Small Portable Layout Wanted

[jim worner]

WANTED a small (3x4 ft max) layout, to use with O 16.5 either round and round or end to end. I can add scenery, but must be track laid and wired. Light weight will be an advantage to help me move it. If you think you can help, or even would build one for payment, please message me. Thanks for looking.
Cheers Jim

MODERATOR EDIT: Personal contact details removed. PM in the first instance please.

[footplate1947]

Saw one on the bay over the weekend. I looked well made double track about £350 think it was. Trouble is when buying from ebay you have to be very lucky to find one close enough for pick up as they are normally pick up only. Why don't you build your own because that is much more satisfying than buying one which was built by somebody else.........John

[Mountain Goat]

Any joy with finding a layout?

[footplate1947]

Have noticed a few on ebay I would have look there. The problem is always finding one close to your location. I would build one myself. That is most of the fun of the hobby. ..................John

[jim worner]

STILL LOOKING but no luck. In terms of DIY what I need to get me started is a single sheet of 50mm thick STYROFOAM. I know I can buy a pack of 10, but what do i do with 9 surplus? Anyone know of a source of a single sheet in Yorkshire? I think I will start this search as a separate thread.

[Mountain Goat]

Not tried styrofoam as I have always used wood. Have used hardboard (Too flexible. Needs a lot of framework to support it. Good for backscenes but not as a top surface), chipboard (Used chipboard successfully and I slightly prefer it to ply as trains have a nicer sound on it. It is not light and needs sufficient thickness to keep it solid enough for use. I used to use an inch thick. However it does require effort to cut holes for point motors), plywood which is the old favourite. A reliable wood to use. MDF I am currently using which neds to be cut outdoors or in very well ventilated areas. I find it nice as it takes trackpins well and feels nice. I do have it screwed to a decent frame though the frame is basically a rectangle that fold up legs fold into. MDF is a little on the heavy side, so holes have been drilled to lighten things up.
I have never tried anything but wood to be honest. My dads trade involved wood and later plastic.
I'm thinking. If you could get a suitable offcut of styrofoam (Which I am guessing to be those nice thick sheets?) it can use a table to sit on rather then make seperate legs. Would it need a wooden suround as a frame or is the material good as it is? Would track need glueing or can it be pinned? There are ways to glue so the track can be lifted and repositioned. Using a glue like copydex can do this. It is not a strong glue with more solid rigid materials, hence it is ideal as one can peel it off the track and reglue if any alterations are to be made. However it is strong when used with fabric materials like cotton duck as it flexes with the material and it intwines with the fabric. I don't know if copydex sticks to styrofoam.
I hope you have every success with the plan. It is interesting.

[IanS]

Instead of Styrofoam, look at underfloor insulating board. It comes in various thicknesses and may be available from a local supplier as a one off sheet (or a few to make up the required thickness). If you buy a few of the thinner ones you could make the thickness as big as you wish with them glued together.

It is available via ebay but they too require purchase of more than one sheet as it is liable to flex in transit and break. You could try them, but I suspect they may want you to buy more than one or two sheets.