Copperclad Turnout Construction

[hayfield]

If you need to build more than one turnout especially when they are the same size batch building might be the answer. I had an order for 4 turnouts (2 left and 2 right hand). To save time I printed both templates together, on the same piece of paper (2 bits actually).

 

 

Rather than cut the template in 2 I decided to stick it down in one piece. Whilst I did not rush building them (always takes longer as mistakes creep in) makeing 2 or 4 items the same seems to speed up the process. So I cut all the same size rails at the same time.

 

I left the gauges in place showing which gauge does what (left out the check rail ones). The turnouts are B6 size built to EM gauge. The customer wanted the sleepers to be 1.6mm (rather than the slimmer 1.06mm)thick and I must admit they do look and feel better. Also I find it important to file the ends of the sleepers square as the wire cutters I use tend to squeeze the ends into a point.

 

Once these 4 are finished I have been commissioned to make some longer Y turnouts than those offered by the RTR companies and SMP kits. They are quite different and will add some picks when I build them.

[hayfield]

I said in the last post I would show one of the Y turnouts using a decent radius. I have used a SMP 36" radius turnout as a comparison, but most RTR turnouts seem to suffer from the same problem.

 

 

The turnout is built to EM gauge and has a B8 crossing angle, To my mind it looks a lot better.

 

This next photo shows 2 things I do that might assist others.

 

 

Firstly I use a straight edge to keep the sleepers in line.

Secondly when I get near the of the strip I am cutting up I mark 2 small sleeper lengths at one end, as I get near them I try to work out what lengths will minimize waste. Most times by carefull planning you can get away with no waste at all.

[brossard]

Handbuilt points really set a layout apart and they look soooo much better than RTR. Our club began construction of a new layout last year and after some discussion decided to try some hand built points. I decided to have a bash (with some very helpful advice from Norman Solomon in the Right Track video)and before long most of our points were handbuilt (copper clad, code 100) by me including 1 single and 1 double slip along with sweeping curved points. I can knock a simple point out in an afternoon and I get better every time I do it. I can tell you I was pretty nervous about the whole thing - having the club relying on my points. I am relieved (and not a little chuffed) to report that trains are running through my pointwork with few problems.

 

My advice is to try it, you never know.

 

My next challenge is to build a layout for my friend, still in OO, but using the "Timbertracks" system and code 75.

 

John

[hayfield]

Handbuilt points really set a layout apart and they look soooo much better than RTR. Our club began construction of a new layout last year and after some discussion decided to try some hand built points. I decided to have a bash (with some very helpful advice from Norman Solomon in the Right Track video)and before long most of our points were handbuilt (copper clad, code 100) by me including 1 single and 1 double slip along with sweeping curved points. I can knock a simple point out in an afternoon and I get better every time I do it. I can tell you I was pretty nervous about the whole thing - having the club relying on my points. I am relieved (and not a little chuffed) to report that trains are running through my pointwork with few problems.

 

My advice is to try it, you never know.

 

My next challenge is to build a layout for my friend, still in OO, but using the "Timbertracks" system and code 75.

 

John

 

 

John

 

Code 75 is much easier to build turnouts in than code 100, I built a double slip for someone in old code 100 bullhead rail and had to resort to using code 75 for the switch rail blades, as the code 100 ones were too stiff. Also when building flatbottom turnouts I file down the bottom inside web on the stock rail where the switch rail touches it. None of this extra work is needed.

 

I think at a push most of us could make a turnout within the hour. however I find building turnouts therapeutic and take a bit longer so I enjoy the process rather than rush it. Also far fewer mistakes occur which in them selves take time to resolve.

 

I have not tried the wooden Timbertracks yet. I have built using wooden sleepers and in larger scale (7mm) they realy come into their own.

 

Keep spreading the word

[BenW]

Just want to reiterate the thanks posted on here by other forum users - hayfield has made making the turnouts for my first EM gauge effort much easier.  I'll get some pictures up at some point (no pun intended), but for anyone reading this, as long as you take your time this is a doddle!  Even without railchairs handbuilt track looks much better than anything Peco make.

[hayfield]

Ben

 

Thanks and that is a blast from the past. What I now do is either stick the plan to a building board with spray mount and use masking tape to hold tracing paper over the plan, you could just stick the plan to the building board with masking tape. The next change is to cut 2 mm wide strips of double sided tape and run a line of tape on the outside of both stock rails. This way the sleepers come away from the plan/paper very easily without distorting the turnout

 

 

Hopefully this explains the process

[BenW]

Thanks for that - bit late for the current turnout which will get a long soak in the kitchen sink to remove it from the double sided tape, but I'll follow your new method next time round.  I found this thread by being a constant browser & searcher of RMweb, as the advice still works I thought thanks were due.  For tierbars I'm thinking of an Iain Rice style piece of copperclad with brass tubes soldered to it to run under the baseboard - any thoughts/comments on that method?

[hayfield]

Thanks for that - bit late for the current turnout which will get a long soak in the kitchen sink to remove it from the double sided tape, but I'll follow your new method next time round.  I found this thread by being a constant browser & searcher of RMweb, as the advice still works I thought thanks were due.  For tierbars I'm thinking of an Iain Rice style piece of copperclad with brass tubes soldered to it to run under the baseboard - any thoughts/comments on that method?

 

 

Just give it a bit of white spirit, that dissolves the tack of the tape, not too up on Iain's work with the tiebars. There are lots of methods but wires coming up through the baseboards are a bit fiddly to set up

[hayfield]

Ben

 

I forgot how long ago I did this, but it seems there are a few who missed it the first time round. My style of building turnouts have altered over time, some as I have found/shown better ways of doing things other is I guess just altering the routine. I have a copperclad turnout to build over the next week so I will post a couple of updates showing what I believe are some different/better ways of doing things.

[BG John]

I have a copperclad turnout to build over the next week so I will post a couple of updates showing what I believe are some different/better ways of doing things.

That's a long week or so .

Sorry to wake up this old topic, but I've just come across it while searching for a reminder on how to build straightforward pointwork. It's a good few years (and more) since I made any, and I'm not too impressed with the instructions in the SMP kits I've dug out of my stock of ancient things. I stuck the sleepers onto the Templot plan last night, so may start soldering rail tonight.

[hayfield]

I think I started a workbench thread, and I guess my process has evolved over the past 2 years. As it happens I an building a junction, but with a single slip rather than a diamond crossing

 

I start with taping a plan on a building board, I then stick tracing on top then lay thin strips of double sided tape to the tracing paper

 

 

Next I will cut the timbers, then before I start soldering I cut isolation gaps in the timbers, as its easier and neater doing this before the rails get in the way 

[BG John]

This topic is useful because it's short and straightforward, and reminded me of a few things I'd forgotten. I just want to get on and build mine without getting bogged down in the endless discussions that usually accompany track building! I just need one plain and simple crossover. I'm not too bothered if the techniques are a couple of years out of date, as it's still newer than the couple of decades since I last built any!

[hayfield]

Here is a formation I am building, plan created in Templot using 1-6 crossings and B switches

 

 

The first thing I do after setting out the plan is to cut the timbers, I have a simple cutting jig and cut the same lengths all together

 

Next up as I said is to electrically gap the timbers. 3 reasons for this, neater cuts, easier than using a slitting disk is small gaps and I can test the build as I go under power. Takes longer but as I test each timber with a meter, it saves time fault finding. If you wish its a good time to fill the gaps and file them flat

 

 

 

 

[St Enodoc]

On my layout topic I recently posted a description of how I build code 75 bullhead points in 00. Some people suggested that I should post a link to it here, so if you are interested just go to:

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/94350-mid-cornwall-lines-1950s-western-region-in-00/page-17&do=findComment&comment=2320244

 

Thanks.

[Donw]

Really good demo here. One thing I don't think you have mentioned on filing the blades an A or 9ft switch has a 1:24 planning a B or 12ft switch has 1:32 planning. In 00 the rail is around 1mm wide  so I would mark either 24mm or 32mm along the rail and aim to file from the tip to the mark at a straight angle this should then sit nicely against the stock rails.

Don

[hayfield]

I am happy for anyone to add what ever they wish to the thread. I see that you have followed the suggestions of curving a straight plan which is in the C&L instructiond as well as other places. A more accurate curved plan can be obtained using Templot.

 

One tip with curved turnouts id to make sure you have bent the inside stock rail at the set point, this allows the switch blade to stay within the track gauge without narrowing the gauge. Using Tracksetters to give a nice smooth curve is a good tip.

[St Enodoc]

Really good demo here. One thing I don't think you have mentioned on filing the blades an A or 9ft switch has a 1:24 planning a B or 12ft switch has 1:32 planning. In 00 the rail is around 1mm wide  so I would mark either 24mm or 32mm along the rail and aim to file from the tip to the mark at a straight angle this should then sit nicely against the stock rails.

Don

Thanks Don. I am planning to describe filing crossings and switches in a separate post when I build a point that I haven't got ready-made items for.