Tools of the Trade

Like you, I tried searching for a rail bender, but they all seem to have evaporated.  Your's looks VERY nice.  I have no machining skills, and certainly would be interested in buying one if you were inclined to build a second.

 

 

VERY NICE JOB!! I'm new into O Scale too&1 of the gentlemen here suggested a company called "Sweepsticks," which makes track templates which are made out of very light wood that fits inside flextrack. It can be ordered in about all track radii starting from 36" radius & it goes up. These bent pieces of wood,as mentioned,fit inside the flextrack. You start on 1 end of a section & tack down as you go establishing your circles. I haven't layed any track yet I'm just trying to get planning ideas. I've used these Sweepsticks by laying them out on cardboard then tracing over them & thus making many circles. I've done some tracing with a marker on the basement floor,(not to the wife's liking,but hey it's concrete),to give me ideas on what radii will fit,since I don't have benchwork up yet.  Looks like you've got what you need in great style-great job.Al Hummel

On Wednesday, December 17, 2014 8:51 PM, O Gauge Railroading On Line Forum <alerts@hoop.la> wrote:


Post By car8534: Tools of the Trade== To reply by email, write above this line. == Hello, Alan Hummel: We're sending you this notification because you are following either the forum or the author below. New Topic
| Subject: Tools of the Trade By: car8534 In: Train Forums / 2-Rail SCALE | |

 Even though I’m not able to start the building of my layout, I have started to collect some of the things that I will need to build it. Tools for one. Beam Compass: I wanted one that would go out to 8 foot or larger, so drawing an 80” radius curve will not be a problem. Track Bender:  I like the ME code 148 flex track, even before I purchased some I was reading that it is a little stiffer than the Atlas track. At the present there are no track benders available that I can find. I did see the one that Norms Model Supply offered, but it looks like he closed his doors. So I built one, took me awhile, sure have a lot of aluminum chips of the basement floor, but it works. The photos below show the finished curves. Ken        This post contains 4 photos. View This Topic
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rlraub@sbcglobal.net

Above is a link for a friend who sells rail benders. I don't know if he still goes to York or not, as I haven't gotten to the Silver hall in a few years. His tool works on all types of track and gauges. His name is Dick Reichard.

Don

Train-Li has just started selling O Scale 2 rail track benders. 

 

http://www.trainli.com/beasybendb-scale-p-5989.html

That looks very nice. Just like store bought! As you have already seen, I bet you could sell a few of those around here. Seems like there is someone asking about one every week or two.