Rail filing jigs - 3D printed

Discuss the prototype and how to model it.
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Martin Wynne
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Rail filing jigs - 3D printed

Postby Martin Wynne » Sun Jul 18, 2021 2:05 pm

Filing jigs for vee rails are expensive -- but not if 3D printed. Using toughened PLA polymer they would last for several vees, but if it gets too worn you would just print a new one. This filing jig cost 86p: :)

Image

Image

More info and download STL files if anyone wants to try this:

https://85a.uk/templot/club/index.php?t ... inted.226/

cheers,

Martin.
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Terry Bendall
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Re: Rail filing jigs - 3D printed

Postby Terry Bendall » Mon Jul 19, 2021 7:11 am

Martin Wynne wrote: This filing jig cost 86p:


Is that the cost to make, or the retail selling price?

Terry Bendall

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Martin Wynne
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Re: Rail filing jigs - 3D printed

Postby Martin Wynne » Mon Jul 19, 2021 7:52 am

Terry Bendall wrote:
Martin Wynne wrote: This filing jig cost 86p:

Is that the cost to make, or the retail selling price?

Hi Terry,

??? I'm not selling anything.

Templot generates the STL file. Templot is free. The file is free. Unless you want to claim copyright on it, in which case I charge a million pounds. :)

Over to you to make it on your 3D filament printer. Or a friend's printer. Or a club's printer. Or pay a firm to make it for you.

On my machine the total material cost was 86p. Plus a bit for the electricity to melt about 45 grams of PLA polymer. It also needs a couple of M6 bolts.

cheers,

Martin.
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Will L
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Re: Rail filing jigs - 3D printed

Postby Will L » Mon Jul 19, 2021 8:59 am

Martin Wynne wrote: Using toughened PLA polymer they would last for several vees, but if it gets too worn you would just print a new one.

Add a couple of groves along the top edge a good tight to hold say 20though piano wire flush with top surface and I suspect it will last a lifetime.

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Martin Wynne
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Re: Rail filing jigs - 3D printed

Postby Martin Wynne » Mon Jul 19, 2021 12:44 pm

Will L wrote:Add a couple of groves along the top edge a good tight to hold say 20thou piano wire flush with top surface and I suspect it will last a lifetime.

Hi Will,

But how long will the file last? A good file is much more valuable than a disposable jig.

Martin.
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Will L
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Re: Rail filing jigs - 3D printed

Postby Will L » Mon Jul 19, 2021 6:49 pm

Martin Wynne wrote:
Will L wrote:Add a couple of groves along the top edge a good tight to hold say 20thou piano wire flush with top surface and I suspect it will last a lifetime.

Hi Will,

But how long will the file last? A good file is much more valuable than a disposable jig.

Martin.

No worse than using a hardened steel jig surely Martin?

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Martin Wynne
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Re: Rail filing jigs - 3D printed

Postby Martin Wynne » Tue Jul 20, 2021 11:04 am

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Mark Tatlow
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Re: Rail filing jigs - 3D printed

Postby Mark Tatlow » Tue Jul 20, 2021 11:12 am

Will L wrote:No worse than using a hardened steel jig surely Martin?


The hardened steel jigs are a very fine way of blunting a file! I have a couple of files I dedicate to them for this reason (and because they go blunt, using them becomes progressively harder).

So I will be up for some of these when I next build track. I would have thought that you can keep the jig true for a while longer than martin says as whilst the head may well get abraded being a fairly soft material, it is the angle of this face to the rail protrusion that is of interest, not the face per say.
Mark Tatlow

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Will L
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Re: Rail filing jigs - 3D printed

Postby Will L » Tue Jul 20, 2021 5:33 pm

Mark Tatlow wrote:
Will L wrote:No worse than using a hardened steel jig surely Martin?


The hardened steel jigs are a very fine way of blunting a file! I have a couple of files I dedicate to them for this reason (and because they go blunt, using them becomes progressively harder).
...

Or perhaps rather better, as the file may blunt down the sides where it slides over the wires, but not so much in the centre where you want it to cut the rail.

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Martin Wynne
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Re: Rail filing jigs - 3D printed

Postby Martin Wynne » Tue Jul 20, 2021 5:49 pm

Will L wrote:Or perhaps rather better, as the file may blunt down the sides where it slides over the wires, but not so much in the centre where you want it to cut the rail.

Hi Will,

But I don't want to blunt it at all -- it's used for other jobs too. I would rather just print a new jig if necessary.

cheers,

Martin.
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jasp
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Re: Rail filing jigs - 3D printed

Postby jasp » Wed Jul 21, 2021 8:28 pm

Martin
While I am a user of the hardened steel jigs, I welcome your initiative as it, hopefully, opens the door to an economical way of obtaining and using filing jigs which I have found extremely useful.
More power to your elbow.
Jim P


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