Floating Layout

[chuck geiger]

I am looking at doing this in the new house. https://www.trains.com/mrr/how-to/build-model-railroad/how-to-building-floating-shelf-benchwork-for-a-model-railroad/

I have seen several ways to do this, with dowels, steel rods, Lance's way and the drill jig at an angle. I don't need more than 12" and several 48" sections for the layout with 36" returns on the end.

Has anyone every done this? - It looks BOSS.

[davefoxx]

I've got a variation of that method for "floating" benchwork.  I used special masonry anchors and screwed the back stringer of the benchwork of the shelf extension on my layout to the concrete block wall.  The things you see under it are just spare 2" foam and a level being stored.  The benchwork has no legs or angle brackets.  It's solid.  By the way, if you're going around a corner, that will really help stiffen the benchwork.



DFF

[wazzou]

Definitely would want to have some "Do not lean" signs on the layout fascia.

[davefoxx]

Definitely would want to have some "Do not lean" signs on the layout fascia.

I think if @chuck geiger keeps it down to a maximum 12" depth, as he wrote in his initial post, he can make it sufficiently sturdy, especially if the benchwork goes around a corner.  Otherwise, I'd probably add an angle brace or two.

DFF

[wazzou]

True, true.  I was thinking more in terms of the way it was drawn by Lance.

[davefoxx]

True, true.  I was thinking more in terms of the way it was drawn by Lance.

I just went back and looked at Lance's plan a little closer.  No kidding, @wazzou!  Foam and lattice strip as the front edge?!  A no-lean zone is required!

DFF

[Ed Kapuscinski]

They make floating shelf brackets that might be helpful too.

https://www.amazon.com/Heavy-Duty-Floating-Shelf-Bracket/dp/B08118Q999/

[pedro]

I can’t be the only one that saw the thread title and immediately thought of something totally different and said, “that’d be AWESOME!”


Think simple circle of unitrack and a battery here:





Or you could go modular:





Good summertime TRW challenge. Operating floating layout. I don’t think it’s ever been done.

[Lemosteam]

Definitely would want to have some "Do not lean" signs on the layout fascia.

Right. I wouldn't trust two inaccessible wood screws in tension on the wall mounted 1x4 for the life of me, glued or not.  Wood shrinks and so the hole that the screw uses to grip actually will enlarge over time and those screws will loosen and the shelf will droop.

If those were steel or a mechanical fastener was used I would be more apt to buy into the design.

[MK]

Or you could go modular:





Good summertime TRW challenge. Operating floating layout. I don’t think it’s ever been done.

First there was N-Trak then T-Trak and now W(ater)-Trak????  I heard it's a b'tch railing rolling stock on to the tracks!   

[chuck geiger]

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This is solid...

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This is decent

Hello!

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Yeah I saw a guy just drill an angle jig into the stud through the shelf and thought no way. He did show it support big pounds...But.....

[CRL]

Lance wasted his time boring those large holes as weight reduction. If he’s worried about the added weight of 4 little disks of wood, he shouldn’t have tried this. The weak point is the screws from the wall plate going into the end grain of the 1x4’s. That’s not a good idea.

The shelves the guy in the video above is building aren’t that strong. There’s at least 1/4-3/8” of deflection in that shelf when he adds the weight. Relying on drywall to hold a load over time isn’t good. That stuff will sag over time.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

When it comes to "lean on" concerns, I think there's a correlation with height. If the benchwork is up at armpit level you're much less likely to lean or fall onto it in a way that will tear it out.

[randgust]

My wife is an Ikea fan for her sewing room, and came back with some of these.    I was tremendously skeptical on the design, let alone loading the shelves up with as much stuff as I KNOW would happen.  Oh, well, when it all crashes to the floor I get an 'I told you so'.   

Much to my surprise, very well designed, manufactured and engineered and are now up for over five years with no tipping, warping, or problems.

https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/lack-wall-shelf-white-90282180/

So if your carpentry skills are questionable, just saying.   If you can hide the stuff under them, it's just a matter of drilling holes.  But the mounting system is surprisingly good.

You only get 10 1/4 inches with most of these, but I'm telling you that it actually worked.   So I wouldn't pooh-pooh a design necessarily; just notice how the thickness vs. width plays out on the Ikea shelves, and when they get to a certain width, they go back to brackets.

[chuck geiger]

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