How to make a jig?

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Now and then I come across a structure kit or a locomotive etc. that is missing a part, such as hand rails, or maybe the safety type hand railings around a pit, and they’re not available from the mfg. anymore. How do you make a jig for something like this so that you could make several of the same size and type, maybe out of wire or styrene?

Thanks,

Jarrell

2

You could use metal and molding processes, or you could use heavy styrene or fiberglass and a router to dig out any channels and to leave blocks. You could even bore holes in a stout piece of oak board or maple and insert metal pins around which you bend things.

I made a half-decent jig for constructing wooden trestle bents in scale a few years back. It wasn’t what I would term elegant…ugly…yeah let’s go with ugly…but it worked as I needed it to. I used bits of blue extruded foam in blocks carved and glued in such a way onto a larger block. When it was done, I was able to lay measured and cut bits of stripwood into the various channels, CA or use wood glue, and wait for 30 minutes until it was stiff enough to remove as a larger frame from the jig.

-Crandell

3

making a jig for wire handrails to go around a pit is fairly easy.

Trace the pattern you would like for your handrails on a piece of wood in pencil. Then put nails in around the pattern around which to bend the wire {such as florists wire} to shape the handrails. Snip off excess wire and remove form jig. REpeat as necessary to get each individual railing OR make one long jig to make the whole railing at once. Bend to shape {say in a circle for a circular pit} if necessary.

4

Use your imagination. sit down and VISUALIZE what you need to make it happen. Simple. taht is how I do it.

5

Recently, I built the Walthers 2-Stall Enginehouse (HO). It came with only one support truss for the roof panels in the center of the structure. I made a photocopy of the original and used same-thickness styrene pieces laid on that image as a guide in making a second one, to increase the support for the roof. I am sure others have done this procedure for various structural details- doors, windows, structural bracing, etc. Alternatively, you might locate an image of the piece or part on Google and use that as a visual “jig” once you have sized the image properly. One bit of advice- if the image is small in size (under 300x300), it will enlarge poorly. A “lightly” drafted drawing may be needed, created from the image.

Hope this helps a bit.

Cedarwoodron

6

Thanks for all the replies, I’ll see what I can come up with based on your suggestions.

Jarrell

7

First you’ll need a fiddle and an accordion… and a few pints of Guinness helps, too…