Panel construction started with making truss pieces, building the trusses, assembling panel frames, then attaching the track surfaces to the panel frames.

We decided on clear pine for the truss rails and end pieces. Quarter-inch hard board would serve for the truss centers. Noting the lengths of the trusses, we bought six-inch clear pine boards six feet long. We needed two sheets of quarter-inch hardboard.

The pine boards were ripped to rough dimensions with the table saw, then sized exactly with a thickness planer. The center plough was cut on the table saw. The truss center pieces were laid out with pieces less than four feet long cut first, then longer pieces. There was little waste. Truss pieces were rough cut a little longer than needed with the radial saw.

The rack to right was used to hold and organize first the truss pieces, then as a drying rack for truss sections, then for completed trusses. Having the trusses organized by panel saved a lot of time looking for needed parts. Each piece and truss was marked with its identifying number.

There were enough pieces and assembly activity to justify making fixtures to aide in forming parts, making the trusses, and assembling the panels. The picture is of a fixture for assembling full height trusses from the rails and center parts.

The fixtures are made of MDF with wood and hardboard for spacers and locating features. Toggle clamps hold or clamp the pieces. The use of the fixtures made the work go faster and also assured that, for example, all the trusses would end up flat, even, and all the same exact height.

As each operation was completed, the fixture was modified for the next step or disassembled and the parts used to make a fixture for a subsequent operation. For example, the fixture pictured was first used to hold the truss center pieces for shaping the edges, then for assembling the full height trusses, then modified for assembling the shorter trusses, then adapted for attaching the end pieces to the trusses.

The truss fixture was used by first putting the top and bottom rail in with the slot facing up and closing a couple of toggle clamps to hold the rails in place. The glue bottles in the foreground facilitated putting glue in the slots, which was spread with a brush. The edges of the center pieces also received glue. Spreading the glue was the most time consuming part of the process.

The holding clamps were released and the center piece set into the slots in the rails. Toggle clamps then held the assembly to the flat fixture surface and clamped the rails to the correct spacing.

An air brad nailer was used to lock the truss pieces together and complete the assembly process. The truss section was then moved to the rack for the glue to set. We made all the truss sections in a few hours. Note the gallon glue bottle in the background; we used a lot of glue.

Fixtures were also used for shaping parts. The truss end pieces were particularly tricky to make: they were too small to hold safely with fingers, yet required large dado cuts. The stock was first ripped and planed, then blanks cut on the radial saw. Each piece was clamped in a fixture similar to that pictured for final forming. The fixture shown is dadoing the mitered edge of a truss end piece.

The background shows the truss assembly fixture modified for attaching end pieces to truss frames that have been trimmed to length on the radial saw.

With all the trusses finished it was time to start assembling panel frames. We first constructed the basic panel frame with just the outside trusses, then added the interior trusses. Last a wiring well bottom plate of one-eighth inch white-surfaced hard board was installed.

Panels have to be flat and square. A fixture was used to align and hold a corner for drilling pilot holes and installing screws. Saw horses and spacers were used to level the trusses being assembled.

Once all the truss frames were assembled, the fixture was modified and used for adding the straight interior trusses. The diagonal trusses had to be located and attached without benefit of a fixture, adding considerable time to the process.

Panel assembly went well. We are almost done in the picture to right.

With the panel frames completed we decided to make a design change. Originally, we were going to set the panels on the banquet-style tables typically used at train shows. A visit to a show had revealed problems with this idea: the tables were different sizes and, especially, different heights. The variance in height was as much as two inches. Setting up a flat layout on typical tables would be problematic. We decided to add our own legs to each panel.

We found banquet table legs at a local hardware store. Fortunately, we could add them to a panel without increasing panel thickness. The legs would fold up in the space allowed by the shorter interior trusses.

We did have to add more wood supports, and weight, than we would have liked, but, all things considered, installing legs to the panels went well.

We decided to reduce the number of legs required by pairing the panels. One of the pair has two sets of legs and the other only one set.

When setting up the layout the panels have to be joined along the eight adjacent sides. Each join must repeatedly align accurately enough so track pins easily enter mating rails. The joining mechanism also needs to be able to support at least half the weight of a panel, since half the panels only have one set of legs.

For each join one panel has two oak dowels that fit into holes into in its mating panel. Dowel locations are reinforced with oak plates; two plates on the dowel side and one plate on the receiving hole side. One plate is on the outside of its panel, is proud, and fits into the panel recess of the joined panel.

To install the aligning dowels the oak plates were installed, then the panels were leveled and adjacent sides clamped together with all mating edges flush. A straight, square-to-the-panel, hole was drilled through both panels and three reinforcing blocks. Dowels were installed with a wedge forced in a split in one end. A little glue further held the dowel in place.

Panels are held together with toggle action buckles on each side. These were installed while the panels were clamped together.

The buckles also serve to gently draw the panels together while aligning track pins.

The track surface is Homasote panels primed and painted. Eight sheets were needed. The sheets were cut to fit each panel, prime painted white on both sides, then painted with two coats of green on the top surface. A power roller worked well for the painting.

Attaching the track surfaces to the panel frames was done by panel pairs. The panel frames first had to be flat, level, square, and aligned. The tools in the following picture were used to align the panels exactly right. The tape measure is modified for accurately measuring a diagonal. Top surfaces, including wiring well covers, were attached to all support trusses with drywall screws set into drilled and countersunk pilot holes.

Panel construction was complete!

Next we had to move all the power tools to clear enough space and setup all the panels. It all worked!

Now, we had a lot of bare layout space ... but no trains running. And, we had boxes of track bought for the layout. We just had to run some trains and "test" the layout surface.

We cobbled some track loops together and broke out some Lionel postwar trains. We "tested" the track surface for a week or so.

With the panels completed we were ready to lay track and wire the K 'n G Railplex.