21mm gauge points

[Bob49]

I have just been having a email chat with Wayne from British Finescale who do a growing range of point work. I asked him if he had considered doing some of his 4mm standard gauge points in 21mm using the rail components from his growing EM/P4 range, he hadn't but he might consider it in the future if enough people asked. 

In the meantime he is making the rail components for his A6 and B7 points available from his website

https://www.britishfinescale.com/product-p/milled-switchblades.htm

https://www.britishfinescale.com/category-s/1517.htm

So with the aid of templot 21mm point kits are now available.

Marc

[Mol_PMB]

1 hour ago, Bob49 said:

I have just been having a email chat with Wayne from British Finescale who do a growing range of point work. I asked him if he had considered doing some of his 4mm standard gauge points in 21mm using the rail components from his growing EM/P4 range, he hadn't but he might consider it in the future if enough people asked. 

In the meantime he is making the rail components for his A6 and B7 points available from his website

https://www.britishfinescale.com/product-p/milled-switchblades.htm

https://www.britishfinescale.com/category-s/1517.htm

So with the aid of templot 21mm point kits are now available.

Marc

Interesting, many thanks for asking, and certainly makes things easier for bullhead track. 

Are there suppliers that will 3D-print the turnout bases from Templot geometry?

I'm still getting to grips with Templot myself, but I can see the possibilities it opens up.

[Bob49]

I'm learning how to do the printing I have the equipment to print but I can't get it to work. I have a A5 Y point I need to print in P4 very shortly.

[Fiacra]

Some nice examples of printed track and points in this RMweb thread. I haven't used Templot, but I assume it would be easy enough (?) to print in 21 mm gauge as well. With tools like this, and the fact that most IRM products have been manufactured with 21 mm conversion in mind, it's beginning to look like modelling in 21 mm could finally be a realistic option for the average modeller.

[Mol_PMB]

I’m learning Templot and selecting 21mm gauge is easy, as is setting your preferred checkrail clearances etc. 

Some other aspects have a bit of a learning curve but I’m getting there. 
 

Personally I don’t have printing capability.

Also a lot of the standard templates are for bullhead rail whereas my preferred prototype is flat-bottom.

But it’s all getting closer…

 

[David Holman]

While 3D printing may be the way forward for many things, don't forget about old school stuff like copperclad or ply and rivet sleepers. There is always the C&L method of plastic sleepers and separate chairs too, fixed with solvent, for anyone who wants to avoid soldering.

 Making track is a long way down my list of favourite pursuits, but on my 21mm gauge Fintonagh layout, I found I could construct a turnout in about an hour, using Code 83 fb rail and copperclad sleepers and Tempo of templates. The latter were the 'standard' three foot radius "Irish EM", printed straight from the website. Although 20.2mm gauge, it was easy to enlarge them to 21mm on the copier. Crossing and checkrail clearances used are the standard one millimetre for 4mm finescale. Both 4mm scale  and Slaters 7mm scale narrow gauge wheels are fine with this combination, using 19.2mm back to backs.

 The main work involved in making your own points is first of all sourcing 21mm track gauges. Mine is a roller gauge, turned on the club lathe by a friend. The other job is filing rail to make the crossing vee and point blades. Neither are difficult, once you've made a couple, though worth noting that C&L supply both as ready made components, albeit only in bullhead rail.

 Anyone who has made their own track knows all this of course, but for anyone who hasn't, it is not had hard as it might seem. There again, there is Marcway of Sheffield, who are happy to take on commissions for trackwork and for any scale or gauge combination. Prices are about 50% more than Peco.

[Horsetan]

14 hours ago, Mol_PMB said:

I’m learning Templot and selecting 21mm gauge is easy, as is setting your preferred checkrail clearances etc. 

Some other aspects have a bit of a learning curve but I’m getting there....

There's the PlugTrack function as well, so you could print your own 21mm if you're not too fussed about having the correct 1-in-20 rail inclination

[Horsetan]

4 hours ago, David Holman said:

....The main work involved in making your own points is first of all sourcing 21mm track gauges....

If you're happy to work with P4 standards, then all relevant trackmaking gauges for Irish 21mm are available from Scalefour Society Stores.

Code 82 FB is currently available from S4 Stores, the EMGS Stores, and C&L.

Code 75 FB is only produced by PECO; I haven't seen anyone else offer it.

[Rob R]

I haven't got any of the code 82 fb to work from but if anyone wants some sleeper bases and can supply a 6 inch length of rail as a sample then I am willing to give it a go.

I used Peco code 75 for the previous batch of bases 'cos that is what I had to hand.

Is there much difference in shape between the code 82 mentioned above and the Peco code 83 they use for the USA HO track?

[Mol_PMB]

9 hours ago, David Holman said:

 The main work involved in making your own points is first of all sourcing 21mm track gauges

I have bought a few tiny milling cutters with a view to making some track gauges of the flat type. I just haven’t got round to doing it yet!

Unusually, I have a mill but not a lathe - this goes back many years when a friend and I bought one of each with a plan to share resources, and then ended up moving a long way away from each other! 
I guess I could also make jigs for milling switch blades, given time

[Andy Cundick]

Simple way bolt and washers check with vernier.Andy