Hello, I am building benchwork for my 9x8 foot layout. It consists of a 3x8 and a 4x8 table connected by a an 18x23 inch section. Now, I am not wondering about grade or size, but what kind of tree the lumber should come from. Any Ideas?
straight,not cupped or twisted,few knots as possible,and cheap
tree of your choice
Most ‘dimensional’ lumber is either Pine or Douglas Fir. The important items are is it clear stock(no knots), and no warp. You will not find that in most standard or ‘select’ grades of lumber. You do not need cabinet grade lumber, just something in between will work fine.
Jim
If I were doing a table-top style layout (sheet plywood atop a framework), I’d use Select pine 1"x4"s to create a box-style frame for the perimeter, and then add crossmembers of the same material on 16" centres. Some folks do this, but substitute 3/4" plywood for the framework, ripping the plywood into strips 3½" wide. I don’t think that the type of wood used for the plywood framework matters too much, but perhaps someone who uses that method can elaborate further. The plywood used for the table top can be anywhere from 3/8" to 3/4" thick, and since it’s well-supported, take your pick as to the wood species. Fir plywood, good one side, presents a smooth surface, but, because of the grain of the wood, some portions will make it difficult in which to drive spikes for tracklaying. Sheathing plywood, usually spruce/pine/fir is rough both sides, but softer, if spikes will be used.
This framework is, like many layouts, overbuilt, and you could probably get away with smaller dimensional lumber. Select (also know as “Clear”) pine has minimal knots and is kiln dried well beyond the framing lumber which some folks use, so it’s generally stronger in comparable sizes and more apt to retain it’s form - less warping, twisting, etc.
My layout is an around the room style, with the top made as open grid sections formed in the manner outlined above, and is supported by mostly 2"x4" lumber, although there’s also some 2"x6" and 2"x8" - this was material conveniently “left over” after building my house. Used as supports, it functions as intended and was, naturally, much cheaper than had I used clear pine.
I didn’t waste the properties of the heavier lumber, either, as pretty-well the entire layout has shelving beneath it. This provides storage space for train stuff, of course, but most of that space is filled with the usual accumulation of h
You can find great 1x4’s pine at the big box stores if you are willing to go though the rack. You don’t need knot free but few knots will do depending on their size and placement (there are a lot of shorter peices in bench work along with the long ones needed.
“White wood” which can be spruce, fir, or something else will work fine as long as the individual boards are picked with care. Be aware when choosing 1x4’s and smaller that they frequently come from the edge of the log where warping, bowing, cusping, twisting is more likely to occur.
Pine, knotty and select also work well. Again select the individual boards with care.
I have used both of these with good results - some of my current benchwork is on its 4th layout with no problems.
If you can’t get decent 1x4’s and have access to a tablesaw or radial arm saw, you can rip 1x8’s into 1x4’s. I have done this on occaision when I couldn’t decent 1x4’s. My wife refuses to go with me when I pick out boards - she’s embarassed by how choosey I am.
I have heard of folks using poplar, but haven’t tried it myself due to cost.
Good luck
Paul
Because I use the David Barrow “domino” approach to benchwork, my longest 1x4 is just 4 feet long, and the ends and joists are just under 2 feet. That somewhat helps minimize the effects of warp and knots - you can kind of pick and choose from any given 8 or 12 foot long piece what length(s) come from where. Thus I was able to use regular quality stuff that cost less. I bought it from a place that stored all lumber indoors by the way. I learned my lesson when I needed some stuff from a real lumber yard that stored it in open sheds year round. Yuck.
When Walthers built their current HO display layout in their showroom I was impressed to see that they used 1x4 from the local big box store BUT they spent the money and got stuff imported from, I think, Sweden(!). It was the clearest and straightest lumber I have ever seen. Beautiful stuff.
Dave Nelson
My main benchwork material doesn’t come from a tree. It comes from scrapped steam locomotives, dismantled ships and the remains of armored vehicles, with a little fresh taconite added for flavor.
What am I talking about? Steel studs. Dimensionally stable, easy to work with, and the combination of high temperature and low humidity doesn’t cause them to assume shapes only a pretzel baker could love.
In my admittedly biased opinion, for anyone building in non-climate-controlled space in the Dessicated Desert, there is no forest product competition.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - on steel stud C-works-like-L girder benchwork)
In my book, ¾” plywood benchwork is the best choice. Cost-wise, a sheet of ¾” ply, plus ripping costs is about the same as individual boards.
I have used recycled ¾” 7 ply ripped to 1 x 4 (3.5”) dimension for the “major bones” of my benchwork on my last layout, then recycled it again for my current layout. Prior to, and in between these layouts it has been stored in garages, subject to the humidity and temperature changes in the mid-southeast – and through it all, it has remained straight and true throughout 10+ years.
Jim
Yes, cheap pine is a great choice for benchwork. Mine is made from the pine and love the smell when cut. One way to ensure that the piece is straight is looking down at it when held at an angle. You don’t need arrow straight but something sturdy.
Dry.
[#welcome] to the forum.
Dry, clean, straight, New Zealand pinus radiata, don’t laugh, Mr Lehman managed to obtain some, in Darkest Illinois, at a price almost comparable to what I’d pay![sigh]
Cheers, the Bear [swg]
The answer also depends on your budget. I see some list wood which is high grade premium types which would would have a price to match. If you are on a budget, then you could go to home depot and pick through their 1x4, 1x3, 1x2 and 2x2 pine wood and find some fairly good straight pieces. I built my layout that way and did it for inexpensive. If money is no object, then get the best wood recommended.
Oh that stuff was so sweet. Not a knot in it, either. Not unreasonably expensive. That long trip from NZ also means it is really dry. If you want straight, easy to use lumber, go with it, especially if you’re doing modules, where accurate, square construction is needed.
Jim mentions picking through t
I also went with steel studs for my bench work. Light, easy to work with, and cost comparable to, and even cheaper, than wood. With a crimper I was able to install the bench work in my main room (14’ x 23’) single level, in one day and had enough time to even put down some of the foam base.
My building goes through some wild temperature and humidty changes and nothing has moved. If temp and humidity are a concern, go steel.
Ripped birch plywood was my choice.
A quality 4x8 sheet of 3/4" costs $47.00 at Home Depot. Will yeild 13 - 1x4 nominal at a cost of $3.61 each. Compare to $3.12 each for pine at Home Depot. For 49 cents additional per board you get clear, straight, true hardwood lumber that stays that way and is an absolute joy to work with. Having straight lumber to work with was worth every penny I spent.
Like Alan, I framed my open grid benchwork using ripped plywood. I used a product from Lowe’s called 1/2" hardwood plywood as it was finished both sides, had seven plies, had no voids on the inner plies, and cost around $27 for a full 4’ by 8’ sheet. I needed to buy one more sheet of this product about a year ago (to add a new yard) but found that the “hardwood plywood” product is no longer available from either Lowe’s or Home Depot. I found the quality of the current plywood products to be abysmal at both Lowe’s and Home Depot, so I had to go to Ganhal Lumber and buy a sheet of 1/2" birch plywood at $60 (ouch!).
Alan used sheet metal corner brackets to screw the various members of his benchwork together which also allows the benchwork to be disassembled if needed. However, you can achieve much stronger and more rigid benchwork if you glue blocks cut from 2" by 2"s into the benchwork corners in place of the metal corner brackets. I used an 18 gauge brad nailer to hold my benchwork joints together while the yellow carpenter’s glue cured. The finished benchwork is super strong, rigid and remains as straight as when I built it almost eight years ago!
I will be the first to admit that nailing angle construction is not the strongest join method when a single join is considered. However, as a complete assembly the nailing angle method becomes very strong owing to the complimentary geometry of the framing. The more benchwork I added the stronger and more rigid the complete assembly became. Now completed, the assembly is extremely rigid. One can freely lean against it without fear of movement.
I have assembled items in the past with blocking as you describe. It does create a strong join. However, it has a shortcoming that impacted my benchwork - facilitating shallow angles. The image below demonstrates one such situation. Blocks would have been space consuming and difficult to reliably cut at the correct angles for the outer perimeter of this section. Especially where short perimeter pieces meet crossmembers. It also would have been challenging to cut the concave shape into blocks for correct fitment to the curved spline whereas nailing angles are drawn to the correct curve during tightening.
The ability to easily remove and reinstall crossmembers is a valuable feature of both nailing angle and block construction. It has made my life easier on several occasions already.
If my benchwork were 90 and 45 degree angle joins then I wholeheartedly agree with you - blocking is ideal. When a large number of odd angles, especially greater than 90 degree, are utilized then nailing angles edge out blocks.
No-brainer. Quality plywood. 1/2 inch is good enough, if you want to go elephant-style buy 3/4 inch. All the big-box stores will rip it for you.
The Home Depot near me has a sign on their sawing rig that says they won’t cut anything into a width less than 12".