Making a Turn-Table For a 15” Narrow-Gauge Railway

15” gauge railways used to common but they’re very rare now. Ours is now around 125 feet long and is the longest we know about in the whole county. We think it will be very useful for moving large or heavy things up and down through the barn..
Thanks to Christine and Bridget!! They are the other half of our Meitheal Group #2 and help us with all sorts of things often : - )
R-Tech plasma cutter CNC machine available here.. www.r-techweld...
Ok, here are some important website links. Please check them out..
Here's Tim's amazing guitar machine..
www.chordelia.com
here's our online store where you can see some of the craft things we make and sell..
www.wayoutweste...
and here's our Patreon page where you can see more of our plans and dreams. (Remember even 5 dollars would make a BIG difference to us and we'd be very grateful.)
www.patreon.co...
and finally our FaceBook page / way.outwest.524 (Not quite sure what to do with this but we put photos and extra comments when we get around to it..)
Thank you!
Sandra & Tim
[e-mail]
Copyright WayOutWest. All rights reserved. Please share if you like, but don’t copy or use without permission. Just get in touch via email blowinblog @ gmail.com
Don’t steal our stuff!

[@normanboyes4983]

Wonderful, simple and effective - what’s not to like. Still smiling all the way through.👍

[@makingitthrough190]

I so love seeing your low tech engineering at work. Simple principles that make your work a little easier. Just genius! But the project that taught me the most about the power of "using your head to save your feet" was the monorail.

[@johncourtneidge]

Hurrah! Thank-you from Littlehampton West Sussex.

[@amandahugankiss4110]

straight from the cutting table to the floor! no deburring. no wipe down. bam! right in the hole. i love you guys.

[@paulanthony873]

With a voice like his, he should narrate children’s books

[@lucasmonkey913]

Is that an Insult or a Compliment?

[@newtome-jessegates6310]

I agree

[@craftingtable9417]

@@lucasmonkey913 what I was gunna ask aswell lol

[@s31720]

With a voice like his, he should be an accountant.

[@kraftovacibedna242]

Your right

[@ldc71960]

💚💚💚💚💚 I enjoy your videos very much.. And you use your imagination, not somebody's else's standards ..keep it up.

[@SaiyedR]

In my childhood building train tracks and wheels was my hobby, I used match sticks as tracks and some modified car wheels as train wheels.😅🥺

[@AobatrozFilms]

Thomas & Friends would be proud to live there!

[@catastropheintended88]

You mean Scarlowey, Reneas, Peter Sam, and Sir Handel. Yeah Duke wouldn’t be so happy...

[@MrNoUsername]

@@catastropheintended88 It’s spelled Skarloey and Rheneas. Why wouldn’t Duke be happy here though? Is it because the place would never suit His Grace?

[@catastropheintended88]

@@MrNoUsername there’s this new thing called a tender

[@Romgoob2]

What if they made some space for duke's tender

[@catastropheintended88]

@@Romgoob2 then it would suit his grace

[@jamescarruthers8184]

Tim, You know you will be smiling when at 75 and you are still using this to transport the harvest into storage, what an energy (back) saver. Brilliant idea, great solution…. Now I see another video there I need to look at 😊 😊 Great work!!

[@ewanduffy]

I love the use of the fish box, stating "No unauthorised use" ;) My dad is from a former fishing community in Donegal - multiple breaches of that "no unauthorised use" in that location too!

[@MorseB]

Yay! the railroad is back! Ive missed it and oddly enough, its what brought me here in the first place.

[@iheartigloos]

I'm always in awe of the things you come up with and craft! It's awesome to watch it all come together : )

[@rickitynick4463]

Not sure the specifics of your set up Tim, but when I added a good air dryer and micron filter to my cutter, it improved tip life by ~ 400% on average. Very clean, very dry air can and will make that much of a difference in consumable lifespan. That, and always fine tuning the amperage for what you are cutting to minimize splash etc will make a big difference as well. Looking forward to the next blog! /Waves to Sandra!

[@WayOutWestx2]

It's something I've struggled with from the beginning. I put in a fibre filter and that made a difference, but not much. So I spent a lot on a refrigerator unit - and that made a difference too, but not much. Not sure what to try next?

[@BossSpringsteen69]

I've experienced that same jolt at 6:48 in a 400,000 pound locomotive. Very cool.

[@AB-C1]

Excellent video and design and metal working skills well done mate

[@WayOutWestx2]

Thank you very much!

[@rd-ch1on]

My " tidy up fairy" told me the problem is with the " messing things up gnome".

[@Combes_]

So...you're the problem

[@Combes_]

No?

[@kirstenwhitworth8079]

I love, _love, _*_love_* the railway videos.

[@VitorMadeira]

F-A-N-T-A-S-T-I-C! No words to describe the felling about this idea. Greetings from Portugal.

[@JakeJemas]

Love seeing Bob! such a sweet creature.

[@WayOutWestx2]

Yes, he really is.

[@gayezimhuycke]

Good job Tim.

[@StaxRail]

Simplex engine here we come: (vague) Parts List: 1 small petrol engine 1 disused trolley 2 gears 1 length of chain

[@WayOutWestx2]

If only I could justify the time/money spent : - )

[@iviannanikolova6336]

_#€ rgcxffxfcfgcffcfcfcfcffffffffffffggggg

[@sungwocheung7570]

Glad to see Bob is still on duty.

[@berrybuena]

Tim, I greatly admire your Inventor's Mind. Great Video, and Hello Sandra 👋

[@martlee3962]

genius at work, amazing stuff

[@lordalexplays]

please make more videos like these, love it when you build stuff

[@kae4466]

i remember seeing small railroads (railways) like this where they were so small that the trains ran in buildings . i even saw one on a ship. they also used turntables like yours to turn or shunt instead of points in tiny places . (wharehouses , constructions sites , etc) job done.:) almost .

[@shanelikespaint4088]

Plasma cutters (and their consumables) like VERY DRY air. A combination of water separators and filter elements are critical. I run a 25' hose in a coil from my compressor to a separator, then a Motor Guard brand "toilet paper" style filter at my machine for clean/dry air. I also sold my inexpensive Chinese machine and invested in a quality US made machine, I go through a lot less consumables now... My cuts look so much better now too! I'm saving my pennies for a CNC table. Cheers :)

[@WayOutWestx2]

I have an in-line filter plus a refrigerator dryer already, but I think I'll have to add to those somehow.

[@kriegh94]

Just awesome! I hope to build a narrrow gauge railway like yours someday, it looks so useful!

[@fynbo1007]

Very cool, thank you for sharing your story. God bless you and your family

[@circulareconomy2099]

Love it mate. Couldn’t help but imagine one could make a ‘station’ at each end that allowed those lower bars to rest, thus allowing the operator to park it level.

[@jengleheimerschmitt7941]

That is a great idea. I think I'll put some plate steel in my giant CNC plasma cutter and pop one of these babies out this weekend... Easy peasy lemon squeasy.

[@mohammedtroy4296]

i saw my bob tim you are a very smart person

[@jordanbailey3289]

There was a 15’ gauge steam locomotive for sale on eBay, would be great for the railway

[@RoseThistleArtworks]

That worked out really well. You are so inspiring with all the things you invent. That whole railway system looks fantastic!

[@scrantonshopsmodeller8089]

Thank you for posting this! It's bout' time we had another railway video!

[@sepalikapushpalatha5139]

You said you are storing seed potatoes. Are you selling these to farmers in your country or do you export.

[@WayOutWestx2]

We just keep the seed for planting ourselves.

[@brianphilbrook5262]

Good job you’re one smart guy👍

[@tomkjeldgaard4110]

LOVE your chanel. Cant wait to see the furture. Thanks 😁😍

[@momtomtse]

What a wonderful railway 😊

[@Theorimlig]

Ingenious and beautiful in its simplicity, like all your inventions (well, someone else came up with the railway turntable...but you made this one!).

[@omnivision7412]

You guys are so smart. I could never make something like that.

[@alastairchestnutt6416]

Especially enjoyed watching your railway builds. Good job.

[@jetownsend1]

The first video of yours I saw was on the "mangolator," and that made me subscribe. I have wanted a garden railway ever since. (And I don't even have a garden to put it in!) I'm really excited to see you continue to improve your rail system.

[@MakeItWithCalvin]

Proper job there mate! My only comment on the turntable is it would have been handy if you made a small "detent" for the ball bearing to roll into to help "locate" the turntable in action. Otherwise very cleverly done and it looks like it is serving the job it was intended for nicely!

[@WayOutWestx2]

I hadn't considered that at all - shows how much research I'd done! Yes, it might be useful, but it seems to work fine as it is - going slowly as always.

[@odonald6087]

I was thinking the same, but I wondered about cleverly placed magnets to provide the latching.

[@Moostery]

In this case a detent would just offer a place for dirt and debris to accumulate and make it harder and harder to turn until it was impossible. It;s better how it is now as the bearings can just push debris out of their way as they run in to it.

[@sheslayfree]

Innovative, inspiring and practical.

[@themotivatedgardenergarden7822]

Well done good sir and team quality 👍👍

[@brianmulligan6239]

You're not only pretty but you're smart too! A good plan Tim. Makes life easier.

[@WayOutWestx2]

Ha! Thanks, Brian : - )

[@tropifiori]

Brilliant- as usual.The plasma cutter is splendid.

[@sarahlongshore2605]

Well done!!! You are always amazing!!

[@helenp81]

Brilliant as always Tim, works a treat 👍🏻

[@scottgray6276]

Congratulations! This is brilliant!!!

[@robertthornhill4379]

hi tim another great video excellent work thanks bob

[@WayOutWestx2]

Thanks, Bob!

[@jackielinde7568]

SUGGESTION: You'll want to weld plates to the left, right, and center of the top of the turntable that is flush with your floor. You don't want your turntable to become a tripping hazard. You may also want to design a latching system to lock the plate in place for when not in use. (Again, spinning disks also are a trip/fall hazard.) Maybe a spring loaded bold on the side, so you can access it while a cart is on the turntable. A bit late for the pour, but you should have used C channel for the track in the barn. Would make screeding the cement easier both inside the track and out while give you better clearance on the wheel flanges. Hopefully, your barn floor has some decent rebar in the slab, or that concrete could flex and crack under heavy loads. Concrete is great for compression, but doesn't perform well under tension and sheer loads. That's where the imbedded rebar comes handy. There's a KZbin channel called Practical Engineering that has an excellent series of videos on concrete and different ways engineers make it work better for our needs.

[@What..a..shambles]

Worthy of a Thumbs up!!

[@63256325N]

Nice! Thanks for the video.

[@StreetMachine18]

I think one of the first videos i saw on this channel was of your railway!!!

[@MrVailtown]

Gald to see you back in action ! Well thought out n works smooth.

[@julienrichard-1076]

I was worried the nuts/spacers would rub too much on the bottom plate but it seems not to hinder movement at all. I would have turned that middle plate upside down and used the nuts to bolt it to the top plate, so there would be no friction at all other than the bearings themselves. But seeing how easily you can turn it I guess it wouldn't have been necessary!Really nice!

[@WayOutWestx2]

Wouldn't it be tricky getting the balls into place if the middle plate was attached to the top one?

[@julienrichard-1076]

@@WayOutWestx2 Not too much if you put the middle plate and the balls like now, the top plate on top, and only then bolt the middle plate to it. Aligning the 2 plates might be a bit tricky though. And again, seeing how smooth it already is, it's not worth the trouble!

[@forestreese1704]

I always like the railway videos. Keep it up!

[@sharonlong8969]

Success!! I love the turning plate! That was great!

[@billy19461]

Looking good!

[@gurwindersran7157]

Nice work very good🌷🍁🌹🌺💐🌾

[@kearneyfamilylondon68]

Always inspirational Tim. Keep it up. Best. PEK.

[@lm2193]

6:30 a very diligent inspection dog ;) dog: ok, good to go.

[@mrglasecki]

Outstanding 😎

[@8703389]

This is so jenius....thank you for the idea

[@adlibby6448]

Congrats! I know this has been a long time coming!

[@WayOutWestx2]

Years!

[@phhowe17]

Wonderful content as usual. A small quibble. I'd suggest having a receiving cup on the underside for the center post so it doesn't have to stick up above floor level. It's something of a tripping hazard as it is now.

[@garygerard4290]

wow, that is Nice wish you were closer, we'd get along great!

[@WayOutWestx2]

If ever you find yourself close enough, come and say hello

[@Apollo_Vanron]

Great work!

[@ralpha679]

Nice work Tim. Now just need a locking mechanism!

[@Jesse_settle]

This is the first vid I say of your then me this is good I will watch it now nice

[@maryvanessa9909]

Great inventor 🙂

[@michaelbenoit248]

We need you to make a small little switcher engine to go with it. At some point it would be cool to do something like this of this scale/type on some property.

[@ctcollinthib]

Very clever

[@klschofield71]

Seems like a real time and labor saver. You might add smaller ball bearings inside the spacer nuts. It would cut down on friction and raise the platform some to reduce the the small drop. A hole in the concrete and a spring detent would aid in alignment.

[@WayOutWestx2]

Well the spacer nuts only lift the center disc and don't effect the overall height. But you're right - it might make it spin easier. But it seems to work fine as it is and the simpler the better, right?

[@widdershins2687]

Bloody brilliant!!! :)

[@area360combr]

Fantástico o seu trabalho. From Brazil, all good.

[@alanm3438]

That is great. I sure hope that it was worth the time and money.

[@murphyjenkins5042]

Amazing work! Now I want to make such a turntable for my 2ft line

[@WayOutWestx2]

2ft? That's huge!

[@murphyjenkins5042]

@@WayOutWestx2 It especially feels like it when I derail. You can see videos of my small line on my channel

[@happyalltheday2275]

Thats lovely.

[@asociacionmodelismodeltren906]

very good

[@Mr.Stacey-L-SCC]

It seems it takes very little effort on your part to move the loaded trolley. Neat idea!

[@ajaxengineco]

I've seen railways twice this size, moving slate filled wagons by hand. Rails are surprisingly easy to push something along.

[@saraburke7245]

Brilliant!

[@Rollinmayhem21]

Hopefully we can see more of this in 2020

[@darcymcnabb9259]

Use a moisture remover and a particular cleaner for your air line ....this will save your consumables.

[@AlansWoodworking]

Love it!

[@ben2e0omr]

I like it, I like it a lot.

[@ethandoory9364]

this is amazing i am thinking of doing the same thing but with my wine yard

[@WayOutWestx2]

good plan - let us know if you make any videos

[@GrizzlyGroundswell]

Brilliant

[@moreteavicarfromengland8299]

I'll send you the tidy up fairy over to your place ,when she done at mine !!

[@Rollinmayhem21]

I've been mainly interested in your 15' railway set up you have and I wanted to suggest something I understand your on a budget and this kind of helps with that. If you have a lave, I think I spelled that wrong, but if you have one, I recommend getting old car wheel hubs mainly the ones off of rear car brakes, and use those for wheels, i've seen it done once on a video on Facebook. I don't know how much they go for out there but here in a wrecking yard they could be anywhere from 15-20 dollars us money just a suggestion from one innovator to another.

[@WayOutWestx2]

A lathe? No I don't have one of those (at least not for metal work anyway). Yes, I thought about brake drums - but I think they'd be best for a bigger set-up than mine. If I ever find them I'll try..

[@gravelydon7072]

@@WayOutWestx2 Try the brake rotors instead of drums. Only problem with them is they would be deep flanges.

[@Meister_Knobi]

Nice work! But without a locking mechanisem i see a potentail safty issue. Like moving a heavy lore and its jumps out of its tracks because the rails didnt align anymore.

[@oneshotme]

Cool Now just count how many times you kick the pipe that you have sticking up LOL Very much enjoyed and thumbs up also

[@WayOutWestx2]

I might plant flowers in it : - )

[@peterjames4435]

Very nice. A suggestion cut the center pipe shorter and weld a spigot facing down to fit in it on the top turn plate, less likely to trip on it when carrying something and vision obscured. Just a thought.

[@WayOutWestx2]

You're right - that would have been neater, for sure.

[@paulmcguire3789]

are you going to join your local rail road union or are you just going to scab it.

[@WayOutWestx2]

Ha! What if they call a strike though? I'd have to sit and drink tea all day. Oh wait - sounds good!

[@MrAlex3461]

Hey it's the "discover audible" guy

[@colinnorthcott9219]

Very nice, success. Any plans to rust proof the swivel mechanism so it works for years to come?

[@WayOutWestx2]

Thanks, Colin. I'm not sure how to do that though. If I put grease on it that would just attract all the grit. Any suggestions?

[@gravelydon7072]

@@WayOutWestx2 A good coating of epoxy paint on the bottom side of the bottom plate would help as that is where most of your rust would start.

[@tamitng]

BRAVO! 👍👍👍

[@catthecommentbothunter6890]

What loco you will use? Is it a steam or a diesel or a gasoline?

[@JCisJD]

Brilliant:)