Cover for layout

Rabs · November 27, 2012, 09:40:51 AM

I can sympathise with the cats! My two are a bit restricted, only having three legs each, but they still manage to cause mayhem whenever I have a loco in pieces or a similarly fiddly job. My wife is a vet, so we get the factory seconds (hence the missing legs and tails!). This does at least help to keep them off the surfaces and my layout.

For a transparent cover I think it would need to be a DIY effort. If it were me I'd spend some time with some 30mmx30mm pine, 10mm thick perspex sheet and a router. I can't think of anything off the shelf that would do it.

One alternative would be to use a roller blind attached to the wall ~1m above the back edge of the layout which you pull out and hook onto the front edge of the layout like an awning.

Good luck and welcome

weave · November 27, 2012, 09:42:11 AM

Hi Brenda,

Off the top of my head, I thought about garden cloches. My mate has an allotment which I help out on sometimes for free veg and some of the people there have quite large (certainly the length, not sure about the width) clear plastic cloches which look lightweight ish, cat proof and high enough to avoid tall buildings etc. Just a thought.

Welcome anyway. At least (I hope) you don't have a spider problem. (Bottom of link).

http://www.009.cd2.com/members/how_to/spider_page.htm.

Cheers Weave.

weave · November 27, 2012, 09:47:51 AM

Forget that. Doesn't seem to work. Was something about relco and spiders in tunnels somewhere abroad. I'll get my cat.....coat!

Jerry Howlett · November 27, 2012, 11:37:34 AM

Quote from: Rabs on November 27, 2012, 09:40:51 AM
I can sympathise with the cats! My two are a bit restricted, only having three legs each, but they still manage to cause mayhem whenever I have a loco in pieces or a similarly fiddly job. My wife is a vet, so we get the factory seconds (hence the missing legs and tails!). This does at least help to keep them off the surfaces and my layout.

Oh and a bit late , WELCOME BRENDA

Brenda · November 27, 2012, 04:11:31 PM

Wow what a respose! far beyond what I ever expected... and not one person suggested shooting the cat. I'm affraid my cat is interested in everything I do. I also have a golden retriever dog and the cat follows us on our twice daily walks unless I shut him in the bedroom.
My answeres to your questions
The reason I wanted a clear surround is because I want to be able to see the layout at any time and also it will not block my garden view. If I had a train cleaning the track when un supervised the cat would knock it off!..True.
I am fortuneate as I live alone so can have my layout where ever I wish. to start, I am starting out in the conservatory. but donot have plants and will be building an external frame over the conservatory with a shade cover from late may to september to avoid high tempreature and should we have a hot summer I have an air conditioning unit.

I think 24" high for the cover will allow for anything other than Trafalgar Square on Ben Nevis. My layout is going to be based on the the TV series James Herriot Country filmed in Askrig and further south to Wycoller the other side of the Yorkshire Dales, in the 1930's era.

I am disabled and spend most of my day here so the cover will have to be light. I've already purchased a bath lift to take a part to use to raise the layout up so I can attach wires under the layout. I will post some photos of layout and work to date hopefully in the next few days.

I hope I've answered all the points everone has raised.. again thanks to eveyone

scotsoft · November 27, 2012, 04:16:27 PM

Once you have used the dismantled bath lift to help you do your wiring, you could use it to lift any cover you decide upon.

When Ihad my cats they used to "help" with every job I did around the house, except vacuuming. As soon as I wheeled that out they fled to my bedroom

cheers John.

Newportnobby · November 27, 2012, 06:45:21 PM

Quote from: scotsoft on November 27, 2012, 04:16:27 PM
Once you have used the dismantled bath lift to help you do your wiring, you could use it to lift any cover you decide upon.

When Ihad my cats they used to "help" with every job I did around the house, except vacuuming. As soon as I wheeled that out they fled to my bedroom

cheers John.

Didn't you vacuum your bedroom, John

Brenda · January 05, 2013, 08:32:38 PM

Hi everyone,
Well my first attempt was a total disaster, I measured and re-measured to the nearest 0.5mm ordered the polycarbonate, it arrived 2 days late and was the wrong size.. I was madder with the response of the company than the point they had supplied it wrong.
When I asked for the quote I described what I needed it for and how I was going to fix it in place, so it was frustrating.. But I managed to get a full refund as I purchase everything on VISA to guarantee against nasty vendors.
I'm now going to look into the idea of garden cloches and a roller blind, I'll let you know how I get on.
Happy New Year to all

Newportnobby · January 05, 2013, 09:18:54 PM

Very disappointing, Brenda.
Hope you find a solution as shaving the cat would be a bit drastic

scotsoft · January 05, 2013, 09:29:01 PM

Hi Brenda,

Would it be possible to post a few pictures of your layout please.

Often when our members can see what is required the ideas flow like rapids.

cheers John.

daveg · January 05, 2013, 10:44:58 PM

I may have missed a point somewhere but would it be possible to use the lifting device to raise the layout beyond/above leaping range of aforementioned puss when you're not ~~playing trains~~ working on the layout?

Dave G

scotsoft · January 05, 2013, 10:57:48 PM

Quote from: daveg on January 05, 2013, 10:44:58 PM
beyond/above leaping range of aforementioned puss

There is no such place in the known universe as far as a cat is concerned

cheers John.

daveg · January 06, 2013, 10:24:34 AM

Quote from: scotsoft on January 05, 2013, 10:57:48 PM
Quote from: daveg on January 05, 2013, 10:44:58 PM
beyond/above leaping range of aforementioned puss

There is no such place in the known universe as far as a cat is concerned

cheers John.

That is 'perfickly' true - I was just trying to be suggestive!

We miss our super house-trained Misty loads but we're going to wait a while before we seek out a new four legged friend.

and cats - a great mixture for any house!

Dave G

justintime · January 06, 2013, 12:27:57 PM

Welcome Brenda.

I am a complete beginner and have found the folks on here to be very helpful and kind. I hope you resolve the cover problem and wish you well with your build.
Cheers, Ian.

Paddy · January 06, 2013, 07:13:43 PM

Hi Brenda,

I too have been trying to work out a suitable cover for my layout (it is about 6' x 3'). I have tried most things but nothing seems to work well. If you have something "firm" then it is difficult to remove and anything like a dust sheet tends to droop on to the layout.

My latest idea (well my wife's actually) is to use a suitably sized piece of cloth that has table cloth weights at each corner. Hopefully this will work i.e. be easy to apply/remove and the weights keep it taught enough to be off the layout buildings etc.

Happy New Year.

Paddy