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When building your model railroad, you may have times when you need to cut track to fit in a certain space. Model Railroader associate editor Cody Grivno will show you how to easily cut track in this basic training video.
I started my HO model in early fall of 2012. Trying to build a model layout without expert advice of MR is like building a house without a blueprint . It can be done , but it's not easy !
Love every bit of information I can get, I have cut lots of track but never thought to use a miter-box
. Thanks Cody ^_^
I use the flush cutting nippers as well. I find the Dremel cutoff wheel is hard to get a right angle cut, mine are always at some odd angle as I can't get the motor body parallel with the track. I am referring to cuttng on the layout though, not at the bench.
I much prefer the razor saw for accurate cutting, especially when fitting points, the Dremel tool cuts well but the cleanup afterwards is a pain.
Cutting track was very well done by, Cody including wearing eye protection when using the Nippers for cuts, another great installment for modelers. your information pages are of great help keep it up
Cody could have shown the filing part and cutting the ties off to show the spacing for the rail joiners. I use a Dremel cut off tool as well , saving my saws for all things not metal. Other wise I felt this was a waste of time. Cody needs to show start to finish in his tutorials not just parts of the whole process .What was done was done very well !
Nice session Cody on cutting rail…….any idea where that small section of track went that you snapped off with the flush rail cutters? I usually try to aim that section of track or sometimes extended rail piece on flex track into an old cardboard box to keep down the "shrapnel effect" in the train room……saves on clean up later too 🙂
Good explanation,
but is it different in cutting N Scale track?
I have heard that the cut is made with the Xuron at right angles to that used for HO.
Is that so?
Charles from OZ
I agree with TOM HICKS and DONALD J HOISEK. A Dremel works great. The cutting disc are cheaper to replace and I use my razor saw to cut plastic or wood parts for my buildings.
I have always had issues with cutting track. No matter what I do or what method is used my rails are never cut straight. Thanks for the explanation. Cody makes it look easy with a miter box but I know for sure that if I tried that the track would slide everywhere with in the box. LOL.
I usually use flush cutting pliers to trim rails for my handlaid track. However, for making precise cuts for fitting flextrack and ready-made turnouts, I prefer to use a jewelers saw. The fine-toothed jewelers blades make clean cuts exactly where you want them.
So long,
Andy
Cody, Do you suggest soldering all joints or wiring each section. Could you do a program on wiring switches for DCC as David covered when building the Virginian. Thanks
I agree with Mr Reilly. You seem to get more even and more accurate cuts by cutting the rails vertically with Xuron rail cutters.
What about a moto- dremel tool as the third cut off tool for track. Does a great job very quickly. Show us that option as well.
Again very well done.
Nice follow up comments for a rookie. I'm still in the planning/dream stage
I have been in HO since 1955 and I would not think of using any type of nippers to cut track. I used to use a Jewelers saw but now I will only use a Dremmel.
I do not like the newer track productas, they are not as well made as they were in the 50s and 60s
I started my layout with Tru-Scale self-gauging roadbed and individual rail. I used a razor saw to cut my rails, then hand spiked the rails into the grooves in the roadbed. I tried to spike every fourth tie, on both side of the rail. This was a great system as it insured correct gauge. I did have to take an X-acto knife and notch for the rail joiners. As I was young at the time of starting the layout, I now have to fine tune things like switches, etc.
Aside from convenience, why are the cuts portrayed in the demo as being done "in line" with one another? I thought prototypically correct cuts should be staggered. Track almost never is joined opposite from one another. "Don't anyone check my track junctures, because I too take the convenient way out".
I thought there were two ways to use the nippers depending on the size track. As shown is the way to cut N-scale track. To cut HO track, you make the cut with the blades on the top and bottom of the track. At least that's what info came with my Zuron.
I use a Minidrill and a diamond cutting disk- the disc is thinner than normal cut-off wheels, which are brittle and, as Robert Berkley, wrote, tend to break sometimes. The diamond disc also gives a smaller gap when cutting isolated sections of track.
Another use for the Dremel I bought some time before deciding to build a train table. Thanks guys. Keep the alternatives coming it saves hours of experimenting and uncertainty.
I find the Xurons distort the metal more than a razor saw, even on the flush-cutting side. One should use as fine of a razor saw as they can find. I also clamp down on the rails using wood to protect the rails, and a clamp to minimize stress on the ties.
I'm not sure how a Dremel with a cut-off disc will do the job, the disc is smaller around than even the body of the pencil extension attachment, so I don't know how you'd reliably get a square cut.
I started off by using ordinary sidecutters but they mis-shapen the track and requires a lot of filing. I now mainly use a rotary tool (Dremel) with a cuttoff wheel for cutting track to length and for establishing power break points. Works great for me.
what about cutting EZ track ??