What do you recommend to bend Gargraves flextrack???
underworld
I started out using my hot water heater. Go gently, a little at a time. Then I made some patterns for different radiuses from plywood or even quarter inch Luan wood. Just secuere them down & gently form around it.
Thanks, John
Like John, I cut templates from luane plywood. I made my templates about an inch tighter radius than desired to allow for the spring in the track. With some effort I was even able to bend “S” curves.
Underworld,
Flex track is not easy to bend. I use patterns as mentioned but the key to smooth curves is when you attach it to your layout. Mark out your curve on the layout and follow it closely either by screwing it down or with glue.
Call me crazy, but in my eyes, gg is really easy to bend.
I just use my gut.
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Gut feeling based on a 27" or 36" template and go from there or eyeball it.
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Gut to bend the track on. But I do like Johns idea of the hw tank. Sounds more comfortable.
GG is the best! you can go anywhere.
Im all about the TOY aspect of O gague but
How often do you see a perfectly straight section of track? (In the tristate area that is.)
I just picked up several pieces of GG 5-railed track off of EBAY.
When it arrived, several sections were missing the track pins.
Would most hobby stores sell GG track pins? … or is there a good on-line supplier for GG pins?
Thanks in advance for any help in finding some.
The minnSota-Pop (I have kids now!)
SotaBoy - any hobby shop that carries GG should have the pins, if not order from GG direct.
Pins or track, cut off discs etc direct from GarGraves is the quickest delivery. Some dealers may have pins if you are in a highly populated area.
GarGracves Flextrak is hard to bend only if the ties have dried out from storage. Spray WD-40 liberally on the rail/tie joints at each tie and if the weather is decent lay outside in the grass, on mulch or whereever is available to dry. You can wipe it down however the WD-40 odor disipates reasonably fast.
Bending and installing":
For eaisest GG installation plus perfect curves, lay out your curve arcs by extending the radius with a “radius tape” *, swing the tape thru the curve arc and mark the track center line with a Sharpie. Then lay the track center rail to the curve arc line and bend to the line, drill a tie and screw[every 8-9"] or as necessary as you advance forward. Drive up your center and outside rails with a small hammer and wood block as they shorten on the trailing end at the joint.
Leave the trailing joint unscrewed about 9" each side of the joint and when the curve bend is complete, [screwed 9" back from the leading end/joint] and cut square at the leading end [or staggered if desired]. Then lay your hammer or a wood block flat on the benchwork at the trailing joint and place the hammer head or block up against the outer tie ends and ease the joint inward until it is precisely on the Sharpie center mark—this is the way to perfect curve joints that you cannot possibly achieve via finger bending near the end plus the potential for kinking is eliminated. While “eased in” , install a screw two ties back on each side of the joint. Then proceed with the next GG curve section.
[Of course for straight sections I use 1’, 3’, 5’ steel straight edges,[and even an 8’ long metal straight edge if needed], held against the tie ends for perfectly straight track.You ca
Thanks for all of the great tips guys!!!
trainmasterz I just saw a particularly far from straight track earlier today, part of an old industrial line. I’m going to try to get back there later this week with my camera.
underworld [:D][:D][:D][:D][:D]
Good deal, cant wait to see it.
Up top for Jason to read regarding GarGraves Flextrack!
Thanks Dewey.
I’m thinking the bending won’t be such problem. The cutoff wheel seems like a great idea to prevent track damage.
Jason
i find that the saw like knife thats used for cutting track also is pretty easy to. as i use since my dremmal went out on me. i just haven’t had any luck with it since i got it. its a little manual work but thats all part of the process.
Do you mean one of those with the plastic handle like the one from Atlas???
underworld[:D][:D][:D][:D][:D]
There is an older tread on this same subject that might be of help.
I think that it’s great when you can bend it and make it look good. I don’t have that talent. I used premade Gargraves corners. They have wood ties and look really nice. For me, they were easier.
TomS
yeah thats it
I believe Classic Toy Trains magazine is planning to do a report of some type on “Bending” GarGraves track. I vaguely recall reading this last week on a routine subscriber e-mail from CTT at the computer in our mountain house.
I have always favored GarGraves Flextrak because it does in fact provide the flexibility to have a custom right-of-way with curves that fit the scene instead of the other way around. I have never found it difficult to install flextrak even before I had a Moto Tool to cut it—a razor saw did the job on my early tracklaying. As for “bending”, I simply bend and fasten it as I match a track section’s center rail to a marked centerline on the roadbed [or the joint where the split cork roadbed joins].
Maybe the Forum Boss can comment on CTT’s bending initiative.