Milled timber bases

[martin_wynne]

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For a fraction of the cost of a laser cutter, it's possible to get a desktop CNC miller:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08K95J434/

Timber outlines can be milled into the surface of plywood or MDF to create a one-piece solid trackbase. Cut directly from Templot files. No CAD skills needed. No fiddling with timber strip or laser-cut timbers, no glue, no templates, no gauges needed.

Imagine the spaces between the timbers filled with ballast -- this part of a B-6 turnout in EM, milled in MDF board:



The sockets are for 3D-printed plug-in chairs from Templot, but ordinary C&L/Exactoscale chairs could be used in the usual way on plain timbers:





Timber outlines milled 1mm deep. Sockets 2mm deep. Base is 3mm thick MDF. The chairs are a firm push fit.



There are other options for Plug Track including 3D-printed (FDM/filament) and laser-cut timbering bases.

It's all still very experimental, a long way to go yet. More info on the Templot Club forum.

Martin.

 

[Wayne Kinney]

Nice work, Martin.

 

I have been milling the finetrax n gauge bases on a CNC mill for years but from 1mm thick black HIPS sheet. This could possibly give a better result?

[Wayne Kinney]

This is my CNC machine milling some "concrete" bases for flat bottom N Gauge. This is light grey 1mm thick HIPS sheet.

https://youtu.be/F-4VNwF3EKg

[martin_wynne]

6 hours ago, Wayne Kinney said:

Nice work, Martin.

 

I have been milling the finetrax n gauge bases on a CNC mill for years but from 1mm thick black HIPS sheet. This could possibly give a better result?

 

Thanks Wayne. That's very good. And fast!

 

HIPS or any other plastic sheet would no doubt cut nicely. But I'm not actually interested in building any track myself. My interest is in developing and testing the Templot 3-D file exports, exploring the possible options, and showing Templot users what is possible. If anyone opts to get a CNC miller it's obviously up to them what materials they choose to use.

 

MDF or plywood makes a nice solid base for 4mm scale. Maybe a sheet of plasticard could be laminated to the surface of MDF and cut away on the miller for a nice clean cut. Likewise the iron-on hardwood veneers. Some modellers do prefer the texture of real wood for the timbers. Even MDF has a wood-like surface texture after staining.

 

But my main purpose in this topic was to show that the little Chinese CNC engravers cost a fraction of the cost of a laser cutter, but can do some comparable work. They can't cut square internal corners of course, but against that they can use thicker materials and cut variable depths for pockets and slots. And also be used as a jig borer, and for light manual milling and drilling. Laser cutters can do square internal corners, but the home machines are limited in the thickness they can cut, and generally it is cut all through or nothing -- no blind pockets. And they cost. Horses for courses.

 

cheers,

 

Martin.

[Richard_A]

On 29/09/2021 at 20:05, martin_wynne said:

.
For a fraction of the cost of a laser cutter, it's possible to get a desktop CNC miller:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08K95J434/

Timber outlines can be milled into the surface of plywood or MDF to create a one-piece solid trackbase. Cut directly from Templot files. No CAD skills needed. No fiddling with timber strip or laser-cut timbers, no glue, no templates, no gauges needed.

Imagine the spaces between the timbers filled with ballast -- this part of a B-6 turnout in EM, milled in MDF board:



The sockets are for 3D-printed plug-in chairs from Templot, but ordinary C&L/Exactoscale chairs could be used in the usual way on plain timbers:





Timber outlines milled 1mm deep. Sockets 2mm deep. Base is 3mm thick MDF. The chairs are a firm push fit.



There are other options for Plug Track including 3D-printed (FDM/filament) and laser-cut timbering bases.

It's all still very experimental, a long way to go yet. More info on the Templot Club forum.

Martin.

 

That looks really good. 

 

I haven't decided on a layout yet or even what 4mm gauge to use but this looks like a good way to try track building.