Not sure I know what PCB ties are.
Frogs are not hard to make? Hmmm.
A tie jig which you can also make? Hmmm.
I am really tempted to try my hand at hand laying a turnout, but this all sounds difficult for a complete novice.
Rich
Hello James.
Unlike many of the above posters I have not been blessed with the micro-engineering skills required for hand laying turnouts. Subsequently I invested in two FastTrack jigs to build all the turnouts for my current layout. I will admit the first was a dud. But I took the lessons from that experience and built all remaining turnouts required for my current layout. In the end I was making a complete turnout in about 45 minutes. All turnouts are very smooth and reliable. Even my most tempermental locomotives negotiate the turnouts without issue.
Talking to another MRR’er in a hobby shop one afternoon I shared my experience with him. He has since borrowed by FT tools to construct several turnouts for his own use. He reciprocates by assisting me with elements of the hobby I struggle with - like scenery. For me the FT tools have been a win-win and then win.
Finally, the article in the current MR mag is a great summary of the lessons I collected those years ago.
Just my opinion and experience.
Dwayne A
Even if I’m modeling in Nscale I use Fastrack jigs from a while. Today I have build for me and friends nearly 250 turnouts, both curved and straight.
Like the others the two of three first one I build, were like a scale down damaged turnout.
Whith all these turnouts I am ablle to build in place turnout full handlay whitout jig.
Anyway I want to thanks Tim Warris the maker of these fabulous Fastrack jigs.
Just a suggestion if You are ready to start whith Fastrack jig and buy them.
For straight turnout buy the crossover jig of the frog number you are asking for; why? because whith this same jig you are able to build by example a #6 turnout but also a #6 crossover.
In the tools offer of fastrack there are only two I recommend, the point form tool but buy the one for number #12, whith this one you are able to build point for turnout from number #4 to a number #12. The stockaid tool will help you to file accurate stockrail, but sure you can obtain these shape of rails whith a good file.
Don’t use the tie stick offer by fastrack, they are quiet expensive but put wood ties under the turnout.
These are a few Nscale Fastrack turnouts
This is how I put them in place
How to put wood ties under the turnout
[URL=http://s260.photobucket.com/user/maclauriver/media/hard%20at%20work%20with%20fastrack%20tools/yard%20and%20yardstick/004_zps6eb735e0.jpg.html][IMG]http://i260.photobucke
Making some progress on the wye. I have the roadbed nailed down and joint compounded awaiting sanding and painting in the morning and then on the the fun part, hand laying the track and switches. The two curves are 26 radius. Building in HO with code 83 track.
Jim
I was taught to handlay track back about 1977 by Paul Jensen at the Schuylkill Valley Model Railroad Club. Code 100 and Code 83 with no jigs. The last time i was back there about 8 years ago some of those switches are still in use.
Since then I have built them in place, I have built them on the bench, I have built them on PC board ties, I have built them on paper templates. I have use hinged points, continuous points, solid throwbars, hingedthrow bars, insulated frogs, non-insulated frogs. I have laid code 100, code 83, and code 70 (I will have some code 55 on the new layout). I have done N scale, HO and HOn3.
Guess what, every method worked.
The most important ingredient for handlaying track is finding it fun.
I’ve done it. I’d rather be stewed in my own juices. For me it’s nothing but misery.
I have been working on the first turnout the last couple of days. Thanks to Charlie Comstock’s excellent U-tube video on hand laying turnouts with homemade jigs, I finally got started. I built the jig shown in the video and it works just as shown. It took longer for the glue to dry than it took to actually build the jig. Picture of the jig and the first no. 6 frog follow. Started spiking track for this switch this afternoon.
Jim
Fast track is great if you want to sit at a workbench and build turnouts. I got a fast track jig with acc. for $50 on e-bay but haven’t used it as I was able to buy Shinohara turnouts, NIB for $5 a peice as I was running out, bought all they had for future projects. If you need a turnout that is not normal, you can modify a factory one, learned how to do that buy trying to use a changable curved Shinohara turnout and applied it to regular turnouts (needed a couple of those for a tight lead into a car float area).