How do you span doorways, etc.?
I just build a lift-out to cross the doorway to my workshop. Here’s a photo showing most of it:
There are many ways to build such a thing, but here’s what I did…
The lift-out was constructed from some 5/8" plywood, with a layer of 1/2" Homasote attached with contact cement to avoid warping from use of something like yellow glue. I added some side stiffeners from 1/2" X 3" poplar, securing with Liquid Nails and clamped the assembly while it dried. There is an alignment block of 1/2" X 3/4" stock attached to the fascia, cut to the same width as the plywood roadbed. The side pieces lock the lift-out onto the block, and the whole assmebly guarantees perfect track alignment every time. Power is supplied to the track via a plug wired on one end ( I used a surplus 4-prong plug a friend gave me, but you can find workable connectors at Radio Shack). The main track bus wraps around the doorway in a Wiremold brand conduit that I picked up at Home Depot; it just attaches to the wall with foam tape and easily allows the bus wire to be concealed.
Did you use pattern maker’s dowels or anything like that to guarantee track alignment? It sounds like you are able to rely only on the fit of the wood assembly.
Keith
For more than you ever wanted to know about lift outs, just enter “lift out” (with quotation marks) in the Search block low down on the right margin. You’ll get back everything from a steel stud rain gutter to elaborate bridge across river scenes, built of everything from balsa to concrete (meant to span a fireplace.)
For even more options, add “gates” in a separate search.
This subject has come up often, though not recently. There are about as many ways to span an opening as there are modelers needing to do so. For a while I thought I would be one of them. Then my wife ceded her garage stall to me and the need went away.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
[#welcome]
Welcome aboard.
I use a swing gate.
It’s the wood only. The lift out can’t move when installed because the sides rest adjacent to the edges of the alignment block that’s attached to the fascia, and the block also ensures vertical alignment. It’s very simple and has no more components than what I described in my earlier post.
Welcome to the forums.
When you are searching, be sure to scroll down to Search our Comminity, which is down the right hand side a little way. The other one keeps most of us confused most of the time,
One thing you want to be sure of is that when you open your gate, regardless what type you decide on, be sure that when it is open that the power shuts off not only to the gate, but to the track several feet both sides of the gate. This keeps trains from taking a dive off the layout to the unforgiving floor.
Good luck,
Richard
i was never much good at making lift out sections so on my present layout, i just made a big bridge out of 1/2" plywood and 3/4" lumber. it is easy to duck under since my base layout benchwork is 48 inches above the floor and the track across the bridge is 3 inches above the base level.
were i a better woodworker or had more patience, a lift out or tip up bridge would be fine but i have no problem ducking under my bridge and no one visiting the layout has complained either.
in my situation, i regard a lift out contraption to be more trouble that it is worth. were it closer to the floor, then, it might be a problem.
besides, it makes a good back scratcher when i stoop down underneath it.
grizlump
I just ran accross your post. My layout is 48’ inches above the floor on cabinets 5’ x 16’ feet. This is for storage and makes it easy for pulling wire. I would like to extend my layout past the walkway (around the layout) using a bridge i can duck under, but being 6’2’ I might have to add padding to the floor. Can you add photos of your bridge to your post?
AZ-Flyer