Well, I've been looking at starting hand laying my turnouts. It seems much cheaper than buying them, and the ability to customize turnouts to your own layout is priceless. I'm just not sure where to start, though. I'm only 14, so money is... a bit tight. This kind of throws out those $200 turnout laying kits I've seen online, but I do have some money to give out. I'm excellent at soldering, especially to PC board. Can I make my own jigs? They seem fairly expensive ($100?!?) Help? Alex
You don't even really need jigs, just a template. Fast Tracks has some. http://www.handlaidtrack.com/Fast-Tracks-Printable-Track-Templates-s/11.htm So does Proto87. http://www.proto87.com/handlaid_track_templates.html I would recommend Micro Engineering track gauges and an NMRA track Gage. Jason
Where to start? Watch as many of the Fast Track's how-to videos as you have the patience for. http://www.handlaidtrack.com/online-videos-a/164.htm Then go about your business for a few days, then watch some more. ;-) Then watch them again. haha Once you've built your confidence, start building turnouts! Important: Since you can only afford some of the FastTracks tools, buy just the PointForm tools, not the jigs. The PointForm tools are more than twice as important in making quality turnouts compared to the jigs, and cost less than half as much. You can use the paper templates and cheap track gauges instead of the jigs, but filing points without the PointForm tool is a much bigger leap in difficulty. Ask your parents to buy you one for your birthday! If you make ten turnouts with one of these, you are saving about $100 over commercial turnouts. The StockAid is also a better deal than the jigs because it can be used for all sizes of turnouts. Also, note that you can get the Fastracks tools, make the turnouts, and then sell the tools later and get some of your money back. I find making turnouts really enjoyable. Definitely worth doing to save money.
You can make better points without the tool. This is the only way to get a true point without going through webbing of the rail. Jason
I was sent this link to give me guidance on switch building. http://www.youtube.com/user/thebige61#g/c/39AF9D2D08FCF4EA A lot of tutorials This guy is good. If its one or twosy. the printed templates are good way to go. I need a ton and have decided on #6's, so I did purchase the switch jig and also the filing jig. goodluck
Thanks for the info, guys. I've already familiarized myself with what hand laying a turnout is like, and I'm just itching to try it now. Hopefully I'll be able to order some of my stuff soon and start laying! Alex
I understand what you are trying to do I too hand lay my own turnouts. When I first started I got the jig for the 16-14 radius turnout I got the stock rail tool and the no-10 point and frog tool. These are for long points and frogs. So if you want to make it easy on yourself I would recommend just buying these two Items because they will work in most ANY situation. For the frog if the gap is not closed all the way I just fill it in with solder file and buff and it totally looks good also the frog point is a little long so you can slip it in or out for a much better adjustment. If you cant get it the way you want it you can use the stock rail tool for a hand vice just put the rail in the end adjust the angle that you want and clamp the Allen screw down tight. At this point in time I don't feel the need to buy anymore rail tools or jigs when I need a turnout I just go to the web site and get the PDF print of the turnout that i want and cut it out and stick it down to a 4x8" 1/4 plywood board and use double sided scotch tape on the bottom to hold the pattern and on the top to hold the ties in place till i get the rails soldered. If you want to save money I would go ahead and get all of the wood laser turnouts ties for your layout now because if you piece meal it out the shipping cost will kill you unless you haven't ordered anything yet These wood ties come precut on a board where all you have to do is glue them on and once they dry you just break off the excess wood around the edges. Just make sure you camp another board on top and let it set over night (((((((DO NOT glue you wood ties on until you run trains on the new turnout because you cannot unsolder the glue and start over or make a adjustment. You also need a track gauge this is not a option. If your using c-55 track in the frog area and guard rails you will have to file off a few thousands of a inch of the base of the rail as it is wider than the flangway tolerance when you try to butt the rail side by side. I also use a #68 drill bit for a flange gauge between the guard and the frog and a#62 drill bit to slip into the web of the rail to hold flangway and frog tolerance while I soldering the rail down I also use Radio Shack 62/36/2-.015 solder with a wheller 40 watt very sharp pencil point gun. As you progress a little further you can get a piece of flex track lay it down and trace it on butcher paper (Tack paper down in the bottom 2 corners) Then raise the paper and re position the flex track for your custom siding and retrace it. When you pick the paper up you have the pattern for you custom turnout All you have to do is tape it and place a PC tie every 5th tie and ad a few extra around the ends of the turnout and under the frog and on either side where your going to cut the rail to isolate the frog and you will be golden Take care and Good Luck.
It is a frustrating, read "first one", to exciting adventure building turnouts. I needed a lot of turnouts, so I went ahead and in the Fast Tracks tooling. Fortunately what I lack is time, not funds. But I needed over 70 turnouts total so it was a good economic and time trade off. Anyway, after building about 8 different turnouts, I am completely sold on it. I have both code 55 and code 40 turnouts, wyes and my favorite is the #12 crossovers. Just relax and don't take it too seriously.... the first couple are to learn on, and after that, you will find that you can assemble one in no time at all. After you do 50, you can build one in about 1.5 hours. After 100, a little less time. But watch out! After you hand lay turnouts, you will then look at hand laying all of your track too!
Yeah, I would say I'm already hooked, even though I haven't even started. Looking at some of the turnouts that I can make, curved, three-way, just makes me all warm and fuzzy inside. Once my skills progress, I hope to start a modulized N/Nn3 layout modeled directly after The C&NW's 'Dinky.' A project that I've really wanted to do in On30, but the fact that it wasn't the correct size and the 3-rail track and switches weren't commercially available put the project away for a while. The switches are extremely easy to hand lay, though. I plan on building all the structures and trackwork possible directly from blueprints and diagrams, and showcasing famous points on the line, including the famous 'Horseshoe Bend'. I'm also going to hand lay the turnouts (And most likely the track) for On30 from now on. For now, I think I'm just going to use a Vice to help me file all my frog points. You lay the track in the vice, just sticking out the top at the angle you need to file it down to, and then file away! What kind of track snippers are people using? Also, I think I'm just going to make my own ties or buy them in bulk. I can cut my own or buy them in bulk much much cheaper than buying those premade, laser cut ones... Anyways, thanks for the advice, everyone! Alex
Sorry for the double post, but I do have one question that I forgot to add. I know that a lot of people have insulated frogs, but that can sometimes cause pickup problems. There was a few ways that I saw people powering their frogs, and one of them was by using a micro switch to reverse the power (+ or -) going to the frog, but why wouldn't you just pick up the power from the turnout points? I drew up a diagram to explain. Is it flawed or something?
