Model Railway Forum

After many years of procrastinating about building a model railway layout I have seriously started R&D into setting up a basic DCC layout featuring an inner and outer loop and a few sidings (both internal and external). If you are familiar to the old Hornby trackmat layouts it will be along those lines (no pun intended) of those.

I'm looking to combine 3 hobbies...

1) OO Gauge Model railways
2) Automation of the layout
3) Electronics

If you have every come across something called "Arduino" that will feature heavily both in terms of automation and/or scenery control such as lighting and signals

BUT

I need to find a way mounting such boards to the undersides of the baseboard. I'm familiar with the process of building PCs where you need to use pillars to space the motherboard from the case but that is metal to metal whereas here we are talking about fixing a PCB (with mounting holes) to the wood of a baseboard.

Here is an example of something I need to fix. Another example of a typical circuit board will be the PCA9685 16 channel servo control.

Does anyone have any suggestions for mounting these under the baseboard ?

Many thanks

Same way as metal to metal using wood screws with spacers.

Hi

I mount all my baseboard PCBs by using plastic stand off tubes and suitable woodscrews - Ideally roundhead but more often countersunk!

On my panels, which are printed aluminium, I use self adhesive stand off mounts. These can also be used on baseboards, but do seal the area where they are to stick as the plywood/timber etc sucks the adhesive out of the pads and they can then fall off! Sealing the area stops this happening!

Examples of tubular stand offs stand off

Example self adhesive mounts SA Stand off mounts

Thank you very much everyone for the benefit of your experience

Simple wood screws with plastic washers/spacers.

I agree with all the methods described above but would suggest not directly mounting to the actual underside of the baseboard as any modifications/repairs will result in some awkward working. Rather mount all your electronic components on hinged sub-boards. This will allow the electronics boards to be swung down for ease of working, also make all the wiring come into the board at the hinged end and this will avoid having loops of wires hanging down.

Richard

I hide mine under landscaping and buildings.

Rgds