Options for building turnouts

Discuss the prototype and how to model it.
Kingswear1
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Options for building turnouts

Postby Kingswear1 » Mon Sep 12, 2022 1:16 pm

Hi
I am considering a small P4 layout, could you please advise what the options are for building P4 turnouts,
I believe the Exactoscale turnout kits are no longer available, does that mean the only remaining option is C and L turnout kits?
Many thanks
Mark

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Tim V
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Re: Options for building turnouts

Postby Tim V » Mon Sep 12, 2022 2:24 pm

Or ply & rivet.
Tim V
(Not all railways in Somerset went to Dorset)

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grovenor-2685
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Re: Options for building turnouts

Postby grovenor-2685 » Mon Sep 12, 2022 2:38 pm

The kits are very expensive due to including premade vees and blades. Better to learn to make your own from rail, plenty of advice on here, and then just buy the parts, from our stores or from C&L, or even Masokits. A bit of practice with a file and its not a hard task and it frees you to make turnout sizes and styles not available in kits.
https://www.scalefour.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=7028
https://www.scalefour.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=5727
https://www.scalefour.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=5728
http://www.norgrove.me.uk/points.html
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Keith
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Kingswear1
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Re: Options for building turnouts

Postby Kingswear1 » Mon Sep 12, 2022 2:58 pm

Hii Tim and Keith
Many thanks for your replies, I guess if you are making your own turnouts, then the societies various jigs and gauges etc., are a good investment.
Mark

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grovenor-2685
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Re: Options for building turnouts

Postby grovenor-2685 » Mon Sep 12, 2022 3:11 pm

IMHO, gauges are essential whether building kits or scratch.
Jigs, not so much, my personal view is you are better off learning to file vees and blades without the jigs.
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Keith
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Enigma
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Re: Options for building turnouts

Postby Enigma » Mon Sep 12, 2022 3:33 pm

Kingswear1 wrote:Hii Tim and Keith
Many thanks for your replies, I guess if you are making your own turnouts, then the societies various jigs and gauges etc., are a good investment.
Mark

Definitely an investment. I've had mine for many years and they've had a fair amount of use in that time. Quite bluntly, I would say that it is virtually impossible to build pointwork without them if you're not using kits. Saying this, there's probably some one out there who's built an enormous P4 layout without using any gauges at all - but I doubt it!

The hardest thing about building your own pointwork is starting the first one! It can be very satisfying when your first home build point is completed and stock runs over it. If you've never built points etc. before then why not start with a copper-clad sleeper one and get used to filing/soldering vees and blades.

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Tim V
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Re: Options for building turnouts

Postby Tim V » Mon Sep 12, 2022 3:35 pm

I agree with Keith.

Track gauge, flangeway gauge and check rail gauge are all necessary to build pointwork. More than one track gauge is good.

Have a look for a 'Mint' gauge.

You 'could' do it with a pair of vernier calipers, but it is so much easier and reliable to use gauges.
Tim V
(Not all railways in Somerset went to Dorset)

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Will L
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Re: Options for building turnouts

Postby Will L » Mon Sep 12, 2022 3:47 pm

I'm with Keith, its not hard to make point track components without a jig. In fact I think it helps you better understand what you are trying to achieve and helps build experience and competence in using the basic tools required. Yes the Jigs can be useful if your going to build a lot of points for a larger layout, but don't run away with the idea that they are in any way indispensable or necessary. Don't forget the basic techniques are explained in Scalefour Digests 23.6.1 Turnout Construction

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Winander
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Re: Options for building turnouts

Postby Winander » Mon Sep 12, 2022 4:03 pm

If you do decide to use a jig, there is still plenty of filing to do after the rail comes out of the jig - reducing the height of the switch towards the tip, replacing the rail head's profile and dressing the nose of the vee - all of which are fundamental to good running and arguably harder to do well than filing the basic geometry. The jigs are a significant amount of money. I recommend you read and thoroughly understand exactly what you have to do with regard to the prototype you model before you decide how.

There are two articles in S4News issues 194 & 195 for ply and functional chairs. For ply and rivet, see this thread on the forum viewtopic.php?f=5&t=5727. S4News 195 also has an article on fault finding, should you need it. Both sources give you excellent instructions on the preparation of the rail.
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James Walters
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Re: Options for building turnouts

Postby James Walters » Mon Sep 12, 2022 5:35 pm

Here's my take on turnout timbering. I'll bring it along to Scalefourm if anyone is interested in having a look.
The idea is that the waste (which has the chair labels and rail engraving) can be snapped-out either before or after laying the rails.
The timber outer, which is fastened to the building board can be snipped-away either before or after laying.
In the example shown, I've included some rivets at strategic locations for some soldered connections to add a little extra strength.

Seems to work quite well.

Best,
James

Turnout Jig.jpg
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Rod Cameron
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Re: Options for building turnouts

Postby Rod Cameron » Mon Sep 12, 2022 9:36 pm

Are you coming to Scaleforum, Mark? I will be in the demonstration area with baseboards for Lewes including some of the trackwork I've been working on. Happy to show you (or anyone else) my methodology which is basically a mixture of ply-and-rivet and functional plastic chairs. I may not be building any on the weekend, but I can explain use of gauges, how to make vees without a jig, etc. (And how to respond when much better scale plans arrive midway through building.)

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Martin Wynne
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Re: Options for building turnouts

Postby Martin Wynne » Tue Sep 13, 2022 4:37 pm

Kingswear1 wrote:I guess if you are making your own turnouts, then the societies various jigs and gauges etc., are a good investment.

Hi Mark,

Before investing a significant sum on metal jigs, you might be interested in 3D-printed filing jigs:

Image

The above jig cost less than £1 in materials, and is good for several dozen rails. The file skids over the toughened PLA polymer.

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

cheers,

Martin.
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Julian Roberts
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Re: Options for building turnouts

Postby Julian Roberts » Thu Sep 15, 2022 11:49 am

Or you can buy CNC milled switches and assembled Vs for £17 per turnout. + PnP £6.50

https://www.britishfinescale.com/category-s/1477.htm

I'd recommend reading http://templot.com/templot/companion/real_track.php particularly the part about switch blade planing.

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Martin Wynne
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Re: Options for building turnouts

Postby Martin Wynne » Thu Sep 15, 2022 12:20 pm

Julian Roberts wrote:I'd recommend reading http://templot.com/templot/companion/real_track.php particularly the part about switch blade planing.

Hi Julian,

That's a legacy link maintained to avoid breaking old web pages. Some browsers will complain it is not secure. Please use this instead:

https://85a.uk/templot/companion/real_track.php

cheers,

Martin.
40+ years developing Templot. Enjoy using Templot? Join Templot Club. Be a Templot supporter.

Terry Bendall
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Re: Options for building turnouts

Postby Terry Bendall » Fri Sep 16, 2022 4:16 pm

Julian Roberts wrote:I'd recommend reading http://templot.com/templot/companion/real_track.php particularly the part about switch blade planing.


I would recommend reading the relevant digest sheets, then buy some rail and sleepers and just have a go. :D

Terry Bendall


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