Using the easy-assembly Finetrax pointwork kits in 00 and EM (and in P4 from the S4 Society)

[SteveCornford]

Hi Wayne,

When do you expect to release the OO-SF version into the wild?

Steve

[Robert Shrives]

Good to see a 3mm version knocking on the door. thanks for doing the hard work. Still praying to the gods of track builders that you can find a spot for a 21mm gauge 4mm turnout at some point  to encourage some friends of mine.  

Take care and hope you can enjoy the sun shine of the last few days.

Robert  

[Wayne Kinney]

3 hours ago, SteveCornford said:

Hi Wayne,

When do you expect to release the OO-SF version into the wild?

Steve

Hi Steve,

 

I've push it back working on 3mm and 2mm Finescale.

Most likely end of the month for the 00-SF B7, thanks.

[Wayne Kinney]

Hi Guys,

 

Who would like to test a 00-SF B7 kit this weekend? Hands up!

 

I would need a PM with your address before 4pm today so I can post it for this weekend 

Edited June 24, 2021 by Wayne Kinney

[Penlan]

On 08/06/2021 at 17:13, martin_wynne said:

 

The red bit should be daylight. I may have mentioned this before.

I've used the red bit - in the 4mm EM kit - to drill a 0.5mm hole through to solder the dropper wire up into.
It's certainly secure in there.
More 'Belt and Braces' than B & T's. 
Excellent kits.

[Wayne Kinney]

3 hours ago, Wayne Kinney said:

Hi Guys,

 

Who would like to test a 00-SF B7 kit this weekend? Hands up!

 

I would need a PM with your address so I can post it for this weekend 

 

I've still got one spot left and I am going to the post office in 30 minutes if one of you also wants to get on board? Time is ticking...  PM me your address!

[Wayne Kinney]

Thanks for all your responses, guys!

 

All slots now filled. Expect to see some 00-SF kit build photos and reviews up this weekend!

[Enterprisingwestern]

1 hour ago, Wayne Kinney said:

Thanks for all your responses, guys!

 

All slots now filled. Expect to see some 00-SF kit build photos and reviews up this weekend!

 

, or some FinetraX kits on eBay!

 

Mike.

[Wayne Kinney]

2 hours ago, Enterprisingwestern said:

 

, or some FinetraX kits on eBay!

 

Mike.

[NFWEM57]

6 hours ago, Wayne Kinney said:

Thanks for all your responses, guys!

 

All slots now filled. Expect to see some 00-SF kit build photos and reviews up this weekend!

Well done Wayne, good effort..!

[KeithHC]

Everything happens whilst I was away I could have saved you the post as I was in Sussex………

 

Keith

[08221]

I was one of those lucky enough to be selected to test build one of the FinetraX OO-SF point kits. Postie knocked on my door and proffered me a substantial cardboard box containing the kit, well wrapped in bubble wrap to protect it.

 

The kits is professionally presented in its packaging.

 

 

The kit I received was the B7 left hand standard turnout kit, OO-SF with code 75 Bullhead rail. The components of the kit are below, comprising 1 x turnout base, 1 x cast V crossing,  sufficient code 75 Bullhead rail including 2 switch blades which are pre-formed and a tie bar.

 

 

The first thing I did was to solder a wire to the bottom of the V crossing, then I glued the V crossing into its aligning holes in the sleeper base.

 

 

Next, I cut the 2 check rails to length and slid them into position on the sleeper base.

 

Next I cut the 2 rails to length to fit against the V crossing and slid them into place, taking care to leave a small gap between each rail and the V crossing.

 

 

The next step was to attach one of the switch blades into its slot in the tie bar.

 

 

The switch blade was them marked off where it meets the V crossing, cut to length and slipped into place - again taking care to leave a small gap.

 

 

This process was repeated with the second switch blade.

 

 

Finally, the 2 stock rails were cut to length and slipped into position.  Wires were soldered underneath to bond each stock rail to its neighbouring switch blade.

 

 

That completed construction - what a pleasure it was to build this kit! From opening the package to the completed point took me about 1 hour of work, its far more fun building pointwork this way than using copperclad sleepers and rail which I have done on my OO-SF layout.

 

The kit is very well designed, goes together extremely well and does not require a high skill level - just take care when measuring the rail to the required lengths and get the rails ends clean with a small file and you can't go wrong! Only basic tools are required - I used a circular rail cutter, a hand file, flat nose pliers, tweezers, a ruler and a soldering iron - nothing too special!

 

Thanks very much to Wayne for producing this kit and for allowing me to do a test build. This kit and the whole range of products deserves to be a game changer for those of us who seek realism on our layouts. I greatly enjoyed the experience and its got me thinking of ways I can use this track system on a new layout in the future!

Edited June 26, 2021 by 08221
Spilling

[Graham T]

Looks like a great product, and thank you for the informative and useful review.

[KeithHC]

47 minutes ago, 08221 said:

I was one of those lucky enough to be selected to test build one of the FinetraX OO-SF point kits. Postie knocked on my door and proffered me a substantial cardboard box containing the kit, well wrapped in bubble wrap to protect it.

 

The kits is professionally presented in its packaging.

 

 

The kit I received was the B7 left hand standard turnout kit, OO-SF with code 75 Bullhead rail. The components of the kit are below, comprising 1 x turnout base, 1 x cast V crossing,  sufficient code 75 Bullhead rail including 2 switch blades which are pre-formed and a tie bar.

 

 

The thing I did was to solder a wire to the bottom of the V crossing, then I glued the V crossing into its aligning holes in the sleeper base.

 

 

Next, I cut the 2 check rails to length and slid them into position on the sleeper base.

 

Next I cut the 2 rails to length to fit against the V crossing and slid them into place, taking care to leave a small gap between each rail and the V crossing.

 

 

The next step was to attach one of the switch blades into its slot in the tie bar.

 

 

The switch blade was them marked off where it meets the V crossing, cut to length and slipped into place - again taking care to leave a small gap.

 

 

This process was repeated with the second switch blade.

 

 

Finally, the 2 stock rails were cut to length and slipped into position.  Wires were soldered underneath to bond each stock rail to its neighbouring switch blade.

 

 

That completed construction - what a pleasure it was to build this kit! From opening the package to the completed point took me about 1 hour of work, its far more fun building pointwork this way than using copperclad sleepers and rail which I have done on my OO-SF layout.

 

The kit is very well designed, goes together extremely well and does not require a high skill level - just take care when measuring the rail to the required lengths and get the rails ends clean with a small file and you can't go wrong! Only basic tools are required - I used a circular rail cutter, a hand file, flar nose pliers, tweezers, a ruler and a soldering iron - nothing too special!

 

Thanks very much to Wayne for producing this kit and for allowing me to do a test build. This kit and the whole range of products deserves to be a game changer for those of us who seek realism on our layouts. I greatly enjoyed the experience and its got me thinking of ways I can use this track system on a new layout in the future!

Nice to see putting the check rails first it does make the construction much easier. Well done.

 

Keith

[zr2498]

1 hour ago, 08221 said:

I was one of those lucky enough to be selected to test build one of the FinetraX OO-SF point kits. Postie knocked on my door and proffered me a substantial cardboard box containing the kit, well wrapped in bubble wrap to protect it.

 

The kits is professionally presented in its packaging.

 

 

The kit I received was the B7 left hand standard turnout kit, OO-SF with code 75 Bullhead rail. The components of the kit are below, comprising 1 x turnout base, 1 x cast V crossing,  sufficient code 75 Bullhead rail including 2 switch blades which are pre-formed and a tie bar.

 

 

The first thing I did was to solder a wire to the bottom of the V crossing, then I glued the V crossing into its aligning holes in the sleeper base.

 

 

Next, I cut the 2 check rails to length and slid them into position on the sleeper base.

 

Next I cut the 2 rails to length to fit against the V crossing and slid them into place, taking care to leave a small gap between each rail and the V crossing.

 

 

The next step was to attach one of the switch blades into its slot in the tie bar.

 

 

The switch blade was them marked off where it meets the V crossing, cut to length and slipped into place - again taking care to leave a small gap.

 

 

This process was repeated with the second switch blade.

 

 

Finally, the 2 stock rails were cut to length and slipped into position.  Wires were soldered underneath to bond each stock rail to its neighbouring switch blade.

 

 

That completed construction - what a pleasure it was to build this kit! From opening the package to the completed point took me about 1 hour of work, its far more fun building pointwork this way than using copperclad sleepers and rail which I have done on my OO-SF layout.

 

The kit is very well designed, goes together extremely well and does not require a high skill level - just take care when measuring the rail to the required lengths and get the rails ends clean with a small file and you can't go wrong! Only basic tools are required - I used a circular rail cutter, a hand file, flat nose pliers, tweezers, a ruler and a soldering iron - nothing too special!

 

Thanks very much to Wayne for producing this kit and for allowing me to do a test build. This kit and the whole range of products deserves to be a game changer for those of us who seek realism on our layouts. I greatly enjoyed the experience and its got me thinking of ways I can use this track system on a new layout in the future!

Thanks for the demo / review - looking great in such a short build time! A couple of questions - apologies if already covered in previous posts.

Can I assume all of the rail material is Nickel Silver

How much curvature could be applied to this turnout

If there is to be transition into flexi track at 16.5mm would that be done in the flexi track rather than on the turnout.

Dave

[08221]

1 hour ago, zr2498 said:

Thanks for the demo / review - looking great in such a short build time! A couple of questions - apologies if already covered in previous posts.

Can I assume all of the rail material is Nickel Silver

How much curvature could be applied to this turnout

If there is to be transition into flexi track at 16.5mm would that be done in the flexi track rather than on the turnout.

Dave

Hi Dave.

 

The rail is all nickel silver, if I were to transition to 16.5mm, I'd do it on plain track well away from the turnout itself in order to maintain the structural integrity of the turnout.

 

The turnout is very smooth once built, no jumps, hops or tights spots at all - proven by pushing a brake van through my completed unit - wheels set to OO-SF to match my layout.

 

[Ian_H]

18 hours ago, 08221 said:

I was one of those lucky enough to be selected to test build one of the FinetraX OO-SF point kits. Postie knocked on my door and proffered me a substantial cardboard box containing the kit, well wrapped in bubble wrap to protect it.

 

The kits is professionally presented in its packaging.

 

 

The kit I received was the B7 left hand standard turnout kit, OO-SF with code 75 Bullhead rail. The components of the kit are below, comprising 1 x turnout base, 1 x cast V crossing,  sufficient code 75 Bullhead rail including 2 switch blades which are pre-formed and a tie bar.

 

 

The first thing I did was to solder a wire to the bottom of the V crossing, then I glued the V crossing into its aligning holes in the sleeper base.

 

 

Next, I cut the 2 check rails to length and slid them into position on the sleeper base.

 

Next I cut the 2 rails to length to fit against the V crossing and slid them into place, taking care to leave a small gap between each rail and the V crossing.

 

 

The next step was to attach one of the switch blades into its slot in the tie bar.

 

 

The switch blade was them marked off where it meets the V crossing, cut to length and slipped into place - again taking care to leave a small gap.

 

 

This process was repeated with the second switch blade.

 

 

Finally, the 2 stock rails were cut to length and slipped into position.  Wires were soldered underneath to bond each stock rail to its neighbouring switch blade.

 

 

That completed construction - what a pleasure it was to build this kit! From opening the package to the completed point took me about 1 hour of work, its far more fun building pointwork this way than using copperclad sleepers and rail which I have done on my OO-SF layout.

 

The kit is very well designed, goes together extremely well and does not require a high skill level - just take care when measuring the rail to the required lengths and get the rails ends clean with a small file and you can't go wrong! Only basic tools are required - I used a circular rail cutter, a hand file, flat nose pliers, tweezers, a ruler and a soldering iron - nothing too special!

 

Thanks very much to Wayne for producing this kit and for allowing me to do a test build. This kit and the whole range of products deserves to be a game changer for those of us who seek realism on our layouts. I greatly enjoyed the experience and its got me thinking of ways I can use this track system on a new layout in the future!

This is an excellent review ..... makes me want to have a go!

As Dave also mentioned, what is your opinion regarding curvature of the turnout ..... do you think it would be relatively easy to curve?

 

Thanks

Ian

[Penlan]

48 minutes ago, Ian_H said:

....do you think it would be relatively easy to curve?

I think in the privacy of my own home, I might try cutting all the webs away, bar those under one stock rail.
BUT, there's then going to be certain geometry problems.  and I would have thought there wouldn't be that much of a reduction in radii anyway on one of the stock rails. 

I think you could make a 'Y' though, removing the webs (as above), but obviously any warranty is lost 
.
The sleepers under the crossing V (3 of them) would have to remain intact,

but overall I think it would end up by making a pigs ear out of a silk purse. 
I've built two of these points in EM, excellent. 

[martin_wynne]

32 minutes ago, Penlan said:

BUT, there's then going to be certain geometry problems.  and I would have thought there wouldn't be that much of a reduction in radii anyway on one of the stock rails... ... ...The sleepers under the crossing V (3 of them) would have to remain intact, but overall I think it would end up by making a pigs ear out of a silk purse.

 

Hi Sandy,

 

I think you are being unduly pessimistic there. Admittedly I haven't built one, and you have, but I think these turnouts should be curvable quite successfully.

 

 

See my previous post about this: https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/161417-new-range-of-simple-to-assemble-00em-gauge-pointwork-kits-em-b7-prototype-first-look/&do=findComment&comment=4439575

 

Undoubtedly the best way to curve them would be to snip them down to individual timbers, apart from the 2 under the tie-bar and 3 under the crossing cating, and then stick them onto a curved template in the usual track-building way. It's easy to print a template in Templot which exactly matches them (as above in EM), and curve it to any radius you wish. If you print on 160gsm paper/card and trickle a bit of low-viscosity cyano into some of the chairs, it should be plenty robust enough to transfer to the baseboard as a unit.

 

But failing that, trimming out all the webs except for under the main-side stock rail should be curvable in one piece to match the template quite closely, and maybe not be too flimsy.

 

The effect of the straight crossing casting is only a couple of thou discrepancy from a true curve:

 

 

which can either be ignored, or if fussy just a bit of fettling with needle files and/or abrasive paper would fix it. For best running it would be worth rounding over the nose of the vee in any case, as on the prototype.

 

cheers,

 

Martin.

[hayfield]

1 hour ago, Ian_H said:

This is an excellent review ..... makes me want to have a go!

As Dave also mentioned, what is your opinion regarding curvature of the turnout ..... do you think it would be relatively easy to curve?

 

Thanks

Ian

 

Ian

 

I would at first curve the appropriate template in Templot to the radii you require they compare it with the turnout to see what you would have to do to achieve the curvature required

[Wayne Kinney]

Here is an example of curving a standard turnout. B7 00-SF right hand.

 

Firstly, before cutting the webbing, I insert both stock rails into the base to support the base. I then cut away all the webbing except around the cast frog, tie bar and 'straight' stock rail.

 

The turnout is now free to flex much like normal flexi track.

 

I printed out a curved B7 00-SF template from templot. I went to the extreme and curved beyond minimum radius (750mm) down to 560mm radius. I thought this would be a good test.

 

I flexed the turnout base (with only stock rails installed) to get the best possible match to the printed templot template. Here are the results after gluing it on the paper template:

 

 

Edited June 27, 2021 by Wayne Kinney

[Penlan]

3 hours ago, martin_wynne said:

Hi Sandy,

I think you are being unduly pessimistic there. Admittedly I haven't built one, and you have, but I think these turnouts should be curvable quite successfully.

cheers, Martin.

Martin, Yes, I am a pessimist  an acquired habit from 50+ years of EM gauge modelling.
Also my near vision is not good these days, especially after, say, 30 minutes close work.
As you can see Wayne has done a successful curved point.  Well done Wayne, though without the crossing V in place, the first item to be fitted to the base, according to the instructions
Martin, the two points I built have replaced a 3-way point (of about 40 years vintage on Penlan Mk2) I had in the new fiddle yard, a lot smother running through them now.

[Dominion]

Someone earlier mentioned chemically blackening the cast frog. Can someone suggest what product to use. I am in Canada  so not always easy to find the same products but I will try. 
Thanks for any input, Tom

[martin_wynne]

4 minutes ago, Dominion said:

Someone earlier mentioned chemically blackening the cast frog. Can someone suggest what product to use. I am in Canada  so not always easy to find the same products but I will try. 
Thanks for any input, Tom

 

Hi Tom,

 

Use "Gun Blue" from gun dealer/outdoor stores. Take care, it's poisonous.

 

However, I don't see any advantage over painting the casting.

 

cheers,

 

Martin.

[Wilton 34041]

Hi all,

very interesting and a great review. I'm curious to know what the rectangular box of sleepers are for half way along? Apologies if this has already been answered but they do spoil the effect of a scale turnout. 

 

Cheers,

Phil B.