Just curious:
Has anybody ever mothballed a layout for a year and stored it in, say, an unheated garage or rented storage unit in a UK type climate?
If so what happens, does the whole thing warp into a corkscrew shape and gradually disolve with mildew :D? Serious question though.:hmmm:
My exhibition layout lives crated up in its "transport coffins" in our unheated garage (meaning each board has end plates, hardboard sides and a hardboard lid). It can be there for many months at a time, especially now it's pretty much retired and as yet I have no space to set it up permanently indoors until junior fully moves out and I get my train room back!
(https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/95/5885-070620183049.jpeg) (https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=95070)
The fiddleyard boards stack as a single pack with a large lump of bubblewrap on top.
It all survives perfectly fine, the worst I've had is a little mould on some of the reindeer-moss I originally for bushes, and I think there was one time I found some evidence of a creature having gathered some of it for a nest :) Most of that has now been replaced with home-made bushes using horse-hair and scatter.
The trackwork will tarnish a bit, but only needs a light burnish to get it shiny and ready to run. With my method of securing track using brass screws (as per other threads) and using pattern makers' dowels for alignment I get no problems with track shifting, it all goes together perfectly every time.
I've used the same protection method for the later baseboards, and also for my current project as I know it works :)
(https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/95/5885-070620184409.jpeg) (https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=95071)
Quote from: ntpntpntp on June 07, 2020, 06:36:47 PM
My exhibition layout lives crated up in its "transport coffins" in our unheated garage (meaning each board has end plates, hardboard sides and a hardboard lid). It can be there for many months at a time, especially now it's pretty much retired and as yet I have no space to set it up permanently indoors until junior fully moves out and I get my train room back!
The fiddleyard boards stack as a single pack with a large lump of bubblewrap on top.
It all survives perfectly fine, the worst I've had is a little mould on some of the reindeer-moss I originally for bushes, and I think there was one time I found some evidence of a creature having gathered some of it for a nest :) Most of that has now been replaced with home-made bushes using horse-hair and scatter.
The trackwork will tarnish a bit, but only needs a light burnish to get it shiny and ready to run. With my method of securing track using brass screws (as per other threads) and using pattern makers' dowels for alignment I get no problems with track shifting, it all goes together perfectly every time.
I've used the same protection method for the later baseboards, and also for my current project as I know it works :)
Really useful Nick thank you :thumbsup:. Yes I imagined some sort of 'crating up' would be in order. You can get giant silica gel packs too which could be bunged in for good measure.
Quote from: Globibahn on June 07, 2020, 06:14:16 PM
Just curious:
Has anybody ever mothballed a layout for a year and stored it in, say, an unheated garage or rented storage unit in a UK type climate?
If so what happens, does the whole thing warp into a corkscrew shape and gradually disolve with mildew :D? Serious question though.:hmmm:
I hope this doesn't mean that you are planning to leave us Matt. :hmmm:
I hope this doesn't mean that you are planning to leave us Matt. :hmmm:
[/quote]
Not for a while :-[! I've just been doing some future planning in lockdown and was pondering a bit of time away abroad, which may require letting out my flat. It is tricky when you have a layout though, they are not exactly highly portable (unless designed as such).
Quote from: Globibahn on June 07, 2020, 08:45:39 PM
Not for a while :-[! I've just been doing some future planning in lockdown and was pondering a bit of time away abroad, ......................
I don't blame you Matt. Travel while you're still (fairly :D) young. Whatever you decide to do I wish you well. :thumbsup:
Quote from: swisstrains on June 07, 2020, 08:58:29 PM
I don't blame you Matt. Travel while you're still (fairly :D) young. Whatever you decide to do I wish you well. :thumbsup:
Thanks John sound advice, I'll keep you posted of course, I wouldn't just disappear like that! ;D