Testing the home-made a la Spock points/turnouts

[Westcott]

Well I finally finished 3 sets of points using the methode Spockoise.
They are made from Peco code 250 rail soldered to sleepers cut from a sheet of copper clad PCB.
Mr bandsaw was really handy for cutting the strips.
A little dab of http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SOLDER-PASTE-...Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM&hash=item230e90df9e < Link To solder paste between rail and sleeper, and a big soldering iron applied to the rail base each side in turn, makes a strong, neatish, joint.
A strip of 6mm upvc is glued under each sleeper to make the points the same height as Peco track.
I bought 2 second-hand 9' radius Marcway points last year, and basically copied their geometry.
Here's a picture of some testing today in the fine weather, using my roughest-riding loco, the Mallet MTH Challenger -

 

[Madman]

Now, you mentioned "Copper clad PCB" It sounds as if you soldered the rails directly to the ties. So I am assuming that the rails are not insulated from one-another.

 

[DoctorM]

It sounds as if you soldered the rails directly to the ties. So I am assuming that the rails are not insulated from one-another.

Don't you just scratch a line (or two) though the copper to isolate the rails from each other?

 

[Westcott]

It sounds as if you soldered the rails directly to the ties. So I am assuming that the rails are not insulated from one-another.

Don't you just scratch a line (or two) though the copper to isolate the rails from each other?

Yes, 2 cuts is best if you are running track power.
In my case it's none, being steam and battery only.

 

[MR SPOCK]

Splendid job Hamish, , look really neat there never thought of using a bandsaw , where did you get the pcb sheet from?

Well I finally finished 3 sets of points using the methode Spockoise.
They are made from Peco code 250 rail soldered to sleepers cut from a sheet of copper clad PCB.
Mr bandsaw was really handy for cutting the strips.
A little dab of http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SOLDER-PASTE-...Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM&hash=item230e90df9e < Link To solder paste between rail and sleeper, and a big soldering iron applied to the rail base each side in turn, makes a strong, neatish, joint.
A strip of 6mm upvc is glued under each sleeper to make the points the same height as Peco track.
I bought 2 second-hand 9' radius Marcway points last year, and basically copied their geometry.
Here's a picture of some testing today in the fine weather, using my roughest-riding loco, the Mallet MTH Challenger -

​

 

[Westcott]

Pete,
Thanks for the kind words!
I got the boards from http://www.rapidonline.com/sku/Tool...-Boards/Plain-copper-clad-board/29478/34-0365 < Link To Rapid.
Free shipping over £30, so I got 10 boards.
Maplins also stocks it.

Hamish

 

[MR SPOCK]

Thanks for that link a good price there.​

 

[tramcar trev]

Impressive work.... Hey the bandsaw tip is great I was considering getting pcb sleepers guillotened but a bandsaw with a fence.. too simple.... Ill get the PCB from China via eBay ,not too concerned with the quality, it's just for sleepers and will be concealed under roadway.
To create the electrical isolation I will use the router attachement with a dremel with a 1mm carbide cutter. I have devised a spacer so that it can be run along the inside edge of each rail and set to just cut the copper away. It would be easy to just make up a jig out of a bit of wood to do the job of the router attachment....

 

[Richie]

Nice point work Hamish