Crossing and blade filing jigs

Discuss the prototype and how to model it.
MarcD
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Crossing and blade filing jigs

Postby MarcD » Wed Mar 30, 2022 4:01 pm

Being new to P4 I'm sorry if this has been asked before. My question is this the filing jigs will they work for flat bottomed rail as well as bullhead? I only ask this as the ones that I have for S7 only fit BH rail.

Marc
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John Donnelly
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Re: Crossing and blade filing jigs

Postby John Donnelly » Wed Mar 30, 2022 4:36 pm

So far as I know, bullhead only as the slots in the jigs won't support flat bottom rail correctly with the foot of the rail being wider than the head.

Proton
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Re: Crossing and blade filing jigs

Postby Proton » Wed Mar 30, 2022 5:05 pm

Fast racks of Ontario do filing jigs for flat bottom rail. www.handlaidtrack.com.

John

MarcD
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Re: Crossing and blade filing jigs

Postby MarcD » Wed Mar 30, 2022 5:23 pm

John
I had a feeling that would be the case.

Proton
Just had a look they look good but they aren't cheap.

Marc
www.pregroupingrailways.com for everything built before 1923

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ChrisMitchell
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Re: Crossing and blade filing jigs

Postby ChrisMitchell » Wed Mar 30, 2022 5:29 pm

I wonder if the 3D printed filing jigs described by Martin Wynne could be adapted for flat bottom rail?

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=7596

Chris

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zebedeesknees
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Re: Crossing and blade filing jigs

Postby zebedeesknees » Wed Mar 30, 2022 5:32 pm

MarcD wrote:John
I had a feeling that would be the case.

Proton
Just had a look they look good but they aren't cheap.

Marc


And the shipping doubles the price!

Ted.
(A purists' purist)

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grovenor-2685
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Re: Crossing and blade filing jigs

Postby grovenor-2685 » Wed Mar 30, 2022 5:35 pm

Filing jigs are a luxury anyway, and restrict your choice of angles unless you really splash out. A little bit of practice and you will manage just fine without them.
The cost of rail for your first few attempts is way less than a jig.
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Keith
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Terry Bendall
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Re: Crossing and blade filing jigs

Postby Terry Bendall » Thu Mar 31, 2022 8:13 am

MarcD wrote:My question is this the filing jigs will they work for flat bottomed rail as well as bullhead?


I have just checked this with the jigs and some FB rail. The rail will fit in the vee filing jig but not the blade filing jig.

grovenor-2685 wrote: A little bit of practice and you will manage just fine without them.


Keith is quite correct although with FB rail there is a bit more work to do than for BH. The stock rails also needs some filing of the base of the rail to allow the blades to fit properly. I have a Colin Craig FB turnout and will see about taking some pictures later to show what is needed.

Terry Bendall

Jeremy Suter
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Re: Crossing and blade filing jigs

Postby Jeremy Suter » Thu Mar 31, 2022 10:27 am

Terry Bendall wrote:
MarcD wrote:My question is this the filing jigs will they work for flat bottomed rail as well as bullhead?


I have just checked this with the jigs and some FB rail. The rail will fit in the vee filing jig but not the blade filing jig.

Terry Bendall


Although Terry is correct FB rail will fit in the slots.

The Vee filing jigs are not suitable for Flat Bottom rail as the jig is handed. You can only do one side of the rail but not the other, You cannot turn the rail upside down to do the other side. Therefore you are only able to make one side of the Vee.

When we get the next batch of Vee Jigs done. We will have them made in reverse to alleviate this problem. Although there should be quite a few oppositely handed vee Jigs out there as I did have some done some years ago.
Tips and tricks in machine tool practice viewtopic.php?f=132&t=6350

Terry Bendall
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Re: Crossing and blade filing jigs

Postby Terry Bendall » Thu Mar 31, 2022 3:45 pm

Some pictures of a Colin Craig turnout and assembled common crossing.

FB common crossing.jpg


Not very easy to get a decent picture but on the vee the foot of the rail is removed on each side of the web, This allows the two pieces to fit close together and allows the wing rail to be set at the coorect distance from the vee. The removal of the foot is tapered with the tsrt of the taper being at the end of the wing rail

FB stock rail.jpg


On the completed turnout the inside of the foot is removed up as far as the wooden wedge On the blade the foot is removed from the far end of the wedge.

Hopefully this will assist.

Terry Bendall
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Tony Wilkins
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Re: Crossing and blade filing jigs

Postby Tony Wilkins » Fri Apr 01, 2022 4:56 pm

Hello Marc.
Some time ago I wrote about my methods of making Flatbottomed track and although primarily used for track of the 1960s period, the methods used are equally applicable to some varieties of more modern FB track.
If you are not aware of it the link is here.
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=7455
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Tony.
Inspiration from the past. Dreams for the future.

MarcD
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Re: Crossing and blade filing jigs

Postby MarcD » Sat Apr 02, 2022 7:59 pm

Thanks for the tip. I have a long term plan to do Seahouses circ 1900. I have a 7mm 407 under construction as well as the HR coaches. I wanted to do it in S7 originally but it took up to much room.
So early FB point work for a light railway is what I'm looking to reproduce.
Marc
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Terry Bendall
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Re: Crossing and blade filing jigs

Postby Terry Bendall » Sun Apr 03, 2022 8:30 am

Tony Wilkins wrote:Some time ago I wrote about my methods of making Flatbottomed track and although primarily used for track of the 1960s period, the methods used are equally applicable to some varieties of more modern FB track.


I had forgotten about Tony's thread and have just made a note of it to remind myself for the future. As we might expect from anything that Tony writes, it is very well thought out and comprehensive. Having just checked, I notice that PECO do a moulded plastic pandrol clip that might be used for cosmetic finishing off. have you fitted any clips yet Tony and if so, what was the source?

Terry Bendall

Tony Wilkins
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Re: Crossing and blade filing jigs

Postby Tony Wilkins » Sun Apr 03, 2022 12:37 pm

Terry Bendall wrote:
Tony Wilkins wrote:Some time ago I wrote about my methods of making Flatbottomed track and although primarily used for track of the 1960s period, the methods used are equally applicable to some varieties of more modern FB track.


I had forgotten about Tony's thread and have just made a note of it to remind myself for the future. As we might expect from anything that Tony writes, it is very well thought out and comprehensive. Having just checked, I notice that PECO do a moulded plastic pandrol clip that might be used for cosmetic finishing off. have you fitted any clips yet Tony and if so, what was the source?

Terry Bendall


Hi Terry.
I do have some of the PECO pandrol clips, which are rather over scale but give a reasonable impression on finished track. They would be very difficult to make strong enough to scale in plastic. PECO also do some reasonable plastic slide baseplates for FB switches. Most of the plain FB track I made for Brimsdown used Colin Craig's BR1 baseplates. However, most of the FB pointwork for my era used ST1 baseplates of which I have a stock of C&L plastic mouldings, (yet to be fitted). These were what was used previously on Green Street's FB track, but that's another story.
Regards
Tony.
Inspiration from the past. Dreams for the future.

Terry Bendall
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Re: Crossing and blade filing jigs

Postby Terry Bendall » Mon Apr 04, 2022 7:38 am

Tony Wilkins wrote:I do have some of the PECO pandrol clips, which are rather over scale but give a reasonable impression on finished track. They would be very difficult to make strong enough to scale in plastic. PECO also do some reasonable plastic slide baseplates for FB switches


Thanks for the information Tony,

Terry Bendall


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