The Atlas Turntable "slightly modified"

[Dave Buchholz]

Building up of the ring rail

Removed to the work bench for build up of the ring rail.

 I used strip wood, then covered it in dental stone

[Dave Buchholz]

After sanding the surface of the dental stone (a type of plaster used in the  dental industry) back down the the cribbing. I started adding the ties. Afterward it was on to  spacing the ring rail
 I used a nail into the connector block as a center pivot



The connecting box around the 1/8" electrical plug was built with sheet and "L" plastic. It is what actually connects and drives the upper turntable bridge to the Atlas table underneath.

[Mr. Critter]

I love your field-expedient wooden ring-rail trammel.  Or circle gauge.  Whatever it's called.  How did you cut the proper arc in it, please?

[Dave Buchholz]

I used a simple cut off wheel in a Dremel tool to get the curve on the bottom of the trammel.

Then I took a length of code 70 rail and kept bending it into an arc until it was close to the needed diameter. the actual diameter wasn't critical, but keeping it consistent  was. Other than that. It was  keeping it reasonable centered on the ties..   As I moved the trammel around the circle, I spiked the rail into place on the ties.
 I did not use the trammel space the bogie wheels under the bridge base at a later point in construction. I just decided it was going to be easier to match the four bogie wheels to the ring rail, rather than the other way around..

 I'll show the bogie wheel construction as this progresses.

[Mr. Critter]

"The Trammel has a curved  on the bottom."

Ohh... So it won't bear on the rail for the whole width of its cut?  Just a tiny bite?

If so, that's elegant.

[Dave Buchholz]

I fitted the bridge bogie wheels into brass channel. Note they are mounted perpendicular to the center (tangent) the are  not  in line with the bridge timbers themselves., but to the center pivot point.

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[Dave Buchholz]

These next to pictures illustrate the difference of building directly onto the Atlas turntable, vs burying the mechanism below to use the indexing feature with a new structure 

[Philip]

You ain't fiddlin around! That was quick and it looks great! I saw one of those rail benders from a company for like 80 bucks! I made a similar one out of wood and some rollers/ 1/4 20 bolts/ from a hardware store. Did the job.

Philip 

[Dave Buchholz]

Happy to hear you imagineered your own tool Phil. I kind of cheated somewhat. Professionally, I'm a Licensed Optician in New York State, for over fifty years. I own a tool for bending wire frames, but I've also seen the same tool at Hobby lobby. The optical industry calls it a base curve pliers.

Jewelry maker hobbyists usually refer to it as a wire forming pliers. I have seen them in places like Hobby Lobby and Michael's craft stores. Sometimes they come in a set that have other useful pliers.

[Bernd]

Speaking of rail benders. I made one many years ago and gave it to a friend to test out. Haven't seen either of them.







Bernd

[deemery]

That looks similar in design to the Fast Tracks rail bender (which works well....)  And that reminds me:  I still need to add the guard rails to my trestle bridge...

dave

[jbvb]

Interesting.  I had an Atlas turntable on my first layout, but believe I gave it away.

[Philip]

Funny they used a tool similar like that at vision works today to adjust my wife new tight glasses.

Pictured was my jig I used on a turntable from Kitwood hills models,UK. My grandson named it "toaster". It is a basic friction jig that was a useful rail bender cobbled.

[Bernd]

That looks similar in design to the Fast Tracks rail bender (which works well....)  And that reminds me:  I still need to add the guard rails to my trestle bridge...

dave

So did this one. I've got parts for one. I'm going to need to get it built up for future track work on the quarry line.

Bernd

[kyle creel]

That's sooooo cool           .  I used the same Atlas TT on The Grizzly & Dilapidated Ry. and found it easy to do modifications to also.   Love the whole 'pond idea'........Thanx for the inspiration.....

KYLE CREEL
G&D Ry.