Ideas? how to turn 60" straight rials into 36" dia circle without a railbender?

[vsmith]

...For the Xmas tree this year.

I have extra 60" straights that I'll never use and want to set up something around the tree this year. But a 4' diameter circle is way to big. I want to install a circle at 36" but dont have a railbender or access to one.

So can anyone suggest a simple way to bend straight rail into a very tight curve?

[Anonymous]

Vic this can be done with a rail bender or you may even have a plumber mate with a pipe bender or you could make up a jig with the right curve in it and try; no no this is all too hard i don't think there is and easy, way disaasembling will be hard , assembling back up again willbe harder and getting your sleeoers properly spaced will not be easy.

This is advice from someone who bends and assembles his own rail all the time, forget it.

I am not all that interested in this subject and only put my nose in because I felt sorry for you, as you have had no replies .

All the best with your project but if I was you I wouldn't do it.


regrds Ian

[Anonymous]

Vic, Who do you know on this forum or MLS that bends rail and lives reasonably close, ship your rail and have them bend it for you and then ship it back.

Only solution I can think of. I'm sure someone would be happy to do it for you[:D]

[Anonymous]

VIc, sell the straight track? Send me a picture of what you have so I can get a mental image of what you've got.

[SandyR]

Vic, sell the track and buy yourself a few pieces of Gargraves No. 1 gauge track. It's cheap and flexible, and comes in 3' lengths. If you get the stainless steel rather than tin-plated rail, you'll need a cut-off disc to cut the rails square after you've bent it. Just a thought. The stuff has wooden ties.
SandyR

[Anonymous]

Vic

You check out ePay yet?

[vsmith]

I was really hoping i could take the straight, run it thru a cheap bender and get it close to the right curve. I dont want to spend anymore $$$ on track, i already got alot of junk to think of ebaying. I am not worried about modifying the ties but getting the rails bent right and aligned correctly is another thing, I might try to use a plywood form to bend the rail, we'll see. I have a lot of ply and i dont want to buy a plumbing bender.

[kstrong]

If you check the GR index on this site for "rail bender," you'll come across a small handful of articles on building a cheap railbender from common junk-drawer components like washers and bolts and the like. I don't recall which issues, but they're there. That's about the only way you'll accomplish what you want to do. The brass rail just isn't going to bend that tight otherwise.

The only other alternative is to inquire to local club-members. In LA, there's bound to be someone there who has a rail-bender you could borrow. The club may even have a tool lending library. I know some clubs do. Certainly worth looking into.

Can't offer much more assistance than that, though. Sorry 'bout that.

Later,

K

[vsmith]

K

Speak of the Devil...Last night as I was moving some magazine holders around, I pulled out an issue and, voila! a 2002 issue with an article on a cheap homemade railbender. I'm gonna give it a try since it is literally made on nuts, bolts and washers. I'll let you guys know how it works.

Vic

[grandpopswalt]

Vic,

I've purchased the parts but still haven't built the same bender you're reffering to. Please do let us know how you make out and in particular how to actually operate the thing, that was not covered in the article.

Walt

[Anonymous]

Listen Vic its not the bending thats the problem, its assembling the overall assembly when you are finished bending; even if you can disaassemble it without damage.

Rgds ian

[vsmith]

OK I managed to get the GR railbender put together and HOSANA, IT WORKS!!!

I had to modify the original spec to use angle steel peices instead of the flat steel plates called for. I found it a bit tricky at first, I tried pushing the rail thru but found it easier to PULL it thru. Also its not easy to control the arms of the bender, they do move, your using your own arm strenth to provide the pressure against the rail, BUT once yo get the hang of it, is pretty quick. I bent straight 60" brass Aristo rail down to an approximately 34" radius cirle for my Xmas tree layout.

Will post some photos of the finish product and the bender itself.

[Anonymous]

Vic, looking forward to the pics! An X-mas tree is never complete with out a train!

[vsmith]

Here's some links to some pics of the track bender and circle of track.

I used steel angle for the main pieces instead of flat pieces as called for in the GR article. I think the angle peices give it more rigidity. I had to notch one side of the angle so it could turn easily.





the track is on a 36" square base for the xmas tree to set on. I still have to glue down the fake "Snow" for ballast.[8D]

[SandyR]

Wow! Vic, that's amazing. Thank you for the pictures, too. This is a project that I've had in mind for several years...for a portable 'garden' railroad. I have a 40" circle of plywood for a base...
SandyR

[vsmith]

Sandy

I learned a lot from using this tool, its best for getting the basic curve started but the final curvature takes a few passes at different degrees of pressure and some hand bending pressure to get right, after the first couple tries it get easier, I did the second peice much faster than the first. I also used a vice grip pliers to gently bend the track ends as the tool will leave a couple of inches unbent at each end. Since I was puting it down onto plywood I simple cut the plastic connectors on one side of the ties and put screws thru every other tie into the plywood following a pencil radius guideline. Worked pretty well. If you have any questions on the bender let me know. I made mine from "approxomote" parts where I could not find exact parts and it still worked well. Good Luck with it.

[Anonymous]

Necessity is the mother of invention huh Vic, that's why my daughter is weathering my wheels for my other two boxcars as we speak[;)]

[grandpopswalt]

Thanks Vic. I've been meaning to assemble my rail bender for almost a year now. I'll take your advice and get some angle stock to replace the flat stock specified.

I'll be bending code 250 aluminum rail so my task should be a little easier than yours was.

Walt

[Anonymous]

Well done but I still think it is hardly worth the effort surely the angle was nearly as expensive as buying asecond hand piece of track.

Regards

Ian

[vsmith]

QUOTE: Originally posted by iandor

Well done but I still think it is hardly worth the effort surely the angle was nearly as expensive as buying asecond hand piece of track.

Regards

Ian

Ian, I dont where you shop but if I want second hand track I have to wait for a train meet and hope someone has G stuff or its ePay! Besides if you know of a second hand track dealer who's selling 36" diameter track, I'd like his number! Remember, thats not a standard R1 circle shown, its a full 12" tighter diameter. You cant buy that knid of track off the shelf.[;)]

The two 60" straights were left overs from the forced downsizing and were just sittng around with no future use planned. I built the bender for literally a few bucks (about $6). The angle steel comes in 12" sections for about $2.00 apiece, I now have the tool to allow me to experiment with some really tight curves for a Micro-layout I have in mind.[8D]