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TEMPLOT 3D PLUG TRACK - To get up to speed with this experimental project click here.   To watch an introductory video click here.   See the User Guide at Bexhill West.

  • The Plug Track functions are experimental and still being developed. Some of the earlier pages of this topic are now out-of-date.

    For an updated overview of this project see this topic.   For some practical modelling aspects of using Plug Track see Building 3D Track.

    The assumption is that you have your own machines on which to experiment, or helpful friends with machines. Please do not send Templot files to commercial laser cutting or 3D printing firms while this project is still experimental, because the results are unpredictable and possibly wasteful.

    Some pages of this and other topics include contributions from members who are creating and posting their own CAD designs for 3D printing and laser-cutting. Do not confuse them with Templot's own exported CAD files. All files derived from Templot are © Martin Wynne.
  • The Plug Track functions are experimental and still being developed.

    For an updated overview of this project see this topic.   For some practical modelling aspects of using Plug Track see Building 3D Track.

    The assumption is that you have your own machines on which to experiment, or helpful friends with machines. Please do not send Templot files to commercial laser cutting or 3D printing firms while this project is still experimental, because the results are unpredictable and possibly wasteful.

    Some pages of this and other topics include contributions from members who are creating and posting their own CAD designs for 3D printing and laser-cutting. Do not confuse them with Templot's own exported CAD files. All files derived from Templot are © Martin Wynne.

Experimental Plug Track: 3D-printed, CNC-milled, laser-cut

Quick reply >
.
Signs of progress -- a couple of brick files. Each one contains parts of several templates:

bricks_3.png


This is what it looks like on the screen. Bricks are colour-coded in order to link them to the splints and clips in the DXF export:

bricks_1.png


bricks_2.png


But we are not there yet. For example where timbers are interlaced, the flanges and webs are breaking into the sockets:

bricks_4.png


And I made a silly mistake in putting a clip too close to the web.

Still a lot to do before I can finally get back to the special chairs. It's now 5 years since I did the S1 chairs. Don't know where that time went.

cheers,

Martin.
 
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Hi Martin,
How did you manage to get part of one template and part of another template separated from their respective templates and then joined on one brick. For instance the yellow brick?
Sorry if I have not been paying attention.
Steve
 
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@Steve_Cornford

Hi Steve,

You have been paying attention. I haven't written the explanation yet. :)

It's doable with the existing Templot functions, but I have added some new ones to make it easier and to link the clips and splints to the brick. It's all based on the template marker colours.

I'm hoping to release another experimental update later today or tomorrow, and I will write a more detailed explanation then.

cheers,

Martin.
 
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.
Overnight FDM brick production:

cura_test_brick1.jpg


cura_test_brick2.jpg


EM gauge. 0.6mm actual nozzle, programmed as 0.5mm in the slicer. I went back to Cura for the slicing -- for the top surface smoothing ("ironing") function, although it adds 33% to the print time. Reduced the print temperature from 195 to 180 degrees, which made a big improvement to the stringing problem. I've no idea of course whether that is the actual temperature of the nozzle -- without some accurate sensing and calibration of the thermistor, eveything is purely relative, trial and error. The webbing is very messy (the camera makes it look worse), but it all gets lost under the ballast -- I need an "insert dummy ballast" function in my graphics editor. :)

The sockets were a fraction too short for the intended plugs, so in theory needed some adjustment of the tolerance. But instead I tried the chairs which I made for the CNC milled sockets, with the increased corner relief on the plugs. They were similarly too long for the sockets, but because of the reduced end area of the plug, I found that a sharp tap on the rail top with a toffee hammer seated them firmly down into the timber, with a tight interference fit in the socket. I'm wondering if I have hit on (sorry!) the best way forward? With such a bash interference fit, slight variations in the size of plug or socket are not so critical. Although the PLA-Plus resin is tough, it appears to be softer than the cured chair resin, to make such a method feasible:

index.php


For anyone wondering whether to get an FDM printer or a CNC miller (which cost roughly the same), here are the same chairs in a one-piece milled MDF timbering base:

index.php


I'm fortunate in having both, but if I had to choose just one it would be a difficult decision. There are strong pros and cons for each.

There are a few changes I want to make to the design of the clips, to remove the visible "elephant's foot", but I'm still hoping to post another experimental program version later today.

cheers,

Martin.
 
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@Steve_Cornford @Paul Boyd @Charles Orr @timbersgalore @ralphrobertson @Stephen Freeman @David Catton @AndyB @Phil O
@Hayfield @Guinea_Pig_Tester

I have created a new Club forum section specifically for Plug Track, and started a topic about using 229b:

https://85a.uk/templot/club/index.php?threads/extracting-a-timbering-brick-from-a-track-plan.295/

This is a new forum section, so if you want to receive emails from it, you will need to update your Watch settings accordingly. For how to do that, go to:

https://85a.uk/templot/archive/topics/topic_3839.php#p31676

I shall move this topic, and other relevant ones, to the new section in due course.

cheers,

Martin.
 
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@Steve_Cornford @Paul Boyd @Charles Orr @timbersgalore @ralphrobertson @Stephen Freeman @David Catton @AndyB @Phil O
@Hayfield @Guinea_Pig_Tester

I have created a new Club forum section specifically for Plug Track, and started a topic about using 229z:

https://85a.uk/templot/club/index.php?threads/extracting-a-timbering-brick-from-a-track-plan.295/

This is a new forum section, so if you want to receive emails from it, you will need to update your Watch settings accordingly. For how to do that, go to:

https://85a.uk/templot/archive/topics/topic_3839.php#p31676

I shall move this topic, and other relevant ones, to the new section in due course.

cheers,

Martin.
Thanks! I also need to investigate why I’ve not been getting Templot emails for a couple of weeks (I do check my junk folders regularly) until I got one for your post above just now!

In fact, looking back I’ve missed a lot! I’ve just unwatched and watched the thread again, making sure the email box is ticked, but I’ll have a proper check of all the forums when I get home.

Cheers,
Paul
 
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Last edited:
Thanks! I also need to investigate why I’ve not been getting Templot emails for a couple of weeks (I do check my junk folders regularly) until I got one for your post above just now!
@Paul Boyd

Hi Paul,

No need to investigate, I can tell you.

A recent upgrade to the forum software undid some mods I made, without telling me. I found out only today, and restored them. I'm not best pleased about it, and XenForo will be getting a stroppy email from me. :)

cheers,

Martin.
 
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@Paul Boyd

Hi Paul,

No need to investigate, I can tell you.

A recent upgrade to the forum software undid some mods I made, without telling me. I found out only today, and restored them. I'm not best pleased about it, and XenForo will be getting a stroppy email from me. :)

cheers,

Martin.
Ah, our letters crossed in the post! Thanks for that info, I won’t investigate!
 
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@Paul Boyd

Hi Paul,

Sorry you missed stuff.

Most forum softwares are extremely insistent that you must visit the forum regularly and not rely on emails alone to keep up to date. It only recently dawned on me why -- most forum owners are heavily reliant on advertising and get paid for each click and page impression. In selling the forum software, a big sales point is how much more advertising revenue it can bring you than other forum softwares.

None of that is relevant to Templot Club -- I made a mod to send an email for every post in watched forums, regardless of whether you visit the web site or not. There is no actual admin option for that, I had to modify the core code. I need to be more vigilant in future that upgrades are not undoing my mods.

cheers,

Martin.
 
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Hi Martin,
Now that my installed version of Templot is 229b, when I switch on experimental chairing the banner heading behind the buttons does not change colour to indicate experimental mode which was quite a good indicator.
Steve
 
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message ref: 2875
Now that my installed version of Templot is 229b, when I switch on experimental chairing the banner heading behind the buttons does not change colour to indicate experimental mode which was quite a good indicator.
@Steve_Cornford

Hi Steve,

I've abandoned experimental mode, and reverted to normal updates for everyone.

I went for a walk and came back feeling less control-freakish. :)

I'm confident that Templot is working ok. But there is still a splash message when you export a 3-D file for the first time.

cheers,

Martin.
 
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message ref: 2876
Gday! Wow, I have just found this and with a large track plan and lots of hand built track to do plug track sounds amazing.
is the post no: 74 'get started in 3d' still relevant?
I got the curved B6 turnout that you start with to work once, but cant get anything on my track plan to work/export for the life of me.

Cheers!
Ben
 
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message ref: 2909
Gday! Wow, I have just found this and with a large track plan and lots of hand built track to do plug track sounds amazing.
is the post no: 74 'get started in 3d' still relevant?
I got the curved B6 turnout that you start with to work once, but cant get anything on my track plan to work/export for the life of me.

Cheers!
Ben
@Captain_Mumbles

Hi Ben,

The whole Plug Track thing is still experimental and in development. It's been that way for several years and there is still a long way to go.

Yes, post #74 is still relevant. If you have a 3D resin printer you can use that method to make some REA S1 ordinary chairs:

https://85a.uk/templot/club/index.p...3d-printed-cnc-milled-laser-cut.229/post-2028

However, the only thing you can do with them is to build plain track. There is no point in trying to do a B-6 turnout, or any other turnout, because as yet none of the special chairs needed are available. If you try to print them they will just be broken and wrong, and leave bits of broken chair in your printer resin.

But today I have finally got back to working on the chairs, after spending the last few months on the timbering. Today I am working to finish the L1 bridge chairs.

You can if you wish experiment with creating the timbering base for a turnout, but bear in mind that the sockets will be wrong and a mess for anything other than the S1 and L1 chair positions. Timbering bases can be created using FDM (filament) printing, or CNC milling, or laser cutting. Or any other method you have access to. These separate topics are about creating timbering bases for Plug Track:

https://85a.uk/templot/club/index.php?threads/extracting-a-timbering-brick-from-a-track-plan.295/

https://85a.uk/templot/club/index.php?threads/cnc-miller-instead-of-laser-cutter.276/

If you make both S1 chairs and timbering bases you can experiment with the plug and socket sizes on your machines to get the desired fit -- and please report back here with your results. :) It makes sense to do that only for plain track if you want a result which can actually be used on your layout.

cheers,

Martin.
 
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Hi Ben,
I have been reading your RMWEB postings and can see that you have been making progress with soldered track construction.
When you say you cant get it to work/export what exactly are you trying to export?
You do know that this is all Experimental and only one type of chair is available, so not really a practical proposition for producing turnouts.
To export any of the stuff Martin has been Exprimenting with, you need to:-
Real > Chairing / 3D > then change the option from "no chairing" to "experimental chairing"
But do not do this with your master track plan without making sure you have a BCAKUP first, as at the moment any chnages you make after this are not supported by Martin as it is all experimental.
Once you have finished experimenting, exit Templot and restart Templot before you do any "real" amendments!
Once you have switche don experimental chairing, you should be able to export a vriety of either 2-D or 3-D files, depending upon whta you are trying to achieve.
Can you tell us what it is you want to achieve, bearing in mind it is only experimental at this stage, and I will try and help.
Steve
 
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message ref: 2911
.
I have been giving more thought to the design of the plugs. With the present tapered design it is too easy to get the plug jammed at a cocked angle when pressing it home. A deeper bottom inset section makes it much easier to locate and loosely engage the chair over the socket when spacing the chairs along the rail, and provides a better lead-in when pressing it home:

inset_plugs.png

The snag is that it needs deeper sockets and consequently thicker timbers. These plugs are 7" deep overall (scale) needing timbers at least 8" thick to be sure of a bottom clearance for the 3D printing supports. That means FDM timbers 2.7mm thick in 4mm scale, and through sockets in 3mm MDF for CNC milling. That seems ok to me, but for laser-cutting it is likely to need a separate socketed trackbed sub-layer.

All the dimensions are adjustable for those who prefer thinner timbers and have nimble fingers to get the chairs level in the sockets. Or prefer a looser fit in shallow sockets with adhesive.

Notice also on the left that the L1 bridge chairs now have inner jaws. At long last I've been able to get back to working on the chairs. :)

These drawings may be of interest. I have overlaid the REA S1 (red) and L1 (blue) chairs to see where they differ:

s1_l1_overlaid1.png


s1_l1_overlaid2.png


(The "T" shaped component in fresh air is the outline of a locking bar in the depressed position.)

cheers,

Martin.
 
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Gday!!
@Martin Wynne, @Steve_Cornford
To be honest I selfishly just wanted to export one of my B7 or 9 just to see how it came out on our gear at work, (filament for timbers and resin for chairs) and see if I could use some of the parts on some turnouts I am making. Fill in the gaps. Or, even take out what cant be used and fill it in with the hand made stuff. I really am enjoying the building of turnouts, even find it quite tranquil but it is good to try new things too.

I also just wondered if I could add any data to make the Peco code 75 option available, as I have a lot of it, (and others might too?) I saw that I can adjust parameters to work with it.

I am on the other side of the planet (Aus, HO, non bullhead land) and although really happy with the service of the UK shops, it can take time waiting for parts. (20 something quid, 40-50aud shipping starts to hurt a bit after a while too!) So being able just to print chair parts (even if they are not completely correct) is still a head start in some ways and probably doesnt effect the overall look of it too much. It beats cutting chairs off my stash of sprare Peco code 75 sleepers so I can carry on while I wait for mail.

Apologies for the slight hijack of the thread. Will simply go to the post 74, start there. I must have just been having finger trouble.

Thanks!
Ben
 
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@Captain_Mumbles

Hi Ben,

I'm afraid you are jumping ahead of me. I doubt you will have any joy attempting to create a usable turnout at present. :(

I released the experimental stuff I'm working on simply so that folks could see what I'm doing, and tinker about with their own machines to see what can be achieved with them, and provide some feedback about the results. There is no way any of it is yet ready to be put to any actual use -- even for what I have done so far there is still much trial and error needed just to arrive at some usable default settings. I tried to make this clear from the start, but I find explaining such things a constant battle of wits.

If you try again in say 12 months time, it may then be possible to create a B-7 turnout from 3D printed parts with just a few clicks, and also print the rail filing and bending jigs needed. But not yet.

cheers,

Martin.
 
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message ref: 2919
Okay @Martin Wynne, all noted.
Love your work all the same. Its amazing what you do.
Cheers!

Why not join the EMGS, you will have access to the stores where the rail timbers (plastic or wood) and chairs are available at reasonable prices. There are also some 4mm scale bullhead chairs available on Shapeways, they came out fine from the USE printers but the Dutch printers were not printed very well
 
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Are slide chairs going to be relatively easy with only one jaw?
@Steve_Cornford

Hi Steve,

They shouldn't be more difficult than any other type of slide chairs. The usual method is to fix the stock rail with an adhesive. Just which adhesive works best for nickel-siver to 3D-resin is yet to be discovered. :)

I imagine one of high-strength industrial Loctites will be best, but which one is still unknown (at least by me).

Unlike the other chairs, the slide chairs can be plugged in in advance, separately from the rail.

For the switch block chairs, and other chairs which carry two rails, my plan at present is make the chairs in two halves, plugging separately into a single socket. This idea is more feasible with chairs having a solid plug than it would be for existing moulded chairs. The entire aim is to construct pointwork by dropping rails in vertically as on the prototype, without ever needing to slide rail sideways through fixed chairs. There is no other way of building complex pointwork with bent knuckle rails or rails linking between multiple crossings.

An adhesive will also be needed for some of the pointwork furniture I'm hoping to 3D-print -- spacer blocks, switch anchors, bolt-heads, fishplates. For the soleplates I'm planning to include them in the FDM print. For laser-cut and CNC milled timbers they might be resin printed to fit in a large aperture in the toe timber, with the chairs plugging through them.

As I may have mentioned, there is still a long way to go. :)

cheers,

Martin.
 
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Having just assembled some of Waynes 3D printed turnouts, I found that it was relatively easy to slide the check rails through even though they had a flare.
Perhaps this was because I had just made a simple bend with a pair of flat parallel faced pliers.
What sort of bend should the flare be? Should it be a knuckle bend?
It would be quite useful (for me anyway) if Templot could put a mark on the check rail where the bend should be.
This is for check rails as opposed to wing rails where I know there are are already 3 marks to designate the knuckle.

Steve
 
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Perhaps this was because I had just made a simple bend with a pair of flat parallel faced pliers.
What sort of bend should the flare be? Should it be a knuckle bend?
It would be quite useful (for me anyway) if Templot could put a mark on the check rail where the bend should be.
@Steve_Cornford

Hi Steve,

It's not possible to answer a question like that without specifying a prototype -- check rails vary a lot.

And even then it can't be answered because the model flangeway gaps are different. Even P4 flangeways are over scale.

However, assuming you mean the original REA bullhead designs (now a century old), and exact-scale flangeways:

1. The flare is not a fixed bend. It is a curve with a radius of 33ft-6in. That's a radius of 134mm or 5.1/4" in 4mm scale.

2a. On some drawings a simple curve starts 3ft-1.5in from the end of the rail and curves outwards to a gap of 3.5" at the end of the check rail, from a flangeway gap of 1.75" at the start.

2b. On other drawings the 33ft-6in radius fits between the edges of the end two check chairs, with a straight end on the check rail at 1:18 from the running line, again to an end opening of 3.5". That puts the centre of the bend central between those chairs at 33" from the end of the check rail. It means the flangeway at the centre of the end check chair is 2.5", angled at 1:18.

3. Special angled end check chairs are made which fit at 18" from the end of the check rail (to the chair centre), to match the flared end. Left and right-hand angled versions are made.

4. For a typical 5-chair check rail, that means an overall check rail length of 13ft.

Nowadays check-rail flares tend to be a simple bend, starting typically about 3ft from the end, which is what Templot draws by default. Here is how that compares with the REA design:

check_ends.png


n.b. that's the wrong chairing of course -- not done yet.

A is where Templot puts a simple bend, 3ft from the end of the check rail, and the green fill shows the result.

B is central between the chairs as per REA, and the red lines show where a 33ft-6in curve centred on B would run. The model rail is 36 thou wide, so you can see that the discrepancy is only a couple of thou.

All of which is largely meaningless because very few modellers use exact scale flangeways. Even P4 uses a flangeway which is 15% over scale.

You can customize the flare to whatever length and opening you want for model use by clicking the real > adjust check rails... menu item. You can also change from a "bent" flare to a flare angle machined into the rail, as on most heavy-rail flat-bottom. See:

https://85a.uk/templot/companion/check_and_wing_rails.php

I will look at adding a mark on the template for the flare length, but it's easy to remember 3ft from the end = 12mm in 4mm/ft scale. Check rails are always vertical, not inclined, so there would be no difficulty in making it a sharp bend, as drawn by Templot. But in practice it is usually a more gentle radiused bend -- as is typically made by holding the rail in pliers and bending the end with fingers, and thus making a closer match to the red line.

I shall need to give all this some thought when it comes to doing the end check chairs for Plug Track. Looking at those wrong chairs above, don't hold your breath. :)

As an example of the differences over the years, here are some pre-grouping check rails and interlaced turnout timbering on the NER at Hessle. The short bent end is sharply angled and beyond the chairs -- very similar to countless model railway check rails:

ner_xover_hessle.jpg

Thanks to Mick Nicholson for this pic.

Such check rail ends can be easily set up at real > adjust check rails... menu item.

cheers,

Martin.
 
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Hi Martin,
Thanks for your very detailed explanation.
I will now adopt practice of making mark 12mm from the end rather than judging by eye holding rail over template, at least they will be a bit more consistent!
Just need a 1.9mm diameter hole in my 12mm thick bit of plywood, insert rail mark, then apply pliers to the mark.

If you designed the check chairs including left and right end chairs in a similar way to the exactoscale check chairs but with plugs on, would it not be possible to slide the 5 chairs onto a flared check rail, then temporarily plug that assembly into a loose fitting check rail socket jig, then slide the stock rail through those five chairs, then unplug from the temporary jig, add your other chairs before plugging that assembly into the real trackbase (with the proper tolerance) sockets?
Might be worth an experiment when the time comes.
Steve
 
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then temporarily plug that assembly into a loose fitting check rail socket jig, then slide the stock rail through those five chairs, then unplug from the temporary jig,
@Steve_Cornford

Hi Steve,

Yes, I have already been planning the use of spacing jigs for the chairs, i.e. loose-fitting sockets. That's my plan for the assembly of V-crossings. Fit chairs in jig, slide in the vee rails, apply a penetrating cyano adhesive to the chairs, when set lift assembly from jig and plug vertically into track base, if necessary in between other rails. You can try it now if you print a bit of track base with increased socket clearance to use as a jig. I'm hoping that it might be possible to avoid soldering vee rails if they are accurately prepared in printed filing and bending jigs. The tricky part might be keeping the cyano between rail and chair only, without gluing the chair into the jig -- there are some cyanos available in a precision needle dispenser. I have here some spray silicone mould tool release agent which is good to prevent sticking, but once used in the jig it would prevent any option of gluing the contaminated plugs into the final sockets. But as a lubricant it might help with a press fit.

It's all still to play for -- I'm hoping for some feedback from users. But first we need the special chairs. :)

cheers,

Martin.
 
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@Steve_Cornford

Hi Steve,

There's a lot of thinking still to do. For example I mentioned the difficulty of sliding rails into position in the middle of a complex formation. But it might be possible to do that by clever positioning of the timbering brick boundaries. It might be possible to thread rails into two separate bricks before clipping them together, in a way which would be impossible once they have been clipped together. Or a crossing might be pre-built on its own little brick, before being clipped into a space in a larger brick. On the other hand that might not be feasible for laser-cut or milled bases.

Where it is possible to plug the chairs first and then thread the rail through them, that is likely to be the preferred method. Up to a certain number of chairs, beyond which friction and chair damage becomes an issue. Which is further determined by the closeness of the rail/chair fit settings -- chairs can be made as tight or loose fitting on the rail as you wish.

I think I have now got all the basics for the timbering done. If I can now make some progress with the chairs, folks can start experimenting with the bits to see what works and what doesn't. :)

cheers,

Martin.
 
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.
REA L1 bridge chairs now finished:

l1_s1_colours.png


REA S1 and L1. The outer jaw on the L1 chair is very plain, but so is the prototype:

gwr_l1_outer2.jpg
. .
gwr_l1_outer.jpg


The above are GWR bridge chairs (2-hole), not REA.

The Templot chairs are stylised geometrical designs without the various fillet and blend radii of the prototype. Which are beyond the resolution of most home 3D printers and would send the file sizes through the roof. The resin-printed chairs need a good coat of paint to protect them from UV light, after which the lack of fillet radii will be hard to see in the usual model scales.

I will post 231a shortly, which means if you want to tinker you could now make this:

l1_s1_brick.png


Spot the L1 bridge chairs -- 10 of them. :)

You might even print the next brick without sockets, and create a hybrid catch points using C&L/Exactoscale switch chairs.

Slide chairs next, and a soleplate on the toe timber.

cheers,

Martin.
 
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.
Version 231a is now on the server.

A new option is to use all L1 bridge chairs instead of ordinary S1 chairs:

all_l1.png


This is for track on waybeams for bridge decks, ash pits, inspection pits, etc. And also allows for a batch of L1 chairs to be made in the same way as the S1 chairs at:

https://85a.uk/templot/club/index.p...3d-printed-cnc-milled-laser-cut.229/post-2030

No doubt this is the first of several options on this menu. Note that all these settings are template-specific, and saved in the BOX file.

Here are some L1 chairs on waybeams:
on_waybeams.png


231a is not an automatic update because the only changes are the latest 3D export stuff (L1 chairs). Get it from:

https://85a.uk/templot/companion/manual_update.php

cheers,

Martin.
 
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Hi Martin,
I have upgraded to Templot 231a successfully.

What is the default REA S1 plug width now?
What is the default L1 plug width?
The 2 screens driven by the [chair/socket fit] button, give ability of relative adjustments to width and length (but absolute for depths)
I seem to recall you were thinking of changing the default width.

Steve

ps think it was a good idea to add the experimental chairing message
1635258446191.png
 
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What is the default REA S1 plug width now?
What is the default L1 plug width?
The 2 screens driven by the [chair/socket fit] button, give ability of relative adjustments to width and length (but absolute for depths)
I seem to recall you were thinking of changing the default width.
@Steve_Cornford

Hi Steve,

I decided against changing the defaults, it got too involved. Instead I added some additional relative adjustments, in addition to the fit tolerance adjustments:

socket_plug_size.png


At present those mods will apply to all chairs, S1 and L1 and any others, and apply to both socket and plug. I will look at options to have different settings for different chairs. The settings will be included in the custom settings file when I get round to it (if it isn't already).

The default sizes are derived from the centres of the base corner radii -- that's not set in stone, but would now require a lot of work to change.

edit: see: https://85a.uk/templot/club/index.p...3d-printed-cnc-milled-laser-cut.229/post-3622

Here again is the stuff I posted a few days ago, see item 6.

With the experimental chairing switched on, this is the additional detail which you see on the trackpad when zoomed-in:

index.php


1. timber outline.

2. black lines -- cutter kerf line for laser cutters. Outside the timbers, inside the sockets.

3. extent of the timber flanges.

4. chair base outline.

5. chair base corner radius.

6. socket outline. The default size is derived from the centres of the base corner radii.
For REA S1 chairs, that's 6" wide x 12.5" long.​
For REA L1 chairs, that's 7.5" wide x 7" long. L1 chairs are not used on 10" wide sleepers.​

7. chair plug outline at the top. There is a small clearance from the socket on the sides, and a smaller clearance at the ends.

8. outline of the chair plug at the bottom inset section.

9. plug corner relief angles. Small for FDM and laser-cut sockets. Larger for CNC milled sockets.

10. outline of the top of the support pyramid below the plug.

11. outline of the bottom of the support pyramid.

12. chair screw/bolt centres.

All the above can be adjusted via the buttons on the DXF export dialog (except 4, 5, 12). They are shown on the trackpad so that you can see the effect of any changes (after rebuilding the templates). The chair dimensions 4, 5, 12, are set in the custom chairs dialog (not yet done).

cheers,

Martin.
 
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So I have a question. As far as Templot is concerned do the sockets belong to the timbers or the chairs?
@Steve_Cornford

Hi Steve,

Thanks for your thoughts. I'm working on this stuff right now.

I'm going to make sure that you can get what you want, but that doesn't necessarily mean it works yet. :( Every time I release a new version there are dozens of changes under the surface which aren't always immediately obvious.

The sockets and chairs are calculated at the same time, but go in different layers for 2-D or 3-D files.

What I'm hoping, and trying hard to achieve, is that 2D laser-cutting and CNC milling can use the same BOX file as 3D FDM printing. It would be a great disadvantage if it was necessary to know how the timbering base is going to be made when designing the track and doing any timber shoving. It would make it difficult to share BOX files with others, or re-use your own BOX files unchanged if you change your mind, or acquire a new machine.

edit: this is now working in version 232a, available shortly.

cheers,

Martin.
 
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Hi Martin,

As far as colours for timbers (outer cuts) & sockets (inner cuts) go, I am sorry but I made a mistake with the recent example because I first clicked on your button [omit all] and then assigned (at random) blue to Timber Outline Kerf and green to Socket outline Kerf.
The Laser cutting service I used (4D Model Making Materials) actually ask for GREEN for OUTLINE cut (ie Timber outlines) and BLUE for INNER CUTS (ie chair sockets), but that is just their method of working. They also ask for for RED for SCRIBING (ie trackbed or Timber numbering). I think what they actually do is assign different coulours to each "pass" of the laser.

Your current defaults of "timber outlines (kerf)" = GREEN, and "chair sockets (kerf) = BLUE are the right ones (for that supplier)

Steve
 
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.
Today's developments.

I have added options to make the trackpad view less cluttered and a bit faster in 3-D mode. The timber flanges and cutter kerf lines can now be switched off, on both the control template and the background templates.

This affects only the trackpad screen, there is no effect on the exported DXF/STL files:

trackpad_kerf_options1.png


trackpad_kerf_options2.png


Note that the kerf lines are now off by default, as this is probably a minority requirement. For the present the timber flanges and webs are still on by default, but maybe they should be off too.

I have also updated the partial template controls, so that omitting a rail now also logically omits the chairs along it. Previously it didn't, one of many details awaiting attention. Here I omitted the main-road crossing rail:

omit_chairs1.png


All the above will be in 232a.

cheers,

Martin.
 
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Hello Martin

I have refrained from commenting, but I've read all the posts you've written about this fascinating development.

Templot, until recently, couldn't perform some complex formations automatically- slips, tandems etc- and these needed manual intervention. Eventually we were very fortunate and you found a way to do it.

I wonder if you you've given any thought to a similar principle with 3D, in that Templot can perform some of those functions but others you've got to do yourself- such as positioning the plug holes. Maybe like the peg that slides along rails or centre lines and you press a key to mark the spot you want it.

Apologies if I'm writing out of turn; I know you are trying to push the boundaries to see what is possible, but as an interim, users need to be realistic.

A fascinating subject and I cannot wait to get back involved in modelling- one day.

Derek
 
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