C&L Finescale

[Pannier Tank]

Hi Simon,

 

perhaps I am doing something wrong, but I can't see that on my pc with either Chrome or MS Edge..

 

http://www.emgs.org/product/3-bolt-fixing-chairs-packet-of-125-rh-and-lh/

 

http://www.emgs.org/product/s1-3-hole-chair-4mm-500/

 

Jol

Working ok for me. Are you "logged in" ?

[Jol Wilkinson]

Working ok for me. Are you "logged in" ?

David,

 

yes, I was logged in.

 

However I can't see a Exactoscale or C&L mentioned on either page. The same applies if I log on to the EMGS site using a Samsung tablet. Of course, the item reference code is the clue if you know what to look for.

 

Jol

[Pannier Tank]

David,

 

yes, I was logged in.

 

However I can't see a Exactoscale or C&L mentioned on either page. The same applies if I log on to the EMGS site using a Samsung tablet. Of course, the item reference code is the clue if you know what to look for.

 

Jol

Sorry Jol,  I misunderstood, I thought you couldn't see the Product Description. 

[Rowsley17D]

Looks like a new web site could be coming at long last. Quote from "old" web site.

 

C & L Finescale office will be closed from 3rd December until the 10th December with the exception of 5th when I will be available on the phone from 14.00 to 19.00 this is to allow me time to build the new store on the new website.

[davefromacrossthepond]

Keeping my fingers crossed hoping that this is the start of a comeback.

[Edwardian]

No one seems to be answering the 'phone at the moment, however ... 

[sharris]

No one seems to be answering the 'phone at the moment, however ... 

 

Copied and pasted from the C&L website:

 

"Office hours 10.00 till 14.00 Mon ,Tues, Thurs.  Wed 14.00 till 19.00   Fridays closed."

[Stephen Freeman]

I didn't have any trouble getting an answer last week and have now received all the outstanding items ordered both then and previously, so he seems to be catching up with things now.

[Edwardian]

Copied and pasted from the C&L website:

 

"Office hours 10.00 till 14.00 Mon ,Tues, Thurs.  Wed 14.00 till 19.00   Fridays closed."

 

Thanks.

 

I suspect I'll never remember any of that, or happen to be around when the 'phone is manned, but that's just a reflection of how busy I am and how shot my short term memory must be!

 

If I could find the item on the website, I wouldn't have to try to match my schedule with the business owner's!

 

Still, I must endeavour to persevere!

 

One of these months ....

[Stephen Freeman]

Thanks.

 

I suspect I'll never remember any of that, or happen to be around when the 'phone is manned, but that's just a reflection of how busy I am and how shot my short term memory must be!

 

If I could find the item on the website, I wouldn't have to try to match my schedule with the business owner's!

 

Still, I must endeavour to persevere!

 

One of these months ....

Would it be possible to let us know what it is you are looking for. The website is a bit arcane but I know how to find most things.

[Edwardian]

Would it be possible to let us know what it is you are looking for. The website is a bit arcane but I know how to find most things.

 

Thanks, that's kind. 

 

A bit old school, perhaps, but I had understood that C&L produced some pins (brass? phosphor bronze?) suitable for soldering to rails and then to be inserted through drilled wooden sleepers. 

 

The plastic slide chairs do not keep the rails on a long curved turnout in place, so I'm looking to pin the rails through the sleepers and then add cosmetic chairs. 

 

Much appreciated.

[Stephen Freeman]

Thanks, that's kind. 

 

A bit old school, perhaps, but I had understood that C&L produced some pins (brass? phosphor bronze?) suitable for soldering to rails and then to be inserted through drilled wooden sleepers. 

 

The plastic slide chairs do not keep the rails on a long curved turnout in place, so I'm looking to pin the rails through the sleepers and then add cosmetic chairs. 

 

Much appreciated.

Not to my knowledge. They should be available from Scalefour or possibly EMGS but they are rivets which need spreading out to make a tight fit. Perhaps better to use Veropins.I seem to remember that they have been discussed on Templot club earlier this year.

 

Hope that helps.

[Siberian Snooper]

Thanks, that's kind. 

 

A bit old school, perhaps, but I had understood that C&L produced some pins (brass? phosphor bronze?) suitable for soldering to rails and then to be inserted through drilled wooden sleepers. 

 

The plastic slide chairs do not keep the rails on a long curved turnout in place, so I'm looking to pin the rails through the sleepers and then add cosmetic chairs. 

 

Much appreciated.

 

I have used brass lace making pins as droppers, no reason why you couldn't use them in a structural capacity, you just need to file the head a little. Pre drill the sleeper/timber and baseboard a fraction undersize and gently tap the pin through and snip off the excess, leave about 10mm if using as a dropper.

[hayfield]

Thanks, that's kind. 

 

A bit old school, perhaps, but I had understood that C&L produced some pins (brass? phosphor bronze?) suitable for soldering to rails and then to be inserted through drilled wooden sleepers. 

 

The plastic slide chairs do not keep the rails on a long curved turnout in place, so I'm looking to pin the rails through the sleepers and then add cosmetic chairs. 

 

Much appreciated.

 

 

Edwardian

 

Not on Phil's stock list,

 

In my opinion the best way of solving this is to pre-curve the rail, then the outer rail will compress against the slide chairs, the inner chairs will naturally follow the curve, a drop of superglue also assists

 

Using Exactoscale's E4CH 501A switch chairs will reduce the number of unsupported slide chairs

 

Or put in a couple of copperclad timbers and solder the rail to the chairs which can be soldered to the timbers

 

Either way there should be no issues and no need for pins

[tc]

 

 

Or put in a couple of copperclad timbers and solder the rail to the chairs which can be soldered to the timbers

 

 

That's what I've ended up doing - 4 strategically placed copperclad sleepers to hold it to gauge at the ends, one where the switch rails start floating and somewhere under the V keep every thing nice and square and to gauge. And quite frankly nobody has spotted them once painted unless I've pointed them out.

 

They also provide the bond to the switch rails and through the crossing.

[Izzy]

Thanks, that's kind. 

 

A bit old school, perhaps, but I had understood that C&L produced some pins (brass? phosphor bronze?) suitable for soldering to rails and then to be inserted through drilled wooden sleepers. 

 

The plastic slide chairs do not keep the rails on a long curved turnout in place, so I'm looking to pin the rails through the sleepers and then add cosmetic chairs. 

 

Much appreciated.

 

 

Don't know if this is of any help/interest but I have always put a few rivets in certain timbers to add a bit of strength and aid electrical connection since plastic chairs first arrived. I have never used them with anything but ply timbers. This is P4 but would be the same whatever the gauge.

 

 

 

 

 

cheers,

 

Izzy

[hayfield]

That's what I've ended up doing - 4 strategically placed copperclad sleepers to hold it to gauge at the ends, one where the switch rails start floating and somewhere under the V keep every thing nice and square and to gauge. And quite frankly nobody has spotted them once painted unless I've pointed them out.

 

They also provide the bond to the switch rails and through the crossing.

 

 

Providing you pre bend the rail there should never be an issue, just make sure the outer rail is pressing into the chairs, and the inside rail is hugging the chairs. If you are using the correct chairs then an A switch we are talking about 5 chairs and a B switch 6 chairs, so no great length to support the rail anyway.

 

The common crossing may need support if using ply timbers, in my opinion drilling or punching holes into thin ply just weakens the timbers, I use ultra thin copperclad for this area of metal shim which is then glued to the timber. But these differing methods are rather personal choice

[Lecorbusier]

Providing you pre bend the rail there should never be an issue, just make sure the outer rail is pressing into the chairs, and the inside rail is hugging the chairs. If you are using the correct chairs then an A switch we are talking about 5 chairs and a B switch 6 chairs, so no great length to support the rail anyway.

 

The common crossing may need support if using ply timbers, in my opinion drilling or punching holes into thin ply just weakens the timbers, I use ultra thin copperclad for this area of metal shim which is then glued to the timber. But these differing methods are rather personal choice

This is my experience too .... I pre-curve the rail sections to match the intended line (I use templot) I set it up dry with the plastic chairs installed and adjust until it sits comfortably with no stresses. then bond the chair (in my case to ply sleepers using butanone ).... I find this holds everything fine - though it is important to ensure there is a suitable gap between rail ends to manage expansion or you could have problems with a summer like the one just gone.

[hayfield]

This is my experience too .... I pre-curve the rail sections to match the intended line (I use templot) I set it up dry with the plastic chairs installed and adjust until it sits comfortably with no stresses. then bond the chair (in my case to ply sleepers using butanone ).... I find this holds everything fine - though it is important to ensure there is a suitable gap between rail ends to manage expansion or you could have problems with a summer like the one just gone.

 

 

That is why firstly using chairs is very useful, secondly putting slight tension on the rail so it pushes against the chair, normally expansion is minimal with turnouts and crossings unless they are in a larger formation, so if this is the case planning rail breaks would be beneficial especially if the room which houses the layout suffers from heat extremes   

[blueeighties]

Hiya folks. Does anyone have any C&L finescale 00 gauge thin plastic sleeper point timber packs surplus to requirements?

[hayfield]

If you do use them do make sure you have a stable trackbase and that they are very well stuck down, as they have a tendency to curl at the edges as the solvent used to stick the chairs on dries. Impact adhesive certainly at both ends, or one of the newer type of glues.

 

I would opt for either the thicker sleepers and timbers or buy the Exactoscale products

[sharris]

Agree with what John said - I did some test pieces with thin, but have since decided to move to thick.

 

I think the principle advantage of thin is that it cuts back the amount of ballast you need.

 

Btw - when you say 00, do you mean the shorter version (I think they are 32mm (8') ) rather than the full sized 34mm (8'6) or 36mm (9')? - they're made shorter so they don't stick out unexpectedly far from the outsides of the rails. I might have some full length ones I can spare, but not the 00 versions.

Edited December 31, 2018 by sharris

[hayfield]

Either if you have the wrong ones or are building something which requires a different range of sizes you can cut them to size

[martin_wynne]

C&L web site updated today, referring to cyber attack:

 

 http://www.finescale.org.uk/

 

Martin.

[blueeighties]

Not quite understanding that. Does that mean orders posted out since June of last year he hasn't been able to process payments, or the orders haven't been sent out?