Sunday, 2 November 2014

Turning simple OO9 roller gauges.

Both Mark and myself fancy having a go at making our own OO9 track, so I've made us both a pair of roller gauges each. Rather than the usual grooved type I've made them flanged, that way they'll suit a variety of different codes of rail. I've made the flanges, which set the checkrail clearence, 1mm wide, copied from a Peco Silly Track point. I measured the distance fom the top of the rail to the top of the foot of a piece of flat bottom code 40 rail, which was .8mm, and made the flanges .8mm high to suit. The disadvantage of this type of gauge is that there aren't grooves to hold the rails in place. Saltford Models used to make similar gauges, now long unavailable.

I found an offcut of 3/8" dia. brass, and turned it down to 9mm. A 1mm long section was turned down to 7.4mm dia.



Then using a grooving tool I turned the 7mm long centre section, again down to 7.4mm dia, then the opposite end could be turned in the same way, leaving two 1mm wide flanges which will sit between the running and check rails;


Now the gauge can be parted/sawn off;


Small lathes aren't really suited to parting off, so I often saw parts off using a junior hacksaw. What the photo above doesn't show is that the lathe is actually running as I was sawing (the flash froze the action), this is something that I do not recommend unless you are extremely confident in your ability and you know your machine well! I stop the machine with a couple of milimetres to go and then finish the cut normally.
After parting off the gauges can be faced to length. Here they are on a Silly Track point;


Now I'd better get on and make up some track.

Paul.
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9 comments:

  1. Odds3 November 2014 at 00:32

    Nice to see someone else not scared to part off with a hacksaw. I always do it as I can never get my Peatol(Taig) to part off cleanly. I always did it on my Unimats too. Uses less brass!

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  2. Mark3 November 2014 at 07:15

    They look brilliant Paul, thanks! Now I must get some track and sleepers ordered so I can put them to good use. Plain track to start with though, the idea of trying to build points scares the living daylights out of me.

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    Replies
    1. Paul B.3 November 2014 at 13:38

      I actually want to start with a point Mark, although I fully accept that the first attempt might not work too well. I have various templates to work with. I want to be able to make all of my own trackwork, in any scale.

      Delete
  3. Iain Robinson7 November 2014 at 09:16

    The gauge is impressive, of course. But I am really looking forward to you and Mark making track. I shall follow in your wake, plundering ideas and techniques as I go :-)

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    Replies
    1. Paul B.7 November 2014 at 16:02

      I've wanted to make my own track for a while now Iain, as Peco's attempt looks frankly awfull! Which I feel is due to the code 80 rail used, I can understand the reasoning behind using such (deep flanges used on 'N' gauge stock back in the day), but I reckon that Mark and myself can do much better.

      Delete
    2. Mark7 November 2014 at 16:35

      So much pressure! I'd certainly bet on Paul's track turning out better than mine given his superior soldering skills, but I'm determined to give it a try. At least my sleepers can't look as weird as the PECO crazy track.

      Delete
    3. Paul B.7 November 2014 at 17:54

      I have seen Hudson track panels spiked onto ex-BR sleepers cut in half, with the pressed steel sleepers still in place holding the rail to gauge, which is something that I'd like to replicate in model form.

      Delete
    4. Mark7 November 2014 at 17:56

      They would certainly be different!

      Delete

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