martin_wynne

Hi John, James is the man to explain it all -- he's much better at doing that than me. He's just preparing a review of the low-cost Alkaid resin printer for the chairs -- and for lots of other stuff. It will be on his channel soon: https://www.youtube.com/@BexhillWest cheers, Martin.

Hi Martyn, It's important to understand these are not products. I'm not selling anything and you can't buy them. You have to make them yourself on your 3D printer (FDM) using files exported from Templot (free). Or get a friend to do that for you. Or maybe your club has a 3D printer in its workshop? The files remain my copyright and are licensed for personal use only. Martin.

Thanks John. They are actually available now, from the current version of Templot. Just click the filing jigs option on the STL export dialog -- more info on the Templot Club forum. I'm still doing final tweaks on the designs, but the ones available now work fine. Be sure to FDM-print them using eSun PLA Plus filament for maximum resistance to filing -- darker colours work best, brown or black. cheers, Martin.

Hi Keith, May I point out that Templot is not a commercial product. It is just my hobby, which is free for anyone to use if they wish. "Should be" does not apply although I try to make it as easy to use as I can. In this case the whole 3D plug track project is still a work in progress and there is a lot still to do -- including writing a full user manual. To enter a custom rail size for 1:120 (or any other scale): 1. set the required model scale (via the gauge menu). 2. click the rail tab on the export dialog. 3. click the set custom rail... button. 4. enter the dimensions measured from your rail. Some of them may be difficult to measure and can be estimated and adjusted by trial and error. The chairs will be adjusted to fit whatever rail dimensions you enter, but will remain to scale size for the base outline, etc. If you prefer to enter in inches, prefix the dimension with a letter i (as you can do anywhere in Templot when asked for mm). For example to enter code 60 rail you could enter the overall height as i0.060 It's important to have set your model scale first, because the entered dimensions will be converted to the prototype equivalents when stored internally. They will then be converted back to your model scale when exporting the file. But if you have any problem, just ask on the Templot Club forum for friendly help. Martin.

Hi, The FDM (filament) printer will be very happy on the dining room table. No smell, no mess, no attention needed. The resin printer will not be. The process is messy and smelly, and needs to take place away from living areas in a work room with a door and good ventilation. Martin.

Hi Keith, Chairs in Templot are defined internally in prototype dimensions and can be output for any scale, from 2mm/ft to full-size. Whether you can 3D-print them of course is over to you. Likewise the rail section can be set for any rail. The default section is the S4/EMGS/C&L code75 bullhead, and that will be rescaled to any other scale if you don't enter a specific rail section for your model scale. You can also use the exact-prototype BS-95R bullhead rail section, but no model rail matches that very well (C&L code 131 for 7mm is close). James Walters will have some samples of Templot 3D Plug Track on his demo stand "Starting in P4" at Scaleforum this weekend. Including for 00 and EM. cheers, Martin.

If only. Try ringing a builder and getting a quote for a skew arch in brick.

How old was the woodland the West Coast Main Line was built through?

This is probably a response to this recent press release from RAIB: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/lady-howard-crossing-reopening-of-raibs-investigation It's not a whacky sign if it saves a life. Martin.

Hi, The end gap increases by the same amount as the increase in the flangeway, matching the gauge-widening. The normal prototype end gap is 3.1/2" and this can increase up to a maximum of 4.1/4" with gauge widening. Special check rail chairs are made for this purpose. Strictly speaking, when there is gauge widening, the check rail remains where it was, and the stock rail is moved away from it. cheers, Martin.

It is in a strong westerly wind.

. When I posted this photo of HS2 progress, I didn't expect the Prime Minister to regard it as job done. Martin.

??? - 7 , 9 , 8 , 10 , 11 , 12 Martin.

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Hi John, The original trial design was unnecessarily long and wasteful of material -- and would have been much longer at flatter angles. The current design can be G-clamped to the corner of the bench, or held in a bench vice, as you prefer. This is a 1:12 vee filing jig: This is the filing jig for the back of a size "B" switch blade. It looks a bit flimsy in the photo, but it is actually perfectly rigid to use. Without the big slot it would use much more material: But I can do them a different way if there is a need? So far these designs are working fine for me. You can choose how thick you want them in Templot. The top one is 20mm thick in total. The bottom one is 16mm thick in total. The thicker ones are a bit easier to use with a wide file, but use more material and take longer to print. p.s. this is grey PLA Plus FDM filament, it is not a resin print. cheers, Martin.

https://85a.uk/templot/club/index.php?resources/wynn-williams-patent-ground-lever-boxes.16/

Hi John, For Templot plug track you don't need to understand 3D printing. All you will need to do is read "click the button marked GO" and do it. 🙂 I'm determined to make it easy for everyone to follow. I haven't been able to get on with that yet, because until now the whole thing has been an unfinished experimental project. But I'm close now to having something usable. By the time we resume the Templot Zoom meetings next month, I'm hoping folks will be showing plug track stuff which they've made. cheers, Martin.

Hi John, No it isn't. 🙂 Your posts on RMweb amply demonstrate that you have all the know-how you could possibly need for Templot plug track. You don't need any computer skills or CAD abilities because Templot does all that for you. As soon as I have got a bit more released I shall be making some easy-to-follow videos and tutorials -- click this, press that -- and James Walters is planning to do some too, and will have a demo stand at Scaleforum. p.s. the filing jigs can be set for 4mm or 7mm rail sizes (bullhead). It helps to grind the bulk off the rail first for the larger rail sections. cheers, Martin.

If you spend some money on 3D printers, you can build plug track for a material cost of about £1 per turnout, plus the rail. You need a resin printer for the chairs and an FDM printer for the timbers. Each can be had for around the cost of an 00 RTR locomotive, or less. Both can be used for lots of other model making jobs. cheers, Martin.

Hi John, They might not fetch such good prices after the next Templot release in a week or two. It will then be possible to FDM-print filing jigs for any angle from Templot 3D files: Material cost for such a jig is about £1.50 if you have or know someone with an FDM 3D printer. Such printers can be had for the price of an 00 RTR locomotive. And used for a lot more than just filing jigs. The jigs for filing the switch blades will be a bit more because they are longer. If the vee rails are filed and polished using these jigs to match exactly the angle of the plug track chairs, they fit snugly together in the chairs and don't need soldering together to make a one-piece vee (same as in the Finetrax kits). The rails just need a little cyano superglue or whatever on them somewhere to prevent them sliding out of position. p.s. the grey colour is PLA Plus toughened FDM filament, it is not a resin print. cheers, Martin.