ply or timber advice

[dynax]

Hi All, in need of some advice, I will be doing my new baseboards shortly and wondered if i should use ply or solid timber for the framework, the baseboard will sit on a wheeled cupboard and hinged so that it can be stored in an upright position when not in use, i have worked out a cutting plan and can get all the pieces i need from a sheet of ply, the cupboard and the frame, but will the ply be strong enough to take the weight when it is upright, i was planning on using 18mm ply but would i be able to get away with 12mm, the frame work will also have a 9mm ply top, the size of the frame will be 6ft x 4ft, i have included a couple of photos of my previous baseboard to give an idea of what i want to to, cheers,

 

[petermillard]

Baseboard for what, exactly, i.e. what kind of weight will it have to bear?

 

[dynax]

Hi, sorry should have said it's for a model railway, thanks,

 

[petermillard]

Hi, sorry should have said it's for a model railway, thanks,

Ah, OK. I've built a couple of these for clients - they were MDF over a softwood frame, with thick foam board glued onto the MDF to make it easier to fix the modelling bits & pieces in place. Ply will be plenty strong enough, I wonder if you'd be able to keep it flat. Should probably be OK if you make an apron and 'ribs' from the ply to support the top. Maybe skin it underneath as well, with thin ply or MDF?

HTH Peter

 

[gmgmgm]

I'd have thought 12mm ply would be sufficient for OO/N gauge (though 6x4 is a little tight for OO). Check how long your track pins are... would be annoying if they all go through.

If it needs more rigidity, some edging/apron will give this. Check out the "Sagulator" website if worried about sagging.

The weight of 18mm ply might be enough to make you choose 12mm.

 

[woodpig]

The weight of 18mm ply might be enough to make you choose 12mm.

Oh yes, I'd rather add ribs to 12mm than handle 18mm ply! :lol:

 

[dynax]

Thanks Peter and gmgmgm, this one will be for my n gauge layout, i will be making another 4 at 5ft x 4ft, joined together for my oo gauge layout, i will be using 6mm mdf around the outside edge for the backscenes, so i may well be able to use 12mm ply, additional crossmembers can be done with 2 x 1, it's just the cost involved using pse for the frame and ply for the base unit, i have done a cutting plan for a sheet of ply where i can get nearly all the pieces i need, and as i have a stock of 18 x 44 and 18 x 69 from my previous layout builds i can use them up, but it is the depth of the top that i need as i will be incorporating 2 pull out sections, one will be for the control panel and the other will be a workstation,
this is my cutting plan,

 

[dynax]

Thanks woodpig, i think 12mm will be the way to go, i can reinforce the base unit bottom with some pse,

 

[vankou]

Hi

I think more framework over boarded with Sundeala would be the best way forward.

Cheers

 

[dynax]

Hi thanks vankou, i won't be using sundeala, the framework construction is not the issue, i just want to know if using ply instead of solid timber will be substantial enough for the job, as these are being designed and built to be stored away when the room is needed as a dining room 2 or 3 times a year,