maxi-model
UK/US/ROW steam narrow gauge railways 1:1
Just been down to Lidl to get one of their display cabinets, delivered in this week, Monday December 16th. As they say "when they are gone they are gone". Looking at other posts they would appear to be hardy perenials.
Cost £60 each or £110 for 2. They are self assembly, well packed but heavy. I needed some help from Lidl`s very willing assistants to get out of the shop to the car. Go when it`s not too busy. Box will fit in a SMART for 2, just, with the passenger seat down and the top edge of box resting on my shoulder (reading this Dunnyrail ?). Well, the SMART has an auto `box.
Construction is a mix of laminated chipboard (think Contiboard not real wood venneer), MDF and glass (all tempered 4 mm thickness ) with metal and plastic fittings. Internal size of cabinet 16.5 mm D x 64 W x 106 H. Note - glass shelves do not extend fully to front of cabinet, they are 12.5 mm deep, but are wide enough to accomodate 45 mm gauge stock. 10 shelves supplied in total with sufficiant supports.
The cabinet is designed to be both wall mounted and free standing. Fittings for both options are supplied. You may need to look at more substantial fittings than those supplied if wall mounting. Don`t even think of mounting it on a plasterboard stud wall heavily loaded, sound brick and masonary only IMHO.
Very good easy to follow line drawing instruction manual and contents checklist supplied. All small parts blister packed with # identification. A support website is listed if you have problems and it all comes with a 3 year warrenty. Everything fits and goes together well, no fettling required. I had it put together in just over an hour. Take care which way round you fit the doors up with their hinges. I was a little concerned that a couple of the main screws, fitting the base and top to the back did not screw down tight, pilots slightly oversize ? Also you will need a screwdriver with a longish shank to mount the door hinges to the frame. No short "dumpy" ratchet drivers then.
Shelves at 4 mm thickness showed a worrying deflection of over 2 mm with heavy short wheelbase live steamers loaded, so I doubled up on the shelves, which reduced the deflection to 1 mm. I`ll probably drill the backboard to insert extra supports, using the spares which all have rubber padded upper faces. Little tip with tempered glass, never tap it on a bare concrete or quarry tile floor. I made that mistake with an IKEA item a few years ago :`( stuff shatters into tiny pieces.
The glass doors are lockable to keep prying fingers away from you pride and joys. I would reccomend wall mounting if you have little terrors of both the two legged and four legged varieties. This cabinet will not be fully "dust proof", there is a 1/4" gap between the two doors
Overall a very good value item that looks as though it will last if not abused. I remember paying £30 for a simple small laminated chipboard 3 shelf bookcase from MFI 25 years ago so this looks a bargain in comparison now. This item is probably available all over Europe and it would not surprise me if this design is not available under different brand names where Lidle do not operate in the world. Keep an eye out for it
Max.
Cost £60 each or £110 for 2. They are self assembly, well packed but heavy. I needed some help from Lidl`s very willing assistants to get out of the shop to the car. Go when it`s not too busy. Box will fit in a SMART for 2, just, with the passenger seat down and the top edge of box resting on my shoulder (reading this Dunnyrail ?). Well, the SMART has an auto `box.
Construction is a mix of laminated chipboard (think Contiboard not real wood venneer), MDF and glass (all tempered 4 mm thickness ) with metal and plastic fittings. Internal size of cabinet 16.5 mm D x 64 W x 106 H. Note - glass shelves do not extend fully to front of cabinet, they are 12.5 mm deep, but are wide enough to accomodate 45 mm gauge stock. 10 shelves supplied in total with sufficiant supports.
The cabinet is designed to be both wall mounted and free standing. Fittings for both options are supplied. You may need to look at more substantial fittings than those supplied if wall mounting. Don`t even think of mounting it on a plasterboard stud wall heavily loaded, sound brick and masonary only IMHO.
Very good easy to follow line drawing instruction manual and contents checklist supplied. All small parts blister packed with # identification. A support website is listed if you have problems and it all comes with a 3 year warrenty. Everything fits and goes together well, no fettling required. I had it put together in just over an hour. Take care which way round you fit the doors up with their hinges. I was a little concerned that a couple of the main screws, fitting the base and top to the back did not screw down tight, pilots slightly oversize ? Also you will need a screwdriver with a longish shank to mount the door hinges to the frame. No short "dumpy" ratchet drivers then.
Shelves at 4 mm thickness showed a worrying deflection of over 2 mm with heavy short wheelbase live steamers loaded, so I doubled up on the shelves, which reduced the deflection to 1 mm. I`ll probably drill the backboard to insert extra supports, using the spares which all have rubber padded upper faces. Little tip with tempered glass, never tap it on a bare concrete or quarry tile floor. I made that mistake with an IKEA item a few years ago :`( stuff shatters into tiny pieces.
The glass doors are lockable to keep prying fingers away from you pride and joys. I would reccomend wall mounting if you have little terrors of both the two legged and four legged varieties. This cabinet will not be fully "dust proof", there is a 1/4" gap between the two doors
Overall a very good value item that looks as though it will last if not abused. I remember paying £30 for a simple small laminated chipboard 3 shelf bookcase from MFI 25 years ago so this looks a bargain in comparison now. This item is probably available all over Europe and it would not surprise me if this design is not available under different brand names where Lidle do not operate in the world. Keep an eye out for it
Max.
