Thread: Slow build of a half track

Originally Posted by rwbuild

Between keith and Dalboy, the rest of us don't stand a chance of reaching their skill level

BUT we can be inspired and encouraged to high levels and bigger goals....

Saying that, while true, the craftsmanship of both Keith & Derek is certainly up there.

Thank you for all the extra time and effort to do all the great photos and build notes, much appreciated.

Cheers Peter..

Thank you guys not really up with people like Keith just take my time learn how to use hand tools properly as I had picked up some bad habits in the beginning of woodworking and also learning to work with the wood and not against it.

Originally Posted by chambezio

What a beautiful job!!! Are the colours just the natural colour of the timber with a clear coat over the surface? Or have you added a thin stain? It looks really good

Just natural wood with a clear finish

Originally Posted by htl

Outstanding is the word for this project, just outstanding!!!
Can hardly wait to see your jig set up, this is the best part of this project.
Got to love them tracks!!!

About to go and cut the wood for the jigs as this morning I have been gardening 1:00PM here so I now have all afternoon to go and play with wood.

Hey guys,

Thanks for your posts. I'm embarrassed by what you are saying. Just loving my locos and inspired and mentored by a brilliant modelmaker - miss him - he gave me lots of special tips and methods. "We can only try to improve on our next build" - one of his quotes.

Derek your work is brilliant mate. Your work is inspiring.

The main thing is we all enjoy building our toys, models or whatever - that is the key factor AND we are out in the shed doing what we love

Regards

Keith

Well the afternoon did not go that well started to cut the track links to find that the wood I chose was not suitable as it kept splitting so gave up after managing to cut about 30 of the 62. Those that did not get damaged I have put into a bag for other uses. Pulled out some more wood and did a test this did not break as easy but will be able to tell once I start to cut into links.
I did however manage to cut it into the right thickness and width as well as some smaller strips which will be glued along the centre line of them.

This is the old wood which I am sure I will find a use for what is left on another model/toy


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And this is the new lot first after thicknessing and second ready to be chopped into links as well as the centre pieces still in lengths I think that I went OTT on the amount I prepared as when I worked it out enough there for two half tracks I know I like a few spares just in case but 62+ is a bit much


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Getting ready for the tracks to be built, this has taken up today's shed time and still one more jig to make. For the end result that I am looking for I feel that time spent on getting these jigs right is worth the effort.
Well the jig for cutting the cut outs for the links are now complete all I need now is one for the drilling of the holes rather than have to set up for every one.
The first and second show the jig closed up there will be a slot routed in each at different places which will go through to the inside where the links will be trapped so they can not move or even lift out when this is being done.

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Photo three shows one of the boxes open ready for the links.

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Photo four with the links ready to be inserted(these are the first batch which I will not be using except for the set up)

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The last shows them in place with two spacers if needed so that the screw at the end can tighten them together if I don't have enough to fill the box as well as to make it easy to insert them without having to jam them in, it also allows for easy removal.

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Nothing for a couple of days I went out yesterday to a small fair and I took my woodturning and the wife here knitting totally shattered so having a rest today. But i did manage a few pictures of my set up.

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Derek, The stall looks beaut something for everyone; you are very talented couple.
I hope you managed to sell a good amount. Cheers, Peter

Agree with Crowie, you and your missus are a very talented couple.

Your woodworking skills and craftsmanship is tremendous across so many disciplines. Congratulations mate

Regards

Keith

Thank you Peter and Keith. Still not been in the workshop still felt tired this morning boy did it knock me out. Do not want to play with machines when I am like that, I like to be in control of all my faculties (I think that is the right spelling) when using then.
I try to do the best I can when making something. The cabinet the pens are in is also something I knocked up to display the small items.

Look after yourself Derek

Regards

Keith

Thank you Keith. I have been back in the shed today but still nothing done on the half track, I will try and get some done tomorrow or Sunday. I have been getting things ready for a day of demonstrating on Saturday everything will be set up so just have a quite day and do some turning. This is an event our turning club attends and puts on a little display throughout the day

Well the time is very very close to starting on the track parts. Today I knocked up the last jig for the track parts this is for drilling the holes in the tracks it has a bar on the underside so that it can be clamped into my cross slide vice which is clamped to the table of the drill press. Using that vice means I can line the drill up reasonably accurate and once set just a case of releasing the clamp that you can see in the very short video. It does hold the piece very firm. The Piece I used in the video was of the first lot I cut for the tracks which i will not be using except to do test cuts before committing to the actual track pieces.

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And also a quick photo from the event we attended this was at the end of the day.

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Don't you just love making up Jigs and Fixtures to allow you to get your work done. I reckon nearly as satisfying as the build - Top Stuff Derek

Regards

Keith

Yes Keith I quite enjoy making jigs and do find them great especially as most I either design myself of modify some of others which reminds me to complete the write up on the wheel tyre cutting jig which most of it is done just drawing the diagrams for it.

Well started by setting up my hand mitre saw as the powered one is just too big for the small parts and tends to fling them around.
Anyway re-cut all of the track links first and doing this took a little time as I ended up cutting 80 of them and only need 62 I like to have plenty of spares.

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And also after a small adjustment to the mitre saw cut up all of the link guide pieces and then some extra again as you can see these are quite small. I also took the saw out of the tracks and used my small Japanese saw but using the main mitre assembly as can be seen in the second to last photo.

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Hopefully tomorrow start drilling the links after sanding them all, I will drilling four holes in each this is to make sure that they are all central in the edge of the link. Because the holes on these go right the way through the widest point and are started from the edges.
This is going to be a very repetitive part of the build but not difficult in the least just take my time and it should go as planned famous last words. This is where the building the jigs will pay off.