The point is?

[Jon Randall]

I've been hand-building a Gn15 Y-point this afternoon, my first in any scale.




I've still got to attach a tie-bar to the blades (which will be fun) and solder up the frog.
Any advice/comments from you track-layers out there

[More_Cats_Than_Sense]

Professional looking job there Jon

[Steve Bennett]

Very good Jon, you made a nice job of that, are you sure it is your first, doesn't look like it.

Unfortunately my methods of tiebar operation probably wouldn't help, they wont work on a solid baseboard. I did submit an article to Roy Link years ago after he had seen my points in operation and begged me to write it up. He never published it though, so that should tell me something

[Richard Morton]

Jon did you happen to take any pics of your progress? I have been wanting to build points for a loooong time now and have yet to find a tutorial that seems to get it through my thick Canadian skull Like Steve and More Cats said a very professional job there, please share your approach and tactics.

Regards
Richard

[Little Andi.]

I'm certainly in no position to offer any advice - but I can definitely offer an opinion!!

GREAT!

Seriously, looks pretty impressive to me - what have you used for track pins? any glue or solder under there?
Not so sure if I could ever bring myself to try anything like this, but as a piece of model engineering it still appeals on so many levels.

Once again................ great job................... Andi.

[foswaldy13]

That is really a smashing job. Congrats.

Seeing efforts like this always make me tempted to try to lay my own track, and then the ease of premade track always wins out.

[Jon Randall]

Cheers for your replies and praise


Barry First time I've been called that

Steve Definately my first but I've been learning by watching other Gnatterers on here

Richard Morton I'm afraid this is the first progress photo
Have you read the KB Scale points download I used this a lot. I can do a step-by-step guide if this works but there are experts here who could do a better job then me.


Little Andi I used the thin peco track pins. No glue so it is a bit loose. I've still got to solder the frog up. The other trackwork and tiebar should stiffen it up (I hope).

Little Andi & Matt I never thought I would build my own track either. Then I hand-laid a pizza, then a straight section, the a Gnine pizza and now 3/4 of a point and each time it has been far easier than I feared.
Go on, give it a go

[Richard Morton]

Jon thank you I totally forgot about their PDF file I lost my copy when my puter went for a shit.

Regards
Richard

[greengiant]

Hi Jon

Looks good, especially being your first build.
I have built over 50 points and if you don't mind I have a couple of observations.
First is the alignment through the frog, this may well be due to camera angle, but it looks like the left rail of the right track does not line up exactly through the frog. I have drawn a red line to show what I mean.
It is important that the rails are straight each way on the frog.



Secondly, are you using gauges to set your check rail gaps, they look too big to me, which gives the over large gap in the frog, which will cause wheels to drop in, especially with small GN15 four wheel stock.
If you look at this picture you will see what I mean, the track is dual gauge 16.5/32mm.



Tie-bar wise, you ideally need the fibre ones with brass rivets that pivot, which is what I have used in the point above.

Keep up the good work, it gets easier the more you do

Martin

[Jon Randall]

Thanks Martin, your tips are appreciated.
I did use gauges to set the check-rails but had difficulty due to everything being needed in the same place. Also I'm using 100 code roller gauges and 80 code rail so there is a bit of slack there.
The left hand rail was a bit out of alignment but when I was posting this photo I noticed it too.
Thanks too for the tip about the fibre sleepers with the brass rivets in. Where can I get them from
Lovely pointwork, I hope to get that good one day.

[michael]

Really nice job John!

[Jon Randall]

Ok I've had a bit of a think.
Pine tie-bar fitted with 2 12BA brass bolts to which the blades are soldered.
Slide switch to change polarity of the frog. This has a hole drilled through for a wire with an omega loop which connects to the tie-bar.
I have 0.7mm steel florists wire and 0.5mm brass wire. Are either of these suitable
Will this system work and be reliable
Am I right in saying that if the throw of the switch is greater than the throw of the points the omega loop will take up the extra distance and the points will be "locked" by the switch
Comments and advice welcome

[Trevor Coburn]

Jon, that will work, use either type of wire, (I have used both with equal sucess in the past.). But a vairant you might like to try, is to drill the switch lever in line with the throw, (12BA clearence) then using two nuts one either side of the lever the point throw can be controled. (and adjusted) a drop of PVA on the nuts will lock them in place. [So a sort of 'lost motion' device]
I used this method on both my 0n2 (1/2" Gauge) and 0n3 (3/4" gauge) layouts. so no reason why it shouldnt work on 16.5mm gauge.
I have always found a great deal of satisfaction in building my own track & points.

[Jon Randall]

I've made and soldered the tiebar on the point as my post above.


And I've extended the trackwork.


I'm concerned that the blades wont be reliable electrical wise so I was thinkinf of cutting across the green line and adding jumpers as in the photo below.

[Trevor Coburn]

Jon, based on decades of experiance, I would bond blades to stock rails & cut at the green line. Dont forget to cut the rails behind the 'Frog' (AKA common crossing) unless it's two dead end sidings. Keep up te good work, there is (in my opinion) nothing like building your own track work.

[More_Cats_Than_Sense]

Looks good Jon, personally I wouldn't cut any of the rails. I normally use a single pole double throw switch to change the frog polarity and solder a flexible wire across the blade pivots with the closure rails.

[Jon Randall]

Thanks Trevor and Barry.
I've chickened out of cutting the rails yet, I'll try Barry's suggestion first but I have wired the closure rails seperately so if I do have shorts caused by steel wheels then I can always cut and rejoin the wires.

Oh dear, this is turning into another layout


I may have made a rod for my own back with the grass in the ballast as now I've got to carry on the scrub look on the whole layout


Now I've got to think of a theme

[More_Cats_Than_Sense]

Looking good Jon

Just realised that the wiring I posted was for standard Peco Electrofrog points which have the frog bonded to the nose

You'll need to bond the frog and the nose to make it work right Jon, otherwise you'll be relying on the point blade contact with the stock rails

[Jon Randall]

Which bit is the nose

[More_Cats_Than_Sense]

The pointy bit between the Vee rails, basically it's the bit the flange goes the wrong side of when people are watching

http://www.2mm.org.uk/crossing.jpg

[Rockley Bottom]

Jon
Is it coming to the next meeting
Ralph

[Jon Randall]

I'd better Ralph, I didn't bring anything last time (Dereham excepted)

[elcamo]

track looks awesome! do you take orders? and what is that your using for ballast?

[Dave Westall]

Fantastic work Jon

Look forward to seeing it at the next GnOrfolkers meeting.


Dave

[Jon Randall]

Thanks Elcamo and Dave.

The ballast is 2mm Red Granite from Modellers Mate and I must get some more