Newbie Here, All advice Welcome, New Man Cave

Discuss model railway topics and news that do not fit into other sections.
blueneil
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Newbie Here, All advice Welcome, New Man Cave

Post by blueneil »

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Hello All, my name is Neil, based in Sutton Coldfield , West Midlands, i have spent the last 18 months building the building that will eventually house my model railway, its 4.8M long & 2.2M wide inside dimensions, slightly narrower than what would be ideal, however, i was stuck for space on the width, i am currently constructing the benchwork to house the baseboards, progress will stop shortly for 3-4 months as i am undergoing spinal surgery, The layout will be a complete oval with a lift up hydraulic section at the door end, the baseboards will only be approx 21¨ depth due to the constraints on the width, any proposals would be very welcome as i have zero clue on what to produce!
blueneil
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Re: Newbie Here, All advice Welcome, New Man Cave

Post by blueneil »

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Putting the roof on, all insulated, interior lighting added & finally benchwork going in with lift up section at the door entrance end of the shed
Black-Marlin
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Re: Newbie Here, All advice Welcome, New Man Cave

Post by Black-Marlin »

Hi Neil, welcome to the forum. Bad luck on having to endure surgery, but congrats on the man cave - such a thing would certainly provide healing incentive to me...!

21" isn't too bad, actually. While I agree it doesn't afford you opportunities for, say, major junctions you can certainly have a twin track with sufficient space on either side to have sidings, or scenery, or railway infrastructure like a country station... My own layout, Starlingford, is built on boards 24" wide and two tracks + scenery works perfectly well:

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One recommendation I would definitely make, though, is to insert triangle-shaped infills on the inner corners - you will be amazed at how much additional scenic potential comes of them! But I look forward to seeing your layout develop once you're match-fit again :)

Regards,
Gavin
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Bufferstop
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Re: Newbie Here, All advice Welcome, New Man Cave

Post by Bufferstop »

Welcome aboard Neil. Having it ready to start building should keep up your spirits during recovery. Look forward to progress reports. (the layout and yourself.)

John W
aka Bufferstop
Growing old, can't avoid it. Growing up, forget it!
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Tricky Dicky
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Re: Newbie Here, All advice Welcome, New Man Cave

Post by Tricky Dicky »

Hi Neil

I am looking to create my man cave this coming year and I am torn between buying a sectional building or building from scratch. Could you provide some more constructional details and some idea of the costs involved?

Richard

PS The build so far looks superb a nice job.
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Emettman
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Re: Newbie Here, All advice Welcome, New Man Cave

Post by Emettman »

blueneil wrote: The layout will be a complete oval with a lift up hydraulic section at the door end, the baseboards will only be approx 21¨ depth due to the constraints on the width, any proposals would be very welcome as i have zero clue on what to produce!
Hello Neil, and welcome.
I'm Chris(the mad one, despite the competition I have here)

With that size you have lots of options available even within, I'm guessing, OO, vastly more if you haven't started collecting your trains yet, as N. On30, O and G would all be quite possible in that space.
I can think of designs that would not need to cross the door and yet still give a good continuous run (in fact longer than a straight oval!) but that could be pushing at at your preferences.

Are you going to be operating the layout single-handed? If there will be other regular operators (builders?) this can make quite a difference to the optimal design.
Similarly, it could depend on the level of automation that is/isn't preferred.

It sounds as though you are going to have time to mull, anyway, and I hope your surgery goes well.

Chris
"It's his madness that keeps him sane."
Bigmet
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Re: Newbie Here, All advice Welcome, New Man Cave

Post by Bigmet »

Great stuff, and hope the spinal surgery is completely effective.

Design detail considerations on the lifting flap.

You may have taken care of this already but it is worth mentioning: the pivot centre line of the hinges has to be on or above the top of the rails, otherwise the rail ends will bind as you start the lift. Because the hinges are pretty beefy (good) you may be OK with track laid directly on the baseboard. But if you put some extra material under the track to represent ballasting, then the rail ends may be high enough relative to the pivot line to foul. If that is a problem, put the hinges on some thin packing to lift them a bit more above the baseboard.

Location of the free end of the lifting flap: it needs to have something to lock it in alignment when closed, so the rail ends match up perfectly. Good quality slide bolts - bathroom door locks - are very suitable, but there are many other options. Why I favour these, if made in brass they can also be used as track power isolators that very definitely disconnect power from the rails leading to the open side of the 'hole' when the flap is lifted. People think it will never happen, but many operators have managed to 'run one into the hole' through not providing this positive protection...

Next question, set track or flexi track? I'd definitely suggest the latter, you have the space and will both spend less, and get a better result! Cheaper and better, you don't often get that as an offer.
blueneil
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Re: Newbie Here, All advice Welcome, New Man Cave

Post by blueneil »

The Finished Job
The Finished Job
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Tricky Dicky wrote:Hi Neil

I am looking to create my man cave this coming year and I am torn between buying a sectional building or building from scratch. Could you provide some more constructional details and some idea of the costs involved?

Richard

PS The build so far looks superb a nice job.
Hi Richard, i got the windows off eBay, they match my home in the light oak effect, then i made the building around the windows, just stud work, i actually made the 4 sides as separate sections, then bolted them altogether, then i clad it in 18mm OSB board, then gave it a building wrap then clad it in Tantalized Ship lap, put the roof on made from sheet steel cladding, brought a high security door, on the inside, clad the ceiling in 5M lengths of upvc hollow soffit board, the stud work was 3x2, so i put in 75mm insulation in the walls&ceiling, in the floor i put 50mm Celotex insulation, on top of that 18mm OSB board again, then laid a cheap wooden floor on top again, then the internal walls i fixed some 10MM plywood, i added LED recessed down lights on a dimmer switch & some fluorescent lighting for main lighting for when working in there, i added many sockets, everything wired up by my Electrician friend with a mini fuse board with breakers, the whole project cost me about 1400 Pounds, but i applied all my own labour, sometimes i could see NO end to it all, but it all came good at the end!
Peterm
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Re: Newbie Here, All advice Welcome, New Man Cave

Post by Peterm »

Nice one Neil. I built my shed from scratch as well, although it's not for a railway. The amount of money you save is incredible... and you know it's done properly.

I too have back problems and have to say that I'm sure you'll be glad of a base board that's not too deep. The suggestion of N gauge is good, but it's eye sight and what you can actually handle that gets in the way. Also, if like me you like adding sound and energy storage, it's much easier in OO gauge.

Best of luck with the op' and the layout.
Pete.
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RailwayRobbo
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Re: Newbie Here, All advice Welcome, New Man Cave

Post by RailwayRobbo »

Hi Neil and welcome to the forum.
That's a really nice looking 'Man Cave' you've built there. It reminds of my time over 10 years ago when I started a similar journey building my 'Layout Shed' for PETERSDALE.
You've come to the right place for both inspiration and advice regarding anything model railway related. The thing I found most helpful way back at the beginning of PETERSDALE was to have a sort of picture in your head of how you'd like the final layout to look when it's complete (they say layouts are never complete. I'm finding that out now.). Everybody has there own ideas about what they want from their layout. I went for the Branch Line Terminus because I wanted to model a railway within the countryside. Others love to have what I call 'action layouts' with multiple trains continuously running on the main line. I love the variation you see on the forum of the different layouts. I've enjoyed all the aspects of building my layout I hope you do to. I'll be following your thread with interest.
Feel free to take a look at my thread.

The story of PETERSDALE my OO gauge Branch Line Layout - http://www.newrailwaymodellers.co.uk/Fo ... 22&t=48988

Pete (RailwayRobbo)
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fourtytwo
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Re: Newbie Here, All advice Welcome, New Man Cave

Post by fourtytwo »

blueneil wrote:the roof on made from sheet steel cladding
That is such a good idea compared to the standard bitumen cloth stuff, even "heavy duty" is only lasting me 5-6 years and I have been looking for alternatives thank you for the idea :)
A fresh start in OO, DC Steam
blueneil
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Re: Newbie Here, All advice Welcome, New Man Cave

Post by blueneil »

RailwayRobbo wrote:Hi Neil and welcome to the forum.
That's a really nice looking 'Man Cave' you've built there. It reminds of my time over 10 years ago when I started a similar journey building my 'Layout Shed' for PETERSDALE.
You've come to the right place for both inspiration and advice regarding anything model railway related. The thing I found most helpful way back at the beginning of PETERSDALE was to have a sort of picture in your head of how you'd like the final layout to look when it's complete (they say layouts are never complete. I'm finding that out now.). Everybody has there own ideas about what they want from their layout. I went for the Branch Line Terminus because I wanted to model a railway within the countryside. Others love to have what I call 'action layouts' with multiple trains continuously running on the main line. I love the variation you see on the forum of the different layouts. I've enjoyed all the aspects of building my layout I hope you do to. I'll be following your thread with interest.
Feel free to take a look at my thread.

The story of PETERSDALE my OO gauge Branch Line Layout - http://www.newrailwaymodellers.co.uk/Fo ... 22&t=48988

Pete (RailwayRobbo)
Hi Pete, Thanks for the compliment, it will be OO gauge, i have purchased heaps of stuff over the last 4 years, however, i do have a sort of idea of what i wish to achieve, but i know absolutely nothing about railways! Let me explain why i have not started, simply because i feel what ever i design will be wrong & not functional, for the last 4 years i have been to many many shows including only last weekend for the Warley Show, i dont quite understand all the terminologies, also when i look at layouts with a lot of point work & crossovers etc...it confuses me where to put such things on my layout.
I have 4.8M x 2.2M, i wish to have a double line with trains going around in opposite directions, along with a 3rd line ( is that a branch line) serving a small village type of thing with a few businesses, with a few sidings for engine storage , coal facility, with trains being able to have access to all the lines, this is where my head just doesn't work! You wouldn't believe i´m an engineer would you!
blueneil
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Re: Newbie Here, All advice Welcome, New Man Cave

Post by blueneil »

fourtytwo wrote:
blueneil wrote:the roof on made from sheet steel cladding
That is such a good idea compared to the standard bitumen cloth stuff, even "heavy duty" is only lasting me 5-6 years and I have been looking for alternatives thank you for the idea :)
Measure the width of your building, then buy the sheets in closest length, cut them into 2 sections, use a slitting disc in a angle grinder,fit them to your roof using the appropriate fixings, the screws are self cutting into the sheet with a built in rubber washer so they seal to make them weatherproof, only do one side of the roof at a time, as the opposite side with be opposing, you can simply screw the cut sheet direct to an existing wooden roof, they overlap on the joins by one pitch of the pattern within the sheet, its about 100mm overlap, simply silicone along the joint & lay the next section onto top of the previous one, so you are laying a metre at a time, soon cover the whole roof, then fit a ridge section, average shed/large shed, no more than a days work tops....hope it helps
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RailwayRobbo
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Re: Newbie Here, All advice Welcome, New Man Cave

Post by RailwayRobbo »

Neil, try FreeTrackPlans.com.
There are loads of different track plans for both ends to end and continuous runs (Ovals etc) on this website.

Pete (RailwayRobbo)
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fourtytwo
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Re: Newbie Here, All advice Welcome, New Man Cave

Post by fourtytwo »

blueneil wrote:
fourtytwo wrote:
blueneil wrote:the roof on made from sheet steel cladding
That is such a good idea compared to the standard bitumen cloth stuff, even "heavy duty" is only lasting me 5-6 years and I have been looking for alternatives thank you for the idea :)
Measure the width of your building, then buy the sheets in closest length, cut them into 2 sections, use a slitting disc in a angle grinder,fit them to your roof using the appropriate fixings, the screws are self cutting into the sheet with a built in rubber washer so they seal to make them weatherproof, only do one side of the roof at a time, as the opposite side with be opposing, you can simply screw the cut sheet direct to an existing wooden roof, they overlap on the joins by one pitch of the pattern within the sheet, its about 100mm overlap, simply silicone along the joint & lay the next section onto top of the previous one, so you are laying a metre at a time, soon cover the whole roof, then fit a ridge section, average shed/large shed, no more than a days work tops....hope it helps
Thank you so much Neil, great needs doing next summer (torn blownoff patched last week in mini tornado!) Roger
A fresh start in OO, DC Steam
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