Large Scale Central

Rail Bender brands -- best one?

General Discussion
#1

I have stainless track to bend.
From your experience, what is the best rail bender to purchase?
Thanks,
Wendell

#2

http://www.elmassian.com/trains-mainmenu-27/track-mainmenu-93/flex-track-and-rail-benders

Regards, Greg

#3

Greg-
Thanks. Helpful, as expected.
Others reading: CHeck out his site - above - for other tips as well as a review of the dual track benders.
Wendell

#4

I made a bender for pocket change many many years ago…

Largescale-Trains.com - Homemade Railbender

Jon.

#5

I’m assuming you are using Aristo track since you mentioned Stainless Steel. If you buy a dual-track bender I’d be curious to hear your report on this: Will the bender work without removing the screws from the tie strips? How tight a radius can you bend before you need to make cuts in the tie strips?

I’m using the original Aristo single rail bender with their SS track. It is a royal pain to work with, but it gets the job done. I must completely disassemble my 5ft straight sections, bend, then cut one side of the tie strips to allow flexing before re-assembling.

#6

I’m happy with my Train-Li.
(And so are my new found friends. :slight_smile: :slight_smile: )

#7

I have used the train-li bender with Aristo Stainless track for several years. It works perfectly. To bend track of any length, you have to remove the screws on the tie strips, otherwise there are problems. Usually I go back once it is bent the way I need it, I check and always can find a few tie strip holes that line up, and put a few screws back in just to keep the ties in place. I also usually square off the ends, which won’t be square anymore if you start with straight track.
Paul

#8

I like my homemade railbender. It was in Garden railways a few years ago. I have always felt for the price of a railbender I could get another 100ft of track. Then yet im to cheap to spend that kind of money for something I wont use often.

#9

Thanks Paul. So you only need to remove the screws, not cut the tie strips? That would be handy.

I don’t bother squaring the ends for most sections, I just stagger the joints. That does require an extra tie or two in some situations.

#10

You might have to cut the tie strips also if making quite a change.

I’ve found often I only need to remove the screws on one side.

Regards, Greg

#11

I find this post very interesting as I have been looking at rail benders since last winter, with all the ice we had here and the glacial affects created when it receded. I have a section where it actually bent the rails, the trains run fine through it but I don’t like it. This is where a duo track bender comes into play(maintainence) as I really don’t want to tear up the section and rebend it.
BTW…Nice review on your site Greg, I had my mind set on one in particular and still have the same one in mind.
:wink:

#12

Thanks David!

There is another dual rail bender I saw at a recent show, it is made of all aluminum. I will try to add that to my list.

My personal recommendations are the Train-Li or the RLD one.

Regards, Greg

#13

Train-Li!

#14

I just bought the one RLD Hobbies makes, I did borrow someones Train-Li rail bender before, so I had that to compare to before I went with RLD. I do not like Aristocrafts because the L shaped metal base is not as strong as Train-Lis and RLD Hobbies rail benders. I have straightened out some track I had, so far I like everything about it, the price was a deciding factor, but I did not want to skimp on quality, I would take a good look at the RLD one, it is as comparable to Train-Lis. I like the overall strength of the RLD Hobbies one, thats the only way I can describe it, I hope you understand what I am trying to say.

tom h

#15

Tom,

I’ve used the model you bought on the Bluestone Southern. They work good.