Dave L
Active Member
Originally I had planned to build the track with plastic sleepers and exactoscale chairs, but after totalling up the cost of the chairs for just 3 turnouts and a little plain track I found the total a little eye watering. The plan for the track is for a coating of das clay to represent a compacted cinders around the track work, so burying and obscuring those chairs didn't seem the right choice.
However I didn't want to resort to plain soldered blob chairs, plus it had to match up to a few lengths of exactoscale fast track. I knew of Masokits etched chairs, but there's limited references across the usual places, so I thought I'd give them a try and cost wise they're exceptional value. They alleviate any issues that have been discussed regarding the check rail chairs fixed dimensions and tight radii in P4.
They're a very well designed etch, but then most of Michael Clark's etches are.
Once a routine is found for folding and soldering then it becomes quite enjoyable.
There are a couple of MRJ articles on these and they show a handy little jig for adding the final bend to the chairs, but I haven't gotten around to making one yet as I'm working on my bench and with plenty of protection of the trackwork it can all be done in situ.
However I didn't want to resort to plain soldered blob chairs, plus it had to match up to a few lengths of exactoscale fast track. I knew of Masokits etched chairs, but there's limited references across the usual places, so I thought I'd give them a try and cost wise they're exceptional value. They alleviate any issues that have been discussed regarding the check rail chairs fixed dimensions and tight radii in P4.
They're a very well designed etch, but then most of Michael Clark's etches are.
Once a routine is found for folding and soldering then it becomes quite enjoyable.
There are a couple of MRJ articles on these and they show a handy little jig for adding the final bend to the chairs, but I haven't gotten around to making one yet as I'm working on my bench and with plenty of protection of the trackwork it can all be done in situ.