hayfield

Martin Wynn is the person who can inform why it takes so long, but I think it has to do with the quality of printing required For N Gauge read this https://85a.uk/templot/club/index.php?threads/n-gauge-plug-track-question.781/ Good luck and happy printing

The time taken depends on the amount of space you are printing, half a turnout takes about 3 hours, so if you can fit both halves on the build plate the time will increase accordingly. Apparently resin printing the chairs is much quicker. Time is not an issue as once the printer is set up, as it prints all on its own. Its only a problem if you are desperate for the print. Planning ahead is the key

This technical stuff is above my paygrade and whilst I have a resin printer I am waiting for resin to be delivered, as there is a shortage of the type I have decided to use. So unfortunately you need a bit of advice from a resin printer Go onto the Templot forum where help is at hand

William Thanks for joining in and asking a question, which I guess most are afraid of asking I will own up at first wondering why use loose jaws ? simply as I was so used to the C&L/Exactoscale/Peco systems. Forgetting that quite often you are forced into using half chairs anyway But the penny dropped, one of the biggest drawbacks for some is threading chairs on to rail and preforming subassemblies for common crossings. With Templot plug track the build process is shear simplicity/ease of use. Preform each rail, lay in place then push the loose jaws in place, no gauges, no extra soldering dropper wires, no premade sub assemblies or special jigs in sight To build a finescale turnout usually entails a large expense in gauges, jigs and for some premade sub assemblies, This is where one printer pays for itself. The odd filing jig is easily printed for a £ or so and in many cases reusable Now look at the ever increasing price of components and very soon the other printer is paid for. £33 for a pack of Copperclad, £12 for a sprue of timbers. I am not having a go at the retail trade they have to charge for their products at a profitable rate to stay in business. Gone are the days of 1/11d Airfix kits (one old shilling (10p) and 11 pence (9p) ) But far more importantly look at the level of detail and the freedom of having gentle curving trackwork (rarely on the railways is anything straight) which most of the RTR market is unable to achieve

Nick I am just starting my own journey in 3D printing and whilst I am not rich I try to minimize what I spend on my modelling activities. Like many over the years I have brought far too many things I will never get round to using and will continue to do so. As I have stopper reinvesting the proceeds my railway savings account is in a good condition For my birthday I asked the family for Amazon gift cards, these were sufficient to buy me a FDM printer and the cost of sundries to get printing needed very little funding. So for the benefit of my conscience my birthday presents got me up and running Initially I was going to depend on the good will of others by paying for chairs to be printed, however with resin printers costing just over £80 I decided to dip into my model railway savings. For me as I am downsizing my model railway collection its a non cost process, I realize others may not be so lucky, but for the price of a top class RTR loco or a decent loco kit (with wheels gears and motor ) I have a print set up Next up is the savings these machines will make on building track, with comparable conventional turnout kits ranging from £30 to £60 a time RTR scale turnouts £40+ even a pack of copperclad strip costing up to £33. These machines are cheap and pay for themselves very quickly. Turnout bases are costing me 40p each, apparently chairs for the turnouts will cost about the same as the bases each. Rail will cost £1.50 to £2 per turnout. No expensive gauges are required, and cheap filing jigs can be easily printed Why not team up with others ? share prints with each other ? Or form a group to assist each other.. There are always ways around problems and railway modelers seem to be a very helpful and sharing group.

Has been done long before VAR, Never published as deemed unfit for broadcasting due to excessive foul language, apparently the ref swore more than the players The trouble is in a growing number of matches even VAR is getting it wrong, either in its decisions of failing to call something to the ref's attention The Newcastle's goal should not have stood, firstly the ball is clearly out looking at the amount of grass between the base of the ball and line. But they could not draw the lines, secondly they also could not see when the exact moment the ball was played to the player who scored. Clearly during that short period the player was off side. Thirdly clearly the attacker had two hands on the defenders back. The official reason by the VAR team was that there was inconclusive proof to overturn the ref's decision. It could equally be stated that there was no conclusive proof, the ball was in play, no proof that the player was on side and as for two hands pushing the player, apparently the VAR assistant could not judge whether it was hard enough !! Looking at the Man U game last weekend the merest glance was judged sufficient to change the Refs initial decision Then yet again for the third if not fourth week poor old Wolves have suffered decisions leading to goals, where on reflection they were found to be wrong I am a fan of VAR, but it is suffering more and more poor decisions. I think the managers are getting fed up with the current level of performance over the past few weeks.

At one Scalefour event C&L was approached by several members requesting code 82 fb rail as the society had changed to code 83 and it (code 83) is a very tight fit to the P4 fast track bases. I have used code 83 with Peco's Pandrol clips, as you would expect the fit is tighter Good luck

If you have ordered code 83* the rail might be a tight squeeze, C&L code 82 may be better fit * Peco used to sell code 82 and I think their chairs are designed for it

Patrick I assume the problem is that the market is very small ( I can count on one hand the number of times I have been asked for ST baseplates at shows I have helped Phil out at) and if that is the case for a manufacturer its a simple waste of time as there is no likelihood of recouping their outlay The plug track would be an idea but there is at least two issues Firstly with at least 18 differing types which do you choose ? The second issue is how many of the 18 would work in your chosen scale ? Thirdly I believe both the slide chairs and check rail chairs have very distinctive styling I have a very similar issue with 4 mm narrow gauge 12mm gauge, the issue is getting a style I am happy with, probably easier as usually they are spiked into position This is a test print with 10" timbers, spaced as per standard gauge spacing I will firstly glue the rails in place, then spike them. Will it work ? I have no idea. I think I will have to add small plates between the rail and timbers, tin foil might work but in the end it will be a case of working with what is available. already I think I can loose the first timber and perhaps the last one so the bases fit better on the build plate. This shows the versatility of both the 2D design in Templot and also Templot 3D plug track

Griff A simple solution to the switch is to use short switch rails fixed to the closure rails by plastic rail joiners, they work very well as hinges.. Means a bit more wiring but very effective

The benefit of using Templot Plug track is you can print curved track, well you can also build flexi track !! Straight off the printer the curved flexi track at 55" radius. The problem with flexi track is it curves in steps, but with this facility you can print a nice curved piece of track but have an ability to fine tune the placement of it. You can do this with all prints even turnouts, but usually there is no need. A rather nifty tierbar design is included in the turnout bases I could try and up load a photo but this is so much better. Yet another reason to use plug track Both images are by Martin Wynn

Martin I have been missing this in class and is a superb bit of thinking, I remember you discussing this but never realized it had bee implemented. Thank you for this design and implementation

Patrick The trouble is we all want everything at once going from famine to feast. 5 years ago the only thing available to most was H0 scale flatbottom track which the majority happily accepted, less so now and in RTR and kit form 4mm scale bullhead and to a lesser extent flatbottom is available in RTR. Even EM & P4 gauges are catered for in RTR and easy build kits Those of us who built our own track have had access to basic chairs in 5/6 formats (2, 3 (x2) and 4 bolt bullhead chairs and Pandrol and ST fixings for flatbottom, but never anything comprehensive Plug track is breaking the mold, thanks to Martin via Templot we could design in 2 D free flowing trackwork, now as far as bullhead is concerned easy to build 3D trackwork has arrived, limited to turnouts at the moment and bullhead with 3 bolt chairs. But from normal viewing distances who can tell how many bolts chairs have, most viewers would not even know how many bolts there should be !!! You can have free flowing track, but unless you wish to go back to bullhead ( which in many cases might still be prototypical) to achieve it in flatbottom you may have to do a bit more work Good luck with your journey

Kev Gone are the days where you need lots of gauges, expensive jigs and a lot of tutoring The main plus is its a very simple build process. The main drawback is access to 3D printers, though far more have access if not ownership of them There is a learning curve, but if a computer illiterate 70 year old can manage it anyone can. Certainly with the FDM printer its easy to set up and use, the process to make build files is not very difficult. Hoping the resin printer is much the same James goes through a simple process which after time becomes second nature. I have found making a simple card crib sheet is all you need. I plan to do the same with the resin printer You also can get some wonderful information, help and encouragement from Templot Club, and hopefully on RMWeb as the users grow

Two must view videos from James Walters (for those who have watched the first video either skip it or watch it again Part 1 an introduction to 3D printed trackwork Now the second part Turnouts Hope you enjoyed these

James Walters is back with another one of his videos on Templot plugged track This shows how to make printing files for chairs, James has a wonderful way of explaining simply how to do things and in what for the likes of me is quite daunting, simplifies the process into a few simple actions For most of us 3D printing is just another world that cleaver people live and work in However after a few days I have now mastered how to design and make trackwork in FDM printing. For some it may seem a lot of faff for little advantage, but this is not the case. OK it takes twenty or thirty minutes to produce a file, but once you have that file it takes seconds to tell the printer what to print time after time. Whilst its not a race the design of a file once you get used to the process only takes a few minutes For me I am about to learn about 3D resin printing, again it will take time to learn how to make chair files. However once you have them they can be used over and over again. If you have not watched James's first video, watch it first. Then watch this one. Again it may seem a lot to both take in, and for us oldies is, but by watching it a few times and actually doing it the method becomes second nature This system really opens up new doors in track building and for once 00 gauge modelers are not left out in the cold. For the cost of a latest high end loco with sound, a modeler or a group of modelers can have a system which will make trackwork far superior to what's available in RTR for a fraction of the cost, in fact if someone is building a layout and requires finescale track it could save money .

No you access the settings through the 3D box Click DXF/STL file export In new box click layers on the top selection bar in the chair sockets box change colour to no colour

The diamond is spliced together and I thought I better look at making some track bases, the plain track is 180mm long. Had an interesting chat on Zoom last night, the track bases have the facility of being made as Flexi track, even though you can print at what ever radii you wish, we also looked at a thing called blind sockets, but also the ability to print solid 9(no plugs) track bases As you can see with the middle of the diamond crossing, as the obtuse chairs have not been designed yet the timbers are solid. My plan is to use the Exactoscale obtuse crossing chairs to finish the build. Using the chairs for the common crossings and standard chairs will really both simplify and speed up the build. 2 packs of Exactoscale obtuse crossings will finish the middle 5 chairs, OK its a little more difficult, but far simpler than building from scratch The plug track system is in development and is still in what Martin describes as experiential. The steps made over the past year have been massive, though Martin has been working on it for quite some time. When you look at the time taken by large companies to produce a product range Templot's plugged track has really grown quickly. The realization of being able to print bases without some or all of the sockets could be an advantage in some situations especially in forming track which is not catered for at the moment Narrow gauge is another of my interests, I want to build some 4mm scale 12mm gauge track, Templot allows me to design this and the ability to print a turnout base with no sockets is appealing, Flatbottom rail can be glued and pinned to the timbers and I have a quick and easy to build turnout. But that's in the future

I am back from Christmas shopping so can add to my previous post Modern trackwork is a real minefield Manchester Model Railway Society have a great article by Colin Craig which has a lot of detail in the three sections https://www.mmrs.co.uk/technical-articles/modern-permanent-way/ As modelers what we have is very limited but in reality in 4mm scale could we see the difference between some of the clips and fastenings ? And if we did use the correct fastenings who would notice ? Easily obtainable top Peco slide chairs and Pandrol clips, the latter apparently is oversize, below C&L ST fastenings, so there are some chairs available, but a very limited range and none of the striking (looking) check rail chairs. Peco slide chairs should be a better fit for flat bottom rail than C&L or Exactoscale Colin Craig did sell components for etched flatbottom fittings, certain he has stopped this range, Masokits sell a fret of 300 BR type 3 fixings, I guess you will also need copperclad timbers Peco do concrete sleepers for 00 gauge AS you can see they also supply fastenings different to both their Pandrol clips and C&L's ST fastenings. A polite letter to Peco may result in them selling these clips on their own and in bulk. C&L sell Dow Mac sleepers but they are for EM or P4 gauge As for timbers, Peco, C&L and Exactoscale all sell timbers for turnouts and crossings These are my favorites they are the Exactoscale Point and crossing timbers 4XXPCTO, excellent value the longest timbers are 86mm long so you can cut surplus items into 2 . Makes about 2,5 to 3 turnouts per pack For those modelling in P4 or EM Exactoscale sell a range of turnout and crossing bases (A5, A6, B7,B8,C10 and a diamond, single slip and double slip all to 1-8 crossing angles. All these items are designed for P4, the turnouts are fine for EM gauge, but the crossings and slips need slight adjustment, but a great time saver The new kid on the block is the Plug track system being developed by Martin Wynn in Templot, this system is very versatile and whilst its primarily designed for a plug track system which is at the moment restricted to bullhead rail, it can be used with other systems This is an A-6 in EM scale, but the bases can be printed without the plug holes (solid) I have fitted both C&L and Exactoscale chairs using Butanone and it works fine Firstly bases can be printed easily, but to any gauge (and scale), to any crossing angles, straight or to and curve and in formations For instance you could print a crossover on a curve to your required gauge, and print out the plan on paper so you can preform the rails, then use certainly any of the C&L or Exactoscale components and I guess Peco parts. These bases are 3D printed using PLA filament so you will need a FDM printer, or have access to one. 3D printing is a massive growth area, many clubs have them or certainly have members with them. In fact at Scaleforum I was surprised how many had access to one In conclusion, certainly there are components available for building flatbottom track, and the choice is getting bigger

Kevin LMS Firstly my soldering iron goes no where near the isolation gaps Secondly I use solder sparingly, so no large blobs Thirdly to bridge the gap (I use a junior hacksaw) and the gap has filler in it, you would need a massive blob to cover the join. If anything you would need some wire to jump the gap !!!

NFWEM57 Track building has always been the Cinderella of the model railway scene, but it is clearly not as bad as you paint and if you spend some time researching this subject you may well be able to find what you require. To start off with you need to know what you require. For one customer who models the Blue era photographic evidence showed turnouts were still bullhead in the time period that he was modelling But to start off with you need a good plan, Templot is a great free and easy to use recourse modelers can use and even caters for flatbottom users Looking at products for turnouts and crossings, there are items out there and have been for years, Peco have for years been selling Individulay range for years, perhaps the best kept secret for years but they have been widely advertised for years IL114 turnout timbers IL 112 Pandrol clips IL 113 Slide chairs IL 121 Concrete sleepers with fixings (different from Pandrol and if asked nicely Peco may supply these separately Exactoscale as You have said do a range of products as do C&L with their ST fastenings and DowMac timbers for EM & P4 I will elaborate further as I need to go out

I see OFGEM has announced the latest prices and I see the BBC has been less than accurate with the prices Electricity they quoted as going to be 29p per kwh, OFGEM has capped it at 28.62p per kwh Gas they got totally wrong at 7p, OFGEM has capped the rate at 7.42p per kwh The standing charges will go down for the month by 1.25p for the month Anyway if I use the same amount of power as last year it will cost me £14.53 extra against the current rates for January, a bit less for February and March, then its expected to fall again What we actually pay will be up to our providers Yet again OFGEM has failed the public, they have not made any changes to either standing charges or the way in which electricity prices are linked to the gas price, both of which they have told us is against the public interest, unless you own a wind farm Still we are a long way from the chaotic energy prices of last year

I just about got away with this one, firstly I designed it on my lap top not desk top which I used to create the previous photos. So I managed to use the correct design border, plus I thought as the design square was 170mm and my build plate is 180 I had a bit of leeway. still its nearly 2/3rds through printing and another 2+ hours to go I have also been experimenting with some old Templot 009 files simply to see if printing timbers was possible The fact that the timbers is down to me not selecting the correct settings, but it proves that I can design and make some bases foe 00n3 Not so much luck with the plain track, again its me not the system, solid timbers but lost the surround base. But again it shows if i invest the time to design track bases I may well be able to make track and turnout bases for flatbottom track. I think the turnout bases work out at 11p, the cost of rail is another thing I have got so used to the cost of rail being the lowest cost component that these printed bases. An EM gauge A6 base costs about 38p I have been told the chairs will cost a similar amount,

My next trial ia to design and print a diamond crossing, my build plate is 180mm, I have set a 170mm box around and I am hoping Cura (slicing program will accept it. If not I will have to do 2 prints. This template shows the Templot design which now goes into the fixing program 3D Builder This is the screen shot for 3D builder, the file is saved then you use Cura which slices up the design so the printer can print. I cannot show this as my desk top does not have Cura installed. Anyway a bit later than hoped I will start the print

Keith Well done and I love the colour, thanks for sharing