Michael,
I use a modified rail joiner as the hinge. It's something that a u-tube
video would explain fairly easily as it's difficult to describe, but
once finished it will hold the closure rails fairly securely.
I don't hinge all my turnouts-mainly #6 and less--I just bend the iron
for #7's and above. Earl Elishamann (sp) just soldered a piece of strap
metal as a hinge--I have several of those installed early on.
The drawbar material is actually just a bit thicker than the standard
copper clad material. It drills and taps very nicely and won't
melt--they should last forever and again I'm following Jack Troxell's
procedures that have a longer history of success.
The two part forming fixture is just brass stock. I think Jack forms
them by placing everything in a vise and clamping the sandwich.
Bob Werre
On 9/28/12 3:11 PM, Michael Eldridge wrote:
I'm curious:
1. how long your moving rails are from point to hinge. I think the
prototype (SP, the one and only) did this with 16 ft. of rail.
2. do you have a rail joiner at the hinge? Anybody have a better
looking alternative?
3. what materials are people using for throw bars. Like, (Paul) why
use PC board if you are going to make a mechanical, unsoldered link of
the points to the throw bar? (Bob) why use epoxy/fiberglass board (PC
board without foil) instead of more common materials?
BTW, the forming tool is brilliant. I've been filing off the web on
the tab side, but the forming tool sounds great. Is it just milled out
of something harder than brass?
-Michael Eldridge
-Should be painting the layout room walls later today, just sky color,
then a graded shading with white at the horizon.
--- In [email protected] <mailto:S-Scale%40yahoogroups.com>, Bob
Werre <bob@...> wrote:
Another mentor Fred Little made up a two
> piece forming tool to make the tabs with an offset to contour to the
web
> of the rail. We solder them to the side of the rail (I use silver
> bearing solder), then drill the holes and round the edges for
> appearance. I use the 00-90 screws while Jack used to make up rivets
> (both work). We generally also use the same material (but a bit
> thicker) that PC ties are made from but without the copper laminate.
>
> We also hinge most of the other ends.
