Large Scale Central

Rail benders and bending theory

Track and Trestles
#21

Rick Marty said:

Devon

Sixteen inches of track and hand pushing a car is a different matter than running a loco and cars around a layout and through switches and curves.

Rick that was meant somewhat tongue in cheek; OK more than somewhat. I realize that was in no way was a real test. It did verify that there is room over the spike heads in an ideal situation. I also realize that you’re offer constructive advise and not trying to talk me out of using 215 (if you are I didn’t pick up on it). Its that emotionless internet thing. I do really appreciate it also. It is one thing to say 215 sucks don’t use it, but to offer real observations and potential problems is always welcome in my book.

It is advice like this that made me steer away from 215 on my outdoor and I am now planning on laying 250. But indoors where I have a more controlled environment I hope to stick with it. I know it works and I appreciate the advice ahead of time so that I can avoid them before they are problems.

So please know I am all good with your advice and am listening open minded.

#22

So, as I understand it we have an indoor layout, aluminum code 215 rail.

You don’t really need a bender for this, but you could buy a single rail bender for the tighter curves. This stuff is pretty darn soft and flexible.

Yeah code 215 is pretty low, but it is INDOORS where you don’t have to worry about twigs, branches, leaves, other junk on the rails.

Devon, I think you are overthinking this. Get a cheap single rail bender, bend the rails to the nominal diameter, and it will bend to fit the outer or inner rail location.

Greg

#23

Ha. . . me overthink it. . .not possible. . .ok its possible. . .probable. . .likely(http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)

#24

By the way, a single rail bender is way cheaper, in fact I have one somewhere that probably could be had for a song, or even a chorus.

I tried bending SS with it and it was painful… it would eat aluminum rail for breakfast.

Contact me by email if interested.

Greg

#25

Email sent, Thanks Greg

#26

Rick Marty said:

Korm

What are you using the horse shoe nippers for, cutting off the spikes below the ties??

no. i used just standard nails. hammering them in, untill they had one mm less hight than the railhead.

then i took the nipper, pressed against the inner and the outer nail, and hammering down on the grip of the nipper, i bent the nails around the railfoot.

that gave me a fine grip on the rails, no wiggling, nothing. - … - but… when the first train rolled over the done trestle, it sounded like a gatling gun.

then, with a bolt and a hammer, i lowered the nailheads more on the railfoot (the bridge did withstand this stresstest!) and everything works fine.

next time i will snipp off the nailheads, before spiking.

#27

Hi Devon,

I have some code 215 aluminum track, I checked bachman aristo

, usa, hartland,and sv wheels on it and they all cleared the spike heads with no problems.

I also made a rail bender from a cheap harbor freight vise and 3 roller skate wheels, bends the aluminum rail like butter.

Chuck

#28

Devon,

I used a Llagas single rail bender for all my track, and I then threaded the tie strips onto the rails. If it’s aluminum, then bend both rails to the same radius and the outer will be too tight and the inner too wide but they will fight each other and compromise on the center line when you get them spiked down. Alum has plenty of give.

Do make sure the rails lie flat before you spike them, as someone (Rick?) commented. It’s easy with a bender to make them bend up or down without realizing it. My most useful tool was probably a flat worktable top. Your eyes are the best guide - get down and look along the rails - you’ll see the curve and the kinks.

Rog’s RGSEast was all code 215 in Llagas 1:20.3 track bases and we never noticed any wheel problems. [Incidentally, an oversize wheel flange can be dealt with by removing the wheel rom the axle and chicking it in a drill - then use a file to remove some material! Or buy better scale wheels.]

#29

If my research is right, the Llagas Creek single bender was actually made by Lindsay, apparently NLA.

That’s the one I am offering to you Devon.

Greg

#30

Sold

#31

Devon,

The single rail bender that Greg has works great! I’ve used it for bending 215, 250 and 332 rail on the 250 roller (215 &332 rollers are available as well). When laying out a curve, I draw a pencil mark on the garage floor of the radius I was looking for. Then I simply ran the rail through until it matched that radius. The next rail I did the same thing. I didn’t worry about the inside or outside rail being slightly off.

#32

Not sure extra rollers are available, but check with Llagas would be my guess. My unit was for 332, but will probably be fine on 215 if careful to avoid twisting as was mentioned earlier.

Greg

#33

Greg,

No rail bender is available from Llagas at this point. The comment I received via email from Brain at Llagas is that he is developing one that will be out soon.

#34

I would ask if they still have the spare rollers in stock.

Greg

#35

Good idea Greg. Would the 250 rollers from the Sierra Valley bender fit if I can’t get any from Llagas

I sent an inquiry to Bryan

#36

Worth a shot, you never know… i really don’t know the history of the lindsay bender, but i don’t think llagas made them themselves.

Greg

#37

Devon Sinsley said:

Good idea Greg. Would the 250 rollers from the Sierra Valley bender fit if I can’t get any from Llagas

I sent an inquiry to Bryan

Devon,

I used that Llagas rail bender with code 250 rollers. As someone mentioned, it works fine with code 215. Not sure code 332 will work with 215, but try it - nothing to lose.

No idea if Sunset valley’s roller will fit, but you can always file Greg’s code 332 rollers down! The rollers support the web beteen the top and bottom of the rail, plus the rail head, I think. The rail foot sat underneath the roller ridge.

Put roller on a bolt with a nut and tighten the bolt in your drill press and the nut on the roller so it is fixed. Get a file and change the height and width of the ridge on the roller. The following image came from http://familygardentrains.com/primer/railbender/railbenders.htm

#38

good advice Pete

#39

Just do like I do. I bend the track around my rather ample belly until the track matches the curve I want. It never fails.

#40

need 30 inch curves, you’ve seen me I would need to wrap it around my thigh. lol