Thread: Wooden Train Track

Grandpas of the world unite!!!

Great to see Gordon leading the way!

"Dirty or clean, I'm a famous machine"

Well done, very clever!

My wife and I went through our Ikea store last week and I spent some time studying these

The track pieces are all females and are joined together with little "Peanut" shaped pieces, would that make things easier or more flexible?
More pics

Well done Stubchain!
I had a go a while back with mixed success. The straight bits were OK, and had a hit with a double female joiner, to supplement the double male supplied in a set. This opens up build options! Got a bit carried away trying a pivoting unit for varying the angle of a corner (as per commercial version) which failed dismally!
I also did a repair on a level crossing unit, where my son had broken the plastic male fitting on its first outing. Epoxied in a seperate dovetailed piece, out of beech, which has held up quite well.

Cheers,

Originally Posted by Tankstand

Well done, very clever!

My wife and I went through our Ikea store last week and I spent some time studying these

The track pieces are all females and are joined together with little "Peanut" shaped pieces, would that make things easier or more flexible?
More pics

Can you imagine trying to keep track of the little peanuts....

Looks good Stubchain great idea

Yes the little connectors look very appetising, not sure how they are getting away with selling to 3 year olds. My understanding is that the IKEA track is just that little bit different to the one for the Thomas sets.

The male connector is certainly the problem. I'm trying to track down some 12mm wooden balls so I can drill and dowel them into one end. This will make the curved track easier.

I am working through an idea how to make the curve track using a router table and a circle cutting type jig.

One advantage of a system like this is that at least the trains run on time.

a good job did you make the train as well?
les

Someone is going to need a bigger house.

I will check the router forum but could you use a bearing guided flush trim router bit?

I spent many days going through the Thomas train stuff last Christmas. They even have different size tracks within the Thomas range.

Looks like a good CNC project to me....

HH.

nice track and good effort

somewhere I've even seen kits to make the trains ie the wheels and magnets etc - when I can remember where I'll post the info

Yes Scally I could use a flush router bit, and I think I will. I have also seen an mdf template used to route the track grooves. It's a concave curve that matches the outside curve of the track. This is then used on a router table with a 6.35mm bit, then offset for the second "rail".

I don't think I'll get into making the trains, can't match the bought ones from Big W.

Originally Posted by Stubchain

Yes the little connectors look very appetising, not sure how they are getting away with selling to 3 year olds. My understanding is that the IKEA track is just that little bit different to the one for the Thomas sets.

The male connector is certainly the problem. I'm trying to track down some 12mm wooden balls so I can drill and dowel them into one end. This will make the curved track easier.

I am working through an idea how to make the curve track using a router table and a circle cutting type jig.

One advantage of a system like this is that at least the trains run on time.

We've got the ikea set and the peanuts are glued into one end. The machine tolerances are not very good, so the fit is quite loose in the free end, but you can't get the peanuts out of the glued end.

I found some 12mm wooden balls in a bead shop, cost me $6 for 50. Just about perfect for the male connectors. Here's a picture, and one of my grandson.