[b]This part will cover the completion of the turntable bridge itself.
Code 250 rail is cut to length and glued evenly along the sides of the turntable following lines scribed earlier. This represents a home built turntable so using pieces of rail instead of steel angles is appropriate to “use what is on hand” shortline style. All glue used is “Welder” by Homax Products. The track behind is Llagas 250 aluminum with plastic ties. The turntable is 29" long so the track section is cut to 29-1/4" in length to allow a 1/8" overhang at each end.
The long ties are prestained (Behlen’s Dark Mahogany) cedar and are 6-1/2" long. They are placed evenly appox. 1" apart.
The track section is turned upside down and the ties are separated from one another and trimmed to remove all the connecting sprues. An additional two ties were added to the track section also to get the right number needed.
Set the track section on top of the turntable and move the individual ties so they all slide between the long ties on the TT bridge.
They will merge so… Secure the track with a few brad nails through the spike holes in the track ties. You don’t need many.
Planking is 1/8" cedar cut to various widths to fit between and to the sides of the TT deck. Glued and brad nailed through the long wooden ties. The side rails are approx. 1/4" high by 3/8" wide.
The armstrong handle is 1/8" aluminum tubing. A stronger handle could be made from brass tubing but then you’ll have to paint to cover the brass look. The siderail section holding the handle is 3/8" high and wide. I drilled the angled hole for the handle on the drill press by taping the piece to a scrap 2x4 section with one side cut to a 30 degree angle. The 2x4 was clamped firmly to the drill press and the piece itself was gouged with an icepick to keep the drill from slipping as it penetrated.
This and the following three views show the turntable in various positions on the pit base.
The brass plates on each end are for an alignment mechanism I’m planning for after the turntable is installed and the track approach brought in. I will wait for next Spring to permanently install the turntable pit as the rains are due and it makes no sense to subject it to an extra winter’s abuse when it doesn’t even have track to it yet. The turntable bridge itself of course lifts right off for winter storage but if it holds up like the other one it will be able to stand up to whatever nature throws at the rest of the year. That’s it, rude, crude & simple (like me ) and anyone can do it. It could be built also for a full pit. You will notice the lack of a support rail around the edge. Besides simple I anticipate that it will provide good solid support for any engine that will fit on it. The half pit and shallow depth are compromises anyway so the lack of a support rail shouldn’t be any big deal.[/b] Part One at: http://www.largescalecentral.com/forums/topic/13654/poc-s-new-turntable-part-one-1Part three (latching mechanism) at: http://www.largescalecentral.com/forums/topic/15687/poc-s-turntable-part-3-the-l