Laser cut MDF/Ply straight/radius/spacing templates for track?

[Lacathedrale]

I'm about to embark shortly on laying some track which is going to need some fairly consistent curves and bends. Rather than dumping ££'s into tracksetta, I find it hard to believe there's not a laser cutting firm who can knock out straights, radius and track spacing jigs for a few quid - but I can't seem to find any. Am I being thick?

[spamcan61]

I've seen a set ( 8 templates I think) of TT:120 ones on eBay for 17 quid, might well be other gauges there. I'd not trust MDF unless it had been well sealed after cutting.

Edited February 16, 2023 by spamcan61

[Jonboy]

Very simply from a wholesalers perspective, the expensive part of laser cut mdf/ply products is normally the designers experience (and therefore time).

 

How many units of the “fairly consistent curves and bends” would a company be able to sell over a given period, and is it worth their time designing them. If not then you would need to commission them(there was a company canned mannin models at a recent oo9 show)

 

I would agree track spacers would seem to be a more viable niche product.

 

Have you considered a length of wood pinned at one end and hole(s) for a pencil at track centre(s) at the other as a fixed compass?

[ikcdab]

You can use templot to give you very impressive transition curves and then print out a template. Fix this down then just lay your track over the template.

To be honest, the mark 1 eyeball is, by far and away, the very best tool for laying out track.  Get your head down at track level and your can align things very well.

Ian

[Enterprisingwestern]

 

https://www.stoneybridge.co.uk/

 

I'm getting some custom radius templates made, I'm sure your needs could be met. A phone call will confirm.

 

Mike.

 

[martin_wynne]

1 hour ago, Jonboy said:

Very simply from a wholesalers perspective, the expensive part of laser cut mdf/ply products is normally the designers experience (and therefore time).

 

 

Templot can do the designing and create the file for the laser-cutter. Here's how to create straight and curved strips at any width or radius:

 

 https://85a.uk/templot/club/index.php?threads/laser-cut-trackbed.629/

 

Set the width to match the track gauge to produce "tracksetta"-style radius aids.

 

Martin.

Edited February 16, 2023 by martin_wynne
typo

[JSModels]

I could do you a set of templates to whatever radii (and length) you wanted, but I'd recommend doing them in acrylic rather than MDF, as it would be stronger and more stable.

[Junctionmad]

Why bother with tracksetta style solutions. Just print paper Templot  templates and glue or pin the track to paper templates . This allied allows you to deploy transition a curves etc 

 

ideally can’t see the point of physical templates when we have computer template generators  like Templot 

[Enterprisingwestern]

12 hours ago, Junctionmad said:

Why bother with tracksetta style solutions. Just print paper Templot  templates and glue or pin the track to paper templates . This allied allows you to deploy transition a curves etc 

 

ideally can’t see the point of physical templates when we have computer template generators  like Templot 

 

Because it's a lot easier and more accurate to the ham fisted amongst us, me included, to have a physical edge to work to, especially when bending flexitrack as slight thrupenny bits can occur on paper.

 

Mike.

[Junctionmad]

My point about paper templates is that you can build in transistion curves whereas tracksetta a can’t handle those and therefore creates those old style fixed radius track configurations which look bad these days 

[martin_wynne]

4 hours ago, Enterprisingwestern said:

Because it's a lot easier and more accurate to the ham fisted amongst us, me included, to have a physical edge to work to, especially when bending flexitrack as slight thrupenny bits can occur on paper.

 

Files from Templot can be sent to a laser-cutting firm to produce a physical guide. Any gauge or radius or a transition curve. Here's how to create such track aids:

 

https://85a.uk/templot/club/index.php?threads/laser-cut-trackbed.629/

 

Set the width to match the track gauge to produce "tracksetta"-style curving aids.

 

cheers,

 

Martin.

[Enterprisingwestern]

 

, or start the fixed curve a bit further round the corner?

 

Mike.

[osbornsmodels]

or try these

https://www.osbornsmodels.com/ray-dee-eye-track-alignment-1115-c.asp

[Enterprisingwestern]

10 hours ago, osbornsmodels said:

or try these

https://www.osbornsmodels.com/ray-dee-eye-track-alignment-1115-c.asp

 

2 side by side for EM?!!

 

Mike.

[hayfield]

On 27/02/2023 at 10:06, Enterprisingwestern said:

 

Because it's a lot easier and more accurate to the ham fisted amongst us, me included, to have a physical edge to work to, especially when bending flexitrack as slight thrupenny bits can occur on paper.

 

Mike.

 

 

Mike what you can do is to glue the template on a piece of card, cut along the sleeper ends, hey presto you have a template to whatever radii you require. I can understand that gluing paper on track beds can be a no no for some but there is nothing better than making simple card formers, very cheap and easy to use. 

[Lacathedrale]

I ended up using some left-over plywood as a guide, with the curves being managed through the flextrack natural curving between two straight lines. Cheers!

[franciswilliamwebb]

I've had a set of these for a good few years now, don't know if they're still available?