how to make my own h0 scale turnout from scratch

[@guillermohuergo8022]

What rod is used for the tracks? Where do you get it from? Thanks.

[@peterpocock9062]

Congratulations. You have embarked on a facet of our Hobby that is extremely rewarding. I love making my own turnouts and once you have built a couple they become easier and easier to do. Custom curved turnouts are very satisfying for me! The only downside might be, the method of remote control. I find manual control or slow motion machines are easiest and less stressful to the turnout, to use. Electro magnet control demandsfar more mechanical strength and therefore more work to build! Thankyou for sharing.

[@trainfanattic]

Thank you! Happy Newyear!

[@proteus550]

Excellent video. Thank you very much for making this so easy to follow.

[@trainfanattic]

Thank you! Happy holidays!

[@ScottTaipaleRail]

This hobby takes sacrifices… that the truth!

[@trainfanattic]

Haha, thanks for watching!

[@matthewesler8379]

Is this 2 rail marklin

[@starlinggibson4117]

Wow concrete turnouts

[@peterpocock9062]

Further to my previous comment, if you cut a groove in your chipboard filing platform, with a junior hacksaw blade, the foot of the rail can fit into that and not jump around all over the place while you file! Don't ask how I know? Also the file was a "Bastard" file with safe edge. Believe it or not, I actually grind one of those toothed edges off, to help create square corners on some of my files.

[@trainfanattic]

Thank you! Goed tips!

[@petert9749]

Thanks Peter: I look forward to chatting with you as we visit our host in hospital with his burnt fingers. A couple of ideas as one amateur to another. 1/ Using fingers, burnt or otherwise, as a locating 'surface' to start a file or a saw (a saw is a narrow file with 3 safe edges) is a bad idea. I use a block of timber, usually a part of a wooden clothes peg to slide the saw against. For rail, simply take an offcut, a bit of two inch by one inch about 2 inches long, and cut a groove as Peter described. Simply pat Golden Retriever, place block holding rail in correct position, and start file/saw. When finished pat said Golden Retriever (again) with your undamaged fingers. It is a while since I played with this stuff, and I am soon to have another go. Probably the 'worst' part of the process is the v-crossing. The idea is to have the wheel still supported by the closure rail as it transfers to the v . That way it will not drop into the 'frog' gap. This matters. Next I play with this I shall do this first and trim at the point end, hopefully without a recess in the stock-rail. A British Rail or one of the big 4 had a manual stating that after all the math, final inspection must ALWAYS be by EYE. We can approximate that by using a small mirror. Take care with that saw, and use a mask for dust; goodness knows what the stuff is. For files see kzbin.info/www/bejne/nmWukpx9bKijibM So, for what is worth, that is my (late) contribution. May you both long enjoy our art-form. Incidentally host: are you running Marklin 3 rail?

[@peterpocock9062]

Although I am impressed by Marklin system I use 2 rail, dcc, Australian prototypes. We have some pretty good suppliers of our rail industry here. We are, compared to Europe and the US a small market, I for one appreciate the efforts of our retailers. But back to turnout construction, I also find a 40+ Watt, adjustable soldering iron with 2mm chisel tip to be a huge advantage. Apart from shiny metal, I love using DCC Concepts Sapphire Flux. This is really good stuff and one bonus is it helps to make the joint quicker! That is good for not melting plastic sleepers. I do also, clean the joint afterwards with Metholated Spirits, it stops any tendency for the joints going green (Verdi gris) after the job is done. Cheers

[@petert9749]

Peter: thanks for your reply; actually most of the reply was for our host (don't know name). I found you have a presence on Instagram and in the live steam movement. Shall keep an eye out for you. I'm not happy about being 'blowflied' by the social media. Thanks for the tip on soldering paste; shall look up 'Sapphire'. My greatest brain-busting discovery is that with a bit common sense and working outside, 'tip refresher' can help where others fail. The small soldering bits work in our application by way overheating in the hope that the thermal mass of the work will not overtax. Not happy because I don't know what fumes 400 degree plus tips give off. More often I now use a larger iron (remember the old Birko 60W?) through a controller. I'm in (freezing) Melbourne; shall find you somehow. Hopefully our host and viewers follow my link to Clickspring. I am not an expert (if I were I would say so), but encouraging the 'screwdriver' brigade means a lot to me. Have left a comment under Part 3 of this series; some diffidence as one channel link covers plating. I trust I covered adequately. Thanks to our host, to you, and to all interested in encouraging others to have a try.