! woohoo!
Did you follow the plan as written in the article or did you change the dimensions? If you changed, what were your dimensions for the C-bracket?
thanks!
With some care and a good panel blade you can “rip” 4x8 with a portable circular saw.
Find a straight plank 1x4 is enough, at least 8’ long. If you can’t find a straight one maybe try and get one made.
I use vice grip brand (now made by someone else) quick clamps to hold the straight edge down and just run the saw along the straight edge.
If you don’t need 8’ strips there are aluminum straight edges with integral clamp that facilitates cutting any width up to 50" long.
Available in the US also.