Joining modular baseboards

Discussion in 'Baseboards' started by Vinylelpea, Dec 24, 2018.

  1. Vinylelpea

    Vinylelpea Full Member

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    Can someone please tell me the best way to join modular sections, so they can be stored, and rejoined, with track lining up in register?

    Phil from Australia
     
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  2. jakesdad13

    jakesdad13 Staff Member Moderator

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    There are several different methods of joining boards, my own preference is over centre catches mounted on the out side of the boards. Bolts passing through the ends with wing nuts and big washers. Hinges fitted on the outside, half on each board, then the hinge pin removed and a longer pin with a loop on one end fitted. When you need to separate the boards just pull the pin out.
    Aligning the boards, Paul L uses a jig to fit pattern makers pins and sockets.

    No doubt others will be along to point you in the right direction too.

    Once you have adopted a method of joining, lay your track across the joint, remove a couple of sleepers from above the board joint and using either small brass screws under the rails or Gormos method, a piece of copper clad cut to represent sleepers either side of the joint and then solder the rails to whichever you choose, don't forget to gap the copper clad sleepers to stop a short. Then finally, cut the rail over the joint.

    Hope this is of some help mate.

    Cheer's, Pete.
     
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  3. Vinylelpea

    Vinylelpea Full Member

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    Thanks Pete, sounds like a nice easy solution. :thumbup:
     
  4. Gary

    Gary Wants more time for modelling.... Staff Member Administrator

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    I have used Station Road Baseboards own Alignment Dowels for this purpose. I used the Cabinet Maker Dowels and the drill bit they supply. You will find everything on these pages : https://www.stationroadbaseboards.co.uk/cart_dowels.htm

    With these I also use Toggle Catches, I used the Large set : https://www.stationroadbaseboards.co.uk/cart_catches.htm

    With aligning track, I use the tried and true method of copper clad sleepers (PC Board).

    1. Remove sleepers where they cross the board.
    2. Cut sleepers to the right length and score the PC Board to create two separate sections (+ & -).
    3. Insert copper clad sleepers and build up plasticard or such to get to the correct height between baseboard and bottom of rail.
    4. Solder the sleepers in place.
    5. Drill the ends if you wish to nail or screw into position. The sleepers can also be glued into position with araldite or two part epoxy glue.
    6. Finally, cut the rails across the join.

    Job done.


    Cheers, Gary.
     
    Last edited: Dec 24, 2018
  5. Vinylelpea

    Vinylelpea Full Member

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    Cheers Gary, thanks the links and photo very helpful. Love the circuit board idea.

    Phil from Australia
     
  6. paul_l

    paul_l Staff Member Administrator

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    Like Gary, Toto and I have used the Station Road Baseboards dowels.
    I made a jig from MDF and ply, with five 30mm dia holes, these holes fit the collar on my router. Then by using cutters in the router I drill 10mm holes in the first , third & fifth holes for the bolts, the second and forth hole being recessed with a 25mm cutter 3m to give the recess for the dowels.
    The jig gives perfect alignment every time - much to Toto's suprise.

    There are photo's in both Toto's Luib Bridge and my Another Bridge threads - I will try and find the relevant sections later - have chores to start.

    Paul
     
  7. Kimbo

    Kimbo Staff Member Moderator

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    Hi Phil, as already mentioned above there are a couple of recommended ways to secure the trackwork at the board joint. Gary has described the way I did the joins on my LSD layout. You do have to be careful using this method as if the end of the track is caught on something in transit the thin copper on the copper clad board will tare very easily.....ask me how I know.
    On the new extension I’ve built I’ve used brass screws, like Pete, these are a really good way of securing the ends of the rail, they can be a little bit harder to disguise but if you cut a plastic sleeper up into three piece, one for between the screws and two smaller pieces on the outside on the screws, once painted and weathered they will not be to obvious.
    As for board alignment , several ways to do it but Paul’s method will always give perfect alignment.
    Kim
     
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  8. Vinylelpea

    Vinylelpea Full Member

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    Thanks Kim and Paul. I have checked out Another Bridge, Paul, and found the photo's on page one. ( for anyone else who's interested ). Thanks heaps big help.

    Phil from Australia
     
  9. hartleymartin

    hartleymartin Full Member

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    Another method is to cut the rails 25mm short of the end of the baseboard and insert short pieces of bridging rails. It is more fiddly to set-up the layout, but it did work reasonably well for an O gauge layout I helped build several years ago. I think that putting brass screws into the timber end pieces and soldering the rails to them is a lot better if you want to have baseboards which simply butt up to each other and are held together with alignment dowels and either over-centre catches or the like. Another old method is to use flat-back brass hinges on the sides of the layout module, remove the centre pin and make new L-shaped pins. These are extremely accurate, if a little unrefined.
     
  10. Bernie

    Bernie Full Member

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    I have tried modular boards to facilitate a future house move, rather than destroy the railway and to allow me to pull out a module and work underneath it. Two problems experienced. The first is getting the base board construction square at all angles so that when modules are joined together: the ends, edges and tops are flush. The second issue I had was alignment dowels. They work for straight line module, but not for a corner, because need room to pull the board apart to clear the dowels. Trying Tee nuts for a flush finish.
     
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  11. Wolseley

    Wolseley Full Member

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    I can't claim to be an expert on baseboard construction, and my layout consists of one large board in three sections so that it could be taken apart if need be rather than being a modular layout, so I'm not sure how relevant my experience is, but I used coach bolts and metal dowels (two bolts and two sets of dowels at both joins). I have taken it apart and reassembled it twice with no issues. I also used adjustable legs (the sort that have feet that can screw up or down) to aid with alignment at baseboard joins.

    P1000001.JPG P1000004.JPG
     
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  12. Echidna

    Echidna Full Member

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    Dear Wolseley and Vinylelpea,

    I have some modular boards, being the current metric equivalent of 3 ft long x 1 ft wide, 5 ply braced with 2 inch x 1 inch pine framing ( Bunnings ! ) and that uses a pair of pattern makers dowels ( EMGS UK ) and nut, washer and bolt liners like you do, however, at the male protruding end I have attached an offcut of pine framing approximately 8 inches long that forms a ledge so that the joining ( female ) board does not place undue stress on the dowels or bolts when separating or joining the boards.

    Many years ago I had read where a UK modeller used door hinges on top of, and below the baseboards which he claimed ensured that the boards would line up accurately, and reduce wear on the joins. In his case, it was an exhibition layout, so that does make sense, though the downside was that additional top cover board for scenery over the top hinge was required.

    Modeltech of Wales, UK ( www.modeltech.uk ) has a ProTrack RailAligner which may be of interest. This is a new product which I happened to see recently on YouTube.
    ( Usual disclaimer, I have no connection with the firm, or the person behind it. )

    Regards, Echidna
     
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  13. Gary

    Gary Wants more time for modelling.... Staff Member Administrator

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