Timber Library

[D Bowie]

Hello Folks,

I'm a recent user of AnyRail, but I have now used it to design my new layout: a great program and very intuitive in use. Being at the stage I am leads to one suggestion: would it be possible or desirable to add a library of timber objects so that the construction of a baseboard could be planned in detail ?

I am thinking here of a small range of stock timber sizes that could be assembled on screen in the same manner as track and other library objects. The advantage of this would be that underlying supports could be placed to avoid turnout motors, and with knowledge of actual dimensions a timber "cutting list" could be automatically compiled in the 'Info' menu. (While there would be no need for it to bend, I guess that the timber sections could be handled in the same manner as flex track).

Apologies if this has been suggested before, but the nearest thing that I could find was a previous discussion on an "auto baseboard function".

Regards,
David

[Jeff]

Answering for myself, I would think that there are too many types of benchwork (L girder, T-girder, plain 2x4,etc...) to do that. Of course if you know where the track is, you should be able to build the benchwork to avoid it, right? Or simply create a .any file full of drawings of pieces of stock lumber (being sure to use real stock sizes,as well- 1 5/8" for a '2"' wide board, etc.) so that you can place benchwork where it will go. Use a separate Benchwork layer, so you can turn it off without having to do it all over again.

[Janbouli]

You would also need one huge thing AnyRail hasn't got ( yet ) ,   3D, if you don't need the timber in 3D, then you can easily make your own library of timbers like we did/are doing with the structures.

[Bob Bryce]

I use straight lines on a seperate layer.  I set the width of the line to match the lumber size as viewed in plan view (looking down from the top) and give these a unique color.  If I need to use double members, I draw 2 lines right up against each other.  I can measure the lines and know how long my boards need to be (always cut a bit longer and fit them to the layout.  Only three times did I run into the problem where I cut the boards 4 times and they were still too short!