Model Forum / General / Railroads / June 2004

You are going to need somthing more sturdy than 2x2's.
I have successfully wall hung a layout using metal shelf
brackets for the narrow sections (up to 10" wide).  For
the wider sections I have built home-made brackets out of
2x2 for the verticals and 1x4. for the horizontal and diagonals.
Make sure that you securly screw these into the wall studs.
Use wood screws, not drywall screws (fast-taps).  Pre drill
the pilot holes. If you split a vertical, you have ruined
the bracket.  Make sure the screws are engageing the wall
stud and getting lots of thread into the wood.

Can't help you on this, no personal experience.

  First off, I'd check my friendly local hobby shop for a "How to do
Benchwork" book. That said, was it me, I'd be reluctant to use 2*2
lumber.  You get better stiffness for less weight (less wood) from wood
beams if  they are deep in the direction of load.  For instance a 1 * 4
is much stronger than a 2 * 2 for the same amount of wood, in the "deep"
direction.  We pretty well know the direction of load on benchwork (down
due to gravity).  The foamboard is reasonably stiff, but it is soft
enough that I would want to set it into a wood frame that protects the
edges of the material from damage by curious fingers and pressure of
operator's belt buckles as they reach in to rerail a car toward the
back.  I'd think about building such a frame out of 1"  (nominal 1 inch
3/4" actual) lumber set on edge.  In fact 1*4 would be perfect.

  I'd want to debate the legless design.  True, legless makes it easier
to sweep under the layout and frees up space to put stuff underneath.
The down side is it makes the layout un movable, it puts ugly marks in
the wall (you may not care), and is difficult to make strong enough to
allow you to stand on the layout should you need to repair
pipes/wires/heat ducts/etc above the layout.

 From the legless design it sounds like you are planning an around the
walls layout.
Are you thinking about any peninsulas out from the wall to extend the
length of your main line? All the John Armstrong layouts use such
peninsula's to good effect in getting the most layout out of a given
space.  Such a peninsula pretty much demands legs since it is too far
from the wall to cantilever.

 In terms of pre made wall brackets, I have seen 12" angle brackets in
hardware stores made to hold up 12" wide bookshelves.  Books are MUCH
heavier than model railroads, so they ought to be strong enough,
especially if you put one on every wall stud (every 16").  But they only
get you 12" out from the wall.  I'd be hesitant to support a 24" wide
layout on 12" brackets.  I could see making up my own 24" deep brackets
from wood (use three pieces to form a 45 degree equilateral triangle)  

David J. Starr

"Drew Bunn" ...

3/4 inch black pipe and flanges.

Mount the flanges so that two lag bolts go into studs.
Install a 3/4 inch pipe about 18 inches long.

Build a box frame out of 1x4 (sides) and 2x2 (top,middle,bottom) so that you
have just enough room to let the pipe slide in the top section.
You will have to test this part but I think you should be able to go out 24
inches without any problems.  Maybe even farther....

Place box on pipe and then drill a hole top to bottom about six inches away
from the wall and install a bolt. This will keep the box frame from moving
away from the wall.

I have made a pull bar in the bathroom coming out of the wall six inches
with a pipe running about four feet and six feet with a flange on the ends
and in the middle.  I can place my weight (200+) on it without the bar
moving.

Donald