Templot Plug Track Developments

[Hayfield1]

View attachment 215806

Simon

A very impressive piece of design, manufacture and of course modelling

Well done and thanks for making the chairs available to home modellers, as I do fear for the future of home build track with the ever increasing cost components.

 

[John Walker]

Simon

Unfortunately Colron don't seem to produce their solvent based dyes any more. They moved to water soluble which doesn't soak in as well. I have some Rustin's solvent based to try. I also have some potassium permanganate crystals which were recommended to me.

Regards
John Walker

 

[Hayfield1]

Simon

Unfortunately Colron don't seem to produce their solvent based dyes any more. They moved to water soluble which doesn't soak in as well. I have some Rustin's solvent based to try. I also have some potassium permanganate crystals which were recommended to me.

Regards
John Walker

John

Good morning and how are you?

A thought has just crossed my mind, watching both Will from the repair workshop and some of the restorers on Salvage Hunters when colour matching new wood to old they start with spirit based shellac (possibly thinned down ?) then add dry pigment (powder).

Why not follow a similar process in find a suitable spirit based mixture as a base coat then add other pigments into small amounts of base colour ?

Not being either an artist or a restorer I have no idea where to look or what to buy, over to those in the know

 

[Hayfield1]

I dont know whether this is a good quality product, or whether it is gloss, but its a start

Shellac Varnish - 120ml

Discover 120ml Shellac Varnish for metal leaf and gilding. Amber in bottle, clear when dry. Perfect for crafts and DIY projects. Shop now!

artway.co.uk

How about this for pigments and if its what's required what colours would one need ?

https://www.jacksonsart.com/jackson-s-artist-pigment-natural-sienna-monte-amiata-pbr7-25g-in-50ml-jar?channable=0044a569640031373336343170&___store=jacksonsart_en&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw6auyBhDzARIsALIo6v882YA0mg4uw90fW-7oQtdROjFlr7gCpuT-grNrl99p1mAsd9192PMaAveKEALw_wcB

 

[martin_wynne]

Simon

Unfortunately Colron don't seem to produce their solvent based dyes any more. They moved to water soluble which doesn't soak in as well. I have some Rustin's solvent based to try. I also have some potassium permanganate crystals which were recommended to me.

Regards
John Walker

@John Walker @Hayfield1

Hi John,

Try soaking a dried used tea-bag (or several) in a little IPA (isopropyl alcohol, as used in washing resin prints). Leave for an hour or two, stirring occasionally. (Unused tea-bags seem to take longer. Used tea-bags can be dried in the oven.) Adjust time and number of tea-bags to suit required depth of colour.

Produces a brownish spirit stain which soaks in instantly and can be built up with repeated application. Low-cost.

To my eye most stained ply timbers look too dark, unless you are modelling freshly relaid mainline track. Most timbers sun-bleach to a lightish grey colour, and can vary a lot from one to the next:

Martin.

 

[martin_wynne]

Yes, more difficult to do in CAD. The four are different, but having different orientations on adjacent chairs would be more work that I care for!

And they are quite small…

@simond

Hi Simon,

Just to say that the GWR used through-bolts with nuts on top only on plain track.

In pointwork they used flat-top square-head chair screws inserted from above instead (in the same chairs). They were used directly in the chair holes, unlike REA chairs where a raised boss and tapered ferrule is used.

(screws!)

This means that strictly speaking for GWR S1 ordinary chairs you need 2 versions of the CAD -- one with the end of the bolt protruding through the nut, and one with a flat top.

cheers,

Martin.

 

[Phil O]

I guess they didn’t need to tighten the fang bolt nuts very often. I’d have been a grumpy granger if I’d had to carry two spanners…

Simon,

If the chair nuts need tightening, the sleeper or timber is well past its useful life.

To remove the chairs turn the sleeper/timber upside down and split it through the bolt holes and cut the bolts.

 

[simond]

@simond

Hi Simon,

Just to say that the GWR used through-bolts with nuts on top only on plain track.

In pointwork they used flat-top square-head chair screws inserted from above instead (in the same chairs). They were used directly in the chair holes, unlike REA chairs where a raised boss and tapered ferrule is used.

(screws!)

This means that strictly speaking for GWR S1 ordinary chairs you need 2 versions of the CAD -- one with the end of the bolt protruding through the nut, and one with a flat top.

cheers,

Martin.

thanks Martin,

alternatively, a scalpel will remove the tip of the fang bolt leaving a flat square head!

the 95R chairs are intended for plain track - I'm hoping that by the time I need to do the P&C, you'll have programmed GW chairs within Templot

cheers
Simon

 

[Hayfield1]

I thought I would give an update of an experiment we are doing in Templot Club in 7mm scale



We are printing both the timbers and chairs in FDM (filament), this was to see what level of detail we could produce



With the first brick (section) being successful the second brick was printed and more rails fabricated



The third brick added and more rails fitted



All panels fitted now waiting for the switch rails



Whilst this is an experiment so far it has gone well, whilst not in a full developmental stage one of the areas Martin is thinking about is the common crossing, perhaps incorporating some form of plug track where the wing rail fits. So the wing rails will be one piece. visually it will look much better

 

[daifly]

Since the check-rail chairs are printed with the timber, how do you get the (presumably pre-shaped) check-rails into position without fracturing anything?

Dave

 

[martin_wynne]

Since the check-rail chairs are printed with the timber, how do you get the (presumably pre-shaped) check-rails into position without fracturing anything?

Dave

Hi Dave,

If the check rail flares are reasonably to scale, and radiused rather than a sharp bend (33ft-6in radius), there is enough flexibility in the FDM material (toughened PLA-Plus) to allow the check rails to feed through. Likewise the set bend in the switch stock rail.

The game changer has been the move to a fast Klipper-based printer (Elegoo Neptune 4):

cheers,

Martin.

 

[Hayfield1]

Since the check-rail chairs are printed with the timber, how do you get the (presumably pre-shaped) check-rails into position without fracturing anything?

Dave

Dave

That was my thoughts and also for the wing rails. Unlike some RTR points (for want of a better word) if you follow the plan the flaring angle is shallow but longer, they just slip through

Martin rightly dislikes the join at the knuckle, already shared some thoughts as to overcome the issue to make it look like the prototype

Its an experiment which is developing and one which we are learning from

Don't forget plug track is also available, its worth visiting Templot Club

 

[DavidB]

There will be a demonstration with the plug track at Scaleforum next weekend, 21st & 22nd September.

 

[Hayfield1]

There will be a demonstration with the plug track at Scaleforum next weekend, 21st & 22nd September.

James and myself will be there with samples of plug & COT track, both of us are happy to chat and show all areas of Templot/ plug track/COT track/3 & 2D design, printing and laser cutting. In addition covering other aspects of track building. With a bit of luck we may even have a FDM printer working.

I am hoping to bring Samples of laser and FDM track bases, resin chairs. I plan to bring some P4 FDM bases with resin chairs as well as samples of 7mm plug and COT track, + computer with Templot, plus a few examples of Templot designed turnouts using traditional building methods, track gauges and jigs.

 

[Hayfield1]

The 3 COT track bricks (sections) loosely laid together, 32mm gauge B7



The last of the 3 prints (switch section) straight off the printer, no cleaning up done



A 1-7 vee filing jig, this to code 125, but in Templot all the major/scale combinations can be catered for. I also now have a set of B switch filing gauges for code 125. These jigs are a game changer for all track builders whatever build method used

As for the 7mm turnouts, Bullhead code 125 C&L & Peco or code 135 covered plus 31.5, 32 or 33mm gauges covered

 

[Hayfield1]

I was given a second (improved) print file so decided to build a second turnout from what I learnt from the first build. One piece wing rails were always the ambition, I did not realize the simple solution in the first build. I cut the panel in half at the knuckle joint, push fitted the rails in the first half, then simply threaded the two rails sticking out from the first, by carefully squeezing the rails together and threading them through the chairs



Just needs a tiebar

I must emphasize COT track is still being experimented on. It will take time to develop, but with developments on 4 & 7mm plug track plus Templot 5 lots of things are happening

If you are interested in plug and COT track have a look at Templot Club

James Walters and my self will be demonstrating at Scaleforum, and are these to answer all aspects of Templot from making a simple template to laser cutting and all in between.

 

[simond]

I invested hours in learning about Plug Track…. Now I’m going to have to learn about COT track.

looks great!
Simon

 

[Hayfield1]

I invested hours in learning about Plug Track…. Now I’m going to have to learn about COT track.

looks great!
Simon

Simon

Really its one of the same, as one of the thoughts are perhaps you could combine the two simply to make the build process better

But at the moment we are still experimenting so its wait and see. But also in 7mm scale its catching up with the 4mm state of play and still developing. The amount of work going on behind the scenes by a few people is amazing, most of which is improving the software, but most of us will just accept Templot is getting better without knowing the work which has gone on



A simple thing like what does the print finish look like once painted, a bit of a rush job, enlargement shows up errors, the errors is not the print finish but my bad painting, next time I will get my airbrush out. The print finish is good, I have been sacked from painting

You need Cot track for dummies then.
Tony

That's me or rather Dummy for COT track

Do come to Scaleforum if you can, they tend to be great shows and the guest scale is 7mm, as well as great layouts trade support is super

 

[Hayfield1]

Its been a few weeks since I posted about 7mm scale Templot developments in making trackworks

​

https://worldofsucculents.com/scientific-names/baculellum-articulatum/
The new system is called COT track, simply printing chairs on timbers or sleepers directly using FDM (filament) Printers. In my opinion a much simpler system than plug track. It still is an experiment as it needs a few more refinements, but is showing a lot of potential

I have now wired it up and had 2 locos running on it, a Dapol Terrier and a kit built loco with Slaters wheels. Both worked faultlessly

From memory the bases cost under £2 to print and used just over £8 worth of rail, that's for a 22" long B7 turnout, Templot is constantly evolving in all scales (and gauges) as improvements are made

Templot had a demonstration stand at Scaleforum this year and at times the stand was mobbed, clearly a 4mm scale event but 7mm scale was also well represented, hopefully having 2 printers working dispelled some of the fears about cost and ease of usage. 3D printing is becoming more normal in our hobby

 

[Pencarrow]

Its been a few weeks since I posted about 7mm scale Templot developments in making trackworks

View attachment 224658​

Baculellum articulatum - World of Succulents
The new system is called COT track, simply printing chairs on timbers or sleepers directly using FDM (filament) Printers. In my opinion a much simpler system than plug track. It still is an experiment as it needs a few more refinements, but is showing a lot of potential

I have now wired it up and had 2 locos running on it, a Dapol Terrier and a kit built loco with Slaters wheels. Both worked faultlessly

From memory the bases cost under £2 to print and used just over £8 worth of rail, that's for a 22" long B7 turnout, Templot is constantly evolving in all scales (and gauges) as improvements are made

Templot had a demonstration stand at Scaleforum this year and at times the stand was mobbed, clearly a 4mm scale event but 7mm scale was also well represented, hopefully having 2 printers working dispelled some of the fears about cost and ease of usage. 3D printing is becoming more normal in our hobby

I attended as an operator with a visiting layout and spend a good hour over the two pre-start mornings asking questions. The whole plug track and CoT printed options looked very interesting. Such a shame this wasn't available 10 years ago when I was laying my track.

It did however make me smile at lunch on Saturday sitting next to some chaps from another layout. There were several there who were opinioning that this new fangled printed track was only ok standard straight turnouts (B6 etc). Anything else was far too complex.

Having seen some very non-standard turnout arrangements on the display earlier, I was going to interrupt and correct. I did however decide it was best to leave them be as they looked the type that can't be wrong...