RMweb Gold Harry Posted August 16, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 16, 2012 I am just completing my first piece of p4 point work for years as a small summer holiday break from my larger N Gauge project. I've gone for timber sleepers with plastic c and l chairs which has worked very well so far. I'm still not sure about the sleeper stain colour (I've gone for an antique oak colour but I think it may be too light and c and l's own stain is out of stock). But the reason for the post is to ask about how many stretcher bars would be present on my B8 turnout? I am using the Solomon version of the working tiebar but as it is almost transparent I wanted to put visual representations of prototypical stretcher bars. I have seen various photos with one or two of them at various points along the switch rails and I wanted to know what was correct? The other question is what should be the gap between the two ends of the switch rails (the end that has the tiebar on - forgive my lack of technical terminology but you know what I mean!) and as the switch rails will curve closer to the stock rails further away from the tiebar, is there a minimum gap between switch and stock? Flange way gap? Thanks for any help in advance and any perfect sleeper stain colour (excluding carrs!) would also be great. Just for info - the turnout will form part of a very small layout of Herston Halt on the Swanage branch. (sorry for no photo- I'm posting from iPad and it won't upload because I need flash, will post in a sec from laptop) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Harry Posted August 16, 2012 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted August 16, 2012 I have attached three photos below - 1st shows whole track section on workbench (not layout) and sorry about depth of photo - tricky with artificial light. 2nd is low level - the whole section is on a very gentle curve so isn't meant to look straight! 3rd is close-up of vee. As an aside to this, you can see the timber stain colour on the left for comments (looks lighter in the photo and not all the timbering has been done yet) and I am also experiencing a very quick rusting action on the C & L steel track - anything I can do to stop this? Slow it down? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Prism Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Harry Two stretchers on a B-switch. For recommendations on blade to stockrail clearances, see: http://clag.org.uk/p4standards.html#recommended-dimensions-at-turnout-switches Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold martin_wynne Posted August 16, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 16, 2012 Two stretchers on a B-switch. Hi Harry, First one is 1ft-1in from the switch tips (blade tips, points). That makes it 9.1/2" from the centre of the first switch timber (first slide chair). Second one is 3ft-0in from the first one. The switch blade opening should be 4.1/4" at the tip. The minimum clearance anywhere along the back of the open blade should be 2". Pics look good. regards, Martin. edited to add 9.1/2" dimension. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Harry Posted August 16, 2012 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted August 16, 2012 Great! Thanks for that link - I'd seen it before but couldn't remember where. What sleeper numbers would the 2x stretchers be in between? (where S1 is the 1st slide chair) Thanks for the quick reply! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold martin_wynne Posted August 16, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 16, 2012 What sleeper numbers would the 2x stretchers be in between? (where S1 is the 1st slide chair) Hi Harry, See the dimensions I gave above. First one is just beyond S1. Second one is just in front of S3. regards, Martin. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Harry Posted August 16, 2012 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted August 16, 2012 Thanks Martin - sorry, your reply wasn't there when I started writing my reply which is why it looked like I asked the question you answered! Will get measuring and the only reason the tracks look half-decent is because with a Templot plan under them you can't go that far wrong......yet! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim V Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 I don't understand why you should be experiencing quick rusting, what solder/flux are you using? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Harry Posted August 17, 2012 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted August 17, 2012 Solder is very basic B and Q fine solder. I tried to use 9% phosphoric acid liquid flux to make the joints which worked on the fee etc but wouldn't join the dressmakers pins to the switch blades for the tiebar so used a lead free water soluble plumbing flux which I believe has zinc chloride in it. I have to clarify that the rust I'm referring to is lots of small rust spots on the rails, not m assign chunks of corrosive rust so it may just be what's normal for steel track and as I haven't worked with steel before I'm just not used to it? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim V Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 I'm not surprised you're getting rust spots using that combination of solder and flux. Make sure you thoroughly wash the track immediately after you've made it. The spots are caused by spattering flux. You'll be getting rust on your track gauges as well, don't forget to was them. I use ordinary self fluxed electrical solder with complete success. You say dressmaker pins, these are usually chromed steel - the joint will fail eventually. Have you tried brass lacemaker pins - much easier to solder. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Harry Posted August 17, 2012 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted August 17, 2012 Thanks for the tips, especially with the pins. They're actually nickel silver plated so I thought they'd be ok but will look out for brass ones as well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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