Shoofly free-moN module - 5
4
3
3-4: Free-moN requires ¾” birch ply module end
plates. The rest of the module is made out of ½”
sanded plywood. While I used foam core between the
frame and the 2” pink foam, ¼” lauan plywood would
have been a sturdier choice, despite the slight weight
increase.
The more high-quality detail you have in your scenes, the more
the viewer is sucked in. They don’t even realize the empiri-
cal measurements of the module benchwork while you, as the
module owner, will appreciate the slimmer size when trans-
porting and storing them.
Benchwork Sections:
Just to same-page our terminology: in Free-moN a “module”
is a unit bound by standardized end plates, and may be made
up by two or more “sections” that interface in any way the
modeler wants.
Free-moN standards call for ¾” birch plywood end plates. The
high-quality ply ensures the non-warping surface necessary
for clamping smooth butt-joints together but unless you have
the arm strength of (Charles) Atlas, you don’t want to build
the entire module out of the heavy wood. So I glued-and-
screwed ½” sanded ply to construct the rest of the bench-
work, with angled gussets to reinforce the crossbeams and
sectional end pieces (3) An adjustable miter chop saw made
the angles a snap.
Mindful of using more wood with its increased weight, I
glued a section of foam core under the 2” pink foam (4) to
cap the ply sections. While the sectional benchwork has held
up well over the past two years, the Voice of Experience
notes that a 1/8” or 1/4" lauan baseboard would have
bonded better to the framework, provided a sturdier base for
the turnout control, and probably prolonged the structural
life of the module over time.
“The more high-quality detail you have in your
scenes, the more the viewer is sucked in. ”
MRH-Nov 2013
