How Dunham Studios Designs and is Building a "basic" layout for a client.

We haven't exactly been hiding the CNC Router, but Barb didn't consider it to be "worthy" of a featured photo.  We'll take care of that ASAP.  It shows up a lot on our Website (www.dunhamstudios.com) on a lot of our HO Scale Layouts.  In terms of the design programs, there are several that, working together, provide a much more integrated and powerful design solution than an ordinary CAD program.  Notice that the track location has been routed into the platform tops in this particular layout.  We feel that it gives a more "Scale Appearance" that way.  Also, we will often lay indoor-outdoor carpet between the track and the plywood as a sound-deadening factor.

But now that you mention it, you should know that it joins a Computer-Driven team of The CNC Router, plus the large Laser-Cutter and three generations of 3D Printers.

Clarke, great new pictures! They really put a more complete perspective on this build and the activities in your shop. They are not boring at all.

The Basic Layout has its risers painted and standing in place: left, right and center. More to come!

Barb

Very handsome looking!  It will look very good until the owner gets to building scenery!  Thanks for posting!

John Doty is laying track on the auxiliary section of the Basic Layout. This section houses the Engine Storage. and is attached to the Basic Layout by a track bridge. Notice that the indicator lines are marked for placement of the center rail.Although this part of the layout has its rugging and T-111 base, it still has to be painted.

Tilting the platform on edge makes it easier to work on. John is marking the underneath where he'll drill to insert the wires to the track. On Friday, John installed the 30" turntable into the next auxiliary section of the Basic Layout. Meanwhile, Delia's assembling the second level for the Basic Layout itself while Roy is finishing touching up the painted edges of the trackboards.

Barb

Here's the platform Delia was working on yesterday all rugged and ready to have the half supports attached. The CNC RRouter is at work cutting out double-wide track supports.

Just a note to Mark in response to your comment above. Maybe he'll be so blown-away by the art-deco look of the 'naked' layout that he'll simply forgo doing the scenic thing!

Dunham Studios posted:

Just a note to Mark in response to your comment above. Maybe he'll be so blown-away by the art-deco look of the 'naked' layout that he'll simply forgo doing the scenic thing!

This could very well be true!!  And if so, that will be good for him and a compliment to your work!!

The Basic Layout is moving along. John has been laying track on the Basic Unit (you saw the track on the auxiliary unit earlier in the thread). But take a look at his notes on the underside of the auxiliary platform and see where the wires come through as planned.

Holy Cow!  That is fantastic!  Thanks for posting this.  I'll go ahead and say, if that were my layout I would use it as is, that looks awesome!!!

Please excuse the lapse. My camera wasn't working correctly. Here's Mike Burke working on track in center section of Basic Layout. The left side "teardrop" (the second level) has not been installed in the photo below. On the right side in the photo with John Doty you can see both levels.Now it's pretty much a question of finishing the track laying, wiring 'er up and watching 'em go! (It should be that simple!) Oh yes and getting the fascia on and painted.

Barb

If it's not too invasive to ask, what sort of price range are we talking about for the finished product of this complexity and size?  What sort of additional costs does delivery add?  Beautiful work and thanks for sharing your art with us.

Very nice indeed!  Thank you for posting!

Sorry for the delay. Clarke  has been working at his 'other life' as a Broadway/Opera Designer readying his set model for a meeting on "Candide" (which Hal Prince is directing at the Rose theater in New York in January before it heads for Paris and other cities worldwide that are celebrating Leonard Bernstein's 100th birthday). The electrical/electronic part of the staff  has been working on the complex track wiring of the Basic Layout but I've neglected to follow along with pix missing shots of the layout upended vertically with the guys wiring it. Now back in its horizontal mode here's where we are.

Barb

The turntable for the Basic Layout's auxiliary section finally arrived (after a wait of several months) and John got right to setting it up. (Note how he worked with the section in vertical mode so as not to have to keep crawling around underneath.) The turntable has been bolted in place and is ready for Roy to 'rug'  its platform after which John will give it a whirl (so to speak).

Barb

Dunham Studios posted:

The turntable for the Basic Layout's auxiliary section finally arrived (after a wait of several months) and John got right to setting it up. (Note how he worked with the section in vertical mode so as not to have to keep crawling around underneath.) The turntable has been bolted in place and is ready for Roy to 'rug'  its platform after which John will give it a whirl (so to speak).

Barb

Nice work. We have a Ross turntable and it works great. I wanted to pass on a suggestion, though, that you install a "slip ring" underneath it for the wires. It allows electricity to pass to the track (and bridge if you want) on top, but prevents the wires from eventually twisting over time. We put one under ours years ago and it still works great. You only need a small piece of wood across the bottom beams to mount it in. I'll post a photo when I go to the club this weekend.

The big turntable for the auxiliary section of the Basic Layout is being programmed and tied in to the already laid track.John Doty and Tom Deierlein check it out while below Clarke and John discuss the turntable control unit.

Barb

Great job! Why the carpet ? Do you do scenery right over the carpet?

Hi George,  In this case, there is no scenery at all. So, partly for the look and much for the sound-deadening qualities we use carpet, this time a high quality, low pile indoor-outdoor type.  If there were to be scenery we might well use an even flatter/no pile industrial type carpet that quiets everything and also takes scenery well.  Whatever combination works for the job-at-hand, but with Hi-Rail and Conventional O Gauge Trains, layout "quietness" is a major consideration for us.