14 years ago I designed my HO layout to be from the bottom to the floor to be 38 inches. With that much clearance I could set on my rear and wire till the cows came home with no problems.
Hav’nt been under the layout for over a year and a half now and naturally have grown older ( lol ) and also a bigger belly. So my just getting underneath the layout and whistle while you work attitude just isn’t cutting the mustard anymore.
Somewhere I’ve seen a “Creeper” that was designed for model RR’s. Was split ( hinged ? ) in the middle so it could be adjusted for your back to be inclined a little. Had wheels something like an automobile creeper.
I’ve tried googling and searching here on MRR ( not the top of page search engine, that one stinks. ) to no avail.
On Google I keep coming up with a garage creeper for automobiles. I know somehow I’m not wording it right in the search area.
No, seems like the one I was referring to was a bit different but it’s close enough and it should work. Kind of expensive for me but I need to get under the layout as I’m adding more signals and two more turnouts.
Why don’t you just get an adjustable mechanic’s creeper from Harbor Freight? The price isn’t bad and since it’s just you that’s going to be using it, it should last you a long time:
That harbor freight creeper will raise your neck and shoulders - a little - but won’t do beans for your back.
I modified a similar creeper by putting a serious backrest (3/4 inch ply framed with 2-by) at a 45 degree angle up from the approximate center. That gets the head and arms up to a useful height for ‘under the L girders’ construction. However, I still prefer to work from the sides in - either standing or sitting on a regular chair in the aisle.
I didn’t like the looks of the “Harbor Freight” creeper as it is way two low and like you say Chuck it dosn’t look like it will be very good on the back.
I bought the “Micro-Mark” one.
Thanks guys. I appreciate all this info very much. [B]
We had a broken wooden office chair, the kind that went out of style in the 1930s. Fr. Robert mounted it on a board with wheels, and I could sit down and ride under the layout. That was last layout, this is now. Specification 1) NO WIRES UNDER THE TABLE.
I built it with the wires toward the back where I left room for them. But wouldn’t you know it, somebody went and built scenery there, complete with backdrops and all that stuff.
Well, you could tear the layout down and start over, a non-starter, I LIKE this layout very much, thank you.
MOVE THE WIRING TO THE FASCIA. What good is a fine fancy fascia if you have no place to put your wires.
Remove just the fascia, install a sub-fascia to hold the wires and then mount a removable finished fascia over that. Just rewire the whole darn railroad, and abandon the old wires. Everything is up front where you can access them like a gentle person. (Or gentle LION as the case may be.) Be cure to build in access to AC lines, and also build in places to rest your soldering iron.
The automotive ones can be useable by building a simple rectangular frame of 2x6 or 2x8s, depending on how high you need to raise the creeper. Then remove the casters and mount the creeper on this new frame. Relocate the casters or get better ones and mount at the four corners of the wooden frame.
Somewhere I saw a pic of someones creeper they mad from a automobile seat that reclined and had the adjustable head rest. They used 2x4 construction and the soft rubber castors. I’m sure you could pick one up at your local scrap yard that would fit your body shape and size. Just make sure its the mechanical recline and not the power seat. Jim.
