I am building a round the wall layout. On three walls I an using the L-girder bench and the other is open grid. My next phase will be attaching 1/2 plywood to my bench work. My question is, what is the best method of splicing the sections of plywood together. I realize that there are probably several techniques that can be utilized, but would appreciate any suggestions/advice that you could provide.
Thank you in advance for your imput and suggestions.
Rudy
The solution I use is to use either a 6inch wide section of plywood glued and screwed from below (not very pretty) or flat steel reinforcements (Stanley makes them and you can find them in the hardware dept of Home Depot or Lowe’s). If you want to get fancy, rabit out the underside with a router bit on a dremel so that it is flush. Still glue the butt joint together for added rigidity.
Good luck
I use to peaces of 1"X4" on the bottom,and use wood screws to hold it! and then the magic trick!! WOOD FILLER,works for me!!
JIM
If you are talking about splicing sheets of plywood, just make sure the ends land on a joist. If you are talking about the cookie cutter cuttouts, then a 6"of 8" splice will work just fine.
Hi Rudy, I use plywood the same thickness as my roadbed (3/4-inch) and between 6 and 12 inches long. For straight roadbed I cut the splice to match the width of the roadbed, clamp it so the roadbed sections are lined up with about half the splice under each, and screw the splice in place with three screws up from below into each roadbed section. If the joint is on a curve, I start with a piece wide enough to trace the curve onto the splice and then cut the splice to match the curve. When I first started on my layout I tried not to have splices under turnouts, because I was worried about whether my Tortoise switch motors would work through an inch and a half of plywood. Then I got into a spot where it would have been really inconvenient to have the splice anywhere but under a turnout, so I gave it a try. The Tortoise worked fine (I do replace the steel wire that Circuitron supplies with stiffer .047"-diameter steel wire) and I had nothing to worry about, so now I don’t care if splices fall below turnouts or not. I just try to make sure there’s room on the splice to mount the Tortoise. So long, Andy
I do the same with a 6" piece of wood but drive the screws from the top (counter sink them).
I used to use the splice plates, screwed in from the top. Now, I do it from underneath. It’s a lot easier to find the screw without roadbed, track, scenery, et al covering them up. 3/4" screws are long enough to go through the splice plate and into the subroadbed (for 1/2" plywood).
I agree with Medina about only screwing from the bottom. If you ever had to make changes later for any reason, there’s always those couple hidden screws that will drive you nuts. 1 1/4" coarse DW screws seem to work best when fastening 2 pieces of 3/4" material (make sure you clearance hole and countersink if using plywood).
I have an around the room layout made with 3/4" plywood tables. I made sure that each table was the same height by using leveling feet under each table leg, then I used carriage bolts to bolt each tabel section together. This way I don’t have to worry about spicing at all. If you are already beyond the point in construction, then using plywood spicing blocks under the table and screwed up from the underside will work fine, so will using Stanley steel joint connectors ( flat bar stock with holes already drilled for screw mounting. As mentioned above in thread, they can be found at any Home Depot or Lowe’s, or any good Hardware store.
In addition to the fine tips already posted, run a belt sander over the joint when done, long strokes back and forth to feather the grade in to match. Make real sure any screwheads or points are clear first. Then make usre your track joints do not land on a plywood splice.
I’m at the same point. MR’s “How To Build…Benchwork” recommends a splice secured from underneath and twice as long as it is wide (P. 38, fig. 5-5). It also recommends not putting a riser underneath a splice unless absolutely necessary, at which point you should offset it (P. 48). I haven’t done this yet; I just take good notes! Rick Krall