So here is my 2nd handlaid turnout that I've built. This is made from stuff I got from Andy's Proto87 Store. Its a #7 RH Central Valley tie-strip glued to 3/16" basswood. I think I used Walthers Goo, but I don't remember. I REALLY like basswood now, and I'm going to build every one of my turnouts on it from now on. Screw homabed's turnout pads... I can get enough for 4 or 5 turnouts for the price of one homabed turnout pad. Basswood is PERFECT. It's light, sturdy, yet soft enough for spike-insertion. No wonder people use basswood for their ties, haha.
Anyway, this is code 70 rail with a Details West #7 frog. The points were made using Fast Track's pointform tool. I used Micro Engineering's Micro Spikes on the inside of the rail and their Small Spikes on the outside, to help eliminate any possible flange/spikehead contact.
I had tried using the Proto87 Ultimate Throwbar first, but I couldn't get the holes drilled in the base of the rail with my (cheap) pin-vise that I just got from ebay. Lesson learned with that thing... it won't even hold the smallest of the #61-80 drill bits it came with. I tried just using one set of the throwbars, the ones that don't need holes drilled, but that wasn't working out.
My solution is bound to be controversial with all of you here... haha. My throwbar is actually a Micro Engineering weathered tie, and the points are spiked to it, and then soaked with CA and a little Goo for good measure. My Caboose Industries ground throw is gooed in place as well. I was worried that this method of throwbar construction wouldn't work out, but after numerous test-throws and being left thrown both ways for a while, I haven't had ANY problems. (warning: don't just go and soak the area where you spike the point to the throwbar.... capilary action will pull the glue down, and your throwbar will get glued to the roadbed, haha)
Thats about it... I soldered jumpers between the points and stock rails. Before I spiked the points down, I'd soldered the wire to the bottom of the points and left it extended enough so it could be threaded underneath the stock rail, to be cut to whatever length I needed. The jumper between the diverging stock rail and straight point came out very well, I thought... you can see how it looks just like a spikehead.
Anyway... THAT is about it, haha. I used 3-point gauges and my NMRA guage. I definitely learned a lot more from this turnout, and the next one I make will be even better. Probably the most annoying thing was that the web of the rail kept splitting at the end of the points. It definitely takes practice with the pointform tool, but it makes it a lot easier. Ive definitely gotten a lot better, too, at filing away the stock rail. I can get that done in like, 5 minutes.
alright, thats it. now for the pictures. yay!
frog closeup:
closeup of the spikehead jumper wire:
throwbar closeups:
overall:
now heres my layout update pics. Nothing extraordinary, but I just wanted to show off my successful wiring adventure, haha.
Loathar, the main reason I didn't use Andy's throwbar is A) my points are continuous. his stuff is meant for hinged points, typically. and B) I couldn't get the hole drilled in the base of the rail with my pin vise to use the 2nd throwbar. and C) the throwbar itself isn't as high as a regular tie, so it was hard to get it in position to glue the throwbar parts to the rail. Besides that, there isn't any downward pressure to hold the points in place like there is with spiking it. I would be just relying on the glue.
I'm gonna get a better pin vise so that I can actually get a hole drilled in the base of the rail so that I CAN use his throwbars, because they look awesome.