Fast Tracks has recently announced a new tool in their line of track-laying products. The StockAid. It is a clamp like tool similar to the point form, but it is used to file the notch in the stock rails of a turnout that will accept the point rail, no more unsure belt sanding! http://www.handlaidtrack.com/stockaid-stock-rail-filing-tool-for-code-40-55-rail-p-3740.php And the best part–you will probably only need one! It doesn’t differ between turnout sizes, but rail sizes. So since I will be using code 40 rail on my layout, I can get the piece in the above link. If you use code 70, 83, and 100, you will need 2, the code 70/83 fixture, and the code 100 fixture, etc. I’m very happy with this though, so now I can buy 1 of these for $65, instead of a belt sander that I probably won’t use outside of this purpose for more than twice as much.
Cool beans
In over 30 years of handlaying track I can’t think of a single switch that wouldn’t work because I had filed the notch in the stockrail wrong or having a problem filing a notch in the stock rail. Frog points maybe. Switch points yes. Stock rails no. What great solution to a non-problem.
I’ll take my belt sander any day.
Dave H.
I think the main advantage is the tool puts the head of the rail out of harms way of the file.
I don’t know how many times I’ve scarred the railhead trying to file the stock rail notch. I’ve probably used a few scarred pieces that I shouldn’t have just because I didn’t want to start over and maybe slip again.
I can also see the advantage of being able to stay at the workbench and streamline my turnout construction workflow.
True, you can build great turnouts with none of these tools. But with the tools you will build turnouts faster and they’ll be consistently in spec (after a little practice). Cut-and-fit will take longer and won’t yield such consistent results.
If money is more important than your time, and you know you have the skill, then forget the jigs. If time is more important to you than money, or if you’re all thumbs when it comes to building your own trackwork (but you’d like the consisently in-spec quality of handlaid turnouts), and you have a lot of similar turnouts you need – then the jigs and filing tools are worth considering as a good investment.
I find this tool to be of great use, I used to hold the rail against a table edge and this tool makes it so much easyer plus im not going to waste money on a belt sander…doing it by hand gives more control
I’ve been using a dremel to grind away the foot of the stock rail. Besides being a pain in the neck, the thing I don’t like is that the heat deforms the rail, at least a little. It’s not a cheap little tool, but I am going to seriously consider getting one. If I had a belt sander, I wouldn’t, most likely, but I don’t, and don’t really wany one.