I found several pieces of LGB track at a yard sale yesterday for cheap. It is 4-5 feet long and well worn and it has been custom bent with a bender.
The track is not for mainline use but will be perfect for sidings.
The question is how can I bend this back to straight without using a rail bender? I took one piece and did the old belly bend but I need a better method.
Any ideas?
You could remove each rail from the ties and lay it sideways on a flat surface and gently tap the rail straight with a rubber mallet. (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-smile.gif)
…or borrow a bender!(http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)
No fair I said the same thing on the duplicate post!(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-yell.gif)
I’ve had “reasonable” success by taking an individual rail and pulling it through a short piece of plywood (six inches to a foot long) that has a slot (mortise) cut in it. The slot is just deep enough for the rail to fit into it up to its foot. As the rail exits the end that you are pulling on I just angle the pull a couple of degrees from parallel towards the outside of the original curvature to account for the spring back. A couple of passes will make it reasonably straight. I’ve only used this technique on brass rail. Once reassembled onto the ties there might still be a bit of curvature but that can be corrected with a couple of spikes.
It doesn’t look like new track but has been quite serviceable for sidings and such.
Good luck!
I don’t know why we have a duplicate post, can I do something about it or will Bob?
Anyways to be fair here is what John Caughey wrote on the duplicate thread.
“The other day I straightened a section of curved SS track. I took the ties off and did each rail individually. I have 18” of real mainline rail and laid the SS on it’s side on the plain steel rail with the arc up in the center. I used a steel hammer to beat the side of the foot. I didn’t worry about the rail head, it followed along right nice. I have polished faced steel hammers for metal work…
I’d suggest a mallet on a 2x4, the mallet, leather or plastic face, won’t dent and the wood will give some too.
One other thought, if you cut grooves to match the rail profile on the side of a big dowel (closet rod) you could run the rail over the edge like we do to remove wrinkles from paper. Many passes instead of few, to gently coax it into place… at the ends, use large channel locks to finish unbend.
To straighten metal with internal springiness, it helps to go past straight, into some reverse curvature, then allowing it to return to flat.
Other wise join a club and borrow/rent a bender. Or join a different club and shoot for Abs of steel and return to your belly bends…
The ever helpful;
John"
The track is bent from flex rail with the ties slid on so it shouldn’t be a problem taking it apart and taking a mallet to it.
I like Marks idea of using a 2x4 with a channel cut into it to pull the track through but like John wrote I think it will need to be bent just a bit more the opposite way to make the new bend stick.
Thanks guys.
John posted 16 minutes AFTER I posted on one of your threads, so he is duplicating what I said. (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)
Joe Zullo said:
John posted 16 minutes AFTER I posted on one of your threads, so he is duplicating what I said. (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)
Silly man, I started before you did and mine was longer and typing with one finger takes sooo long, besides mine was funnier!(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)
He who could care less;
John
Now children You both had good tips and I wanted to repost Johns comments here in case someone should have a similar question in the future.
John yours was funnier with your Abs of steel comment. I think many of us who are reaching middle age and beyond have no problem with doing a belly bend to create a curve track but taking a curve track and turning it into a straight plays into a much younger and fitter mans ability. LOL
John Caughey said:
Joe Zullo said:
John posted 16 minutes AFTER I posted on one of your threads, so he is duplicating what I said. (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)
Silly man, I started before you did and mine was longer and typing with one finger takes sooo long, besides mine was funnier!(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)
He who could care less;
John
It’s not MY fault you are a feeble typist! (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-tongue-out.gif)
Joe Zullo said:
John Caughey said:
Joe Zullo said:
John posted 16 minutes AFTER I posted on one of your threads, so he is duplicating what I said. (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)
Silly man, I started before you did and mine was longer and typing with one finger takes sooo long, besides mine was funnier!(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)
He who could care less;
John
It’s not MY fault you are a feeble typist! (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-tongue-out.gif)
There is fault involved? I didn’t know… (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-innocent.gif)
“How to straighten track without a bender” brings to mind that it is likely futile to try to straighten track while on a bender.
Todd, I have a single rail bender (Aristocraft unit) you can have. When near me, stop in and pick it up.
When using this bender it can twist the track when using it for horizontal bending. Vertical bending works best as no twist occurs.
Thank you Dan I will send you a message.
