Here's my three cents worth:
People say having the flex shaft extension for a dremel makes the job a lot easier, but it still can be impossible to get a perfectly vertical cut.
Instead of a dremel, you can use a jeweler's saw. It will get you a more vertical cut and a thinner gap - but perhaps one that's narrower than a plastic bread tie.
A razor saw is another option. One with a handle that cants up at an angle will work even if the other methods have trouble getting the handle flat enough. If the place you need to cut the gap has rising scenery on the near side, the razor saw may work best.
Some people use business cards instead of bread ties to fill the gap.
Another option if there is some support underneath the gap, is to fill up the gap with baking soda powder and then drop a drop of CA on it. It hardens to rock, which you then file to the profile.
Another option is liquid nails or similar hard-drying caulk. Fill the gap and cut to shape with a knife while soft, or if it comes out when you do that, wait until dry to shape it. The caulk will take paint well. Don't use a caulk that drys rubbery, because that might get squeezed out if the gap closes due to benchwork shrinkage.
All gaps done for reverse loop purposes should be filled. Anywhere that if the gap closes it will cause a short. If the gap is just for block occupancy/signalling purposes, you can take your chances that expansion will close the gap and leave it unfilled, because it's going to be obvious where the problem is if it closes (you'll see the two blocks detecting trains in each other and go right to the problem).
I use a cut-off Dremel type disc, or I simply create the gap when I place the rails.
Note that the cut-ff disc is risky because the sides of the disk, also abrasive, have a nasty penchant for snagging one or both rails and lifting the rails into nice curved ribbons that won't allow a train over them. So, use a very steady hand, and make the cut along the same plane, maintaining the original angle of the disc from the moment it first makes contact with the metal. You have been warned. Learned that...somewhere.
I try to place the gaps originally, though. It's easy to place a thin spacer in the gap, say 0.5mm tick, touch the rail you're placing to slightly snug up to the free side of the spacer material, and affix the track to its bed. Carefully remove the material in the gap, and you'll end up with something that's essentially invisible, probably will NOT close up on you/me (I run a dehumidifier 24/7), and doesn't require the additional work of implanting and shaping a suitable electrically neutral filler.
I no longer use plastic rail joiners, just cut the track.
jjdamnit richhotrain I use plastic rail joiners for new track work... I have retrofitted plastic rail joiners to existing track, with some difficulty. This is the value of a track plan.
richhotrain I use plastic rail joiners for new track work...
I have retrofitted plastic rail joiners to existing track, with some difficulty. This is the value of a track plan.
Rich
Alton Junction
Hello All,
Some "Old Heads" in this great hobby have used the plastic clips from bread products.
From the information I have read, make the gap(s) with your method of choice, then cut pieces from the bread ties and fit them into the gaps with CA.
Shape (file) them to match the rail profile.
Hope this helps.
Post Script: :
richhotrainI use plastic rail joiners for new track work...
"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"
I use plastic rail joiners for new track work and two-part epoxy if I have to cut gaps in existing travel work.
If I'm laying track, I use plastic rail joiners to isolate sections of track, usually the double track through most on-layout towns.
If the track is in place, and I need to isolate part of it, I use a cut-off disc in a motor tool to create a gap in one rail, then slip a small slice of grey plastic (not styrene, but some other type from Plastruct, securing it with a bit of ca.Once the ca has set, I use a needle file and chisel-type blade in an X-Acto handle, to make the plastic into a shape the same as the profile of the rail.
In the photo below, the tip of the knife indicates the location of the plastic...
...which, as can be seen, is made-up of two pieces...one as thick as the sheet plastic, the other thinner piece, thinned by filing until it fit tightly into the gap.Because my layout is in the basement, I have never had issues with expanding track lengths and kinking due to excess heat.
Wayne
Greg,
For installed track I usually cut between the ties with a Dremel tool. Try not to cut all the way through the fixed tie webs.And if you can get away with only one rail gapped it should be on the side of the fixed rail if possible. But before I cut I put a small drop of CA where the rails meet the ties, on the outside of the track, and a few ties either side of the cut location. Assuming you're going to add a wire for block detecton/power You can solder these wires on. There is a prefered order for these operations due to heating and track movement. The order is solder, glue, then cut. You can add a small strip of styrene plastic and file it down if yhou want but I usually don't do it. That said, the added plastic gap filler will make the wheels go over the cut with less noise.
Charlie - Northern Colorado
strip styrene will do it, snip it to size and insert, sand smooth and no glue needed.
need to add gaps to existing layout to isoate a block for signalling
i'd say it's pretty common to make a gap between the rails and use an insulated rail joiner. but since we need to cut the rail that's already in place and scenicked, i'd think it would be better to cut the rail between the ties where the plastic track will already keep the rail aligned.
just maybe add some plastic filler to prevent it from closing
any other options?
greg - Philadelphia & Reading / Reading