Wiring under the layout?

[kf4jqd]

Hello All:

I was wondering how everyone wires under their layout? I have to lay on my back with a pillow under my head! Not too comfortable. So how does everyone else do this? There has to be an easier way!

Andy

 

[yellowlynn]

Don't use a pillow!! Either the intermittent naps or just resting the eyelids makes the job take longer.

Lynn

 

[scudrunr]

the pillow is a bad idea for falling asleep on live wires

 

[Catt]

I sit on a 5 gallon bucket turned upside down.My layout is 44 " off the floor. I may just raise it another 4" when I start the rebuild.

 

[roryglasgow]

hehehe

Well, my layout sits on an 30"x80" hollow core door. On top of that, I have a single sheet of 1/2" blue foam (with additional pieces on top of that). When I need to work on my wiring, I simply remove the screws that fasten the foam to the door, then lift the foam up onto 2x2s, and tilt the entire layout back as needed. All of the wires run between the foam and the door (spaced so as to avoid "clumps" that would make the foam noticeably uneven.

(One advantage to this arrangement is that, when the fastening screws are in place, I can lift the door off its legs and move it about without having to worry about snagging any of the wires. The door sits on a pair of TV dinner trays.)

I will be building an HO-scale layout around the perimeter of my son's room, and I've been thinking about using this method to conceal the wires. That way I don't have to worry about making the underside of the shelf "look pretty."

-Rory

 

[michael l]

my layout is about 46" off the carpet so i use a little stool that allows me to sit under the table... also a "snake lite" from black and decker helps me with the light situation..

 

[IMRL393]

Andy -

I was busy trying to perfect a tractor beam to raise my layout!

Not having too much luck - how come on Star Trek they can whip these things out as needed ???




Good thing Rory came up with a great idea - my top is foam, too!





Now, I just need a few adjustments ....................


- George

 

[Drew1125]

My layout is high enough on the wall, (with no legs) that I can roll an office chair right up under it. In fact, my workbench is about 10 or 12 feet away, & if I keep the place clutter-free, (not always the case) I can just whiz back & forth from workbench to layout, without even getting up.
Is that lazy, or what?

 

[Virginian]

Hi Andy
Simple...I have this little man, about 3 1/2 " tall...he just walks under the layout, across the table top, and pulls the wire where ever I tell him...he had a bit of a time handling the drill to pumch through the 2x4 'runners'....
I have a true table top layout a ..4x8 ply...screwed to three 2x4 s lengthwise as a support... I have the whole thing laying across my 56"x80" work table ...it was a trick to get to the center to wire the xing in the middle....but I just slide the whole thing to one way or the other...and stretch as far as I can...but that little man would be a great help...hmmm.... he could throw switches, re- rail ,clean track...hmmm maybe my daughter would let my 3 1/2 yr.old grandson come live with us...he's already a 'train nut'...sure wish they lived closer...

VGN

 

[shamus]

Hi ,
I drilled 1" holes in my benchwork before anything was laid on top allowing me to thread the wires underneath when all the trackwork was completed.

Shamus

 

[kf4jqd]

Thanks!

Thank you everyone for the reply. It sounds like there is no simple solution. Oh well!

Jessica and I are thinking about building a house. I want to run trains around the walls. There is some engineering problems there. Not to mention making Jess happy! She says that I can have room for my Ham Radio and trains.
Even though the house is over a year away from being built. I am making plans now. Learning from my mistakes and trying to find easier solutions. I'll be asking more in the future.

Andy