coming a long keep up the good work!
Fantastic video update!!
Definitely agree with you on the gratification you have when building something yourself. Keep the updates rolling.
Always nice to follow fellow forumites' progress. Keep at it!
Thanks guys I really appreciate it!
Great progress Will. Hand laying is very rewarding, plus very relaxing (for me anyway) because I am not in a hurry. Great idea with how you are bldg the benchwork to also incorporate storage, you just cant ever have enough. keep plugging away and keep the updates coming, I look forward to the progress.
Just put my order in with Lou Cross. This is the first time I have had the pleasure of talking to him and I must say what a nice person he is! For someone who is obviously running a quality business he had no problem talking through his products with me, fantastic!
Excellent to see your progress. Looking forward to seeing where this goes.
Just saw the video. Good progress. Keep us posted.
Just put my order in with Lou Cross. This is the first time I have had the pleasure of talking to him and I must say what a nice person he is! For someone who is obviously running a quality business he had no problem talking through his products with me, fantastic!
Lou really is a great guy, very helpful and patient....definetly a pleasure to speak with him.
Great work Will. Take your time and have fun....looking really nice BTW.
Will,
Awesome work. Thanks for sharing. Looks like you've been very busy since your last update. Looking forward as I'm sure you are when you start laying your track and building switches.
Thanks you guys! I really appreciate it!
Looking good. That fast tracks jig looks like I have seen it before. It has been to Iraq and back you know.
Things are looking good, when you start laying track it will move fast.
Thanks for all of the replies. I had a feeling that the acid flux might work better so I went on a hunt for it tonight and came home empty handed. I went to Radioshack, Harbor freight, and Advanced Auto none of them had it. Ill try a different RS tomorrow with hopefully better results. I think that I will try to get at least a 100-watt gun.
Dan, that is Lou Cross's code 125 steel rail. It looks weathered because I weathered it haha.
Will, those fast track jigs are specifically clearenced for ME rail, not sure the dimensional variation between Lou's rail and ME...just a point of info.
Very nice Will, you are off to a great start. Keep at it and keep the pics coming....now I'm going back to work on my layout....
Wow Chris and you are using code 148 steel rail arent you?
Wow Chris and you are using code 148 steel rail arent you?
Yup.....strong solid joints to...I love that little thing.
Wew!! I thought I read awhile back that we lost you Will! Something about switching to three rail track or whatever. Looking great.
Hey I'm not sure if your TIU will work. It's upside down. Don't mess with the gurus like that!
Andre, your track looks great.
Nope Im still here!! And I got my second point rail installed last night! So far this turnout is working great.
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Very nice...
Nice Will,
a question, how do you are going to isolate (cut) the frog?
is already isolated?
Thank you Joe!
Andre.
Nice Will,
a question, how do you are going to isolate (cut) the frog?
is already isolated?
Thank you Joe!
Andre.
Andre I just plan on cutting it with my dremel tool and filling the gap with styrene.
Nice Will,
a question, how do you are going to isolate (cut) the frog?
is already isolated?
Thank you Joe!
Andre.
Andre I just plan on cutting it with my dremel tool and filling the gap with styrene.
You may want to consider a razor saw, as the Dremel tends to cut too big of a gap and is sometimes unruly to control. Just a thought.
I asked because I saw you are installing the rails on glued ties.
I cut mine with a jewelery saw.
But you will fill it using styrene so actually dremel will be fine.
AG.
Will they have the fibre glass reinforced cut of wheel and then a smaller and thinner cut off wheel, I used the thinner one on mine, and as AG stated if you are going to fill it with styrene you will be fine. Heck I used the plastic tie off of a loaf of bread, just cut it to a close size and then after the glue set up I just trimmed it and it worked great. Yeah they are abit thicker but once it's trimmed and painted you can't tell....cheap also..
I cut some HO rail gaps with a razor saw and they closed from expansion when the weather warmed up.
A larger cutoff wheel in a Dremel will help get a straighter cut, but you may not want to use full RPM with it.
I use the insulated rail joiners Lou Cross sells as it adds nice detail. Also I build my frog section as a seperate piece and then I do not have to cut gaps. It is much easier and neater this way since those dremel gaps can occasionally get messy. This only a suggestion since everyone has their own way.
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Another thing Will, using a zona saw give the ties texture passing the teeth over the ties. Maybe I can't see in you pictures if you did it.
Andre
Good point Andre...I do exactly the same...see my photo above yours. The effect is perfect and worth the extra effort for those laying track on wood ties.
Bob
I forgot to do that when I was laying this batch of ties down. It does look great and I think I will do it next time!
I finished this turnout...hopefully I can get it wired up and try it out soon.
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Now thats what I'm talkin' about. I like to use a stiff wire brush, the lines are subtle and they vary a bunch. I like your points, how did you file/grind those down?...excellent job.
I also like to use a wire brush. If I want a rotten tie I use the wire brush in a Dremel Tool.
Your switch looks great. You just did the hard part getting started. The rest will be a snap. Look forward to seeing you progress.
By the way, how are you going to operate your switches?
Ok...the results are excellent, great work.
Will I can tell you that since you used a solid point instead of a hinged point, a Tortoise with have problems. I have removed all of my Tortoise Switch Motors they just will not push the point up against the stock rail like it needs to be. I am now working on a pull knob through the fascia. I will share more when I figure out what I am doing with that.
Ken, if you have to time this year to stop in... I have never had a problem with using Tortoise on my switches. I do have to replace their wimpy wire with one larger and stronger but that's all.