I WAS going to go to the LHS after work and maybe pick up a few more tools and a couple of kits, but bummer, they close at 5.
So I looked at my little stack of wood and figured what the heck. I now have one assembled 2x4 frame. No foam to put in it, and no legs as of yet, but the basic frame is glued and screwed together. Maybe I'll do the second one tomorrow.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
It's a start , Randy. Are you waiting for an order of foam? What have you got, or are you thinking of using, for trackage?
-Crandell
Just haven't gone and picked up the foam yet. HD stocks it here, no problem. I still need to get legs and some adjustable bits for the feet as well as those rubber ends since the floor is hardwood and I don;t want wood or the head of a bolt touching it directly.
I have no track either - i really want to handlay, at least the turnouts, need to save up for the FastTracks jigs. I am not yet convinced they I could do it freehand. For the rest of the track, probably ME flex to match the ME rail in the turnout jigs. I'll have to talk to them, they used to list versions of the jigs for Atlas track and I had no issues at all with Atlas flex on the old layout, and it's a lot easier to get than ME products. I guess it depends on how important I decide any detail in the trackwork is.
Randy,
I didn't think I could do handlaid turnouts but decided "what the heck" and gave it a try. My first few attempts I didn't even finish but I finally got one that worked. Believe me, if I can do it anyone can - I'm a complete mess when it comes to any kind of construction. I did it with no jigs, just the point form and stock rail tool from FastTracks. And I'm doing it in code 55 N scale so believe me, if I can do it - and do it that small - anyone can!
Before you spend the money on the jigs I'd strongly recommend giving it a try yourself. It's really not that bad. Buy a point form tool (it really does make life easier) which is about $45, some rail and a couple of ME 3-point guages and you might be surprised what your capable of.
The first few you'll throw up your hands in disgust and swear you'll never "get it" but if you plug away at it I guarantee it'll work out sooner or later. And believe me there's no sense of accomplishment like when you see a test truck rolling through your own, HANDBUILT, turnout.
After that buy a few more point tools (for the cost of the jig kit you can get about 4 or 5 different size point tools) and you're set to go.
The tools I used are pretty simple:
That's about it really. I use things like files and whatnot to scrape the excess solder out but I'll be darned if I didn't finally get it working. I just finished my first complete turnout about two days ago and am at work on another one to try to get them better looking and functional (my first complete one bobbled a little through the frog).
So give it a whirl. You'll be surprised with how good they look and work!
rrinkerI have no track either - i really want to handlay, at least the turnouts, need to save up for the FastTracks jigs.
If you want to get a few FT turnouts just to get you going, there's a fella on eBay that sells FT turnouts (Code 70, 83, and 100) fully assembled, painted, and wired for $25 ea. (And that includes the QuickSticks roadbed.) I'd be more than glad to forward you his name, if you're interested. He's made a few #5s for me and I've been very happy with his work.
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
My friend thinks I can do it too, and he handlays in N scale - using Code 40 rail, to fine scale standards. And uses no jigs or fixtures of any sort.
There's hardly been anything that, once I worked up the nerve to try, I couldn;t do. I think I'll play it safe though and go with the #6 fixtures, then if I want some of a different size I'll get the point tool for that size and do the rest by hand - by that point I'll have some experience. I'm trying to work up a track plan now - I have an idea for what I want to do for the 'big' layout should I have the place to build one again, but I want to make whatever I build now usable in that future layout. I have no chocie right now but to be poitn to point, since I have no room for a loop of much of anything, so I figure on making it one of the areas along what would be the eventual full layout - in one side, out the other, so once I move to a larger place I can just continue on out to both sides.
Oh yeah - I plan to 'cheat' a bit. I thought I rememberd FastTracks selling their fixtures for Atlas Code 83 track, but they don't list them. So i emailed Tim and got a nice speedy reply - they DO still do them for Atlas rail, you just have to say so when ordering, and it costs the same. So I will get them set up for Atlas rail, and if I need a one-off piece of track I can just but it from Atlas instead of trying to handlay everything. Or if I get lazy, I can use Atlas flex instead of handlaying the straights and curves.
The Atlas Code 83 straight track I picked up to make my test track seems different than the older stuff - tie profile seems lower, and the 'spike' details are really tiny now.
Cannot help with the hand laid turn outs or track, but a little tip on saving money of the foam at HD I do have. If you can find some damaged foam, ask the department manager for a discount, I normally get 70% off. I use it for my mountains.
Cuda Ken
I hate Rust
rrinkerI now have one assembled 2X4's frame
Randy, 2 X 4's! I have yet to find a 2 X 4 that is straight! Unless they have been plained stop now! I have made two big mistakes two date.
1 Main section is 4 foot wide and against a wall.
2 Used 2 X 4's as the frame.
Next bench will be 1 X 2's that is finished when bought. Cost about the same and are much straighter. 2 X 4's help make a small sherman hill I did not want. Your wood working skills are more than likely better than mine, but I would stay away from them!
cudakenUsed 2 X 4's as the frame.
Randy, is there some confusion here? Did you really use 2 X 4's for the frame, or is the frame 2 feet deep by 4 feet long?
HO_GregRandy,I didn't think I could do handlaid turnouts but decided "what the heck" and gave it a try. My first few attempts I didn't even finish but I finally got one that worked. Believe me, if I can do it anyone can - I'm a complete mess when it comes to any kind of construction. SNIP
I didn't think I could do handlaid turnouts but decided "what the heck" and gave it a try. My first few attempts I didn't even finish but I finally got one that worked. Believe me, if I can do it anyone can - I'm a complete mess when it comes to any kind of construction. SNIP
Well, I think I am the only person on the web who will admit they could not build acceptable hand laid turnouts. I have 8 of them in the drawer. All made with Atlas code 83 flex track rail.
One of the little lessons I learned was that a turnout should work in all four directions. Not one of mine did, some worked in only one, some in two and a few in three, but none, in all four directions. A couple of weeks ago, I had a friend in my club inspect them and he complimented my craftsmanship, but said this one was a bit tight here, and that one was a bit to wide there. . . Niggling little details.
Today, all my turnouts are Atlas with a few Walthers and I'm really happy with them. Oh, I ripped out the Peco's first, but that is another story.
Lots of pain in my recollections of lessons learned the very hard and expensive way with turnouts.
Joe
maxman cudakenUsed 2 X 4's as the frame. Randy, is there some confusion here? Did you really use 2 X 4's for the frame, or is the frame 2 feet deep by 4 feet long?
Yes, quite a bit. The module frames are 2x4 - in feet. Long way (4' length) rails are 1x4 - inch lumber, the cross braces are 1x3 - inch lumber. With no real way to transport a full 8' section of wood, combined with the REALLY poor quality (worse than when I built my previous layout - at least then I was able to pick out enough 8' pieces that were straight - when I picked up this wood, there wasn't a straight piece in the rack), I bought some of the higher grade wood in 4 foot lengths. I was going to get the cross pieces in 2' length but it was cheaper to get a saw and plastic miter box and buy 4' peices and cut them in half. ANd before we go off on THAT tangent again, right now I'm living in an apartment with no place to set up a power saw and so forth. And heck, it saws easily enough, it's just pine. I built the old 8x12 in a day, hand-sawing all the wood even though I had a house with basement and garage as places to use power tools.
When I bought my benchwork lumber at HD, I noticed a gadget for holding wood frame pieces at right angles to each other. It's a simple metal brace with a couple of screw clamps, but it locks the wood in place while I drill and screw it together. I found this made construction a lot easier, and all my corners came out square. Benchwork isn't exactly my favorite activity, but it went a lot faster with this thing.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Yup, I have one of those. Had no problems making things come out square, even though I did measure several times before drilling the pilot holes for the screws - I guess even though it's a piece of metal at exactly 90 degrees I don't fully trust it. After building the other 4 frames for the old layout you'd think I'd develop some trust in the tool...
I actually like building things, so benchwork is no problem. After reading old article upon old article on why L girder is so much better (no need to be accurate when cutting things? And then in at least one articlegoes on to say 'except here, make this cut accurate' - hmmm!), I have to wonder, are most peopel that much of a hack at wood cutting that they can't pullout a tape measure, make a mark at the right spot, and lay a square across the piece of wood to draw a straight line? It's REALLY not that hard. And to make sure the cuts are straight, well now they have super cheap plastic miter boxes so anyone can make a straight cut. I do see in old articles a lot of people used a small saber saw for all their cutting, no wonder they didn't have straight lines...
rrinker the turnouts, need to save up for the FastTracks jigs. I am not yet convinced they I could do it freehand. For the rest of the track, probably ME flex to match the ME rail in the turnout jigs. I'll have to talk to them, they used to list versions of the jigs for Atlas track and I had no issues at all with Atlas flex on the old layout, and it's a lot easier to get than ME products. I guess it depends on how important I decide any detail in the trackwork is.
the turnouts, need to save up for the FastTracks jigs. I am not yet convinced they I could do it freehand. For the rest of the track, probably ME flex to match the ME rail in the turnout jigs. I'll have to talk to them, they used to list versions of the jigs for Atlas track and I had no issues at all with Atlas flex on the old layout, and it's a lot easier to get than ME products. I guess it depends on how important I decide any detail in the trackwork is.
I don't use jigs--couldn't afford them, and then realized my inspirations in this hobby didn't have them, either, and they did great work. So I went ahead and learned how without the jigs. Besides, using jigs defeats the purpose of laying turnouts yourself--all you've done is make a sectional turnout that that you have to fit the rest of your track around. Build them in place yourself and the track will be smoother.
Start by laying some straight sections and then some curves so you can get good (and quicker) at spiking rail. Then move on.
rrinkerI have to wonder, are most people that much of a hack at wood cutting that they can't pullout a tape measure, make a mark at the right spot, and lay a square across the piece of wood to draw a straight line? It's REALLY not that hard
I am, all thumbs at this point with wood. Odd that I can build a car engine, weld, do bodywork and paint the car. Grew up a gear head, more like Don Galits than Bob Villa.
Sorry I miss read the post, hope the foam tip will help.
All Thumbs Ken Posting Again
rrinkerI have to wonder, are most peopel that much of a hack at wood cutting that they can't pullout a tape measure, make a mark at the right spot, and lay a square across the piece of wood to draw a straight line? It's REALLY not that hard. And to make sure the cuts are straight, well now they have super cheap plastic miter boxes so anyone can make a straight cut.
I generally don't have a problem with all those steps. However, remembering to which side of the line to cut is sometimes another issue!
Well, my grandfather was a carpenter, and my Dad did plenty of his own stuff around the house, so I guess I learned early - you put an X on the side you're throwing away. In this case it didn;t matter - I needed to cut ON the line since I wanted two equal pieces.