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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 Some of the earlier pages of this topic are now out-of-date.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.

How do I set the centre of a curve?

Quick reply >
Thanks both for your answers but, at this point, I'd better tell you the whole story.
It all began some years ago when I decided to build a micro (or so to say) layout industry themed in 0e (or 0/16,5 if you prefer) on a 120 x 55 cm baseboard from a scrapped table; the trackplan is a sort of bean shaped oval with some branches here and there.
As there's no manufacturer having such narrow curves in their range i was forced to handbuild track but all points were from Hornby's range. This project was abandoned for various reasons but now I would like to refresh it switching to a meter gauge suburban tramway (maybe electrified by overhead wire) in S scale.
I'll try to put down a sketch to illustrate what I have in mind ... stay tuned ;)
 
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message ref: 1779
well just to show you what we're talking about I put a couple of sketches roughly made with Paint

franco1.png

ehm sooner or later I'll learn how to correctly size images .... anyway the red line represents more or less the trackplan, the blue line is the scenic divider while the green is the buildings' profile and was originally intended with one visible side while the other would have been for stocking material, servicing and .... and ... and

My idea would be to convert it to this ....

franco2.png



keeping the two curves and redesigning the rest of the trackplan making it visible on the two sides, so the first thing needed and consequent question is:
how can I set the center of the curves or put the center of a curved template in a precise position?
Cheers
 
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message ref: 1782
@Franco

Hi Franco,

I cropped your images for you. :)

If you can't do that in your image editor program, you can do it in Templot, see:

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

To put the radial centre of a curve at a specified location, click this:

franco_notch0.png



A more round about way is to use the notch:
franco_notch1.png


Enter the desired X and Y position. You can leave the angle on zero.

Then:
franco_notch2.png


and the result is.

franco_notch3.png


However Templot users seldom work with radial centres that way, because the prototype doesn't.

The more usual prototypical way is to fix one end of the track at the desired location, and then curve it to the required radius. To do that, after setting the notch at the location, do this:
franco_notch4.png


In this case you should set the required notch angle.

After that, use the mouse action to adjust the radius:
franco_notch5.png


cheers,

Martin.
 
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message ref: 1784
well just to show you what we're talking about I put a couple of sketches roughly made with Paint

ehm sooner or later I'll learn how to correctly size images
Hi Franco.
Altering the work area in Paint is not that obvious. It is hidden under the "Image" drop down menu under "Attributes".
The default sizes are in Pixels, but can be changed to Inches or Centimeters.
It is also worth noting that only the right and bottom edges can be altered.
To get round this Rotate the image by 180 degrees first, make your changes and then rotate another 180 degrees to undo the first rotation.
Also if you didn't know, Ctrl Z undoes the last action.
Regards
Tony.
 
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message ref: 1802
Last edited:
@Franco @Tony W

I've given up expecting anyone else's computer to bear any functional similarity to mine, but here cropping an image in Windows Paint is blindingly straightforward:

1. click Select > Rectangular:

paint1.png



2. Drag a rectangle. 3. click Crop:

paint2.png


4. :)

paint3.png


cheers,

Martin.
 
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message ref: 1803
Hi Martin.
Yours is obviously a much more up to date version of paint than mine, which is rather old and very basic. Something I tend to forget.
Regards
Tony.
 
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message ref: 1808
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