Benchwork cost

[Frisco]

Hi every one, could you please give me a guess on what it would cost to build a 4X8 layout's benchwork using birch plywood. Anything within $50 from what it would cost would be great. Thanks, Ryan

[pdlethbridge]

Ryan, I just added to my layout by 4' x 8' and it cost $75+at a lumber yard not home depot. I used 2x2 legs, 8 at 31 1/2". A 4 x 8 x 7/16 osb and a 4 x 8 x1/2 homasote, and  64 ft of 1 x 2 for braces. I had the pieces cut to size at the lumber yard to 2' x 4' on the ply and homasote, 4' for half the 1x 2"s and 21 1/2" for the balance of the 1 x 2s. home depot didn't carry homasote otherwise I would havew bought it there.

[Paul W.]

Hi Ryan,
If it were me, I would not use Birch plywood, you are paying for cabinet grade, and it's no stronger than AC or CD plywood. From past experiences, don't skimp on the framework. A couple months ago I had to go over to my dads house and help with a table that was built when I was a kid. I had to climb on it to get to the back, needless to say I've put on quite a bit of weight in 30years and broke the table.
I also like homasote as a table top, it's easy to attach to, and it's MUCH quieter when the trains are running.

[Frisco]

Thank you. I can't wait to get started. Ryan

[grumpy]

Glue the Homasote to the plywood with a LePage product called No More Nails. IN fact you can use this product for much of your construction.
Don

[pdlethbridge]

Osb would work well under the homasote, and its cheap

[SteamGene]

Yes on the OSB.  OTOH, if you screw the homosote to the table top, you can salvage both homosote and table top when the time comes to (1) expand  (2) start a whole new layout.
Gene

[pdlethbridge]

my homasote is screwed, not glued, together

[Yampa Bob]

I built a lightweight platform to fit a folding picnic table. Framework is 1 X 2, 3/8" AC plywood glued/stapled to frame.

Homasote is sealed both sides with latex satin interior paint, to keep it from bowing with changes in humidity, laid on 2" wide sleepers of 1/4" foam spaced 1 foot apart. 

Wiring to turnouts and accessories (interior phone cable) runs in the spaces between ply and homasote. The color coded wires (yellow, black, red, green) help identify connections. 

[grumpy]

Bob
That is what I call Ingenuity. Excellent
Don

[pdlethbridge]

Are you going to use those tall gray things to support your mountains?

[Yampa Bob]

Thanks Don.  Could be Paul, we have some pretty high mountains.

A year ago at a neighbor's picnic party, I commented that one of the tables would be great for a layout base.  The next day we went to town, when we got back the table was in our garage.  That's just the way it is with our country neighbors.

[pdlethbridge]

Maybe he's trying to hint at something,,, like return his tools!

[Yampa Bob]

No, I never borrow or loan tools. I help him with projects from time to time, just his way of saying "thanks".  Ranch folks don't have ulterior motives for their actions. If they give you something there are no strings attached.

[pdlethbridge]

What are you doing still up, like me?