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Home   Forums   Events Calendar   Sponsors   Support the RRLine   Guestbook   FAQ     Register Active Topics | Active Polls | Resources | Members | Online Users | Live Chat | Avatar Legend | Search | Statistics Photo Album | File Lister | File Library [ Active Members: 6 | Anonymous Members: 0 | Guests: 240 ]  [ Total: 246 ]  [ Newest Member: Stuart W ]  All Forums  Model Railroad Forums  Model Railroad Construction  Harmony Junction Switching Layout Previous Page | Next Page  New Topic |    New Poll |   Reply to Topic |  Author Topic Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 of 16 Carl B Fireman Premium Member Posted - 06/30/2020 :  1:40:14 PM     Wow George, you're not wasting any time! Country: USA | Posts: 4160 George D Moderator Premium Member Posted - 06/30/2020 :  2:57:47 PM     Thanks, Louis. Carl, that's about a week's work. I'm slow in documenting what I'm doing. George Fly Army Country: USA | Posts: 16816 George D Moderator Premium Member Posted - 07/01/2020 :  12:20:10 PM     When I build a switch, the first thing I do is work on the stock rails. I file the notch on the inside edge where the point rail will meet the stock rail. I use hand files for all shaping. On my earlier attempts, I used a Harbor Freight vertical belt sander, but it's only good for the initial rough cut and it sprays metal shavings all over. I found it doesn't take much longer to do it all by hand and I have complete control of what I'm doing. I use a block of wood with grooves sawed in it to hold the rail while I'm filing. Not an original idea, but I don't remember where I learned about it. I've made a tool for curving rail. I picked up the design on the internet several years ago, but I don't remember where. The rollers are for shower doors. I bought them at Home Depot. The yellow pieces are 0.040” styrene spacers to bring the rail up to the same level as the rollers. Getting a nice curve in the rail really helps in making a turnout. Once the stock rails are filed and curved, they are soldered to the ties by aligning them over the track diagram. I hold the rails in place with wooden tabs screwed to the wood base. The most important thing I've learned about soldering over the years is finding a way to hold the pieces to be soldered. If you can secure it, you can solder it. Once the two stock rails are soldered in place I start building the frog. I start with one of the frog point rails. I locate it so the point is an equal distance from the two stock rails and in gauge with the two stock rails. The point must be in gauge at the red lines. The second half of the frog point is shaped and soldered in place. It actually sits slightly back from the point of the first rail. A little solder is used to fill the bap between the two pieces of rail. The frog's guard rails are next and a little tricky to bend at the correct angle and get aligned properly. Some people make the the turnout's point rails and these guard rails in one piece and after soldering in place, cut the gap. I find it much easier to make it two separate pieces. The completed frog. I cut and filed two pieces of rail for the point rails and soldered them in place. The hinge point for the point rails is at the red arrow. There's a lot of discussion on the internet about flexible hinge points and solid ones, as well as soldered throw bars or ones with flexible attachments. In the past I played with different hinges and throw bar attachments. I'm now going with soldered rails and throw bars because they're much easier to make. I figure there's enough flexibility in code 70 rail to not be a problem. The points move freely from one side to the other. It doesn't show in the picture, but there are gaps between the frog and the point rails. The frogs will be powered so short wheelbase locos can run on the layout. Those holes you see all over the place and holes I drill when I need a wood tab to hold rail down for soldering. Here's where I am now. Two turnouts to go. George Fly Army Country: USA | Posts: 16816 Tyson Rayles Moderator Premium Member Posted - 07/02/2020 :  07:19:10 AM     While I'd rather do my own root canals that hand lay track it looks like you are doing an outstanding job George. Country: USA | Posts: 13441 TRAINS1941 Engineer Premium Member Posted - 07/02/2020 :  08:17:14 AM     That is impressive. Great tutorial. Would I try that nope I'd never have the patience. But you certainly have it mastered. Jerry "And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years." A. Lincoln Country: USA | Posts: 13242 Michael Hohn Fireman Posted - 07/02/2020 :  08:58:43 AM       You sure know what you’re doing, George. It’s a beautiful piece of trackwork. Mike Country: USA | Posts: 7267 tloc Fireman Premium Member Posted - 07/02/2020 :  09:12:52 AM     George, very impressive. Thanks for showing the steps you take. Have fun. TomO Country: USA | Posts: 4330 Carl B Fireman Premium Member Posted - 07/02/2020 :  09:26:19 AM     Nice work George! The filing and curving jigs are great ideas. What wattage/temperature soldering iron are you using? Country: USA | Posts: 4160 Pennman Fireman Premium Member Posted - 07/02/2020 :  10:17:02 AM     Wow, George, it looks really well done. I think if I tried this, there would be many derailments !! Rich Country: USA | Posts: 4699 George D Moderator Premium Member Posted - 07/02/2020 :  11:19:02 AM     quote: Originally posted by Tyson Rayles While I'd rather do my own root canals that hand lay track it looks like you are doing an outstanding job George. Thanks, Mike, but aren't you being a little dramatic? George Fly Army Country: USA | Posts: 16816 George D Moderator Premium Member Posted - 07/02/2020 :  11:20:16 AM     quote: Originally posted by TRAINS1941 That is impressive. Great tutorial. Would I try that nope I'd never have the patience. But you certainly have it mastered. Thanks, Jerry. Patience is not my strong point, but I'm having fun, so patience isn't a factor. George Fly Army Country: USA | Posts: 16816 George D Moderator Premium Member Posted - 07/02/2020 :  11:22:00 AM     quote: Originally posted by Michael Hohn You sure know what you’re doing, George. It’s a beautiful piece of trackwork. Mike Thanks, Mike. I'm still learning, but each turnout is easier (less mistakes). George Fly Army Country: USA | Posts: 16816 George D Moderator Premium Member Posted - 07/02/2020 :  11:23:07 AM     quote: Originally posted by tloc George, very impressive. Thanks for showing the steps you take. Have fun. TomO Thanks, Tom. So far this has been a fun project. George Fly Army Country: USA | Posts: 16816 George D Moderator Premium Member Posted - 07/02/2020 :  11:23:07 AM     quote: Originally posted by tloc George, very impressive. Thanks for showing the steps you take. Have fun. TomO Thanks, Tom. So far this has been a fun project. George Fly Army Country: USA | Posts: 16816 George D Moderator Premium Member Posted - 07/02/2020 :  11:25:47 AM     quote: Originally posted by Carl B Nice work George! The filing and curving jigs are great ideas. What wattage/temperature soldering iron are you using? Thanks, Carl. Those jigs sure do make things easier. The soldering station is a Weller WE551. The data plate says it's a 60 watt unit and I'm using the highest setting, so I assume it's 60 watts. It heats fast. George Fly Army Country: USA | Posts: 16816 Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 of 16 Topic    New Topic |    New Poll |   Reply to Topic |  Previous Page | Next Page Jump To: Select Forum Railroad Line Administrative Forums       Forum News       Administrative Posts General Forums       WorkShops, Garage, Machines and Tools       The Tour Bus       The Arrival Track       RR-L Member Personal Websites       The Crew Lounge       The Classroom       Interchange Tracks       Rail Events       Reference & Research Model Railroad Forums       The Sn3 Branch       Mike Chambers' Craftsman's Corner       HOn30 and HOn3 Forum       Early Rail Forum       Dead Rail Forum       The On30 Line       Railroad Photography Forum       Small Scale Model Railroad Forum       Mid Scale Model Railroad Forum       Large Scale Model Railroad Forum       Logging, Mining, & Narrow minded       Model Railroad Construction       Micro & Mini Layouts       Layout Design / Operation Sig Forum       Startin' from Scratch       DCC, Computers and Electronics for Model Railroads Shop Talk       Vehicle and Non-Rail Transportation Modeling       The Steam Shop       The Roundhouse       Rolling Stock: the Car Shops       The Diesel Shop Company Store       Railroad-Line Swap Meet       New Product Announcements Fallen Flag Railroad Forums       Erie / Lackawanna Railroad Forum       Raritan River Railroad Forum Railroad Software Forums       Atlas Right Track Software       Railroad Line Software Library Model Railroad Club Forums       The Model Railroad Club Forum Sponsor Forums       Rusty Stumps Scale Models       KingMill Enterprises Railroad Line Weblinks       Badger Creek Lumber Co.       Central Missouri & Southern RR       Raritan River Railroad       Thor's All Gauge Page  -------------------- Home Active Topics Frequently Asked Questions Member Information Search Page Railroad Line Forums © 2000-2020 Railroad Line Co.
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