Photo Etched Turnout Details: N Scale Code 40 No. 10 Turnout

[ednadolski]

Interesting. That looks like stainless steel, not nickel silver.

They do look very similar.  The NS tho is noticeably softer to work with.

[ednadolski]

Is that enough to do 2 turnouts, or just 1, and do you mind sharing what the etching cost to have made?

It’s actually enough to do 2 RH and 2 LH.   There is only one tie jig tho.

The total cost for one sheet like this is approx. $100 USD, which includes the one-time charge to make the photo tool, the cost to run one sheet, and shipping.   (I paid in GBP so I’d have to look up the exact conversion.). There is also a per-sheet charge to run additional sheets (of which I included one in this case).  A re-order would not have the photo tool charge since that can be re-used.

Ed

[basementcalling]

It’s actually enough to do 2 RH and 2 LH.   There is only one tie jig tho.

The total cost for one sheet like this is approx. $100 USD, which includes the one-time charge to make the photo tool, the cost to run one sheet, and shipping.   (I paid in GBP so I’d have to look up the exact conversion.). There is also a per-sheet charge to run additional sheets (of which I included one in this case).  A re-order would not have the photo tool charge since that can be re-used.

Ed

And I assume you saved money by drawing your own template.

[ednadolski]

And I assume you saved money by drawing your own template.

Yes, one thing I like to do which is not evident from the above sketch, I convert the multilevel drawing to a pair of black-on-white mask drawings, one for the front side of the sheet and one for the back side.  (PPD I’m sure knows how to do that anyways, but I like to do it myself too since it helps me visualize what I am designing and reduces the chance of design errors on my part.)

Ed

[davefoxx]

It’s actually enough to do 2 RH and 2 LH.   There is only one tie jig tho.

The total cost for one sheet like this is approx. $100 USD, which includes the one-time charge to make the photo tool, the cost to run one sheet, and shipping.   (I paid in GBP so I’d have to look up the exact conversion.). There is also a per-sheet charge to run additional sheets (of which I included one in this case).  A re-order would not have the photo tool charge since that can be re-used.

Ed

Ed,

Is there etching not visible in the photograph that would prohibit turning the turnouts over, so your sheet could do up to four LH or four RH?

DFF

[ednadolski]

Is there etching not visible in the photograph that would prohibit turning the turnouts over, so your sheet could do up to four LH or four RH?

The tie plates themselves are largely half-etched from the front side, except for some raised, full-thickness areas that sort of represent the shoulders of a prototype tieplate and guide the placement of the rail.  From the back side the tie plates are flat, and do not have the shoulders, so that makes it basically a one-sided design and hence the need for both left and right handed versions.  Each is a mirror image of the other.

The tie jig tho is flat on both sides, and can be used either way.

Ed

[davefoxx]

Gotcha.  Beautiful work, Ed.  Thanks for responding.

DFF

[peteski]

They do look very similar.  The NS tho is noticeably softer to work with.

I should have been clearer:  Are these etchings in  stainless steel or nickel silver?

[ednadolski]

I should have been clearer:  Are these etchings in  stainless steel or nickel silver?

The latter.  The extra strength/stiffness of the SS isn't really needed, and it's a bit easier to paint the NS and solder to it where needed.

The SS would be a much better choice for spikes tho (if I ever decide to make my own spikes, that is) since metals like NS, PB, and brass are too easy to bend for that.

Ed

[peteski]

The latter.  The extra strength/stiffness of the SS isn't really needed, and it's a bit easier to paint the NS and solder to it where needed.

The SS would be a much better choice for spikes tho (if I ever decide to make my own spikes, that is) since metals like NS, PB, and brass are too easy to bend for that.

Ed

I was hoping that it was nickel silver (for the reasons you cited), but in that photo it looked like stainless steel. After all, the N scale rails are nickel silver and they work just fine.

[svedblen]

Time for construction to begin!

Lots of photos, I hope! 

[ednadolski]

Lots of photos, I hope! 

How about a few quick ones of the jig, for starters?  These are the Mt. Albert ties, which I had stained w/ some Minwax Jacobean.  The ties are a scale 7" x 9" cross section, so you have to be careful not to install them rotated 90 degrees.  The jig is also a guide to trim the ties to length.

Note the blue tape on the back side of the jig, that's to keep the ties in place so I can flip the jig over and lay the ties down in some glue on the roadbed.  The tieplate assembly will go in on top of that.





More to come! 


Ed

[CNscale]

This is looking really good so far.

The only problem I forsee is that your turnouts will now have really nice tie plate detail, but what about the adjacent track?

[svedblen]

Looking good! The ties seem to fit nicely. But I’m still curious to see if you have any problems when later lifting the jig. Will any ties come loose? Hope not!

[ednadolski]

The only problem I forsee is that your turnouts will now have really nice tie plate detail, but what about the adjacent track?

My plan (such that it is) has been to use code 40 flextrack, but another option is to try some fully hand-built track using individual wood ties, tieplates, and spikes.   Here is a quick sample:



Here are some of the individual steps.  First the parts:



Some initial spiking  (w/BLMA truck to check gauge):



More tieplate positioning (note the Micro Engineering "small" sized spikes for comparison):




Prior to painting/weathering/ballasting:




Here is a pic next to some flex track.  The lower strip is some of the legacy Rail Craft Code 40 flextrack, and the one above that is the more recent production of Micro Engineering Code 40 flex (not sure if their most recent production looks much different).  It's not a particularly good or fair comparison since the flextrack is just painted with a grey primer coat, but otoh I have never been very good at trying to make painted ties look like actual wood.    That other track sample is something I did some time ago with C40 rail, ME ties, and the P:87 Stores N Scale code 40 tieplates:



Those P87 tieplates are pretty hard to see since they are so small and there is not enough color contrast with the ties and the rail.  The P87 tieplates do not have spike holes either, so in this sample they are only held in place by the paint (which has actually held up better than the ballast, which is slowly flaking off).

Overall I'm pleased with the latest track sample, tho I would like to improve my colors esp. for the ties which look too dark to me (some better sanding would probably help).  The P87 spikes do look a bit oversized to me so I might think about trying to etch some smaller ones (but not too much smaller -- they quickly get too hard to handle and too hard to see).

Ed