Potential for an '0' gauge layout maybe???

Discussion in 'Domestic & Temporary' started by Keith M, Sep 11, 2019.

  1. Keith M

    Keith M Staff Member Moderator

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    I've spent the best part of the last 4 weeks working on my 32ft x 15ft garage, initially replacing the leaking "wriggly cement board" roof with box profile Plastisol coated steel, specifying the optional 'anti-condensation' undercoating......no point in having a leakproof roof that drips condensation over everything is there? I had the accumulated 'Junk' (well, that's what Mrs M calls it!) of 17 years to wade through, and I have to admit that after 5 trips with the trailer to the tip, I do have much more space, both for storage, 2 cars and just maybe, potential for an '0' gauge layout of sorts. This is the new roof, a huge improvement on the old one.

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  2. Keith M

    Keith M Staff Member Moderator

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    So now to the inside space. Luckily the local Lidl came to my rescue with the offer of some heavy duty shelving units, which can be assembled in either vertical or horizontal fashion, my space allowing for one vertical and five horizontal. After fitting everything in, I'm left with a horizontal space of just over 4.5 metres by 46cm wide, maybe enough for an '0' gauge plank style layout of some sort, but here's my dilemma, is it sensible, given our damp UK climate, well ventilated garage, and the fact that 2 cars occupy the garage and may well be brought in either dripping wet or even on occasion, snow covered, to even think about a layout in this situation, especially considering that '0' gauge ain't cheap?
    Leaving the cars out isn't an option as I'm somewhat "Old Fashioned" inasmuch as I like our vehicles under lock and key, and obviously using the layout would be a 'summer months only' setup as at my age, I'm not interested in freezing to death and heating this big uninsulated space would be far too expensive. Rolling stock wouldn't be left in the garage but rust/corrosion might be a problem trackwise, so really I guess what I'm asking is wether this is a practical proposition or am I just dreaming a step too far? I know there are other forum members in the UK who have garage layouts, so what are your experiences, is it worth it bearing in mind the cost of '0' gauge? This pic is of the interior of the garage, which I've lined out (12 of 8x4ft OSB3 boards mounted on 2x1'' treated slate laths, bolted through the concrete section fastenings), white painted so plenty of light, and even floor painted the floor as a dust stop measure, the potential layout area in question is to the left.
    Keith.

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  3. Andy_Sollis

    Andy_Sollis Staff Member Moderator

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    Shame it’s a concrete garage... I’d be taking it outside with a station inside :thumbs:
     
  4. Keith M

    Keith M Staff Member Moderator

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    It's not difficult to drill holes in Andy, but talk of "Taking it outside" could be grounds for divorce as Mrs M is a keen gardener, so no go!:avatar:

    Keith.
     
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  5. Toto

    Toto I'm best ignored Staff Member Founder Administrator

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    Plenty space ..... go for it. :avatar:
     
  6. Andy_Sollis

    Andy_Sollis Staff Member Moderator

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    Well, get her to grow some miniature trees around it. Perfect setting and approval from “the boss”. :thumbs:

    :avatar::avatar:
     
  7. Mark J

    Mark J Full Member

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    Keith you have a wonderful bit of space, is the garage by any chance insulated if not that would be the first job.
     
    Last edited: Sep 12, 2019
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  8. ianvolvo46

    ianvolvo46 Staff Member Moderator

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    That's one hell of a beer fridge Keith … so good start

    Ian vt
     
  9. Keith M

    Keith M Staff Member Moderator

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    Left side and rear of the garage is up to the boundary, so no room for access here, and the available space is blocked at the back by storage, again blocking access. A concrete sectional garage like mine (not my choice, it was the previous owners who used it to build 'Caterham 7's' in) would be difficult and expensive to insulate, it wasn't easy to line out, and I could have put some insulation between concrete sections and liner, though not enough to make it worth the bother, and as the roof needs good ventilation for the 'anti-condensation' liner, further roof insulation was not an option. If I'd been starting from scratch, things would have been done very differently, but as we found as we worked through putting our stamp on this property, the previous owner didn't show signs of having thought things through in anything, and our first 3 years here were spent (and much money too!) in sorting out/correcting or just scrapping and doing properly the jobs he'd attempted......talk about "Bodgit & Scarper Ltd!" There has to be a financial limit to how much it's worth spending on any property, and I'm lucky that having working in the construction industry for over 20 years out of my working life, through my accumulated knowledge I've saved many thousands of pounds compared to what I'd have had to pay had I not been capable of doing these jobs myself, even now at the age of 72.
    Basically, the garage is a project that had needed sorting for years, but my attentions and finances were needed elsewhere on the property, and a garage doesn't come very high on my (or Mrs M's) list of priorities, hence why it took 17 years to get around to it. Being now retired and financially "Comfortable", I now have more time and limited financial resources to get around to doing these 'nice to have' jobs......at least it'll be something worthwhile for our kids to sell and get their inheritance when we're "pushing up daisies!" :avatar:

    Keith.
     
  10. jakesdad13

    jakesdad13 Staff Member Moderator

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    I would love to have the space you have available Keith, however I do see the trouble you have with possible damp issue. Obviously the answer is insulate and line out the roof and walls but I also see the cost being a very big issue!
    To leave the roof with a good air flow for letting the coating do its work, I would fit a false ceiling with Rockwool insulation above. That is something that could be done a portion at a time and the eventual benefits would be huge, especially if you installed some kind of heating just to keep it all aired, solar powered for example.
    You could remove your stock and bring it inside the house but that could be a PITA if you start and build up a large collection.
    At the end of the day it is down to what you want to do, but you will definitely get loads of support here.

    Keep us informed how you get on mate, if you need any help don't hesitate to ask for it!

    Pete.
     
  11. Keith M

    Keith M Staff Member Moderator

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    Hi Pete.
    I'll certainly need advice if I do go for '0' gauge as I know zilch about it. As a confirmed "Southern " modeller, I'd love an '0' gauge 'Merchant Navy' or maybe a 'Schools' but no idea what's available either in RTR or kit form in this gauge. Any info would be great!
    Keith.
     
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  12. MalcT

    MalcT Full Member

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    Never seen a garage look so tidy, is that regular light battens ? Changed mine for LED, what a difference it made.
    MalcT
     
  13. jakesdad13

    jakesdad13 Staff Member Moderator

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    As far as I'm aware there are no RTR Merchant Navy's or Schools unless you are willing to pay thousands for a Loveless or Masterpiece Models loco.
    Kit wise there are plenty to see, however, caution needs to be taken. Not all are suitable for newcomers to O gauge. Connoisseur models do kits for most companys and are relatively straight forward to build.
    Alternatively, there are models out there built from kits and for sale used. some can be quite a bargain but if you find a problem, you're on your own if it's a private sale, from a trader you do have some redress.
    Do your home work and check out society sales like the Gauge O Guilds sales and their executors sales.
    There's also an O gauge sales site on facebook, though I know you don't like fb, it doe's have its uses if you ignore the crap that gets posted.

    Cheer's, Pete.
     
  14. Keith M

    Keith M Staff Member Moderator

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    Hi Malc.
    Yes, they are 5ft fluorescent waterproof fittings, been installed over 10 years now back when I was working. With 8 fittings (4 each side) there is plenty of light for anything I need to do in the garage. If you think the garage is tidy, you ought to have seen it before I started......it resembled the aftermath of an explosion in a scrap metal workshop, hence the need for 5 trips with the trailer to the tip! After replacing the roof, I determined that this was likely to be the best and possibly only chance I'd have to get a decent garage/workshop, so decided to go the whole hog and line out the walls, paint them and the floor (fed up with the concrete dust each time I swept the garage out), and toyed with the idea of buying a metalwork lathe, though I have very little experience of working with one. Decided it wouldn't be worth it for me as, useful as one might be from time to time, I'd never really justify the cost (even for a decent secondhand one) against my limited use for one, so abandoned the idea. The previous owner had installed an engine lifting beam, but I've given up working on cars at my age, and I intended on retirement almost 8 years ago, that I'd strip and rebuild my 1982 Honda CX500 motor bike, but then reluctantly gave up bikes due to arthritic knees, which meant I couldn't ride for more than about an hour without 'seizing up'. There's no joy in getting old!:giggle:

    Keith.
     
  15. Keith M

    Keith M Staff Member Moderator

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    Thanks for the info Pete, disappointing that there are no RTR Merchant Navy's or Schools, considering how well served we "Southern" modellers in '00' gauge are, maybe a big gap in the market for some enterprising manufacturer, though I'm not averse to a kit or two.
    I'm not sure that the area I have available would be any use for what I'd like, as I'm not into shunting planks and the like, but if I do go ahead, I'm thinking along the lines of spending the winter months building my own track ready for the (hopefully) warmer months next year, but first I'll need to decide on a track plan. I can 'scrounge' another small area, making a total of 5.50m x 46cm, so don't know what I might be able to do with that, any suggestions welcomed.:thumbup:

    Keith.
     
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  16. MalcT

    MalcT Full Member

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    I did similar, new roof which i had insulated with expanding foam, 50mm insulation board, then plasterboard on battens. Took 4 coats of emulsion to give a decent finish
    I had the up and over door removed, blocked up the used white uPvc cladding, from the road it looks like the door. Also put a new double glazed uPvc window in and changed the personnel door for a uPvc with 7 point lever locking system. We also have plenty of motion sensor lights and a CCTV system that is linked to my mobile for security. I painted my floor with SBR Waterproofer then laid a large piece of rubber matting and suspended the LEDs on chains from the roof, easy to adjust the height to get the lighting level right. I also fitted a couple in the small room in the rear of the garage where I do my soldering and kit building etc and again put in a new double glazed window unit. The previous owner had built a nice long workbench, just the job. Luckily my opposite neighbour is an electrician by trade so after I'd put in all the trunking and sockets and left him sufficient twin and earth cable he connected to the mains for me.
     
  17. Keith M

    Keith M Staff Member Moderator

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    Hi Mark.
    I am fortunately an Electrician by trade, so no problem for me. I replaced the 4 windows in the garage with Upvc ones a few months ago as the original timber ones were past their best, and also have a CCTV system with night vision, live in a rural 'low crime' area which is also 'Neighbourhood Watch' of which I'm an active member and my boundary hedge is 9ft thick hawthorn which you'd need to be a brave man to attempt to get through! That said, I'm not complacent so don't leave anything of real value around, 'just-in-case.' When we refitted the kitchen 8 years ago, I commandeered all the useful units for the garage, including the solid worktops, so I already had a reasonable amount of storage, but as always, can you ever have enough, hence the 'Lidl' shelving which as yet, I haven't fully utilised.
    Keith.
     
  18. MalcT

    MalcT Full Member

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    Hi Keith,
    Yes storage will be a problem as my layout grows, in the rear of the garage we have some shelving but her indoors has claimed all that as well as a fridge, a freezer and a tumble drier in there as well. I'm currently using some 60 litre storage boxes that I can stack 2 high, under the layout- becomes a pain when you want something from the bottom one in the far corner though. I might build some shelves under the layout but that could mean difficulties with access if there's a potential problem with the wiring for example.

    MalcT
     

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