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posted: 20 May 2013 21:12 from: James click the date to link to this post click member name to view archived images |
Hi, I have been posting on another well known forum looking for some help in the manufacturing of a jig that can be used to make N gauge turnouts using the Templot dimensions. (having said that I've reduced the flangeway to 0.8mm) I've attached the 2d drawing of my CAD design and the plan is to machine it out of 6061 aluminum plate. The jig would have slots to file the rail to make the v which would also bend the wing rails the correct angle, hold the v in the correct position while soldering and then combine the v and wing rail with N gauge flangeway gaps while soldering the whole assembly. The one jig would have the capability of doing 1:7, 1:8, 1:9 and 1:10 all on same jig. My question is - is it feasible to get this machined / made and does anyone know a suitable service/company who may be able to do this to such fine tolerances? I have had limited success finding a supplier by Googling! Any help is, as always, much appreciated. James2527_201612_260000000.png |
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posted: 20 May 2013 21:25 from: Paul Willis click the date to link to this post click member name to view archived images |
Hi James, I don't personally know anyone that can do that for you. However it's not all bad news. Terry Bendall, a fellow Scalefour Committee member, has recently arranged for the production of 4mm point blade and crossing vee jigs for sale to Society members. This was done by a local engineering firm who not only understood the requirements but were prepared to work with us and recognised that we weren't a multinational concern placing orders for thousands. You can reach him at terrybendall@scalefour.org Tell him that I sent you, and I'm sure that he will provide the contact details for you to take it forward. Cheers Paul Willis Scalefour Society Deputy Chairman |
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posted: 20 May 2013 21:37 from: James click the date to link to this post click member name to view archived images |
Many many thanks Paul, I've just emailed Terry and look forward to hearing from him. Will post an update if I have any luck. Thanks again, James |
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posted: 21 May 2013 13:03 from: GeoffJones
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Hi James In the 2MM Scale Association we have some jigs very like your proposed jig for filing and assembling crossings so you might find some comments on their usability helpful. The jigs and methods mentioned here are all described in detail and illustrated in "Track How it Works and How to Model It", which is available from the Association at 2mm.org.uk. For filing crossing tapers we have simple jigs made of Tufnol very much like your jigs at the edge of the plate. Ours also have a simple clamping device which is important. With FB rail you might not need a clamp, but you would need very strong finger pressure to stop the rail moving along with the file. I also find that there is a tendency for the rail to tip sideways and this results in a skew taper. They also do not cater for switch tapers. I recommend a jig based on the same principles as those described by Howard in message 8928 here. These jigs are very easy to build using wood and styrene sheet. There is, however a very important difference: ours use a file made from wood, styrene and Wet or Dry paper. This means that there is no danger of filing away the guide block. With a simple metal addition they also cater for FB rail. One simple filing jig can handle all switch and crossing angles. They are also very quick to use. For soldering crossing vees I use a very simple jig with two slots cut in a block of Melamine faced chipboard. You do need another jig to cut the slots in the soldering jig, but that consists of no more than 4 nails in another piece of chipboard. This does depend on the very convenient fact that a Junior hacksaw blade cuts a 0.5mm slot, which is the thickness of our finescale rail. I think N scale rail is 0.8mm wide at the head and very conveniently a standard hacksaw blade cuts a suitable slot. If your rail is 0.7mm, which the standards also mention, you could stone the sides of a hacksaw blade to cut a 0.7 slot. Our jigs for soldering complete crossings is very similar to yours, except that we have a separate jig for each angle. Ours are made from 3/16 aluminium and initially proved very difficult to use as they absorbed far too much heat from the soldering iron. We now have a slot milled up the back so that the metal below the soldering area is only about 1.8mm thick. A difficulty with this type of jig in the smaller scales is that the rail can move very slightly in the slots so that alignment is not as easy as you might hope, particular with the knuckle. The slots must have a certain amount of give, otherwise it is impossible the extract the completed crossing from the jig without damaging it. Our jigs have a cross slot to help with extraction. Personally I much prefer to solder the vee in a jig and build the rest of the crossing in situ. I do recommend that you buy the Track book. Much that it contains is equally applicable handbuilt track in N scale. Regards Geoff |
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posted: 21 May 2013 18:09 from: James click the date to link to this post click member name to view archived images |
Wow! A reply from Geoff of Track book fame - this is like rubbing shoulders with the A-listers from model railway world (although my other half seemed less than impressed when I explained that to her!) Many thanks for the reply Geoff, some useful pointers in there and I have the Track book already and have read it many times - it was mainly this that has convinced me to redo the scenic parts of my layout with handbuilt track - a great read. My 6 and 8 year old don't seem to be fond of it as a bedtime story yet however, regardless of how many times I've tried. Maybe I need to start with some of the jig suggestions from the book - I just liked the idea of having them all on one jig with the correct n gauge flangeways and tried to design it so it could be used with BH rail just slotted into the gaps and FB turned upside down like the fast track jigs. Thanks again and I'll go back to the book and look at some of the jig suggestions more closely in there. All the best, James |
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