Fast Tracks

Is it ok to paint/stain the QuickSticks before gluing them to the turnout? I am using Pliobond to glue them together.

I am sanding off the stock rail base where the points are. So far I am using the method that Ron sugested in one of the newsletters.

Do you notch the stock rails for the points? I could use some tips on how you do so.

Thank you,

John Butler

There is no reason you can't pre-paint or stain the QuickSticks, it will have no effect on the finished turnout, as long as it has been left to throughly dry before gluing.

Personally I prefer to glue them in place first, and paint the entire turnout, this way there will be a perfect match between the PC board ties and the wood ties. A bit of weathering on the rails and the completed turnout will look great!



I only remove some of the base of the rail, and do not notch the head of the rail at all, this will not be necessary with a properly formed switch point. Using the PointForm tool will ensure accurate geometry on the points, and a bit of filing along the inside of the head of the point on the completed turnout will ensure a tight fit with no possibility of the wheel flanges picking the points.

This operation is highlighted in step 10 of our documentation, which can be viewed here:

http://www.handlaidtrack.com/documents/ug01.pdf

_________________
Cheers!

Tim Warris
Fast Tracks
http://www.fast-tracks.net
service@fast-tracks.net

Hello John,

I've done both notching and not notching. both work like Tim says you don't need to notch. If you have the point tool your points with some filing on the tips will match very well.

Staining, I use minwax dark walnut, let it dry for a day or two. I use epoxy glue, thirty minute version. I do wire brush the bottom of the rail where the glue goes. metal to epoxy is better than metal chemically weathered or painted.
After I place the turnout, I place weights on the top to insure its flat and tle the epoxy dry for 8 hours. (max strength time)
then I pull the turnout off. I think the epoxy is superior to the pliobond as far as strength. but I do get some shiny spots that need a touch up with dull coat.
One thing I have done is to match the color hue of the wood ties with the pc ties. This takes some experimentation.
The problem with the pc ties is they are smooth and the wood has a grain. Thus the light/color reflected off the pc ties looks slightly different even when the shading of color is close. The solution is to break up the reflection by imparting texture. I do this by taking a very sharp knife and simulating grain on the pc ties. The base color of the pc ties should be close to the wood ties stain. Now you have little scratches in the paint that will hold a wash. I then take some india ink wash (med to dark gray) and randomly wash each tie. Purpose of the wash is to impart the scratches in the paint with dark color simulating grain and thus help break up the smooth reflection. Kind of works, it looks better than just blasting the whole turnout with grimy black. Ties on railroads are hardly the same shade tie to tie. The stain on the wood ties is varied by the density of the grain and the wash on the pc ties varies the color on them..

When the whole turnout is installed, I'll take a airbrush and slightly spray around the rail and ties close to the rail with a dark rust. Just a hint here and there for most with more going on yard tracks than mainline track.

Rob

Hey Gents,

Any reason why I couldn't install the turnout and lay track around it before I paint it? In essence I'd like to lay my entire yard and then paint everything at that point.

No reason. In fact that is how I have done all of mine, I prefer this method as it blends all the PC board ties into the rest of the ties.

I paint everything with a Weathered black first. Then lightly dust the sides of the rails with a rusty color. I will then paint some ties different shades of grey.

When ballasted it will look great, and the PC ties are completely undetectable.

_________________
Cheers!

Tim Warris
Fast Tracks
http://www.fast-tracks.net
service@fast-tracks.net