Advice for creating a table?

[oldtanker]

My best advice would be for you to get a copy of "the Worlds Greatest Hobby" DVD and watch it. It has very detailed instructions on how to build a 4X8 table. I would use 1x4 pine boarde for the frame work instead of the plywood they say to use beacause it can be had to keep plywood from splitting while driving nails or screws in. I wouls also use screws instead of nails.

Rick

 

[Russ Bellinis]

I have an old dining table that is in the garage that my 4x8 wood is laying on top of. I need to lift it up a few inches so wiring can go under it without getting crushed. Make sense?

It will be static and will always be in the garage, will never move.

Now I understand. You don't need to add full legs to your train board if you are going to use the old table in the garage to support the train table. I would still go with 1 x 3 or 1 x 4 lumber to build a frame around your plywood. Use a 1 x 2 inside the 1 x 3 or use 1 x 3 inside of the 1 x 4 frame to make a support lip. Put in 1 x 2 cross members to support the plywood about every 12-18 inches depending on how thick the plywood is. I would then use 6-8 inch long 2 x 2 legs that would hold the plywood up off your old dining table. Fasten the legs solidly to the plywood frame with screws, and run screws through the old dining table into the legs to mount them solidly together. That should give you 6-8 inches of clearence between the dining table and the plywood to run wiring for your model railroad.

 

[prodigy2k7]

just because i said the old dining table is in the garage doesnt mean i can start drilling holes in it lol...leave the old table out of it...im not drilling nailing or doing anything to the old table...

 

[Cannonball]

Ok, you don't want to damage your table.
You need enough space for wires, which shouldn't be much.
This is simple.

Make a square that is about 6 inches shorter and six inches narrower than your table so it has room to sit. Use some 2x2 wood or whatever small square wood you can find. Run more 2x2 strips inside your square a few inches appart and attach them to give your layout some support to sit on. Cut notches wherever the wires might be mashed between the 2x2's and the layout board. cut notches in the bottom of the 2x2's for any wires that may need to come out from under the layout for controlers and such. You can attach this to the bottom of your layout with wood screws rather than the table and then set the whole mess back on the table without crushing your wires.

the diagram below represents the space of the table (brown area) and the framework made by the 2x2's. Drawing is not to scale or measured exactly. It is only an illistration to show what I am talking about.

 

[prodigy2k7]

makes sense, might try it...

 

[Jim Krause]

S.F. Jack: I'm well aware of the wall board screws' function. You and I are approaching this table from two viewpoints. I'm trying to keep it basic and doable with minimum of tools, by a relatively inexperienced person. I can appreciate your approach to woodworking and I do that sort of thing myself. Using wood screws is great for an experienced person who will take the time to countersink, body drill and prepare the holes for wood screws. The main thing we need to do is get prodigy to pick up those tools and get started.

 

[Cannonball]

makes sense, might try it...

Glad I could help. (Hopefully)

 

[cidchase]

Hi Kenny,
Just get yourself four blocks out of 2x4 or 2x6 and put them up under the plywood.
No construction required. A little Elmer's will hold them in place. I'm assuming, of course, that your plywood is thick enough not to be floppy.

 

[HOtrainman]

check out my freewebs site- http://freewebs.com/homodeltrains go to the beginner page and there is a table structure for a 4x8 layout.

 

[Russ Bellinis]

Ok, you don't want to damage your table.
You need enough space for wires, which shouldn't be much.
This is simple.

Make a square that is about 6 inches shorter and six inches narrower than your table so it has room to sit. Use some 2x2 wood or whatever small square wood you can find. Run more 2x2 strips inside your square a few inches appart and attach them to give your layout some support to sit on. Cut notches wherever the wires might be mashed between the 2x2's and the layout board. cut notches in the bottom of the 2x2's for any wires that may need to come out from under the layout for controlers and such. You can attach this to the bottom of your layout with wood screws rather than the table and then set the whole mess back on the table without crushing your wires.

the diagram below represents the space of the table (brown area) and the framework made by the 2x2's. Drawing is not to scale or measured exactly. It is only an illistration to show what I am talking about.

The only 2 changes I would suggest from Canonball's suggestion is to use 1x2 lumber fro cross members instead of 2x2. The other thing is it isn't necessary to cut notches in the crossmembers. If you use 2x3 lumber around the edge with 2x2 cross members, you will have @ i inch of clearance between the cross members and the table top. If you need to run wires through the cross members, just drill holes. 1/4-3/8 holes will give plenty of clearance for any wiring you would want to run. I use drywall screws on my benchwork and drill a "counter sink" with a slightly bigger bit. It isn't furniture quality I'm looking for. As was mentioned in another post, use some carpenters glue on both surfaces of wood you are joining and then screw it together. When the glue sets up, it will be a stronger joint than the screws anyway. In fact you don't have to counter sink the screws. You could glue and screw the benchwork together and then after 24 hours, remove the screws and the glue will hold it.