How do you attach a view block?

[spr1955]

So my friends, how would you secure a viewblock between two sides of a peninsula?  I am thinking of adding 1/8" hardboard to both sides of the 1/2" foam. This is 15" high and over 8' long. The hardboard would be wetted and bend to shape needed, although I have never done this.  Any suggestions are welcome. and yes I should have done this before laying track so don't beat me up about that, I already have.

[flight2000]

I'd think about using 90 degree "L" brackets alternating on each side of the backdrop every 6-12" or so.  You can cut a slot the width of the bracket into the subroadbed and insert it from the bottom up and secure it from underneath.  Given how close the tracks are, that's about the best I could come up with right now.

Cheers,
Brian

[rodsup9000]

   On one of the layouts I built with almost the same problem as yours, I cut 3, 1/2" X 2" holes in the plywood subroadbed on a stringer. I then took a knot free 18" long 1X2's and planed it down to 1/2" thick and glued and screwed them to the joists. Took 1/8" hardboard and glued them to both sides of the 1x2's.

[Cajonpassfan]

Dave, will the viewblock extend to the left, and if so could it tie into the wall on that end for stability? On the other end, maybe an L or T shaped block as well, anchored to the layout edge? If you could stabilize the two ends, the intermediate areas would be much easier to fix in place.
Looks like the makings of a very nice layout. Good luck.
Otto K.

[peteski]

My friend constructed the view block from several vertically placed 1x2s attached to the layout framing (L-girder construction) and 2 pieces of 1/8 Masonite attached to the 1x2s.  It is only bit over 1" thick, very sturdy and mostly hollow (no need for foam).  I don't remember how he finished the top edge. Probably just using a 1x2.

[mmagliaro]

Since you mentioned bending masonite, I assume you are going to have to continue on from what we see and go around the curve in the foreground?  Since you have room for 1/8 + 1/8 + 1/2" thick per your suggestion, I would forgo the foam entirely.  I like Peteski's suggestion of a hollow construction over wood "studs".   You could use 1x2 or 1x4 vertical studs, dropped through the benchwork and secured underneath with steel L angles or wood blocks, but those are 3/4" thick.  If you don't have room for that, you can use strips of 1/2" plywood.  That would be much sturdier than the foam, and pretty easy and cheap to build.  It seems easier and sturdier, to me, than doing masonite over the foam.

[NtheBasement]

Why add masonite over the foam, you could just paint it or glue backdrop photo directly.  Strength?

If it is not going to be curved, see if your local big box has an aluminum C or L channel that the foam will fit into.  They sell them in 8 foot lengths.

[Wolf N Works]

For bending/ curving of the Masonite hardboard.  I use Windex Original (With Ammonia D). I soak both sides of the area that is to be curve. REALY soak the area, take your time and keep it wet while you bend it to the curve you are looking for. I have gotten really tight curves with this method. Once you have it where you want it, you will have to have something to hold it in this shape while it dries, once the Masonite is dry, it will keep it curves.

Like others I have used the (I cut 3/4" plywood into 1x3s) and make my structure (I use pocket holes/screws, not a necessity) and then glue the hard board to it. This wood frame and hardboard sandwich gives you something to secure. 1/8" masonite/hardboard plus 3/4" plywood will give you the same thickness as 1" foam. Using this method you can drill down through the bottom cord and secure to the frame without L brackets (if you want to make it removable, then use L brackets) The other other option if you are set on foam would be to at the bottom use some wood for the first few inches and then foam or use some wood inserts every so often so the L bracket screws have something to secure to too. Securing direct to masonite does not hold as well as have a solid back.

[chuck geiger]

I will eventually have to do the same thing from Highgrove to Perris on the left hand side of the layout. This thread is helpful.

[spr1955]

Thanks to all that chimed in, much appreciated.  Some things I left out but mmagliaro correctly assumed was that the ends would be curved pieces. I also forgot to mention that the view block would have masonite on both sides as both sides are backdrops.  So going to forget the foam and use 1/2" plywood "stakes" that go through the sub roadbed and with blocks attached anchored to cross pieces on top of the L-girders. The right side will have one piece straight to the wall and on the opposite side a curve to the window, that will help with stabilization. The left side with taper down like in the pictures from peteslki and be pinched together at the end. I will post progress and final results as they get done. I think I will use cardboard templates for the curvature and pre-bend the masonite, final adjustments should not be too difficult at that point.

[Sumner]

I've just gone through this although don't have the Masonite up yet.  It has proven to be very solid and the backdrop will end up being 1 3/4" thick after the Masonite is put on....









Lots more pictures and info starts here .....

http://1fatgmc.com/RailRoad/UP%20Canyon%20Division/page-126.html

Also plan on using the Windex after seeing this video...

Sumner

[R L Smith]

Aluminum flashing from the big box DYI store. It comes in rolls that are 14" tall, and in lengths of 10' and 35'.  Curves easily and takes paint well. As flight2000 mentioned, I used 90 degree L-brackets to fasten it to the layout framework.  (No good photos though; I've already built up the subroadbed over them.)  It's lighter and less expensive than masonite too.

Mine rests on the L-girders, but a 1" deep slot cut also cut in your subroadbed would likely be sufficient too. I used short sheet metal screws like those made for metal framing studs in home construction.

The drawback is you will want a vertical support at each end to prevent waviness, or a means of attaching screws a few inches higher up than what the L-brackets provide.  Those higher screws could be hidden by structures or scenery.







Ron

[wm3798]

Mine's pretty simple.  I took a set of 12" bifold doors apart, and screwed one of them to the HCD base



Sturdy, lightweight, paintable.
Lee

[spr1955]

More great ideas. Thank you all.  I like the aluminum flashing and that can certainly be used in another location on the layout.

[robert3985]

When Kelly Newton and I built Nate Goodman's layout benchwork many years ago, much of it consisted of back to back Ntrak modules in addition to several sections that were not modular and of a much larger dimension than Ntrak modules.  One of the features of the layout was the central view block/skyboard that ran down the middle of it.

I constructed the scenery divider out of 1/8" tempered Masonite faces with 2X2 pine risers/spacers between them, making it easy to build both straights and flowing curved backdrops where needed.

When I got around to building my own modular/sectional layout, I used the same technique as I had used on Nate's layout except since my layout gets broken down and transported, the skyboard/divider is removable, so it's bolted on.

For Nate's, since the top of his layout was 3/4" board, for places that weren't back to back modules, I drilled a pilot hole in the table top, then screwed the 2X2 riser down securely after applying yellow carpenter's glue with square drive outdoor decking grabber screws.  If I remember correctly, I drilled pilot holes in all of the 2X2's before gluing and screwing.

I attached the Masonite with small square drive grabbers after countersinking the pilot holes, then after the glue had cured, I applied Spackle over the countersunk grabbers, sanded it and painted the dividers.

On my own layout, I drill an appropriately sized hole in the tops of the riser/spacers to mount swing-arm drafting lamps with 15W daylight LED bulbs in them to illuminate my layout.  On Nate's I drilled out some of the riser/spacers, but not all of them.

On Nates, the tops of the skyboard/scenery divider is below eye level so I painted down into the interior a bit to give it a more finished look.  On my own, since the tops of my skyboards are above eye level, I don't worry about it since I can't see it.

This makes for a quite sturdy, durable, relatively smooth and thin flowing backdrop with regular places to put lamps if you want, as well as concealing the lamp power cords.

Photo (1) - Nate's skyboard at the Riverside layout section:


Photo (2) - Another skyboard shot at the other end of Nate's layout.


When Kelly and I built this many years ago, for some reason we felt constrained to retain the Ntrak skyboard height.  On my own layout, I made both the railhead to floor height much taller than Ntrak standards as well as making the skyboards much higher.

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore