# DIY turnouts



## Hutch (Dec 19, 2012)

I want to try to make my own turnouts if I can't find some reasonably priced used ones somewhere. Are there any tutorials on this?
This is an expensive hobby to get into. I'm an electronic technician by day so I'm planning to make my own DCC controllers and other equipment.


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## waltr (Aug 15, 2011)

Yep, I hand made many turnouts. The first one or two are difficult but after that they fairly easy. I use the Fast Tracks paper templates (not the fixtures) to build turnouts.
http://www.handlaidtrack.com/Fast-Tracks-Printable-Track-Templates-s/11.htm

Just print and build on top of the template.
The hardest part is filing the angle on the rails for the Frog and the closure rails (points). For those I did buy the Fast Tracks frog & point tool since all my turnouts are the same #.
http://www.handlaidtrack.com/PointForm-Frog-and-Switch-Point-Filing-Tool-for-Turnouts-s/857.htm

Fast Tracks have a number of good video tutorials that are well worth watching even if you do not use their fixtures.

Here are some links to show how:
http://www.railwayeng.com/handlay6/hndly-h3.htm
http://thomas.tuerke.net/on/mrr/?thread=-952184150


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## Hutch (Dec 19, 2012)

Thanks Walt. I printed out a #6 and I'll give it a sometime next week maybe.


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## waltr (Aug 15, 2011)

Do you have PCB ties?
These really help in putting together turnouts.
I buy them from Fast Tracks. They ship fast, if in stock.


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## Hutch (Dec 19, 2012)

I have plenty of material and a shear at work. I think I can make those pretty quickly but ill check them anyway.
Thanks


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## waltr (Aug 15, 2011)

Ok, I did do my first turnouts with FR4 I cut myself.
Hint: when using a shear to cut strips of FR4 they will twist. Be sure to untwist the strips before cutting to tie length.


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## Hutch (Dec 19, 2012)

How about band-sawing? I have a pretty good woodworking shop in my garage. What's wrong with using wood? I could even mount it all right onto a plywood roadbed.


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## waltr (Aug 15, 2011)

You could directly spike the rails for a hand made turnout to wood ties glued to the road bed. This is the 'build in place' method. This can be a problem if the turnout location is hard to reach.
If you use some PCB ties the rails are soldered to the PCB ties to make a turn out on your work bench. It is easier to build turn outs at your bench than directly on the layout. Also, the PCB ties hold the rails 'in gauge' for trouble free operation. A completed turn out is then very much like a commercially purchased turnout.

Only enough PCB ties are used to hold all the turn out rails in place. They are not used at every tie location on the turn out. On the Fast Tracks template the PCB are indicated by the shaded ties. Did you check out the Fast Track videos?

Shearing the FR4 PCB material is ok as long as you know it'll twist and untwist the tie strips before cutting to length (just hold each end with pliers are twist the strip to straighten). Alternately, sawing the FR4 into strips would also work well. Just use a fine toothed blade and be careful that the cut strip doesn't caught in the saw table's blade slot.

One other thing to think about is powering the turnout. The Fast Track method is to have a totally isolated Frog that is then 'power routed'. However there are other ways to power the turnout. I use the isolated frog which is then powered through a DCC Frog Juicer from Tam Valley. Another method to power the frog is from the contacts of a switch machine like the Tortoise.


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## Hutch (Dec 19, 2012)

I don't get it. After doing some research, it seems much cheaper to buy peco turnouts rather than build your own even without the jigs and other tools. What's the deal? Why would anyone buy Fast Track products? I must be missing something.


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## broox (Apr 13, 2012)

my undersyanding... 
In standard sizes (#6...etc) I think you'd do it for the look/style/challenge.

But for odd sizes you do it because you can't (easily) buy the turnout you need.

I saw a cool vid on youtube using custom laid tracks. I'll link it if I can on my phone.

Edit.
Watch "Turnout Torture Test" on YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhZwEksyp1E&feature=youtube_gdata_player


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

Fast tracks jigs and supplies are a little pricy to start, but it gets cheaper the more you make.
With their supplies and a little skill and patinece you can make a finer turnout than even the best manufactures do, Shinohara comes to mind.


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## lears2005 (Feb 26, 2010)

That video is from Tim that owns fast tracks


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## waltr (Aug 15, 2011)

I hand make turn-outs for the following reasons:
1- I wanted Code 70 rail and #5 for the HO standard gauge track.
2- I wanted Code 55 rail for the HOn3 track.
3- I wanted dual gauge turn-outs.
4- I wanted all the ties to be stained and weathered wood.
5-None of the turn outs I wanted are available from PECO or any off the shelve source so it was buy custom or build them.
6- I like to scratch build and building turnouts is not that hard to do.

For the 24 turn outs on HO standard, narrow and dual gauge the material cost plus one tool from FastTracks was much less than buying custom turn outs.


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## Hutch (Dec 19, 2012)

OK, thanks. I can see where some of you might want to do this. I know I would enjoy making them also but I think I'll save my money and buy off the shelf for now. I really thought making my own tracks would and should save money. I still don't get why it doesn't. As a beginner, I just need to get my first layout up and working so I have a better understanding of this hobby.


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## waltr (Aug 15, 2011)

Since you're just starting out buying the turn-outs is a good idea. 
A reason why building your own turn outs may not be cheaper is call "economies of scale". This means that when someone is making a very large quality of something the price per piece is much lower. Part of this is in a materials such as rail and can even be seen for retailers, the price is less per piece if you buy more.


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