7mm 7mm track options

[simond]

Can’t answer that with any certainty, Mike.

Templot is very, very good, but for someone who grew up with technical drawing and graduated to 2D & eventually 3D CAD, it’s confusingly nothing at all like that.

I think you have to dive in and see how you get on, but of course, that implies buying a Windows computer.

A sufficient laptop will cost around £350 or so. (There will be additional costs for MS office and other toys) I purchased an HP for a dear pal, who’s in later life, and he didn’t get on with it, HP refunded me without a quibble, though obviously T&Cs apply, so do read up before splashing out.

once you have a computer, you can play with CAD too, and 3D print becomes an option. Dive on in, the world’s your lobster!

 

[Rob R]

There are open source alternatives to most MS products eg "Open Office" so if MS office isn't bundled with it it isn't the end of the world.
3d printing on the other hand can be a "black art/hobby within a hobby/PITA" but ultimately very rewarding.
Have fun.
Happy Mid winter festivities.
Rob

 

[Hayfield1]

If I were to investigate Templot and 3D track modelling I'd have to invest in a computer or laptop as I currently only use an Android phone for my 'interneting'. What would be the minimum spec I'd be looking at, and more importantly at what cost?

Unlike some peeps here who seem to have IT knowledge of CAD and other such things (Templot for example), I unfortunately don't. Are these things easy to learn?

Cheers
Mike

I had to buy a laptop last year as my desk top had sufficient ump to work 3D builder and slicing programs, the Cheapest laptops I was advised had too little ram, I was advised not to buy a 4gb RAM but an 8 GB ram machine, had a quick look and cost about £250

Now at the moment you may not want to 3D print, that's not to say in the future you may wish to send files to a printer

 

[Hayfield1]

Can’t answer that with any certainty, Mike.

Templot is very, very good, but for someone who grew up with technical drawing and graduated to 2D & eventually 3D CAD, it’s confusingly nothing at all like that.

I think you have to dive in and see how you get on, but of course, that implies buying a Windows computer.

A sufficient laptop will cost around £350 or so. (There will be additional costs for MS office and other toys) I purchased an HP for a dear pal, who’s in later life, and he didn’t get on with it, HP refunded me without a quibble, though obviously T&Cs apply, so do read up before splashing out.

once you have a computer, you can play with CAD too, and 3D print becomes an option. Dive on in, the world’s your lobster!

Simond

Last year I brought a HP 8GB Ram for £250, as said no need to buy anything else in the way of software. I have used the free version of Open Office for years.

 

[Hayfield1]

By the way, I cannot use or rather don't know how to use CAD programs

The basic functions of Templot can be mastered very easily after reading a few Templot how to and of watching James Walters Bexhill West how to use Templot

The basic functionality is ever so easy to use.

Spend a little time understanding it and you will be able to learn basic (Templot) layout design principals

 

[martin_wynne]

Templot is very, very good, but for someone who grew up with technical drawing and graduated to 2D & eventually 3D CAD, it’s confusingly nothing at all like that.

@simond

Hi Simon, Mike,

Nowhere on the tin does Templot claim to be any of those things, so the confusion was all of your own making. Folks who know nothing about technical drawing or CAD get on with Templot just fine. What it does expect you to know is something about UK prototype railway track.

Templot2 for track and layout design will run on just about any old Windows computer, including used/refurbished ones.

For 3D printed track the program swaps to Templot5, which requires 64-bit Windows and ideally at least Windows10 for access to the 3D Builder app, although there are alternatives. Also 8GB memory for the 3D data, otherwise it might be very slow.

But a second-hand Windows10/64 computer with 8GB would be fine.

Happy Christmas to all.

cheers,

Martin.

 

[Phil O]

You're probably a lot better off being a complete beginner, as you won't have any prior knowledge of how other programs work, which will make Templot a lot easier to learn, as it doesn't work in the same way as CAD programs.

 

[Hayfield1]

Simond

Firstly thanks for your usual invaluable input, some of the issues when using any program is understanding how it works, which may be different to other programs

I think that those who can and do use CAD may find Templot works differently, thankfully it does and even I can use it and master a few extra functions. But with a little application it becomes very user friendly in its basic form

 

[spikey faz]

Loads to digest. Thanks. But first gotta digest Xmas dinner!

All the best.
Mike

 

[simond]

I fear I have been misunderstood!

I really didn't mean any criticism of Templot at all, I was simply saying that my reasonably extensive experience in CAD was not really of any great use at all (and may be a disadvantage in that inevitably, like everybody else, I will have developed expectations & preconceptions), which means that someone like Mike, who doesn't have, and is thus not burdened by, such experience, is not at any disadvantage.

Despite my preconceptions, I’ve managed to design and build a dozen or so points/turnouts using copperclad, or C&L chairs to plans I’ve generated on Templot, firstly on the Greater Windowledge Railway, latterly on PD Loco, and a couple for mates.

it’s a great tool. It takes time to get your head around. The results are excellent. I cannot imagine building a model without it.

 

[Hayfield1]

Simon

I meant no criticism to your post, infact you have always been very supportive, and thank you for your support. Templot can be both a sheep and wolf

In its basic form it is so easy to use, in both producing turnout and crossings templates (plans) and layout designs

However there is another side to Templot where for want of a better set of words "specialist design occurs". In the old days this was the only way to designing 3 ways and slips, these functions have now been automated. Its something I slightly know and has allowed me tp print a diamond crossing in COT track, but for experts it goes way past this

Many in the past wrote of Templot claiming it was the dark arts of track building. But as advanced modelling is becoming main stream, prejudices are falling away.

Personally I think basic Templot functions are both very easy to both learn and use, and will suffice for 95% of users

Happy Christmas to all

John

 

[Phil O]

Templot is a lot less of a learning curve now, than it was when I 1st started. The need to know how to produce tandem turnouts and slips from partial templates has pretty much disappeared, since Martin made them mostly a few clicks for scissors crossovers, outside slips, irregular diamonds and slips it requires a bit more knowledge in the use of partial templates. I would suggest learning to crawl before learning to walk, let alone run.

It took me around 4 months to learn the basics, back when I started at around Ver. 0.6 at 1 or 2 hours a session, my head couldn't take much more and the suddenly it just clicked and away I went. I still have to refer back to the tutorials for the more complicated stuff, as I don't use it enough to remain proficient and there's stuff that still needs to be learnt.

When Martin was doing Zoom meetings, after he broke his shoulder, I learnt a few tricks on how to do things.

Martin, if you read this, would it be possible to reinstate the 'club' forum as read only, instead of the total black out, so that we can access the resources that are only available there, like the videos and tutorials etc.

Many Thanks.

 

[simond]

I’ve just been doing some spring cleaning in the dustier corners of my laptop, and went looking.

Apart from the example files that Martin supplied with Templot, the earliest box file I have is dated March 2006, but I have a CAD drawing that is definitely a Templot import in a file dated 2004, so I suspect MrsD purchased the licence for my Christmas present in 2003 though it might have been earlier.

The Greater Windowledge Railway featured a home built tandem on copperclad, but the drawings I can find for that are not from Templot.

I do recall partial templates!

 

[Phil O]

Simon,

My 1st iteration was on disk, no idea when it was, either late '90s or early naughties. Martin probably has the date on record.

 

[Robertedm]

COT Track: Chairs on Timber Plastic Track ... ?

Me, I'm old school and prefer The Way

 

[martin_wynne]

Martin, if you read this, would it be possible to reinstate the 'club' forum as read only, instead of the total black out, so that we can access the resources that are only available there, like the videos and tutorials etc.

@Phil O

Hi Phil,

Before I switch it back on I want to change a lot of the wording to make it much clearer that nowadays Templot is just my fun hobby and not some sort of semi-commercial software product. Especially to make clear that I'm simply making it available as-is, and there is no support or explanations included with it. If I answer questions, make videos etc., it is just because I want to and not because I feel the slightest obligation to do so, or to reply to anything. That seems very unfriendly and is not meant to be -- but otherwise it would simply overwhelm me. I've come close to that recently.

Also I want to get the next update released first, so that I don't have to begin every post with "When the next update is available ...".

Making it read-only is a surprising lot of faff, which would all need to be undone again later. And also lead to endless emails about something seeming to be wrong with the web site.

Instead I will email you a temporary alternative URL which will give you full access, but bear in mind if you post anything that there will be no-one there to read it.

cheers,

Martin.

 

[Phil O]

Many Thanks Martin.

I don't want to post anything, but I get lost doing some of the things that used to remember how to do, without even thinking about it.

I hope that you're enjoying your break, even though the weather has been absolute rubbish and appears to be similar tomorrow.

Thanks again.

 

[martin_wynne]

@Phil O
email sent.

 

[Wagonman]

@simond

Hi Simon, Mike,

Nowhere on the tin does Templot claim to be any of those things, so the confusion was all of your own making. Folks who know nothing about technical drawing or CAD get on with Templot just fine. What it does expect you to know is something about UK prototype railway track.

Templot2 for track and layout design will run on just about any old Windows computer, including used/refurbished ones.

For 3D printed track the program swaps to Templot5, which requires 64-bit Windows and ideally at least Windows10 for access to the 3D Builder app, although there are alternatives. Also 8GB memory for the 3D data, otherwise it might be very slow.

But a second-hand Windows10/64 computer with 8GB would be fine.

Happy Christmas to all.

cheers,

Martin.

I am hoping to be able to use it on a Mac using the Wine emulator. Would I succeed?

 

[martin_wynne]

I am hoping to be able to use it on a Mac using the Wine emulator. Would I succeed?

Hi,

Several Templot users run Templot2 (32-bit) on Mac+Wine. You need to know what you are doing, a lot seems to depend on which version of the Mac OS.

Templot5 (64-bit) has not been tested on Mac+Wine, at least not by me. It may be fine.

Martin.