Laser cut turnout stands, kit or assembled ****SOLD OUT**** (more coming)

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rkcarguy
Posts: 1730
Joined: Tue Aug 22, 2017 10:33 am
Location: Wa State

Laser cut turnout stands, kit or assembled ****SOLD OUT**** (more coming)

Post by rkcarguy »

Offering laser cut steel turnout stand kits for sale suitable for 1-1/2" -2-1/2" scale.
Basic offering is as follows:

1/4" laser cut steel base plate, top plate, bent risers, handle, lever arm + spacer, and handle box plates.
2ea oilite bronze shoulder bushings.
1ea handle spring.
3/8" stainless steel shaft 12" long.

Your choice of "target" in laser cut 1/8" steel. I have a large round, large diamond, and smaller diamond/square that nest together for yard turnouts. MIlwaukee Road "Chevron" style also available, as well as others upon request as long as they can be cut from flat plate...always looking to add them to the drawing library.

These kits are tabbed and +/- hold themselves together for assembly. 7 pieces need to be brazed (recommended) or TIG welded together. The last couple kits I've been able to assemble in about 20-25 minutes.

To operate, there is no reason to have to bend over. Pull up slightly on the sprung handle with your foot and flick it until it drops into the other notch.
If you have another method of throwing the turnout, the stand can be assembled without the handle mechanism as a "slave", the handle removed, or the "dog" cut off the handle if you'd like it to remain for looks.

The lever arm on the bottom contains 3 holes for various throw distances. 0.486", 1.000", and 1.625". The mounting hole patterns for the base are 5 1/2" apart on center. I can provide an adapter disc for the arm if you need a shorter throw for "slave" purposes to achieve the full 90 degrees of rotation.

The differences from the picture are as follows:
Basic kit has open bushings, shaft will be exposed between the top and base plate. Sealed pipe with grease fitting is the "severe weather option".
The target will be welded to a small sleeve which can be slipped onto the top of the shaft and pinned or set screwed in place, so that the user can shorten the shaft for yard turnouts and/or set the correct display of the target if its required to mount the stand opposite the typical side.

Pricing for the kit is $25 each

Pricing for the kit with "severe weather" option pipe sleeve and grease fitting. Recommended for wet, snowy, or salt-water environments. $35

For assembly add $20 each.



I will be adding step-by-step assembly pictures to this thread this week, stand by!
swstandfinal2.jpg
swstandfinal4.jpg
rkcarguy
Posts: 1730
Joined: Tue Aug 22, 2017 10:33 am
Location: Wa State

Re: Laser cut turnout stands, kit or assembled

Post by rkcarguy »

This week we've ran 1/4" plate twice, and had remnant within some large pipe flanges so I was able to get 9 more sets of turnout stand plates all cut out. I also installed this one on my turnout tonight, an 11/32 drill using the holes in the base as a guide works nicely to install the carriage bolts.
The next one coming up which I'll post step by step pictures of assembly, is going to have a shorter shaft and a smaller green/yellow target for yard use.
rkcarguy
Posts: 1730
Joined: Tue Aug 22, 2017 10:33 am
Location: Wa State

Re: Laser cut turnout stands, kit or assembled

Post by rkcarguy »

Just a note for the few that have ordered the turnout stands, the 12" long shaft did not fit in the USPS flat rate box I expected it to crossways. I was afraid it would poke a hole in the box and disappear during shipping. I have large padded envelopes en-route to ship them in instead and hope to get them sent out Monday. (Sent emails already to buyers as well).
rkcarguy
Posts: 1730
Joined: Tue Aug 22, 2017 10:33 am
Location: Wa State

Re: Laser cut turnout stands, kit or assembled

Post by rkcarguy »

Orders are shipping today! I was sent the wrong envelopes so I packed the kits up in some larger USPS boxes I had, ate some extra shipping but didn't want to have your orders wait anymore.
rkcarguy
Posts: 1730
Joined: Tue Aug 22, 2017 10:33 am
Location: Wa State

Re: Laser cut turnout stands, kit or assembled

Post by rkcarguy »

Pictures of assembling the basic kit:

Stand parts on the weld table.
swstand1.jpg
They tab together to stand up like this.
swstand2.jpg
Tack, and weld...or braze together.
swstand3.jpg
Then grab the 3 pieces of the lever socket.
swstand5.jpg
These tab together as well for easy welding or brazing.
swstand6.jpg
Grind or file the welds smooth on top of the stand base, and press/tap the bushings in.
swstand8.jpg
Last edited by rkcarguy on Thu Apr 11, 2019 11:38 am, edited 3 times in total.
rkcarguy
Posts: 1730
Joined: Tue Aug 22, 2017 10:33 am
Location: Wa State

Re: Laser cut turnout stands, kit or assembled

Post by rkcarguy »

Test fit the shaft. This stand pulled a little from welding and the shaft fit but was bound up a little bit, so I used a 3/8" drill in the cordless and loosened up the lower bushing just a touch until it spun nicely.
swstand9.jpg
Grind or file a small flat on the end of the shaft such that it fits the hole in the lever arm.
swstand7.jpg
Install the washer FIRST, then the lever arm, and weld to the shaft. You may also add additional weld in the "V" on the underside where the baseplate is welded to the bent vertical pieces if you like.
swstand4.jpg
Last edited by rkcarguy on Thu Apr 11, 2019 11:58 am, edited 1 time in total.
rkcarguy
Posts: 1730
Joined: Tue Aug 22, 2017 10:33 am
Location: Wa State

Re: Laser cut turnout stands, kit or assembled

Post by rkcarguy »

Insert a 5/16 bolt into lever arm sticking up such that it acts as a stop. Slide the socket assembly onto the shaft. The lever arm and handle socket need to index properly BEFORE being welded to the shaft. The handle socket should line up with the slots in the top plate as the bolt stops the lever arms travel at each side of the opening in the base plate. I allow for a little end play by shimming under the handle socket with some .006 shim stock or a folded piece of paper when I weld the socket to the shaft.
Note that I had to grind a little relief on the corners of the handle socket assembly to clear the flange on the bushing.
Despite it seeming like a lot of steps, it went pretty quick, about half an hour of time to get to this point.
swstand10.jpg
Last edited by rkcarguy on Thu Apr 11, 2019 1:55 pm, edited 3 times in total.
JohnK
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Location: Beverly-by-the-Boston & Maine, MA
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Re: Laser cut turnout stands, kit or assembled

Post by JohnK »

These look nice. Best wishes selling them.

-John K.
rkcarguy
Posts: 1730
Joined: Tue Aug 22, 2017 10:33 am
Location: Wa State

Re: Laser cut turnout stands, kit or assembled

Post by rkcarguy »

JohnK wrote: Thu Apr 11, 2019 1:26 pm These look nice. Best wishes selling them.
-John K.
I've sold a few, still have 6 kits left and can certainly laser cut more. Worst case, my RR plans will need 6-8 of them :D
rkcarguy
Posts: 1730
Joined: Tue Aug 22, 2017 10:33 am
Location: Wa State

Re: Laser cut turnout stands, kit or assembled

Post by rkcarguy »

The first batch of kits is SOLD.
I will update when we have more available.
dash9
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Location: Barnesville , PA
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Re: Laser cut turnout stands, kit or assembled ****SOLD OUT**** (more coming)

Post by dash9 »

If you make any more I could use 6 of them.
rkcarguy
Posts: 1730
Joined: Tue Aug 22, 2017 10:33 am
Location: Wa State

Re: Laser cut turnout stands, kit or assembled ****SOLD OUT**** (more coming)

Post by rkcarguy »

I sold several of the ones I was planning on keeping lol, and then our laser got really busy at work. I'll see if I can work another run of parts into the cutting schedule and update this post when I have more.
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