Hey guys i am new here have a few questions.
I have the bachman ez track worlds greatest hobby pack. i want bigger curves.
but all i have is a 4x8 table i know 22inch is the biggest i can go but i need help trying to decide wether to go with the same track. or do i use flextrack if i go flex i need to know how mark a 22 inch curve on the board. and then what i need to do to cut it with or do i stick with waht i have and jsut get bigger curves.thank you guys
CSX17
Unless you want to go to the expense of wider curves with EZ-Track, and I don't know if they have them, you are either stuck with 22" curves or you will have to use flex. Maybe Atlas has wider curves? I don't know myself.
To mark a curve centerline if you are going to use flex, take a length of fishing line and tie it around a nail. Drive the nail a bit into the wood, if you can, and tie a pencil at the distance you want for the radius. With just a bit of straightening tugging on the fishing line, craw your arc with the pencil. If your center of arc is outside of the bench, tie that end around a tripod head or a chair top...something that won't move easily, or tilt, when you tighten the radius of the fishing line.
You could use string, too, but it stretches a lot more. A good quality twine won't stretch, but the cheaper cotton stuff will.
Crandell
hey thanks and bachman has a wide verity of curves just that is the biggest i can fit on my 4x8 table top. i would love to have 24 or 28 inch radius but don't have the room for anything bigger than my 4x8 yeah it's against the wall on a long side and a short side it's on caster wheels to be able to pull it out easy to work on it. any suggestons are great thanks CSX17.
hey thanks man for the help i was jsut wanting to be able ot run bigger engines than i would on 18inch radius and bachman makes up to a 30 inch radius but i don't have to room for that on my little 4x8 which is on caster wheels to pull away from the wall when i want to get to hte oher side to do anything. im looking to run sd60ms and sd70ace locomitves and some nice coal cars on this layout and i think they would do better on 22 inch radius track let me know if im on the right track with this thanks CSX17
thanks yeah any insight on what i ned to do to be sucessful with flextrack. how to cut it do i need to solder every curved joint and how many wires do i need to solder to it to have enought power to run these beast thanks csx17
Crandall's method of marking curves works very well.
Personally, I use a 33" piece of scrap 1x2 pine with a nail at one end (about 1" in) to hold it in place and 1/4" holes drilled at the 18, 22, 24, 28, and 30 marks (from the nail), Put the nail on your table (or on a piece of scrap wood clamped to your table if you need the center of your curve somewhere off the table). Stick a pencil through the appropriate hole and voila! Track centerline! I find this is easier to use with one person, especially if you tape the pencil in place.
A 22" radius curve, operationally, should handle just about any motive power or rolling stock without an issue, although the longer stuff will look better on a broader curve.
Connecticut Valley Railroad A Branch of the New York, New Haven, and Hartford
"If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right." -- Henry Ford
On another note. Sometimes you can get away with adding a foot to the layout to make it wider. It's a pretty easy job and gives you much more to work with than you would think.
Springfield PA
thanks guys for the help and space won't allow the extra foot i though about that but thank you and ill use the piece of wood with holes in it to scribe my lines thanks now what do i need to use to cut the track with what type of shears can i use wire cutters or do i need something for cutting track. thanks csx.
Hamltnblue's post may be at the heart of the whole discussion. I assumed you knew that you can't have a loop on a 4X8 wider than about 23" radius and be safe. Twenty-three inches doubled to make a half circle, of which you will need two, one at either end, form a diameter of 46". That should be the centerlines. So, it means your outer tie ends and the outer rails on those curves will be running at the very edge of the plywood. That is technically safe from the point of view of physics, but not if you have a derailment there and the engine or a car want to roll outwards. Outwards means down.
To the floor.
Hard.
As long as you are constrained to that sheet of plywood, and if you intend to have a loop, you really have no choice but to accept 22" curves.
CTValleyRR Crandall's method of marking curves works very well. Personally, I use a 33" piece of scrap 1x2 pine with a nail at one end (about 1" in) to hold it in place and 1/4" holes drilled at the 18, 22, 24, 28, and 30 marks (from the nail), Put the nail on your table (or on a piece of scrap wood clamped to your table if you need the center of your curve somewhere off the table). Stick a pencil through the appropriate hole and voila! Track centerline!
Personally, I use a 33" piece of scrap 1x2 pine with a nail at one end (about 1" in) to hold it in place and 1/4" holes drilled at the 18, 22, 24, 28, and 30 marks (from the nail), Put the nail on your table (or on a piece of scrap wood clamped to your table if you need the center of your curve somewhere off the table). Stick a pencil through the appropriate hole and voila! Track centerline!
I did the same but used a cheap 99 cent yard stick. Already pre-measured.
CSX17 thanks guys for the help and space won't allow the extra foot i though about that but thank you and ill use the piece of wood with holes in it to scribe my lines thanks now what do i need to use to cut the track with what type of shears can i use wire cutters or do i need something for cutting track. thanks csx.
CSX17.
to the Forums. As far as cutting the Flex Track, I would use a Xuron Rail Cutter. You should be able to get one at any reasonably equipped Hobby Shop. The cost should be something under $20. They have a straight side that you place against the "SAVED" side of your Flex Track when you cut. DON'T USE THEM TO CUT ANYTHING ELSE EXCEPT MAYBE SOFT COPPER WIRE. You may need to use a small file to do a little clean up of the rail ends, but in any case, use a file to nick off the top inside corner (just a little bit) of each piece of rail to avoid the wheels catching a larger corner. I tried using side cutting "Needle Nose Pliers" when I started but I quickly found that they squashed the rail and it was difficult to slide on the rail joiners.
If you continue to go with the Eazy Track or something like that, I have no idea what you would use as they have specialized connections at each end of the pieces. Maybe someone else can help there as I have only used Flex Track.
Good Luck.
Blue Flamer.
In addition to the Xuron cutters and home made compass(yardstick) I also use the ribbon rail gages, the longer ones are best for me. They fit in between the flex track rails and help you make sure you don't loose your radius and for me, help my curve stay consistent and smooth after and before the easements.
Richard
It's less expensive to use flextrack, but it's more difficult to lay and you may need a few tools. Depending on your dollar and time budgets, either one is good. I use the Bachman nickel silver for a temporary layout around the Christmas tree--no 4 x8 limits there. My son actually added turnouts last year. With the sound locos, it was pretty neat.
I use a Dremel rotary tool with a reinforced cut-off wheel. Make sure you keep the wheel vertical as you cut.
You will still need a file to dress the ends of the rails.