Turntable for a skinflint.

[ebay mike]

I have read Gizzy's thread on his new Bertram Heyn turntable with interest. Nice jobbie, but along with the LGB and Pola ones which appear on eBay from time to time, that sort of money can be put to (what I consider) better use. I have long wanted one on my layout - since my first Big Hauler with it's rather ineffective front coupler prevented satisfactory tender first running. I had a look at the Swift Sixteen offering at the Bressingham show last year and beautiful as it was it would never meet my needs because of it's diameter. My fleet of locos includes a couple of LGB Mikados, PIKO BR24, PIKO BR64, LGB Rugen, a selection of 2-6-2s and a double pacific Garrett. It would also be nice to think I can add a PIKO BR52 when it's released too. Consequently I need something BIG. Having surveyed a possible location for said project (losing a few sidings with R1 points and curves and the middle loop of the overlaid figure of eight on my centre track) I can just fit in something around 1 metre in diameter. This wouldn't cope with the Garrett which is nearly four feet long, but you can't have everything.
Now to the nitty-gritty.
Size: I think I've addressed that to the best of my ability.
Cost: I hope this will be nothing - nil, zilch, nada, rien. Surely there must be enough cra….. odds and ends in the garage which can be cobbled together to make something workable (even if it's not particularly attractive). I don't need it motorized - I have two podgy hands that can push it round.
Construction: very much 'bung it together and hope for the best'. No plans, no drawings, but plenty of pictures (warts and all).
Timescale: none.
So - watch this space, as they say.

 

[ebay mike]

Right, here we go. First the raw ingredients: Furniture castor minus it's wheel, 5 galvanised weights from the bottom of vertical blinds, two lengths of perforated angle iron (steel actually), length of steel reinforcing bar, part of an obsolete plastic bus stop flag, 26 x 5mm pop rivets and a washer.

 

[PhilP]

Cue the theme from the 'A' Team..
Get the welder , and grinder, out...

 

[beavercreek]

He has a cunning plan that is so cunning you could put a tail on it and call it Reynard.....

 

[ebay mike]

Spent a couple of hours outside as the weather was glorious today. Progressed somewhat further than I anticipated.
Four holes drilled in one of the weights to allow the castor to be attached, forming the central pivot. The length of steel bar was shortened to give four fixing points to permit it to be screwed to my 'baseboard'. The centre hole was reamed out to accept a close fit for the castor post. A single washer with a liberal amount of grease will give a free, smooth rotation. I may yet shorten the castor post so there will be no need to drill through the layout baseboard. The 1000mm long pieces of angle have had holes drilled at each end and in the centre so the crossmembers (weights) remain in position. All five are then pop rivetted using the perforations already in place to cut down on the work.

 

[ebay mike]

Test fit to show width of turntable bridge using a spare 3 foot piece of Tenmille track.


I'm quite pleased so far - total cost £0.00

Note to PhilP - tools used so far: hacksaw, file, B&D drill, pop rivet gun.

Next job will be to cut two lengths from the bus stop for the floor of the bridge. This will bring the rail height level with the top of the angle iron sides. Will also add a little to the rigidity of the structure, but as the weight of the turntable is destined to be borne by the pivot and 4 wheels running on a circle of surplus re-radiused R1 rail supported on shortened sleepers, it's not critical. The whole structure is raised by approximately 25mm so a gentle gradient will be needed to access this facility.

 

[ColinK]

Looking good.

I’ve also seen another post on another thread this morning where the photo showed a line of dustbins. Just wondering if a dustbin lid turned upside down would make a turntable well.

 

[playmofire]

Looking good.

I’ve also seen another post on another thread this morning where the photo showed a line of dustbins. Just wondering if a dustbin lid turned upside down would make a turntable well.

Sooner or later there will be a post about not knowing the turntable was ill, but I'll leave that to someone else.

 

[ebay mike]

Looking good.

I’ve also seen another post on another thread this morning where the photo showed a line of dustbins. Just wondering if a dustbin lid turned upside down would make a turntable well.

No Colin . Just a tad too small! This is the proposed site - just need to widen in by about 6 inches. It's easy enough to tack a bit on. It will be no great loss to lift this rarely used trackwork. Has also given me the opportunity to try and widen the radius of what's left of the fourth inner oval so may yet improve the route availability for my class 66s.

 

[Fred Mills]

Why not save a lot of work, and use a "Lazy Susan" bearing under that turntable bridge. I have 3 turntables built using them, and never have any problems. BTW the area under the turntable is usually called a pit.
I think there may be pictures of my turntables on the OVGRS web page at: www.ovgrs.org/

Those bearings are rather reasonably priced...
Fred Mills

 

[ebay mike]

Why not save a lot of work, and use a "Lazy Susan" bearing under that turntable bridge.
Those bearings are rather reasonably priced...
Fred Mills

The answer is in the thread title Fred. My intention is to spend absolutely nothing on this and hopefully make use of some of the junk I've been holding on to thinking 'this will come in handy one day'.

 

[ebay mike]

Progress today (in between one or two light showers). Two strips cut from redundant bus stop to form the bed to support track. Five small spacers cut from a piece of scrap aluminium to act as supports between the crossmembers and the track base. A 1200mm length of well used and abused LGB track was trimmed to 1000mm after removing the interim rail joiners to allow removal of damaged sleepers. To help keep the track central packing pieces were required between the sleeper ends and the steel angle sides. Recycled lengths of plastic edging strip as used on Contiboard proved to be just the right size.
Site clearance was the next job. After careful consideration the position of the centre pivot was revised. This would allow a larger radius curve on the approach- in fact I can now fit another track in which will permit a feeder track to a future engine shed or stabling area. The potential sweep of the turntable was marked out with a piece of string to see how things would look. Balancing the turntable deck in position reveals where the baseboard will require extension. As there will be no through track, just some stubs for loco storage, opposing track alignment is not something to be worried about. A 10mm hole was drilled in the appropriate place and the pivot plate fixed in position using 6mm bolts with a matching, but longer, piece of perforated steel bar under the baseboard for rigidity. The bed was test fitted and moved smoothly and freely. The usual 'resting place' was established and then a couple of tracks 'loose laid' just to double check clearances and that there was room for gentle inbound curves. Finally a centring exercise was undertaken so that the track and supporting base can be fixed in position. This will be by self tapping screws from underneath - but that will probably be a job for tomorrow.

 

[Rhinochugger]

The route of an absolute miser is rarely straightforward, but frequently intriguing

Reminds me of one of those apocryphal comments on Sandhurst Officer Cadet reports;

'Some soldiers will follow this officer, if only out of idle curiosity.'

 

[Perry]

Spending as little as possible is my motto as well, but time is also money. A 30 cm diameter plant pot saucer & a 3" centre bearing will get you there is the shortest time, so less money.

Elho Loft Urban Saucer Round 30 - Anthracite - Outdoor - Ø 30.3 x H 4 cm: Amazon.co.uk: Garden & Outdoors

Great prices on your favourite Gardening brands, and free delivery on eligible orders.

www.amazon.co.uk

https://simplybearings.co.uk/shop/product_info.php?products_id=42337&vat_inc=true&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIzeTv183S4AIVirftCh0-iwV9EAQYASABEgIcXvD_BwE

 

[ebay mike]

Spending as little as possible is my motto as well, but time is also money. A 30 cm diameter plant pot saucer & a 3" centre bearing will get you there is the shortest time, so less money.

Elho Loft Urban Saucer Round 30 - Anthracite - Outdoor - Ø 30.3 x H 4 cm: Amazon.co.uk: Garden & Outdoors

Great prices on your favourite Gardening brands, and free delivery on eligible orders.

www.amazon.co.uk

https://simplybearings.co.uk/shop/product_info.php?products_id=42337&vat_inc=true&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIzeTv183S4AIVirftCh0-iwV9EAQYASABEgIcXvD_BwE

I appreciate the suggestions Perry, but I think the saucer is a little small for my needs and I suspect will not think much of the weight of a Mikado. Apart from not wanting to be separated from any coin I also sought a purpose for some of the 'junk' I've accumulated over the years. Although time is precious (I have a little more to spare now I am retired) my real pleasure is in 'making things' and so far this project has delivered both enjoyment and satisfaction.

 

[Perry]

Mike,

Magnificent hoard of junk. I'm jealous. I had to build my layout with roofing battens.

 

[ebay mike]

Construction update. Had other matters to attend to yesterday and today so not as much progress as anticipated. On another expedition into the garage came across some plastic mouldings left over from home improvements a couple of years ago - two pieces of square section trunking (with snap on cover) and some plastic angle I'd used when finishing of some boxing for pipework. This has a 50x50mm cross section and just shouted out 'walkway' for the turntable deck. The trunking was the same width as the edging strip I had already allocated as a retaining guide for the track, but as a bonus was level with the steel angle sides already assembled and would provide a sturdy support for the walkway envisaged. The decision was therefore taken to adopt the trunking in preference to the edging. Having cut it to the right lengths it was screwed in place using self tapping screws saved from scrapped VHS tapes (which are very much like LGB screws, only longer). Where I had used pop rivets in the frame construction I carefully punched out the spherical bit left when the pin 'popped' and using the hole screwed through the plastic bed from underneath and into the base of the trunking. This saved me having to drill more holes in the metal frame. A dry run with a piece of the plastic angle revealed not only would it sit flat and rigid but also just fit under the rail head - another plus. There did seem a need for some additional support for the rather flexible overhang though. Another quick furkle in the garage produced more steel angle which when bolted on to the outside did the job and also gave the whole structure additional strength.
So now we have a turntable deck substantially complete apart from checkrails and central infill. The next major job will be the supports and loadbearing wheels at the deck ends. We had (note the past tense) a coffee table that could be moved around due to the small castors fitted to it's feet. It is now immobile and I wonder how long it will be before it becomes apparent to the management. All will be revealed soon.

 

[ebay mike]

Mike,

Magnificent hoard of junk. I'm jealous. I had to build my layout with roofing battens.

That looks prime timber for construction of bents if you ask me Perry. My baseboards are constructed from used fencing timber supporting sheets of exterior grade Sterling board (which last saw service on pallets containing drums of undisclosed chemicals). All sourced from the local car boot sale a number of years ago. If you check out my 'My Media' thread it shows the build from day one.

 

[dunnyrail]

If you check out my 'My Media' thread it shows the build from day one.

I managed to do that for my 1 picture, how do I access yours?

I feel that I am missing out on some tricks in the Forum - most importantly how to find many of my own created threads that I have titled with only 3 letters in some of the Headings that search does not like. I have copied links at times into a separate doc on my iPad but forget to do,it every time doh. Sure that there is something in the forum that I am missing that will help.

 

[ebay mike]

I managed to do that for my 1 picture, how do I access yours?

I feel that I am missing out on some tricks in the Forum - most importantly how to find many of my own created threads that I have titled with only 3 letters in some of the Headings that search does not like.

Jon. If you 'hover' over a member's avatar it will reveal if there is a media link for that individual and the number of photos. Just clicking on that number will take you there. Alternatively if you select the Media tab from the toolbar at the top of the page it will take you to the latest posts. Placing your cursor over a photo will reveal the name of the member who posted it and double clicking will open that particular pic with all the others in a horizontal scroll below. Mine is currently on page three (!!!!!) with a PIKO Taurus in VSOE livery on view. As for threads, clicking on your own avatar gives a small sub-menu from which you can select find all content or find all threads for you.