Belt sander + fast track?

[rolleiman]

I never saw the point of making the points and wing rails of the frog as one piece.  Doesn't make any sense to me.  After you're done you are going to go back and cut a gap between the points and frog anyway, just make them separate pieces to begin with. 

I build frogs, I build points and then I build guardrails.  All pretty much standard sizes. 

Then when I buld a switch I lay the straight stock rail (notching the base for the point), position the frog, lay the curved stock rail (notching the base for the point), then add the points and finally the guardrails.

Dave H.

Because A: It helps insure that everthing is lined up. B: Two birds with one stone sort of thing, the frog guard rails are in place. C: That's the way >I< find it easiest to do.

Everyone can do them their own way. No problem with that, but, just because You've never seen the point of building them a certain way, doesn't invalidate it. I've never seen the point of spending 100s of $$$ on jigs and and kits. Once you get the hang of it, it takes all of 10-15 minutes to get a turnout in place, without them. To each his/her own.

[dehusman]

I never saw the point of making the points and wing rails of the frog as one piece.  Doesn't make any sense to me.  After you're done you are going to go back and cut a gap between the points and frog anyway, just make them separate pieces to begin with. 

I build frogs, I build points and then I build guardrails.  All pretty much standard sizes. 

Then when I buld a switch I lay the straight stock rail (notching the base for the point), position the frog, lay the curved stock rail (notching the base for the point), then add the points and finally the guardrails.

Dave H.

[trainnut1250]

Magnus,

Check out this link by Steve Hatch, the owner of Railway Engineering.  It includes a step by step tutorial on hand laying turnouts.  He has some unorthodox ideas about spacing certain parts of the turnout but the tutorial is a good place to get some ideas.....

 

http://www.railwayeng.com/handlay6/hndly-h3.htm

 

Guy

[tomikawaTT]

Having built a few turnouts from raw rail (over a hundred, at last count) I have never felt the need for a belt sander.  I get much more controllable results with a long (300mm,) wide (25-30 mm) flat file.  I have learned to avoid using miniature modelers' files - they are much LESS controllable and take approximately forever to cut as much as I can take off with two strokes of the Big One.

Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)

[rolleiman]

I use the belt sander for all of it and use a file to clean it up if necassary. The way I proceed is this...(stated very simplistically).

First, determine where the frog point goes (the two rails that come together) and grind half your angle into the ends of two pieces of rail. Set them in place and tac together with solder.

Second, determine where your point rails will end. Should be just a hair past the throwbar. At the same time you want to note where your flangeways will end on the frog and cut your pieces of rail just a little bit longer. The frog flangeway is bent on one end of this rail and the other end creates the point. A straight edge running along side the frog rail will help determine where to bend the point rail for the flangeway (it helps to look at a completed turnout for visualizing this). Temporarily spike the point rails in place. 

Third, you need to slightly sand off the inner portion of the stock rails (the outer rails) to accept the point rails at the throwbar end. You don't need much just enough so that your point rail doesn't create a bump in the loco travel. 

Of course, while you are going along, make sure your track and flangeways are in gauge. Now the fun part...

Fourth (and the part that makes the fasttracks system easier to use).. Once you have everything in place and gauged properly, you need to fill the flangeways with solder. Others may argue about this but it's the way I do it and it works for me. Then, using your NMRA gauge as a guide, file or saw out the flangways to the proper depth. I use a piece of a hacksaw blade for this purpose. 

Fifth, I use a piece of fasttrack's PC board tie for the throwbar. Once you are satisfied that your work is gauged properly, finish spiking (or soldering in place). Now you get to cut all that beautiful work apart. I use a Dremel with a cutoff disk (safety glasses are a must have here) and cut gaps on each side of the frog. Also cut a small gap between the point rails on the throwbar. Epoxy some styrene into the frog gaps and you now have a completely DCC ready turnout. The frogs on mine are power-routed through tortise switch machines.  

The end result with a little practice in workmanship, I can BACK a 50 car train through any of my turnouts without a derailment. Once you've built your first one, you'll either wonder why you ever started, or wonder why you waited so long...

Good luck..  

[Lillen]

Hi,

 

I tried the belt part on a piece of scrap rail. Man this thing is great. I have total control. My jigs was shipped today and I should have them in a week. So now I'm gonna start making some training pieces so that I'm good at it when the jig and the rail arrives. Is there anyone who uses a belt sander instead of the file when forming the points of the frog?

 

Magnus

[rolleiman]

Not if you make a jig like a described several messages ago.  I can get them down to a couple of thousandths thick at the thickest.

Fair enough... My way works as well without the use of a jig..

http://www.rolleiman.com/trains/terminal.html 

[ndbprr]

Not if you make a jig like a described several messages ago.  I can get them down to a couple of thousandths thick at the thickest.

[rolleiman]

No, Don't use disks, use the belt portion. Use a small flat screwdriver to press the rail against the belt while drawing the rail left to right (or reverse of you're left handed). MUCH easier to control that way. The disk will want to whip the rail around. You can buy the belts through Amazon.com (use delta and belt for keywords, you're looking for 1" x 30" belts) and 200 grit is about the right size.

[ndbprr]

Now you need to get some fine discs.  Something around 200 grit. When you take the old one off make sure you find a solvent that will remove  the glue from the face plate befor attaching the new one.

[Lillen]

Ok, Great news. I was able to find by pure luck. None of the five first stores had one then I went in another one. They had one left! They where not suppose to have them since the store had stopped carrying them a while back. So they where clearing them out and I was able to get one for 60$ on their special sale. No one in the store even knew their cost at first since they where not suppose to have them. Sometimes you just get lucky!

 

Magnus

[wedudler]

I use a table saw. You can need it for so many tasks....

Wolfgang 

[Lillen]

Magnus,

Might be worth picking one of those sanders up.  I have ground points using a dremel and it is a tedious process.  One of the hand laying gurus around here and his proteges all use small vertical belt sanders.  I watched one of these guys grind a set of points in just a couple of minutes. Ditto with the frog as well.  He ground the web off the rail and folded the rail to form a perfect frog... An classic old technique, I've been told.  As others have stated, you can get a sander for pretty cheap.....

 

Guy

 

I would If I could! 

 

I haven't been able to find one in Sweden yet. I'm sure there are such somewhere but I haven't found one yet. I'm looking for one thought. I might have to get one of those circular discs instead.

 

Magnus

[trainnut1250]

Magnus,

Might be worth picking one of those sanders up.  I have ground points using a dremel and it is a tedious process.  One of the hand laying gurus around here and his proteges all use small vertical belt sanders.  I watched one of these guys grind a set of points in just a couple of minutes. Ditto with the frog as well.  He ground the web off the rail and folded the rail to form a perfect frog... An classic old technique, I've been told.  As others have stated, you can get a sander for pretty cheap.....

 

Guy

[betamax]

Hunt around, you're bound to find something that will do that job. I did see a prototype jig for removing material from the rail for the points, which was supposed to be available by Christmas 07. Guess it isn't ready yet.

Check with places that sell tools, as this is a handy little unit for a lot of other things too. The one I have is listed under power tools, stationary sanders. They call it a one inch belt/disc sander.

[BCSJ]

I located a Delta 1 inch belt and disk sander at Lowes. It does a great job and is quick, accurate and easy following the CD instructions. I have many uses for the disk sander so it was a win win for me.

I think I paid about $90 for my Delta 1" belt / 5" disc at Home Depot (a few years ago). It's definitely a blessing when grinding points or frogs. And it should cost less than a fast tracks jig. It also works for sharpening tools and fine sanding on small pieces of wood. Definitely a good investment. It's small enough to stick under the workbench when not in use.

I handlay turnouts with out a fast tracks jig too. 

Regards,

Charlie Comstock 

[BigRusty]

I located a Delta 1 inch belt and disk sander at Lowes. It does a great job and is quick, accurate and easy following the CD instructions. I have many uses for the disk sander so it was a win win for me.

[selector]

I used the tip of a Xuron rail nipper to mark the outer bounds of the area to be ground away, and then merely held the area between the two nips to the corner of a turning bench grinder stone.  This requires some practice and control because it is easy to do some damage to the frail railstock, particularly Code 70 and smaller.  N scale would be a nightmare.

Wear safety goggles or glasses when using cutting and grinding implements.  Our hobby is a visual one!!!

[ndbprr]

I use a disc sander and a homemade jig.  I soldered two rails upside down to a sheet of brass with enough space to slide a rail in the normal position between them. then I soldered a piece of brass on top of the two rails.  I C clamp that jig on the bed against the disc sander and then feed rail into it.  To do the other side of the points I turn it upside down and mount it in the oppsite direction.  I can sand points so thin at the end I can almost see through them

[dehusman]

I found a 1"x30" vertical beltsander at Harbor Freight for $30.  Makes filing points, stock rails, frog rails a snap. Way easier to control, IMHO, than using a Dremel. 

I don't use Fast Track jigs to handlay switches either. 

Dave H.

[Vail and Southwestern RR]

I've been using a Dremel to knock the base off of the point rails.  It's pretty quick, and accurate enough.  Eye protection is an absolute much for tat operation, as there is a lot of "stuff" thrown off.

[bogp40]

Hi,

 

As some of you know I recently ordered the fast track jig. Now, I've seen the video. I have a question for you guys. He is using a belt sander in the video. What do you use instead of that? I'm thinking about using a Dremel instead since I do not have a belt sander and can't find any close to me either.

 

Thanks,

 

Magnus

A small bench grinder with fine stones and file, file , file. Many times I'll cheat and use the side of the stone for fine, light work. The Dremel will work, but you have much less control. Need to set up a jig of sorts to hold the tool or the work unless you happen to have that third hand.

[Lillen]

Hi,

 

As some of you know I recently ordered the fast track jig. Now, I've seen the video. I have a question for you guys. He is using a belt sander in the video. What do you use instead of that? I'm thinking about using a Dremel instead since I do not have a belt sander and can't find any close to me either.

 

Thanks,

 

Magnus