[Richard Johnson]

***I'd not fit those top battens yet. If you do you will miss some of the core clever reasons for L girders existence, and are really just creating a multi-layer egg crate baseboard!

The concepts behind L girger were (1) to span longer distances on big layouts without the need for many legs and (2) that all screws were put in from underneath so that things could esily be modified even after scenery was done and (3) that the top battens were fixed as you created the layout, only being fixed when the appropriate position was found AFTER laying out the track to be sure no batten was where it was in the way for point motors etc... (4) and finally to be largely re-usable and to keep baseboards flexible and changeable as layouts tend to evolve where there is space to do it.. so they should, apart from the creation of the L-Girder beams themselves, be largely GLUE FREE..

I can remember whenthe idea first saw the light of day as a concept and was hailed as a real step forward (it was conceived by US modellers). L girder layouts usually ONLY have trackbed or wood where the track is - its not really the way for flat top baseboards at all. (BTW, for a great way to make track bed fluid and natural, look up "spline trackbed")

For a nice UK based use of spline trackbed, look here: http://nigelburkin.wordpress.com/tag/spline-road-bed/

regards

Richard

 

[Richard Johnson]

*** All well built timber-wise Ray, but... It seems the whole point of L Girder construction is sort of missed.

Its not another way of supporting a flat baseboard top, but a method of giving total flexibility of construction utilising L girders to minimise the need for legs and other support, leaving the underside of a layout free so there is good access, while keeping placement of lateral supports flexible / variable to accommodate positioning of turnout placement without obstructions underneath via the use of battens and "risers" to support trackbed ONLY where track itself is to be laid.

Versatility and flexibility of design is its rationale and the very positive visual contribution of L Girder is the huge incease in realism possible thanks to the removal of the "flat earth" result of large baseboard tops!

regards

Richard

 

[Richard Johnson]

*** It's a good positive step Ray - you will not regret it.

regards

Richard

 

[Richard Johnson]

*** However if you create the "cess" properly so the adjacent area is covered by more than paint as it should be... it will be partly filled, to the 5mm will become far less.

regards

Richard

 

[Richard Johnson]

*** This is laid on 5mm underlay - in this case our own brand. (GM have stock in UK)

5mm = 15" in real life, and once the cess is modelled properly, looks about right to me





regards

Richard