Drill Size for railroad ties

[crisco1]

 Hi,

     What size drill bit would you use for drilling a hole in ties.  I want to

nail down my track and test it before I glue the track down.  I may want

to change my track plan.

                                                                                               Thanks

                                                                                                 Chris

 

 

[mbinsewi]

Maybe find a drill bit that matches the nails your using.

Mike.

[richhotrain]

I use Atlas track nails. I use a #58 .042 drill bit which works nicely.

Rich

[IRONROOSTER]

This depends on the nail size.  I use a drill bit that gives a snug fit, but one where i can push the nail in most of the way and then very lightly tap down with a nail set and hobby hammer.  Idealy there the nail head is the thickness of a piece of paper above the tie.  You may have to drill a couple of holes to get the right one for your nails.

Paul

[doctorwayne]

If you're using Atlas track, the holes are there already:  simply flip the track upside down, then use one of the Atlas track nails to open the pre-formed holes which you see in the bottom of some of the ties.  Hold the track nail with pliers, insert it into a hole and give it a push.  When you flip the track right side up, you'll see where the holes are locate - use the pliers to push the nails in place wherever they're needed, but take care to not push so hard that it deforms the tie, as this can alter the gauge of the track, leading to derailments.

Wayne

[BroadwayLion]

Yeah... LIONS know all about #50 and #54 drills. Him has many of them left over from WW-II military surplus...

That said 1/16" is cheaper, does not break as easily as the smaller ones, and for the hole. it works, it will let the nail pass through the tie and the nail head covers hole. What is the big deal.

 

ROAR

[carl425]

1/16" worked for me.

[SeeYou190]

I use a 0.047" drill bit. I think that works out to 3/64" fractional.

.

This works well with the spikes I have.

.

-Kevin

. 

[Benjamin Maggi]

What about a staple gun, having the staples 90-degrees to the ties?

[carl425]

Benjamin Maggi

What about a staple gun, having the staples 90-degrees to the ties? 

As if nails aren't ugly enough?

[BroadwayLion]

You mean a recular staple gun, or the old Kadee Track stapaler. That works real good but has not been made in 30years althouygh repair parts are still available from Kadee... But not enough parts to build a new gun.

Those that are out and about are rather old and there is no gaurantee that it would work properly.

 

I wish they would put them back into production. That would  bring a renosanse of hand laid track.

 

Or maybe a track company might buy the patents and put it back into production.

 

ROAR

[Medina1128]

Instead of using Atlas track spikes, I use Micro Engineering spikes. The M-E spikes are L-shaped, making drilling unnecessary. 

[zstripe]

Medina1128

Instead of using Atlas track spikes, I use Micro Engineering spikes. The M-E spikes are L-shaped, making drilling unnecessary. 

 

I  use the same kind...3/8''shank......My roadbed is Homasote. Works like a charm. You really have to get up close to see the spike head.

All you need is a small pair of serrated jaw needle nose pliers to install.

Take Care! 

Frank

[richhotrain]

carl425

 

Benjamin Maggi

What about a staple gun, having the staples 90-degrees to the ties?  

As if nails aren't ugly enough? 

Track nails in the middle of a plastic tie don't really look all that bad or all that obvious...

...until you mount a mini camera on a flat car and film a video moving around your layout. Then, the heads of the track nails look like small boulders in the path of the train.

I have never recovered from watching my own video.  

I have never been able to look at my layout in the same way ever again.  

Rich

[BRAKIE]

zstripe

All you need is a small pair of serrated jaw needle nose pliers to install. Take Care! Frank

Frank,I also use M-E spikes and a pair of  used Micro-Mark Spike Insertion pliers I picked up at a Train Show for $6.00..

http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/Micro-Mark-82839-Spike-Insertion-Plier-p/mmk-82839.htm

[Canalligators]

I keep certain smaller drill sizes around.  I get a lot of use out of .047 and .040.  Also see need for a couple of smaller ones, don't remember them right now.  As for drill number, who knows?  I don't like using abstract numbers like american wire gauge or drill numbers.  Give me the actual dimension, then I can mic the fastener and know what size drill I need for a clear hole.  My quirk...