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Support for HO Scale Ceiling Layout
Bill wants to hear what readers think about his ceiling train idea:
“I want to build a HO scale tracks around my ceiling. I know it needs to be very rigid. What materials would work. I am thinking of 1″ X 6″ maple with iron book shelve braces. I can see the 30″ radius corners will need special stiffening. Your help would be much appreciated. Thank you.”
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2 Responses to Support for HO Scale Ceiling Layout
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i just finished adding a guage1 across my ceiling,,it came out beautifully! i used 1/4 inch lexan,its a clear plastic thats very easy to drill holes into without cracking. for supports i used 3/4 inch dowels, but i put them on my lathe and turned them. i then took ready rod at 1/4 inch, and used gorilla glue which is very strong, drilled 3/4 inch deep holes, slighly larger than 1/4 in. in the bottom end of the turned maple,,then i added those spring hooks and glued them into the top of the maple from ther i installed them into the plexi with a bolt about every 2 feet. i then took a felt pen n blackened the screw on the spring hook on the top, and carefully pushed it to the ceiling tiles,,marking out the holes. pushing the springhooks into the drilled hole in the roof, i then squared it all up. laid the track right on the plexi, and added wiring at 4 places around the room, pushing the wires to one location where i added a remote dc unit for power. the plexi lets you see the moving parts of the 4-6-0, and theres nothing bloccking your way. i interlocked 4 foot by 6 inch lexan panels using a scrollsaw just like a puzzle piece, which disappeared after it was leveled out. i now have EVERY GUAGE,FROM GAUGE 1 TO Z SCALE RUNNING IN MY BASEMENT, ALL ON DIFERENT LEVELS!!! try it, you wont regret it!! canada mike
I have a track around the ceiling of my family room. It is a 16″ shelf at 14″ below the ceiling. I used custom wooden brachets on 4′ centers to hold icture fran type trays, I put 1/4″ masonite peg board in the trays and then 1″ styrofoam on top on which thack bed and track are located. The 1″ styrofoam protrudes above the frame so that I can sculpture and landscape the terrane. The brackets holdlower 1/4″ solid masonite panels to cover the under track wiring. The layout is basically two ovals with a crossover and two sidings. I have included an elevation which takes one tack to within 3″ of the ceiling, a tunnel and bridges spanning an open section of the shelf. I enjoy the layout a lot; my only reservation is that it is difficult to see the trains well from the floor. I am presently experimenting with angle mirrors mounted above the shelf.