Making the Baseboard

As I struggled to get a 6' by 2'8" sheet of 9mm plywood into the back of my car, I realised why people make their exhibition layouts in easy to carry 4' by 2' form.  Fortunately my car at the moment is a second hand London black cab so there was space enough, just about.  At one point it looked like I might have to leave my son at the timber merchant's but he squeezed in and the journey home was punctuated by cries of "The wood just slid onto me again, Daddy!".

So, yes, a timber merchants.  One of the things you pick up from any article or thread on building baseboards is "Don't go to B&Q".  Having been there recently I looked at their wood and the complaints are true, if a little over-exaggerated.  Some of their ply would be good for a curved backscene but not a baseboard.  Thus I found myself at Catford Timber who were very helpful.  I came back with the baseboard itself, the two offcuts of the 8' by 4' sheet of 9mm birch ply it was sawn from and several lengths of 2" by 1" planed softwood.  The offcuts are surplus to requirements at the moment, but I'm sure I'll find a use for them in my next layout...

First, measure your baseboard.  Any small child will do.  Next, cut the frame sides and bracing to size and form the outside of the frame.  I used 40mm number 8 screws and a thin smear of PVA wood glue to hold the frame together.  It was only after much swearing (and after the frame was assembled) that I remembered that Stanley make excellent corner clamps.  I should have bought some.

The frame has cross-braces irregularly spaced.  I was cautious about placing them because I still hadn't finalised my track plan when I built the baseboard and didn't want to put braces where the point motors will sit.

I've since read in a couple of threads that people recommend placing the braces at most 12" apart. to avoid sagging.  If this is true, I'm in trouble because I should have a couple more braces going across the width of the board and one going the length of the board.

The braces all have 10mm holes drilled into them at either end and in the middle for running cables through.  Hopefully this will be enough.

As this layout will live under a bed and be played with on the floor I added furniture carpet slides and handles to  it.  It already weighs quite a lot, so this will help getting it in and out from under the bed.

Overall, I'm rather pleased with it at the moment.  It's square and flat, and the frame matches the board to within a mm or so all the way around.  Next stop track laying.