Lightweight Baseboard ConstructionPresented at VMRS Meeting 18 September 2013by John de la LandePhotoGippsford

Baseboard Design CriteriaWhen I decided to build Gippsford, for showing at the AMRA Exhibition last year, I focused on meeting these criteria: for the baseboard:LightweightEasy to buildEasy to dismantle for transportLeast amount of workEliminate warping Use perfectly straight structural membersKeep cost down (as much as possible)Hide point mechanisms from damageMinimise wiring issuesEasy alignment of track from one board to the next

MaterialsDecided on Aluminium structural members as:Lightweight.Easy to work with.Relatively cheap.Free cutting to length (Action Aluminium).Quick to build and dismantle (using Aculok system and 25.4mm square Aluminium tube).Height adjusting feet available (and casters if required).

Materials (2)Decided to use extruded polystyrene for the base of the layout as:It is lightweight.Relatively strong.Deadens noise very effectively.Can be easily shaped and cut.Has a range of thicknesses available.Can be glued together using PVA (I used 2 part epoxy to glue to the ply base).

Materials (3)Used building plywood under the extruded polystyrene as:It added structural rigidity to the baseboard frame.Provided support for the extruded polystyrene and minimised cross structural members required.Allowed wiring and connectors to be easily attached underneath using a hot glue gun.

Baseboard Construction LayersExtruded PolystyreneSquare Al TubingPlywoodRect Al Tube boltedTo square tubing toReduce sag.

Materials (4)Aculok connectors.

Baseboard FramingUnderneath layout showing framing and wiring.

Legs

Lighting (1)Support poles were clipped onto the legs to enable LED strip lighting to be installed.The LEDs come in a 5m roll with a sticky back enabling them to be stuck onto an aluminium L shaped strip of aluminium. Very light weight and very easy to install and dismantle.

Lighting (2)Brackets were made from 3mm acrylic to connect the L aluminium to theUprights and made such that there angle could be adjusted to obtain optimum lighting. For a permanent layout the lights can be suspended on Fishing line.

Cost Comparison (1)Aculok connectors cost on average $1.30 each but cost depends on how many ways it is designed to support (eg: 3 way, 4 way).Square tubing to match the Aculok connectors costs $20.80 per 6.5m lengths that is $3.20 per m. Action Aluminium were by far the cheapest for aluminium I could find and would cut the tube to the lengths I required for free (just needed to provide them with a cutting list).

Cost Comparison (2)Wood prices are from Bunnings Mentone

MaterialDescriptionCost/mAluminium Square25.4 x 25.4 (1 x 1)$3.20Dressed Pine64 x 19$2.80Dressed Pine Framing42 x 30$3.34Tas Oak Hardwood65 x 19$5.68Structural Framing Pine Walls2 x 1$2.50

Issues & ConclusionsThe span between legs can be an issue. If too long the aluminium can sag. This can be resolved by:Adding more legs.Bolting (and gluing) a length of Aluminium under the Aculok square tubing. Note that it is the combined depth of the beam that determines its rigidity over the length of the span.Ballast weighs more than the boards!The baseboards were easy to erect, dismantle and transport. Easy to align track from one board to the other.