Fabricating the Legs for your Module
| If you've managed to stay with us so far, you've got a nicely fabricated
module frame. The only problem is that it isn't off the ground -
because we've still got to make some legs. There are two leg styles
that you can use - the ABS
rigid plastic pipe legs with cross and sway bracing (click on the above
hot spot) that I've detailed elsewhere on my website, or wooden legs made
from 2"x 2" lumber. |
If you belong to a module railroad club, the specs
state something like "module height will be 45" (or whatever your club
standard is) measured from the floor to the top of the rail with an allowance
of ±½" for a leg leveller". So how long should I cut
the wood for the legs? How do I connect the legs to the module?
What's a leg leveller?
In the next few pages, we'll answer all of these questions,
step-by-step. We're going to:
-
Determine the length to cut our lumber
-
Paint the lumber
-
Locate and drill holes for the leg levellers and "threaded" bolts
-
Install the leg levellers
-
Install the "threaded" bolts
-
Make a carry-strap to carry the legs.
Cutting the Lumber
The length of the wooden part of the leg will be determined by the:
-
Thickness of the cross members on the module frame (typically ¾")
-
Thickness of the styrofoam (in our example 1½")
-
Thickness of the roadbed (about 1/8")
-
Thickness of the track (about 1/8")
-
The adjustment required in the leg leveller (in our case ±½")
-
The thickness of the leg leveller when screwed completely into the wood.
Add up all of these thicknesses/adjustments, subtract it from the module
height and, voila, you have the length of the wooden part of the leg.
If you're still having difficulty, here's a little
table I use to help me out.
| Thickness of Components |
Mine |
Decimal |
Yours |
Decimal |
| Track |
1/8" |
0.125" |
. |
. |
| Roadbed |
1/8" |
0.125" |
. |
. |
| Styrofoam |
1½" |
1.50" |
. |
. |
| Cross Member |
¾" |
0.75" |
. |
. |
| Leg Leveller When Screwed Into Leg |
½" |
0.50" |
. |
. |
| Leg Leveller Adjustment |
½" |
0.50" |
. |
. |
|
Sub-Total |
3½" |
3.50" |
. |
. |
| Less Height From Rail to Floor |
45" |
45.00" |
. |
. |
| Equals Length of Wood for Legs |
41½" |
41.50" |
. |
. |
Once upon a time, 2"x 2" dimensional lumber was actually
1¾"x 1¾". With the scarcity of good trees, it's now
down to 1½"x 1½" or less in 8' lengths. Make sure the
lumber you select is straight, dry, and free of major splits.
As before, use the saw service of your local building
supply store. Get them to square one end and cut four pieces 41½"
long . The objective here is to have the top surface of the leg square
with the length of the leg. If you're going to go to the trouble
of making 4 legs, you might as well make 8 or 12 legs for all the extra
trouble involved.
When you get your material home, lightly sand off the crumbs from
all edges. |