Baseboard Construction

[bordercollie]

Hi
I am building a baseboard. It has 12mm plywood frame and top with 6mm cross members. The legs have been made from approx. 70 x 50 hardwood (recycled wood that I have lying around). I have horizontally and diagonally braced the legs at each end with approx. 70 x 18 mm hardwood. The legs are inserted into sockets made form 18 mm plywood at the corners so I can remove the fop from legs if required. This provides good stability from back to front. However, due to my lack of carpentry skill there is a bit of wobble along the length of the board. I want some way to stabilise the the baseboard along its length. I think the baseboard top won't sag. Yes/No? Therefore, I think without really knowing that any bracing would only be needed to stop the legs at each end is splaying apart or moving inwards. Therefore would a single rail of say 50-70 x 50 mm be all that would be required? Would a rail be needed at back and front of would it be sufficient to have a single rail? Could some light weight chain be used somehow to provide adequate and easily removable bracing?
Best wishes

 

[Pencarrow]

Hi, a photo of two of the boards would better help understand what you've built so far. You're then more likely to get some answers.

 

[simond]

Diagonal braces are probably the easiest to arrange, it being much more difficult to stretch or compress a strip of metal or wood, than to make a loose joint wobble. If you use strip metal, fix it so it is not in compression.

I’d suggest strip steel or aluminium. Local DIY shed, but cheaper online (but watch the shipping costs) eg Metals4u.

you can get threaded fasteners that screw into wood, leaving a machine screw thread sticking out, so you can fit a wingnut, or if frequent disassembly not required, just screw direct to your legs. Or drill a hole through and use loose machine screws and wing nuts.

 

[Greengiant]

Simple diagonal brace from each leg to underside of board will do it. I you have many boards, the first board needs a brace each end, subsequent baseboards will need just one.
When I built my Whiteoak layout it had 2x2 legs and 12mm ply sides. I used M6 T-Nuts for bolts to go into, the braces were 9mm ply and these I used T-nuts but drilled out the thread so it was then a sleeve through the ply. This lasted well over 100s of times being assembled for shows etc.
Sadly I cannot find a photo of the legs.
I was involved in a club layout, although metal legs, it does show the small bracing bars. This layout was rock solid once assembled.
Martin