Laminated Deck/Platform:

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Laminated decking is available commercialy from various suppliers as "ship decking", and makes a very realistic looking platform for a depot structure. This is a simple tutorial on how to make your own using 1/16" balsa or basswood, and black construction paper.

This is my first attempt, so I will likely be experimenting with variations over the next while. I will post any refinements as they come along.

This guide follows the construction of the platform used on Plan 616, (coming Nov. 2016),  from scalemodelbuildings.co – "The Last Spike" at Craigellachie, British Columbia.

The key to this project is the strip cutter from Micro-Mark. As an alternative you can use the procedure outlined in our Corner Board tutorial.

The first step is to set the width of the strip cutter to the desired height of the platform you are building, and cut several strips of balsa. Cut the strips slightly longer than then required lenth to allow for trimming.

Cut an equal number of strips of construction paper.  I have had some success with the strip cutter, but prefer to use the method described in the corner board tutorial.

The image to the left shows one of the balsa strips being used as a spacer to ensure that the paper strips end up being the proper size.

The wide piece of basswood in this photo is being used to position the spacer strip prior to cutting the construction paper.

Pressing firmly on the steel rule, remove the balsa spacer, then trim construction paper with a sharp x-acto knife.

The backer board is used to align the egde of the balsa spacer with the edge of the construction paper.

Cut an equal number of paper and balsa strips. You will need about 16 of each for every one inch width of finished deck.

Use a glue stick to laminate alternating strips of paper and balsa.

Push the laminations tight against a straight edge to keep the assembly perfectly straight.

Occasionally press the pices tightly onto you workspace to ensure that you have at least one smooth, flat deck surface.

This is the result as shown on Plan 616, "The Last Spke at Craigellachie".