{"id":1644,"date":"2016-08-27T22:31:25","date_gmt":"2016-08-28T02:31:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/smallmr.com\/wordpress\/?p=1644"},"modified":"2016-08-27T22:31:25","modified_gmt":"2016-08-28T02:31:25","slug":"building-a-free-mo-module-part-ii-modelrailroad-fremo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/smallmr.com\/wordpress\/building-a-free-mo-module-part-ii-modelrailroad-fremo\/","title":{"rendered":"BUILDING A FREE-MO MODULE – Part II #modelrailroad #fremo"},"content":{"rendered":"

This month we will take a look at building the legs for our Free-mo module. As I stated in prior articles (FREE-MO MODULE DESIGN<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0BUILDING A FREE-MO MODULE \u2013 PART I<\/a>) I like everything All Inclusive and make the setup go as smooth as possible. I do not mind taking a little extra time to figure out the details of construction to save me frustration later. The goal is to run trains and spend all day setting up and sorting out modules. This does conflict with our other rule “Light Weight” so we must make the legs from stiff yet light construction methods.<\/p>\n

As shown in the\u00a0FREE-MO MODULE DESIGN<\/a>\u00a0article the legs are attached and fold up into the module when not in use. The main frame supports run the length of the module which allows us to bolt the legs directly to the frame without the need for brackets, braces, hinges or other extra hardware.<\/p>\n

\"View
View showing the module end with the\u00a0legs\u00a0inside the frame<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The four legs must be positioned within the frame so that they will fold in and not hit each other. To do this, the legs must be mounted inside the frame on one end and mounted to the outside of the frame on the other. The assembly of the two sets of legs will be slightly different as a result. To make sure things go together as they should, we will mount the main leg support first before we add the side braces and the foot blocks. This ensures proper assembly.<\/p>\n

\"A
A bolt will hold the legs and act as a hinge. Note how the leg has been rounded at the top and the side of the leg acts as a stop against the frame.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

So that we do not have to add diagonal stabilizers to keep the legs from folding back up or going out too far, the legs are mounted so they press against the end frame when extended. If both sets of legs are extended fully, this will also keep each set from folding in (except if you want to run into it pretty hard before the modules are clamped together). One a free-mo module is clamped to an adjoining module leg wobble does not matter anymore, it becomes a cohesive, stable structure.<\/p>\n

\"IMG_3748\"
I used the same guide I used with the frame to mark the drill holes the same on all the legs. 3\/4 inch from the top and the side.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The main legs are made from 1\/2 inch birch plywood ripped into 1.5\u00a0inch strips. The exact length will depend on your mounting location on the leg and the thickness of the top. To calculate the length, measure the distance to the top of the module to the location of the bolt hole (we made this hole when we made the frame) that will hold the leg.\u00a0The easy way is\u00a0to\u00a0mount one leg (long), measure 48.5 inches\u00a0from the top of the module and mark the leg. Dismount the leg and and cut all the legs to that mark.<\/p>\n

\"The
The main legs are made from 1\/2 inch birch plywood cut into 1.5 inch strips.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

All of the legs will need to be drilled for the bolts. The drill size will depend on the bolts used. Some may want to use brass inserts as bearings so the wood does not wear and cause increased wobble over time.<\/p>\n

\"IMG_3752\"
The original design called for round leg tops. cutting these proved to be difficult and time consuming. I ended up changing to a simple 45 degree cut. You will also notice I had to notch this leg to clear the end plate.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The tops of the legs must be cut so that the leg will clear the frame when they fold up. my original design shows a curved cut to make this clearance. Well having to cut 24 legs to exact curves proved to be more than my patience could take. I change to a simple 45 degree cut that worked out just fine.<\/p>\n

\"Cutting
Cutting a 45 degree angle\u00a0was much simpler than rounding the top. I am not that great with a jig saw.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Next we test fit our first leg. DO NOT TIGHTEN BOLTS UNTIL ALL CLEARANCES ARE CHECKED! I used 5\/16-8 shoulder bolts with washers and nylon nuts so they hold in place. Here I should mention to find a location that sells nuts and bolts by the pound (like Tractor Supply), it will save you a few dollars.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"IMG_3753\"
Loose fit the bolts to check the clearances on the legs when folded.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"IMG_3755\"<\/p>\n

During the test fit we need to check a few critical things. If the leg is\u00a0too long past the bolt the leg will act like a pry bar over time and separate or deform your end plate. Make sure there is at least a small space between the leg and the end plate when folded up.<\/p>\n

\"IMG_3757\"
This shows correct clearance to the end plate. It should NOT be tight when the bolt is secured.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Once the folded position is good, We can extend the leg and check for clearance against the end plate from leg again. This will also deform the end plate if not in the correct position.<\/p>\n

\"IMG_3758\"
When extended, the leg SHOULD NOT be against the end plate like this photo. Remove the leg and remove some material so it fits correctly.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I used a framing T-square clamped to the frame to check the leg when extended. Again, this SHOULD NOT exert pressure on the end plate. If it does, remove the leg and trim some material off. The following image shows a leg extended and you can see in the photo where I had to remove material from the top of the leg with a hand saw or jig saw. You could also use a sander if just a little needed to be removed..<\/p>\n

\"IMG_3763\"
Here we can see I had to trim some material off the top of this leg (notch) to make it fit without putting pressure on the end plate.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

With all four main legs on the module, we can tighten the bolts up snug. DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN! The bolts should be just tight enough the when you extend a leg it will stay in position.<\/p>\n

\"IMG_3760\"<\/p>\n

The bottom of the legs will use T-nuts and carriage bolts for the +-1 inch required by the Free-mo specifications. To hold the T-nut we need to make feet from 2×2. One 2×2 goes a long way for this. Cut the 2×2 into 2 inch high blocks, one for each leg. In the center of the block, drill a hole all the way through to fit the T-nut.<\/p>\n

\"IMG_3759\"
2×2 cut into 2 inch high “feet” for the legs<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The leg sides are cut from 1\/4 inch underlayment (or other thing light plywood)\u00a0and are 2 inches wide. I test fit the first one with the leg extend to get the correct length. I also recommend marking the main leg where it meets the frame so you know where the side of the leg should be when you assemble it.<\/p>\n

With all the sides and feet cut, we can begin assembling the rest of the leg. I used carpenter glue and nails (cheap Harbor Freight nail\/brad gun makes it go fast) to assemble the leg.<\/p>\n

\"IMG_3764\"
I used a clamp to hold the leg in place while I nailed it all together. Make sure to use a quality wood glue. This is where the real strength comes from.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The final step is to add the cross braces. These are also cut from 1\/4 inch underlayment. I clamped them in place and tested the fit before making the final cut. Securing the cross brace with wood glue and nails.<\/p>\n

\"IMG_3765\"
Test fitting is a good idea to make sure it fits as planned. here you can see how one set of legs go inside the frame while the other is outside.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A second set of cross braces is set just above the half way point of the leg. This will make sure that the inner and outer cross braces do not hit each other.<\/p>\n

\"IMG_3766\"
Note how the center cross braces could hit each other. To keep this from happening, I placed them slightly high on each leg set. I used a piece of wood across the frame to keep the outer legs up away from the frame while the glue set.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"IMG_3767\"
The finished module frame is ready for the fun to start. The clamps are still on because I was impatient\/excited to have them done.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Just add the T-Nuts and the carriage bolts and you are ready to finish your module.\u00a0I hope you found this article helpful.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This month we will take a look at building the legs for our Free-mo module. As I stated in prior articles (FREE-MO MODULE DESIGN\u00a0and\u00a0BUILDING A…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1476,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3,2],"tags":[45],"class_list":["post-1644","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-modules","category-articles-on-small-layouts","tag-august-2016","wpcat-3-id","wpcat-2-id"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/smallmr.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/26_wdie_freemo_3.png","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4e6yk-qw","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":99,"url":"https:\/\/smallmr.com\/wordpress\/free-mo-module-design\/","url_meta":{"origin":1644,"position":0},"title":"Free-mo Module Design","author":"Marshall Stull","date":"January 9, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"It never fails on the Free-mo Yahoo Group. Once,\u00a0every couple of months, someone asks about best way to construct a module. Most times when the question is asked it either starts with or converts to a debate on Foam vs Plywood. I use both materials and feel that proper use\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Modular Layouts"","block_context":{"text":"Modular Layouts","link":"https:\/\/smallmr.com\/wordpress\/category\/modules\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smallmr.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/26_wdie_freemo_3_topExplode.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smallmr.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/26_wdie_freemo_3_topExplode.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smallmr.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/26_wdie_freemo_3_topExplode.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smallmr.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/26_wdie_freemo_3_topExplode.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1517,"url":"https:\/\/smallmr.com\/wordpress\/building-a-free-mo-module\/","url_meta":{"origin":1644,"position":1},"title":"Building a Free-mo Module – Part I","author":"Marshall Stull","date":"March 29, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"In my last article, we looked at a Free-mo Module\u00a0Design\u00a0that was light weight, strong and easy to setup among other things. This month we take a look at actually assembling the module and some of the finer points involved. The overall module length is 49.5 inches. That may seem like\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Modular Layouts"","block_context":{"text":"Modular Layouts","link":"https:\/\/smallmr.com\/wordpress\/category\/modules\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smallmr.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/IMG_3741.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smallmr.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/IMG_3741.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smallmr.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/IMG_3741.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smallmr.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/IMG_3741.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smallmr.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/IMG_3741.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1967,"url":"https:\/\/smallmr.com\/wordpress\/free-mo-endings\/","url_meta":{"origin":1644,"position":2},"title":"Free-mo Endings","author":"Marshall Stull","date":"December 25, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Before you ask, I am not giving up Free-mo! This month we are going to take a look at designs for Free-mo ends. These will be very small, short modules that will be the end of the line instead of just a drop-off where the last module ends. Lately, I\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Modular Layouts"","block_context":{"text":"Modular Layouts","link":"https:\/\/smallmr.com\/wordpress\/category\/modules\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smallmr.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/rr-7a.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smallmr.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/rr-7a.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smallmr.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/rr-7a.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smallmr.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/rr-7a.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smallmr.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/rr-7a.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2125,"url":"https:\/\/smallmr.com\/wordpress\/all-the-model-rail-layouts\/","url_meta":{"origin":1644,"position":3},"title":"All the Model Rail Layouts","author":"Marshall Stull","date":"September 2, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"While showing layouts as part of free-mo, I am often asked about my home layout. 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This will be my first true display layout. I have\u00a0exhibited\u00a0with the Free-mo organization at the National Train Show in 2012 and enjoyed it\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Prototype Railroads"","block_context":{"text":"Prototype Railroads","link":"https:\/\/smallmr.com\/wordpress\/category\/prototype-railroads\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Mound City Map","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smallmr.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/moundcitymap.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2896,"url":"https:\/\/smallmr.com\/wordpress\/transporting-modules\/","url_meta":{"origin":1644,"position":5},"title":"Transporting Modules","author":"Marshall Stull","date":"October 21, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Over the years I have assisted in several setups and tear downs of Free-mo setups. Getting your modules in and setup quickly are key. Everyone wants to get to running trains as soon as possible. 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