gregh
electronics, computers and scratchbuilding
My website has details of how I build my own track from brass rail on timber sleepers.
http://www.members.optusnet.com.au/satr/track.htm
?.. look about halfway down the page for ?Making Brass Track?
But I thought another entry here might tempt some others down my path to madness (or confirm it?s not the way for them!). I?ve been using this method since 2002. Luckily I can purchase 12? lengths of code 332 brass rails for 22 AUD ( say 14 GBP) .
Total cost works out at $15 AUD per metre of track (say 10 GBP) and each metre takes me about 30 minutes to make. It?s a bit boring, but I break it up into small portions and slowly get it finished.
I have used Aristo plastic sleepers on the rail, but they cost around $15 per metre. I reckon I?d rather spend 30 minutes than $15. And it is still quite time consuming pushing the plastic sleepers onto curved rail anyhow.
So here?s my process:-
I make my sleepers from treated pine ?slats? from lattice manufacturers ? they are 38mm wide by 8mm thick by 2m long. This is cut into 3 lengthways to give sleepers about 11mm wide by 8mm deep; and then cut to 95-100mm long.
I use 15mm steel brads (small nails), 4 per sleeper to attach the rail. I originally used bright steel but they have rusted quickly (not to the point of failure yet), so now I use nickel plated ones.
I built a jig for marking the nail positions- just push each sleeper onto the white nails.
Then I hammer the nails in with the head and about 3mm protruding on top - this means about 3mm is sticking out the bottom.
These are bent over underneath with pliers, to stop them pulling up.
The rails are then put in place and a pair of pincers used to bend the nail heads over the rail foot. It's easier than it sounds.
The rails are bent before putting the sleepers on, although slight adjustments can be made when completed. I bend all rails by hand - I have never seen the need for a rails bender. After installation I 'paint' Bondcrete (waterproof PVA) over the nails to slow rusting and it really makes the track stronger.
http://www.members.optusnet.com.au/satr/track.htm
?.. look about halfway down the page for ?Making Brass Track?
But I thought another entry here might tempt some others down my path to madness (or confirm it?s not the way for them!). I?ve been using this method since 2002. Luckily I can purchase 12? lengths of code 332 brass rails for 22 AUD ( say 14 GBP) .
Total cost works out at $15 AUD per metre of track (say 10 GBP) and each metre takes me about 30 minutes to make. It?s a bit boring, but I break it up into small portions and slowly get it finished.
I have used Aristo plastic sleepers on the rail, but they cost around $15 per metre. I reckon I?d rather spend 30 minutes than $15. And it is still quite time consuming pushing the plastic sleepers onto curved rail anyhow.
So here?s my process:-
I make my sleepers from treated pine ?slats? from lattice manufacturers ? they are 38mm wide by 8mm thick by 2m long. This is cut into 3 lengthways to give sleepers about 11mm wide by 8mm deep; and then cut to 95-100mm long.
I use 15mm steel brads (small nails), 4 per sleeper to attach the rail. I originally used bright steel but they have rusted quickly (not to the point of failure yet), so now I use nickel plated ones.
I built a jig for marking the nail positions- just push each sleeper onto the white nails.
Then I hammer the nails in with the head and about 3mm protruding on top - this means about 3mm is sticking out the bottom.
These are bent over underneath with pliers, to stop them pulling up.
The rails are then put in place and a pair of pincers used to bend the nail heads over the rail foot. It's easier than it sounds.
The rails are bent before putting the sleepers on, although slight adjustments can be made when completed. I bend all rails by hand - I have never seen the need for a rails bender. After installation I 'paint' Bondcrete (waterproof PVA) over the nails to slow rusting and it really makes the track stronger.
The prices!!! 
