Another pizza...

[route29]

This is an experimental pizza.  I decided to try handlaying the track using an idea I saw on the Gnatterbox.  I cut out the ties from a 1/4" square wood strip.  Then I drove nails into the ties around the radius for the inside track and soldered a Code 83 rail to the nails.  I used homemade track gauges to lay the outside rail which I super glued to the ties.

Still undecided on what this is going to turn into - or whether it will be Gn15 or On30! 

[bkbates]

What do you have against spikes? Is there a function to soldering hte rail to nails?

B2

[route29]

What do you have against spikes? Is there a function to soldering hte rail to nails?

B2

Nothing against spikes...except that I didn't have any .  Actually, with all the nailing I ended up doing, it probably would have been simpler just to use spikes.

I soldered the rail to the nails only on the inside rail since it was the first one to be placed and I was going to use it to gauge the outside rail, which was glued down.  The soldering came out quite crude, but I was planning on burying the track in vegetation, anyway. 

[bkbates]

Works for me. I hand lay track with spikes from Micro Engineering. But then, I'm a bit goofy and have invested in a spiking plier from MicroMark and turned my track gauges. My railroad is also buried in vegetation, but that's because I haven't pulled the weeds for a while.

[Rowan]

Maybe you could use your MicroMark spiking piers to pull the weeds............
 

[dmaynard]

Spikes from.......huh?
I have been hand-laying track on an HO module I am building in the club I belong to, and I have making my own spikes from .020 steel wire. I can make them as long or as short as I need them. It takes less then a second to make them and they are inexpensive (did I mention I am cheep?) In G gauge (notice I did not say scale) I used carpet tacks I bought at one of the big box stores. They are cut nails so have the square cross section spikes should have and they are also inexpensive, plus I don't have to wait for them to be shipped to my house. 

[route29]

I have been hand-laying track on an HO module I am building in the club I belong to, and I have making my own spikes from .020 steel wire. I can make them as long or as short as I need them. It takes less then a second to make them and they are inexpensive (did I mention I am cheep?)

David, do you pre-drill holes in the ties for the spikes?  What do you use to drive them.  I'm cheap, too so every trick I can pick up helps. 

[bkbates]

Shoot, I may as well convert to concrete ties with spring clips.

The carpet tacks are a good idea and they rust into place, as they are supposed to. I'll have another look at them next time I'm in the hardware store.

B2

[dmaynard]

route29, I wasn't pre-drilling holes in my ties, but then I did split one so I took some of the wire I was making the spikes from and ground one end on both sides with my Dremel making a chisel point. This chisel point in a pin vice I use to  pre-drill a hole with. I drill the hole slightly away from the foot of the rail. I don't drill the hole very deep, just deep enough to not split the tie. To drive them I start by pushing the spike into the hole with small needle nosed pliers, then set the spike home with a small nail-set and a tack hammer. My ties I cut on my miniature table saw from pine. Making scale (I know thats a dirty word around here) HO 6x8 ties was a challenge, but I still have all my fingers. For the 6x6 ties I will be using on the narrow gauge section I am thinking about using brass plated pins from the craft store.

B2, yea the carpet tacks have developed a nice rust patina outside. After they developed the rust patina I did brush a little clearcoat on them so they don't rust too fast. My homemade spring-switch has been outside for over 3 years now doing its job. I found them both at Home Depot and at Lowe's, and they are inexpensive Those I did pre-drill the holes for with a real drill bit. I used a bit that was a little less then half the thickness of the tack just below the head.

[bkbates]

Speaking of heads, I invested BW&R funds in shares of carpet tack stock at the local HDpot. The heads are an oval with blunt ends and it measures in 1:20.3, 3" x 4". . . 3"x2.5" in 7/8ths size. Can't wait to try 'em out!

B2