Periodically, I read about someone who has hand laid all of his rail, and frequently there’s some mention of the individual having used Kadee’s Rail Spiker. It’s usually described as “pricey” or “fairly expensive,” but there’s no additional information. I know these have to be ordered directly from Kadee, but does anyone know what one of these gizmos actually costs?
FYI: A quick check of Kadee’s web site (www.kadee.com) shows that the spiker has been discontinued.
There’s a Kadee Rail Spiker for HOn3 being advertised on Ebay. You might want to go overthere and keep a watch on it to see what it sells for. I’ve seen other over there from time to time…Walt
Thanks, I’ll do that.
Since they’re apparently no longer available, does anyone know what they used to sell for?
By the way, Walt, have you received your SierraWest Saw Mill kit yet? My invoice back in December said my kit (one of the “Signature Editions”) would ship in January, but I still don’t have it. I’m thinking about call Brett and checking on it. But if you don’t have yours either, then I guess I won’t worry too much yet.
Mike: Your invoice? You weren’t suppose to be invoiced till it shipped, that’s what I was told. I was also told mid to late February if the new supplier of brass etchings from Korea delivered on time! I Emailed Brett the other day but haven’t had an answer back. I also ordered the Signature Edition on a credit card and was told mine would be one of the first out the door…which door is the question! (chuckle) I better go over my credit card statements and make sure I haven’t been charged for it yet. He also said he would call just before shipping…Walt
Yeah, I got essentially the same story.
The story behind the invoice: I’m on the Automatic Shipment program for the Deer Creek Series, but even so I reserved a Sig. Ed. kit about 17-18 months ago. Then a year ago this past Christmas I got a bill for $50 to hold the reservation, followed by a bill several months later requesting half the balance. Then this past December, I got the invoice for the remaining balance, with the notation that my kit would ship in January.
Because we were going to be out of town quite a bit during January, I emailed Brett and asked him to let me know when the kit was on the way, so that I could rearrange my travel plans and be home to receive it. I haven’t heard anything since. Guess I’ll keep waiting.
I do know, though, in all fairness, that between the Deer Creek Series and the Lasercut series of kits, he’s almost got more than he can keep up with.
On the mark that he probably is overloaded. I’m not that anquious to get the kit as I’m not ready to start work on it. I still have the Cooley’s Old Rose Mine to finish. I’m about half way through that one. I hope the Twin Mills is a better kit. This Master Creations kit leaves too much to your imagination as to just what your suppose to do. I’ve even found parts, a large bent assembly, that could not be installed at all with out cutting about 3/8" off the top of one bent and the top joining piece. Basically notching it to fit in under the Mine Head. When I did this (it’s hidden) everything fitted ok. I also have a number of smaller kits, steam hoist, donkey engine, loco and some car kits to work on. I want to get my style down before attempting the bigger Twin Mills project! (chuckle)…Walt
Same with me. I’m working on SW’s HO Work Train AND the Tractor Repair Shed at the same time! (I just trade off - work on one one evening and then the other the next evening). But I also have a scratchbuilding project going. So it’ll be a year before I get to the mill kit. Maybe it will have arrived by then 
I kind of got this thread totally sidetracked with a different discussion. I’m still interested in any info anyone has about Kadee’s Rail Spiker tool.
Wish I could swap off on model projects. My problem is I am also running my own business as a software consultant. So at night I have to do book work, advertising, ect. also learn new products. Only leaves the weekends at best for MRR. Plus, I have to use the same desk space for both. Thus I have a number of roll around stacked drawer units with the modeling stuff in them. I’m also doing some playing with CAD so my time is full…Walt
Mike: I just received an Email from Brett saying it would be shipped next week! Hope he’s right.
Lucky you! I haven’t seen or heard/read anything yet. Maybe tomorrow.
That would be strange in deed. Why would he send mine, not paid for, and not yours which is? Unless he needs the money? If you don’t hear from him by Thursday I’d give him a call, kind of knuge him so to speak. (grin)…Walt
I sent him email earlier this evening, asking when I might expect to receive it… as you said, to sort of nudge him. And I reminded him that I have a part missing from my Worktrain kit… again, a sort of nudge. We’ll see what tomorrow brings.
Mike
Oh yea, I foregot, I also have the Sierra West HOn3 work train kits to build. I stuck them in a drawer till I felt better at doing them. I’ve experimented with some low cost kits and have been happy with the results. Plenty of kits to work on but no layout in the near future! (grin) Guess I’ll have to build diaramas till then…Walt
Hi Mike, The Kadee Rail Spiker sold for about 100 bucks in “real money” HA!..It was a modified staple gun that used some very small staples. The head of the gun would split the staple into two parts and bend the tops of the pieces so that they would “spike down” the flange/base of the rail. A model railroad club I belonged to had one and it worked quite well once you got the hang of the thing. My biggest concern about acquiring one now would be weather or not the staples/spikes would be available. I’m not sure but I think that the staples/spikes were kind of a special item too. When you are handlaying track it doesn’t take long to use 1,000’s of spikes on a large layout. If you haven’t already done so try handlaying some rail…just spike every third or fourth tie. Its kinda time consuming but the results are great! Take Care and Have Fun…Vic
Mike, One other thing I forgot to mention…If you decide to try to find one of these spikers make sure that it has the head for the size rail that you use. As I recall it was sold in several versions for various code sizes of rail…Vic
Thanks for the info, Vic.
Like most modelers, I’ve pretty much used flex track over the years, but lately I’ve been building dioramas (to eventually go on the layout) and I’ve been handlaying the rail on those. I liked the results enough that I thought I would handlay all of the rail in a new section on my layout. That’s why I was interested in the Kadee spiker. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life trying to hand-staple individual spikes in place. Oh well… again, thanks. Your info was helpful.
Mike, I know what you mean…seems like that lately my bi-focals get in the way of a lot of things on the railroad…HA HA!!
Take a look at some of George Sellios’s articles on weathering flex track…Franklin & Manchester RR. Darned if it don’t look hand laid…Vic