Many thanks James for doing this video, and for all the kind comments. I've been working on this project for quite some time now, and it's great to see the idea taking off. But there's still quite a lot to do, even after 40 years of Templot! 🙂
Thank you Martin, it has been a pleasure. :) I shall busy away now on the user guide and part 2 of the series. It's remarkable that after 40+ years you are still innovating with Templot, and so enthusiastically. It's brilliant.
Templot has been like learning to play the piano. Daunting at first but after practice something suddenly clicks in your brain and you are transported into a new universe. A wonderful instrument with a unique and powerful user interface. A stunning, well thoughout piece of software. You should be very proud Martin. And thank you!!
Up until 5 years ago I was actively planning a layout with Templot and had built several turnouts. Then life got in the way and I have done nothing since then. So this 3d printing ability straight from the program is an incredible revelation to me! It will make building bespoke trackwork sooo much easier! Martin, you are a magician!!! James, thank you for showing how to get going!
I going to have a go at a length of G1 track, maybe I’ll include it in the next episode if I can get hold of some rail. A friend use to give me his old copies of the association journal, always a good read. The get-togethers look fun. 😀 Thanks for watching, James
Thank you, I pleased you've found it useful. The process is certainly much simpler that it initially appears, and definitely easier to do than to explain. :) Thanks for watching, james
A fantastic run through James! An absolute game changer for finescale modellers! Here's hoping GWR 2 Bolt follows suit (in good time of course!) All the best, James-LWR
Thank you, I'm pleased you enjoyed the video. I'm sure they will come in time. The progress Martin has made thus far is astounding, and he doesn't seem to be taking his foot off of the gas just yet. :) Cheers, James
Thank you, It's quite addictive to experiment with, and it has certainly taught me a great deal about full-size track design and construction. Thanks for watching, James
I think that Templot Plug Track is amazing, and has the potential to ignite interest in finescale track with a new demographic, with the trackwork itself being as much of a model as the stock which runs over it. What do you think?
Thanks for the advice. As a 2mm modeler this additional aspect of Templot will make track building much easier. Looking forward to new installments to learn more about the 3DP of bases.
This could open a raft of new ideas and inventions such modifying the sleepers to hide items (e.g. Reed switches, magnets, IRdots) or new ways of routing wires, or joiners to the rails for droppers. Intriguing...
Wow! I looked at Templot years ago but couldn’t get my head around it. 3D printed track is a game changer, guess I’m off to download Templot and have a play. Thanks for making this video, your content is always extremely interesting, I’m really looking forward to part 2
I'm pleased you enjoyed the video. let us know how you get on with it over at Templot Club. Plenty of help and advice there. Thanks for watching, James
This is fantastic stuff. I have been a long time user of Templot and Martin’s continual improvements are most impressive. This video is so timely for me as I am just about to invest in a resin printer. So, now I can print my own sleepering and chairs. Brilliant! Thank you for the informative and well produced video. 1:25
This is great Les. There’s lots of help on the Templot Club forum to help you to get going, but you possibly already know that. The zoom meetings are great too. Martin is so clever. Playing with Templot is a hobby in itself. 😀
Not a modeller but that was a fascinating video, amazing how far technology has come. The sample you showed also looked very realistic. The nice thing with that is you can create custom point work
Hi James, Love the video and have just printed some parts for G1 45mm. On my Resin printer I can make more than 200 chairs in one go and on my FDM machine I can make the timberwork in 300mm lengths . In the video you mentioned that these short lengths can be joined with clips . Are these clips available and if so where can I find them. Looking forwards to your video on turn outs
Very interesting. Looks like a game changer. Should or could make weathering more realistic easier to do, e.g., sleepers & chairs done separately. Have you played with or tried ballasting and pre-weatheing before placing the chairs?
I've done some very basic painting of the timbering bases and chairs pre-assembly, but am yet to develop my own preferred methods for doing so. Martin has considered this though, and helpfully you can produce 3d files for blank plugs which can me inserted into the sockets to prevent paint getting in to them for those who wish to paint first. The plugs can be removed after painting leaving lovely clean sockets to take the chairs. Giving multiple rafts of chairs a quick coat of paint takes seconds. Until now I've been painting each by hand. :) As you say this has the potential to be a game changer, I cant wait to see what folks far cleverer than I make of it all. Thanks for watching, James
If you are spraying the loose-jaw chairs while still on the raft you need temporarily to insert the loose jaws while you do it. This paints the loose jaw too, but more importantly prevents paint from getting in the jaw slot. The tolerances are quite tight and a film of paint in the slot will make inserting the loose jaw difficult. Martin.
Wow. Just wow. For me, hand-built track has always been one of the dark arts of railway modelling that I've always thought I should be able to do, but have never summoned up the courage to get into. I was impressed when you first showed us Templot, but this 3d printing addition surely makes it a complete game changer. And I presume for a really complicated piece of trackwork you could print the whole thing (in sections obviously, which plug together) from the plan in templot, so you have all the sleepers there in the perfect place, and you just "plug in" the chairs and rails. No handlaying individual sleepers or building jigs. Wow. Two (related) questions about the chairs: could the fixed part of the chair not be printed onto the sleepers? and when you were printing the raft of chairs, would it not make sense to print the separate "spike" bits at the same time, or are they always printed separately? Thank you, James for such a clear demonstration of an amazing sounding/looking piece of software.
Well done James, so glad I subscribe to your channel !!! I have a major layout in development, this is a game changer for me, thankyou so very much. Thank you TEMPLOT
Hi James, Great video. I have skimmed some of the templot forum but it was very handy to see the process in video format. It's certainly an interesting system and could really make track building much easier. If I had the tools and this before I started the layout I would have given it a go, Unfortunatley I have started now so might as well continue, but I will look into this method if I ever do another layout and get a 3d printer. Cheers Michael
I have long wanted to model in EM or P4 but have not been willing to expend the huge (imo) amount of time and money required to do so. This development can be transformative for me, this along with easily available swap out wheels with the likes of Accurascale, could make it almost as easy as modelling in 00. (for diesels anyway)
Excellent video and all credit to the designer, Martyn. Just one small question, when I print the chairs I only get the inner jaws, how do you print the outer ones?
Fascinating and awesome. Long time user of Templot but never appreciated its full capabilities until now. I already use 3D printing for rolling stock, etc. However, I do have a question about the production of chairs. I note in the video that the chairs are produced on a raft. That's OK. I can do that following the instructions shown. But what about the outer loose chairs? What are the settings to produce them? Or am I having a very senior moment here?
The loose outer jaws are created as a separate file. Go, Real > Cairing / 3D, chair options on this template. From this dialog you will be able to select loose outer jaws only. Then, store your template and export as before. Hope that helps, James
Thanks James. Did manage to figure it out last day or two. Just watching your latest on turnouts. Very absorbing. Now just waiting for time when you cover "brick" production. That's the bit I can't master just yet. I'll just have to be patient.
Brilliant video and explanation. Makes me want to try some 0 gauge track and looking forward to your next turnout video. Currently nearly £60 a point!! One thing you seem to have missed out though is the cost and sourcing of the rail??
Hi James, this is fantastic, thank you for putting this video together. One thing I didn't quite catch from the video is how you export an .stl of the loose jaws, are they exported separately to the chairs file?
Yes, in the real>chairing/3d>chair jaw options, select export only Loose Outer Jaws. Store the template and repeat the export process. This will give you just the outer jaws. :) Thanks for watching, James
I was having the same problem but having read James's answer above, found it is also possible to avoid having to repeat the whole process by getting to the experimental chairing dialog box, selecting 'export only all loose outer jaws and keys' and then clicking the 'modify group to match'. This applies the change to all the previously 'chairs only' to all being 'jaws only'. Hope that helps. James, thanks for a really useful video.
This is fantastic James, thank you very much, one thing though... Concrete Sleepers, is it possible to include it in the Software library? I have all the drawings and measurementes... Thanks
What a REVELATION! This is a total game changer for me! As I live in the US the cost of British RTR track is high, due to shipping, but 3D printing is cheap, so this is genuinely wonderful solution! Having watched the vid a few times now, I'm still trying to figure out a way to print the timbers and chairs together (with suitable clearance set in the settings > rails section) ready so I can just slot the rails in. That seems a sensible approach to me, but I can't find a way to do it??? I'd really like to know what options make the timbers solid, without mounting holes, and have the chairs sit directly on top of them? Oh, and you included the rail filing jigs in there too? Way to go Martin, what a truly amazing job you've done! Thank you so very much! Ross. P.S. Concrete Sleeper support soon? Pretty please? >;D
hi ross, switch off the socket holes on the layers tab by setting the sockets combo blank. switch off the plugs on the chairs by unticking the include plugs option on the chairs/plugs tab. everything will become clear if you ask on the templot club forum.
Hello! Fantastic video! I have a curiosity, where are the single tracks procured from? I'm actually on the lookout to get some so I can print my own layout. And another thing, how do you connect the tracks in between?
Hi Paul, I was thinking of you earlier when your latest video popped-up on my feed. Yes, we do need to have a catch-up, I'll get in touch. All the best, James
Looks like a good system. 3D printing is surely the way to go. I'm just curious why you chose the two-part chairs instead of the single piece option? I would have though threading the rail through would have provided a far more snug/secure fit. Or do you think the resin would be too brittle?
Hi @Perchpole, Both methods work well and grip the rail tightly. Adjustments can be made to the 'fit' in Templot to adjust for different batches of rail etc. I prefer the Loose Outer Jaw option as it allows individual rails to be lifted and refitted if required. I think it's also a faster building method, but each to their own. As for brittleness, with good quality resin the chairs are very robust indeed. I've been using Anycubic Pro V2 resin, and I am very pleased with their strength, they certainly wont get damaged with track cleaning for example which was an initial concern of mine. Thanks for watching, James
Very interesting video. I've worked in 3D printing for years and used to work with the development team of Cura at Ultimaker in Geldermalsen. I probably have the opposite questions to most of the people here: Where do you get the raw track rails (nickel silver or brass)? I'm assuming you didn't 3D print that. Is it from a supplier? I'm interested in finding a way to fabricate track at home, either for gauge 1 or oo.
Plain rail can be ordered through most of the gauge societies, or C&L Finescale. I get mine from the Scalefour Society stores, which is available to members only. Membership is not expensive though and there are many other benefits aside from access to the stores. Why not drop-in on a Templot Club zoom session? I think that your Cura experience would be most welcome among the group, and there is lots of experience there to steer you in the right direction regarding building your own track in any gauge/scale. Dates and times can be found on the Templot Club home page. 85a.uk/templot/club/index.php Thanks for watching, James
Yes, that's right. It's just the one file obviously if printing chairs with two jaws, but two files if one is happy the default loose jaw option. I will cover the jaw options in the next video when I cover Turnouts. Thanks for watching, James
Another excellent video James, as you say at present it's limited to REA chairs etc. I would guess that GWR;; and LSWR won't be far behind, not forgetting SR: Sorry I didn't make it to Uckfield.
Hi. The SR used REA chairs. There will be functions to allow users to enter the data for other chair designs as custom settings. But that's still a long way down the, er, track. 🙂 Martin.
Very interesting. An amazing set up and clearly a work of passion by Martin. Having a few years experience of both types of 3d printing I did have a couple of thoughts. Firstly I'm surprised that resin parts that are so small are solid enough to support track, especially if it's curved and under tension and I wonder if prolonged use might cause them to crack as resin is generally quite brittle? More concerning to me was PLA and that it's absorption of moisture can be severe - even over time PLA prints can warp due to moisture in the air if they're not sealed, so the fact that generally we hold ballast down with a swimming pool's worth of PVA has me a little concerned that years down the line the sleepers and especially the chair mounting holes in them might start to split apart. Don't get me wrong, I think it's an amazing idea and the Templot software is superb but my concerns are more around the potentially fragile materials used in the printing and how they might survive in an environment where we would like them to last for decades.
use pla-plus toughened pla, not ordinary pla; it is painted and sealed with a rattle can before ballasting; use latex adhesive to fix ballast, not pva; the base layer of ballast is crumbled cork animal bedding and does not need much adhesive; the top layer of ballast is crushed walnut shell, fixed with diluted latex adhesive; it can be dried quickly with a hair dryer. There are masses of detail explanations which James couldn't include in the video without making it too long. ask on the templot club forum for more information.
@BexhillWest Thanks for a great video James! I think this will get many people into P4. Why can’t a resin printer print the sleepers too? Why not resin print sleepers and chairs together?
Hi Leo, the simple answer is it can. The only draw back is Resin printers typically have quite small build plates, so its lots of small timber bricks if you go that route.
The timbering bases tend curl as resin prints. The greater mass/surface area of upper side will cause each panel to bend upwards like a banana. An FDM print is a more suitable application of technology for the timbering bases as they are more stable. With a decent resin mix and a professional print system I'm sure it's possible, but for now resin printed timbering bases are sub-optimal. As for printing in one piece, timbers and chairs, yes you could do, and it would work for plain track. However, it would be impossible to assemble the turnouts. For example one cannot thread a bent check rail end through the chairs. This is the real genius of the Plug Track idea. Track is assembled just like the prototype, rails can be dropped-in vertically and removed without disturbing a larger formation. Thanks for watching, James
absolutely marvellous, persuaded me to invest in the Geeetech printer, not having a lot of luck so far due to uncompleted prints. I end up with a raft and the plug in base but no actual chairs. Could you share some of your printer and resin settings to give a head start. I am also trying to print complete chairs for straight track but it reverts to the 2 part version, I know it should be a simple answer, but it's got me baffled. Despite this roll on episode 2. Regards jonkett
HI @joj1950, I'm pleased that you're getting stuck-in. :) Quick reply: I'm using ABS Like + resin and the default Alkaid profile in chitubox. I've not changed the settings from standard. To set full chairs, go real > chairing/3d > chair jaw options and select 'export all chairs with solid outer jaws and keys. Then store the template, and export as you have been. If you have further problems send me an email, makeitminiature [at] outlook.com and I'll do my best to help you out. All the best, James
@@BexhillWest Thanks for the reply, I was sure that was what I had been doing but it kept reverting to loose chairs. I do not know what I changed but later this afternoon it worked as requested. I have to admit that Templot is not the easiest programme I have dealt with over the last 30 years, that is until I started on Fusion 360. So looking forward to to the next episodes.
This is a great video about an awesome innovation but I seem to be missing something - I can export the timbering and the main part of the loose jaw chairs but I can't find a way to export the loose bit that holds the outside edge of the rail in place.
Hi James, Thank you once again a great video. Also hats off to Martin, for firstly creating Templot and now plug track but equally making it a free to access program. I do however have a question, in the video, when you move onto the chairs, you briefly mention loose jaws. but there not mentioned again. Would I be right in assuming loose jaws are created the same way as the clip fit chair basses? IE a second phase of resin printing for loose jaws, is required before assembly can start? cheers Phil
Hi Phil, Yes, in the excitement of it all I forgot the loose outer jaws. The process is the same though, just select the control template, then Real > Chairing /3D > Chair jaw options on this template, and in the control box 'select loose outer jaws only'. The track pad will show the template with the label 'loose jaws' highlighted in a green box. From here export as before. It is longer to write than to do. :) Have fun, James
Very good, i enjoyed this very much have been playing around this afternoon got some test files to play with when the printers are free, one question where do you get the 2nd key to hold the rail in? Many thanks look forward to the next one.
Once you've exported the chairs with slots for the loose jaws, go back to your control template then select Real > Chairing / 3d > chair jaw options on this template. From the dialogue you will be able to select 'export only loose outer jaws and keys. Then click 'Apply changes'. This will modify the chairing of the control template. Store to background using the 'downward arrows' button. You'll be able to export as before, but time you'll get just the outer jaws. It sounds more complex than it is. Once you've done it a couple of times it'll become obvious. Hope that helps, James
I've not tried it in 'N' (yet), and that may be beyond what is currently possible. Templot will produce the files but the printing technology is the limiting factor. I've just purchased a 12k printer to experiment with. I'll post updates on the channel whether positive or negative soon. Thanks for watching, James
Hi just a couple of questions thanks, where do you buy your rail from , and is it possible to do duel gauge track as im looking to produce 7mm finescale outside with 09mm inside it thanks
HI Matt, I buy my rail from Scalefour Stores, which is a member only facility - a really useful membership benefit. Rail is also available from the likes of C&L finescale.
Absolutely wonderful. Great video James and I particularly liked your suggestion that modellers could combine resources to produce their own track (dare I say that might also include someone who knows how to use Templot?). 🙂 Just one point (pardon the pun) that I think might bear further clarification - at the beginning of the video you show changing the gauge (and scale!) from T55 to P4/S4. Later, for chairing efficiency, you show modifying the track gauge between the rails only (i.e. not the scale!). No criticism intended but the distinction between the two might trip up the unwary? Really looking forward to your next videos. Thanks so much for taking the time to share this. Subscribed!
Thank you, Yes I could have perhaps been clearer. I was keeping the scale the same but temporarily reducing the gauge to produce a more compact chair raft. Martin picked up on this too, and upon seeing is implemented a simpler way of achieving the same thing which should be available in the next update. I'll make mention of it in Part2. Thanks for watching, and for the feedback - it is much appreciated. Best wishes, James
No, you were perfectly clear and - just as importantly I feel - commendably concise. It is only now that Templot can be used for such marvellous, new things that the distinction might have been important. By the same token, I’m not at all surprised that Martin has already made my observation obsolete. 🙂 Well done indeed.
I was thinking through how this ought to be done and had just the same idea ... plug in chairs ... but not nearly in such detail! However I kept wondering how much the positions would be affected by differences in the width of the rail head as provided by different sellers of commercially available rail? Has this been taken into account? Do you know if there is a plan to support bullhead rail? This is the most exciting model railway video I have seen this year :)
Thank you, I'm really excited by the concept too. Yes, Plug Track does support Bullhead rail, it's designed around it in that the REA chairs are for Bullhead rail. There are clickable options for standard 4mm and 7mm scale bullhead sections. However, as with everything in Templot the settings can be adjusted to whatever you require. So if for example you had a batch of rail which had been manufactured with an over-sized web, you can adjust the settings to allow for it. In the back of my mind is the thought of getting a batch of rail produced to BS85R specifications which isn't available commercially. If I did, I'd be able to make the chair adjustments in Templot very easily. Similarly, one could input the rail section data for any scale and Templot will programmatically produce the correct chairs. It's really quite incredible.
It's actually Lisa's husband posting, we really must get separate paid accounts! We're in the USA. I suspect importing bullhead rail to the USA isn't going to be cheap! But I've spent three years thinking about this and waiting for the price of 3d printers to come down. Now the biggest problem seems to be the smell ... but how wonderful to find someone else has saved me so much work!
I wish there were a program like this for the track used in North America! Is there any way to introduce randomness into the sleepers? Being wood, do they not have some random grain patterns? Also for track laid down 100 years ago, would the spacing between the sleepers be perfectly consistent?
Hi John, Each sleeper can be independently controlled for position, length, skew angle, etc. They can even be rotated long-ways for bulk timbering. It's quite remarkable. Thanks for watching, James
As an American Citizen modeling American FRA railroads, most especially from Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Santa Fe rail lines, we use tie plates and spikes on wooden sleepers, and cement ties use clips and shoulders to as the fastener method to hold rails in place. Does this software model this? Can this software create a template or tie web that can be 3D printed with this consideration in mind at an HO scale?
Hi Matthew, Templot does not currently model North American tie plates and spikes, and I suspect such things are not on Martin's to do list. However, it would be possible in Templot to create timber sleepers to NA specs, at the length, widths, etc are all definable within the program. In fact each could be a different length and be placed at quirky angles if you so wished. By switching off the chair sockets you could create just about any form of timbering to any scale or gauge, and definitely HO, for which there is a pre-set option. I've not tried it though. If you do, then I'm sure folks at Templot Club would be interested to hear about it. Thanks for watching, James
I have downloaded a Couple of CAD programs to which I plan on designing quite a few things with but have to get through the learning curve on those first, that said, I have downloaded your program with the thought that it is hard to get detailed drawings of sharp curved turnouts from my 3rd Planit program, and I'll try to pitch a few dollars your way once I have determined its value. Thanks, I hope it works for this Yankee.
Are the timbers best printed in PLA or ABS? I have both kinds of filament. I'm a little worried about how well PLA lasts, as some sources say that it gets very brittle with age.
Hi Guy, PLA+ seems to be the filament of choice, and is especially good for the filing jigs, but you could of course use whatever you have for getting to grips with Plug Track initially. All the best, James
No, except they will curl as resin prints. The greater mass/surface area of upper side will cause each panel to bend upwards like a banana. An FDM print is a more suitable application of technology for the timbering bases as they are more stable. CNC milling of the timbering bases is another option for those with the kit.
I show how to create the plug files in the video. The files should then be resin 3d printed. To produce the files for the loose outer jaws, do this: Real>chairing/3d>chair jaw options, select export only Loose Outer Jaws. Store the template and repeat the export process shown in the video for the plugs. This will give you just the outer jaws. :)
Many thanks James for doing this video, and for all the kind comments. I've been working on this project for quite some time now, and it's great to see the idea taking off. But there's still quite a lot to do, even after 40 years of Templot! 🙂
Thank you Martin, it has been a pleasure. :) I shall busy away now on the user guide and part 2 of the series.
It's remarkable that after 40+ years you are still innovating with Templot, and so enthusiastically. It's brilliant.
Templot has been like learning to play the piano. Daunting at first but after practice something suddenly clicks in your brain and you are transported into a new universe. A wonderful instrument with a unique and powerful user interface. A stunning, well thoughout piece of software. You should be very proud Martin. And thank you!!
Up until 5 years ago I was actively planning a layout with Templot and had built several turnouts. Then life got in the way and I have done nothing since then. So this 3d printing ability straight from the program is an incredible revelation to me! It will make building bespoke trackwork sooo much easier! Martin, you are a magician!!! James, thank you for showing how to get going!
This is a game changer gentlemen - fantastic idea!
The G1MRA 3D printing group will love this series.
Good stuff! Thanks.
I going to have a go at a length of G1 track, maybe I’ll include it in the next episode if I can get hold of some rail.
A friend use to give me his old copies of the association journal, always a good read. The get-togethers look fun. 😀
Thanks for watching,
James
The timing on this presentation is outstanding, and your demystification of the perceived complexities outstanding… many many thanks
Thank you, I pleased you've found it useful. The process is certainly much simpler that it initially appears, and definitely easier to do than to explain. :)
Thanks for watching,
james
Dear James and Martin, absolutely awesome! Great instructional video! Looking forward to your next episodes! Cheerio
Thank you Vincent, there's lots more to follow. :)
A fantastic run through James! An absolute game changer for finescale modellers! Here's hoping GWR 2 Bolt follows suit (in good time of course!)
All the best, James-LWR
Thank you, I'm pleased you enjoyed the video. I'm sure they will come in time. The progress Martin has made thus far is astounding, and he doesn't seem to be taking his foot off of the gas just yet. :)
Cheers,
James
Absolutely brilliant!
Thank you, It's quite addictive to experiment with, and it has certainly taught me a great deal about full-size track design and construction.
Thanks for watching,
James
I think that Templot Plug Track is amazing, and has the potential to ignite interest in finescale track with a new demographic, with the trackwork itself being as much of a model as the stock which runs over it.
What do you think?
Thanks for the advice. As a 2mm modeler this additional aspect of Templot will make track building much easier. Looking forward to new installments to learn more about the 3DP of bases.
1st point being printed right now, real innovation, thank you! Mind you, I hadto look through the video at least 4 times to get the hang of it!
This could open a raft of new ideas and inventions such modifying the sleepers to hide items (e.g. Reed switches, magnets, IRdots) or new ways of routing wires, or joiners to the rails for droppers. Intriguing...
I think you're right Bob, I can't wait to see where this all goes.
Thanks for watching,
James
Wow! I looked at Templot years ago but couldn’t get my head around it. 3D printed track is a game changer, guess I’m off to download Templot and have a play.
Thanks for making this video, your content is always extremely interesting, I’m really looking forward to part 2
I'm pleased you enjoyed the video. let us know how you get on with it over at Templot Club. Plenty of help and advice there.
Thanks for watching,
James
Wow,just WOW! Well done to both James and & @martintemplot6765. Really looking forward to part 2 and turnout construction.
This is fantastic stuff. I have been a long time user of Templot and Martin’s continual improvements are most impressive. This video is so timely for me as I am just about to invest in a resin printer. So, now I can print my own sleepering and chairs. Brilliant! Thank you for the informative and well produced video. 1:25
This is great Les. There’s lots of help on the Templot Club forum to help you to get going, but you possibly already know that. The zoom meetings are great too. Martin is so clever. Playing with Templot is a hobby in itself. 😀
Amazing technology. 3D printer getting to be a must have for modellers
Not a modeller but that was a fascinating video, amazing how far technology has come. The sample you showed also looked very realistic. The nice thing with that is you can create custom point work
Thank you Martin, I’m pleased you enjoyed the video, thanks for watching. 😀
Hi James, Love the video and have just printed some parts for G1 45mm. On my Resin printer I can make more than 200 chairs in one go and on my FDM machine I can make the timberwork in 300mm lengths . In the video you mentioned that these short lengths can be joined with clips . Are these clips available and if so where can I find them. Looking forwards to your video on turn outs
Very interesting.
Looks like a game changer. Should or could make weathering more realistic easier to do, e.g., sleepers & chairs done separately.
Have you played with or tried ballasting and pre-weatheing before placing the chairs?
I've done some very basic painting of the timbering bases and chairs pre-assembly, but am yet to develop my own preferred methods for doing so. Martin has considered this though, and helpfully you can produce 3d files for blank plugs which can me inserted into the sockets to prevent paint getting in to them for those who wish to paint first.
The plugs can be removed after painting leaving lovely clean sockets to take the chairs. Giving multiple rafts of chairs a quick coat of paint takes seconds. Until now I've been painting each by hand. :)
As you say this has the potential to be a game changer, I cant wait to see what folks far cleverer than I make of it all.
Thanks for watching,
James
If you are spraying the loose-jaw chairs while still on the raft you need temporarily to insert the loose jaws while you do it. This paints the loose jaw too, but more importantly prevents paint from getting in the jaw slot. The tolerances are quite tight and a film of paint in the slot will make inserting the loose jaw difficult. Martin.
Very good . . .
👍👍👍👍👍 superbe, very good
Wow. Just wow. For me, hand-built track has always been one of the dark arts of railway modelling that I've always thought I should be able to do, but have never summoned up the courage to get into. I was impressed when you first showed us Templot, but this 3d printing addition surely makes it a complete game changer. And I presume for a really complicated piece of trackwork you could print the whole thing (in sections obviously, which plug together) from the plan in templot, so you have all the sleepers there in the perfect place, and you just "plug in" the chairs and rails. No handlaying individual sleepers or building jigs. Wow.
Two (related) questions about the chairs: could the fixed part of the chair not be printed onto the sleepers? and when you were printing the raft of chairs, would it not make sense to print the separate "spike" bits at the same time, or are they always printed separately?
Thank you, James for such a clear demonstration of an amazing sounding/looking piece of software.
Well done James, so glad I subscribe to your channel !!!
I have a major layout in development, this is a game changer for me, thankyou so very much.
Thank you TEMPLOT
Thank you so much, I'm glad you are a subscriber too.. :)
Hi James,
Great video. I have skimmed some of the templot forum but it was very handy to see the process in video format. It's certainly an interesting system and could really make track building much easier. If I had the tools and this before I started the layout I would have given it a go, Unfortunatley I have started now so might as well continue, but I will look into this method if I ever do another layout and get a 3d printer. Cheers Michael
I you want to have a play, I'd happily print some files for you. You can mix and match, it doesn't all need to be Plug Track.
All the best,
James
@@BexhillWest Thanks! I’ll have a look at having a play with it when I get time. Cheers
I have long wanted to model in EM or P4 but have not been willing to expend the huge (imo) amount of time and money required to do so. This development can be transformative for me, this along with easily available swap out wheels with the likes of Accurascale, could make it almost as easy as modelling in 00. (for diesels anyway)
Excellent video and all credit to the designer, Martyn. Just one small question, when I print the chairs I only get the inner jaws, how do you print the outer ones?
Very interesting! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Keith. :)
Fascinating and awesome. Long time user of Templot but never appreciated its full capabilities until now. I already use 3D printing for rolling stock, etc. However, I do have a question about the production of chairs. I note in the video that the chairs are produced on a raft. That's OK. I can do that following the instructions shown. But what about the outer loose chairs? What are the settings to produce them? Or am I having a very senior moment here?
The loose outer jaws are created as a separate file. Go, Real > Cairing / 3D, chair options on this template. From this dialog you will be able to select loose outer jaws only.
Then, store your template and export as before.
Hope that helps,
James
Thanks James. Did manage to figure it out last day or two. Just watching your latest on turnouts. Very absorbing. Now just waiting for time when you cover "brick" production. That's the bit I can't master just yet. I'll just have to be patient.
Brilliant video and explanation. Makes me want to try some 0 gauge track and looking forward to your next turnout video. Currently nearly £60 a point!! One thing you seem to have missed out though is the cost and sourcing of the rail??
Hi James, this is fantastic, thank you for putting this video together. One thing I didn't quite catch from the video is how you export an .stl of the loose jaws, are they exported separately to the chairs file?
Yes, in the real>chairing/3d>chair jaw options, select export only Loose Outer Jaws. Store the template and repeat the export process. This will give you just the outer jaws. :)
Thanks for watching,
James
I was having the same problem but having read James's answer above, found it is also possible to avoid having to repeat the whole process by getting to the experimental chairing dialog box, selecting 'export only all loose outer jaws and keys' and then clicking the 'modify group to match'. This applies the change to all the previously 'chairs only' to all being 'jaws only'. Hope that helps.
James, thanks for a really useful video.
This is fantastic James, thank you very much, one thing though... Concrete Sleepers, is it possible to include it in the Software library? I have all the drawings and measurementes...
Thanks
What a REVELATION! This is a total game changer for me! As I live in the US the cost of British RTR track is high, due to shipping, but 3D printing is cheap, so this is genuinely wonderful solution!
Having watched the vid a few times now, I'm still trying to figure out a way to print the timbers and chairs together (with suitable clearance set in the settings > rails section) ready so I can just slot the rails in. That seems a sensible approach to me, but I can't find a way to do it??? I'd really like to know what options make the timbers solid, without mounting holes, and have the chairs sit directly on top of them?
Oh, and you included the rail filing jigs in there too? Way to go Martin, what a truly amazing job you've done!
Thank you so very much!
Ross.
P.S. Concrete Sleeper support soon? Pretty please? >;D
hi ross, switch off the socket holes on the layers tab by setting the sockets combo blank. switch off the plugs on the chairs by unticking the include plugs option on the chairs/plugs tab. everything will become clear if you ask on the templot club forum.
Hello!
Fantastic video! I have a curiosity, where are the single tracks procured from? I'm actually on the lookout to get some so I can print my own layout.
And another thing, how do you connect the tracks in between?
You never seem to amaze and impress chum. We are a long time overdue for a natter and catch up, call when you are free, cheers Paul
Hi Paul,
I was thinking of you earlier when your latest video popped-up on my feed.
Yes, we do need to have a catch-up, I'll get in touch.
All the best,
James
Looks like a good system. 3D printing is surely the way to go. I'm just curious why you chose the two-part chairs instead of the single piece option? I would have though threading the rail through would have provided a far more snug/secure fit. Or do you think the resin would be too brittle?
Hi @Perchpole, Both methods work well and grip the rail tightly. Adjustments can be made to the 'fit' in Templot to adjust for different batches of rail etc. I prefer the Loose Outer Jaw option as it allows individual rails to be lifted and refitted if required. I think it's also a faster building method, but each to their own. As for brittleness, with good quality resin the chairs are very robust indeed. I've been using Anycubic Pro V2 resin, and I am very pleased with their strength, they certainly wont get damaged with track cleaning for example which was an initial concern of mine.
Thanks for watching,
James
Very interesting video. I've worked in 3D printing for years and used to work with the development team of Cura at Ultimaker in Geldermalsen. I probably have the opposite questions to most of the people here: Where do you get the raw track rails (nickel silver or brass)? I'm assuming you didn't 3D print that. Is it from a supplier? I'm interested in finding a way to fabricate track at home, either for gauge 1 or oo.
Plain rail can be ordered through most of the gauge societies, or C&L Finescale. I get mine from the Scalefour Society stores, which is available to members only. Membership is not expensive though and there are many other benefits aside from access to the stores.
Why not drop-in on a Templot Club zoom session? I think that your Cura experience would be most welcome among the group, and there is lots of experience there to steer you in the right direction regarding building your own track in any gauge/scale. Dates and times can be found on the Templot Club home page. 85a.uk/templot/club/index.php
Thanks for watching,
James
Presumably, you then go and print the outer chair etc as a different stl file? Looks very good indeed and will have a play, cheers, Ian in Blackpool
Yes, that's right.
It's just the one file obviously if printing chairs with two jaws, but two files if one is happy the default loose jaw option.
I will cover the jaw options in the next video when I cover Turnouts.
Thanks for watching,
James
Another excellent video James, as you say at present it's limited to REA chairs etc. I would guess that GWR;; and LSWR won't be far behind, not forgetting SR: Sorry I didn't make it to Uckfield.
Hi. The SR used REA chairs. There will be functions to allow users to enter the data for other chair designs as custom settings. But that's still a long way down the, er, track. 🙂 Martin.
Thanks a lot for this video. Are concrete sleepers and pandrol clips be added soon?
I've no idea, I suspect pandrol clips will be tricky to do as a 3D print whilst remaining sturdy enough to work effectively.
Very interesting. An amazing set up and clearly a work of passion by Martin.
Having a few years experience of both types of 3d printing I did have a couple of thoughts. Firstly I'm surprised that resin parts that are so small are solid enough to support track, especially if it's curved and under tension and I wonder if prolonged use might cause them to crack as resin is generally quite brittle? More concerning to me was PLA and that it's absorption of moisture can be severe - even over time PLA prints can warp due to moisture in the air if they're not sealed, so the fact that generally we hold ballast down with a swimming pool's worth of PVA has me a little concerned that years down the line the sleepers and especially the chair mounting holes in them might start to split apart.
Don't get me wrong, I think it's an amazing idea and the Templot software is superb but my concerns are more around the potentially fragile materials used in the printing and how they might survive in an environment where we would like them to last for decades.
use pla-plus toughened pla, not ordinary pla; it is painted and sealed with a rattle can before ballasting; use latex adhesive to fix ballast, not pva; the base layer of ballast is crumbled cork animal bedding and does not need much adhesive; the top layer of ballast is crushed walnut shell, fixed with diluted latex adhesive; it can be dried quickly with a hair dryer. There are masses of detail explanations which James couldn't include in the video without making it too long. ask on the templot club forum for more information.
@BexhillWest Thanks for a great video James!
I think this will get many people into P4.
Why can’t a resin printer print the sleepers too?
Why not resin print sleepers and chairs together?
Hi Leo, the simple answer is it can. The only draw back is Resin printers typically have quite small build plates, so its lots of small timber bricks if you go that route.
The timbering bases tend curl as resin prints. The greater mass/surface area of upper side will cause each panel to bend upwards like a banana. An FDM print is a more suitable application of technology for the timbering bases as they are more stable. With a decent resin mix and a professional print system I'm sure it's possible, but for now resin printed timbering bases are sub-optimal.
As for printing in one piece, timbers and chairs, yes you could do, and it would work for plain track. However, it would be impossible to assemble the turnouts. For example one cannot thread a bent check rail end through the chairs.
This is the real genius of the Plug Track idea. Track is assembled just like the prototype, rails can be dropped-in vertically and removed without disturbing a larger formation.
Thanks for watching,
James
@@BexhillWest Thanks for the answer. Looking forward to your next video.
absolutely marvellous, persuaded me to invest in the Geeetech printer, not having a lot of luck so far due to uncompleted prints. I end up with a raft and the plug in base but no actual chairs. Could you share some of your printer and resin settings to give a head start. I am also trying to print complete chairs for straight track but it reverts to the 2 part version, I know it should be a simple answer, but it's got me baffled. Despite this roll on episode 2.
Regards jonkett
HI @joj1950, I'm pleased that you're getting stuck-in. :)
Quick reply: I'm using ABS Like + resin and the default Alkaid profile in chitubox. I've not changed the settings from standard.
To set full chairs, go real > chairing/3d > chair jaw options and select 'export all chairs with solid outer jaws and keys.
Then store the template, and export as you have been.
If you have further problems send me an email, makeitminiature [at] outlook.com and I'll do my best to help you out.
All the best,
James
@@BexhillWest
Thanks for the reply, I was sure that was what I had been doing but it kept reverting to loose chairs. I do not know what I changed but later this afternoon it worked as requested. I have to admit that Templot is not the easiest programme I have dealt with over the last 30 years, that is until I started on Fusion 360.
So looking forward to to the next episodes.
This is a great video about an awesome innovation but I seem to be missing something - I can export the timbering and the main part of the loose jaw chairs but I can't find a way to export the loose bit that holds the outside edge of the rail in place.
real > chairing/3d > chair jaw options on this template... > click the second button down at top left "export only all loose jaws and keys"
@@martintemplot6765 Thanks heaps - I must have looked at every menu except the right one :)
Hi James,
Thank you once again a great video. Also hats off to Martin, for firstly creating Templot and now plug track but equally making it a free to access program.
I do however have a question, in the video, when you move onto the chairs, you briefly mention loose jaws.
but there not mentioned again. Would I be right in assuming loose jaws are created the same way as the clip fit chair basses? IE a second phase of resin printing for loose jaws, is required before assembly can start?
cheers
Phil
Hi Phil, Yes, in the excitement of it all I forgot the loose outer jaws. The process is the same though, just select the control template, then Real > Chairing /3D > Chair jaw options on this template, and in the control box 'select loose outer jaws only'.
The track pad will show the template with the label 'loose jaws' highlighted in a green box.
From here export as before.
It is longer to write than to do. :)
Have fun,
James
Very good, i enjoyed this very much have been playing around this afternoon got some test files to play with when the printers are free, one question where do you get the 2nd key to hold the rail in? Many thanks look forward to the next one.
Once you've exported the chairs with slots for the loose jaws, go back to your control template then select Real > Chairing / 3d > chair jaw options on this template. From the dialogue you will be able to select 'export only loose outer jaws and keys. Then click 'Apply changes'.
This will modify the chairing of the control template.
Store to background using the 'downward arrows' button.
You'll be able to export as before, but time you'll get just the outer jaws.
It sounds more complex than it is. Once you've done it a couple of times it'll become obvious.
Hope that helps,
James
Many thanks all sorted.
Hi James, I'm just wondering 🤔 when it comes to curved track. Are there check rails you can make.
Hi Paul,
Yes, check rails are no problem at all.
Thanks for watching,
James
James, how does the story look with N scale. The elements are much smaller. Can you prepare one example for N scale.
I've not tried it in 'N' (yet), and that may be beyond what is currently possible. Templot will produce the files but the printing technology is the limiting factor. I've just purchased a 12k printer to experiment with. I'll post updates on the channel whether positive or negative soon.
Thanks for watching,
James
Hi just a couple of questions thanks, where do you buy your rail from , and is it possible to do duel gauge track as im looking to produce 7mm finescale outside with 09mm inside it thanks
HI Matt,
I buy my rail from Scalefour Stores, which is a member only facility - a really useful membership benefit.
Rail is also available from the likes of C&L finescale.
Absolutely wonderful.
Great video James and I particularly liked your suggestion that modellers could combine resources to produce their own track (dare I say that might also include someone who knows how to use Templot?). 🙂
Just one point (pardon the pun) that I think might bear further clarification - at the beginning of the video you show changing the gauge (and scale!) from T55 to P4/S4. Later, for chairing efficiency, you show modifying the track gauge between the rails only (i.e. not the scale!). No criticism intended but the distinction between the two might trip up the unwary?
Really looking forward to your next videos. Thanks so much for taking the time to share this. Subscribed!
Thank you, Yes I could have perhaps been clearer. I was keeping the scale the same but temporarily reducing the gauge to produce a more compact chair raft.
Martin picked up on this too, and upon seeing is implemented a simpler way of achieving the same thing which should be available in the next update. I'll make mention of it in Part2.
Thanks for watching, and for the feedback - it is much appreciated.
Best wishes,
James
No, you were perfectly clear and - just as importantly I feel - commendably concise.
It is only now that Templot can be used for such marvellous, new things that the distinction might have been important. By the same token, I’m not at all surprised that Martin has already made my observation obsolete. 🙂
Well done indeed.
I was thinking through how this ought to be done and had just the same idea ... plug in chairs ... but not nearly in such detail! However I kept wondering how much the positions would be affected by differences in the width of the rail head as provided by different sellers of commercially available rail? Has this been taken into account?
Do you know if there is a plan to support bullhead rail?
This is the most exciting model railway video I have seen this year :)
Thank you, I'm really excited by the concept too.
Yes, Plug Track does support Bullhead rail, it's designed around it in that the REA chairs are for Bullhead rail.
There are clickable options for standard 4mm and 7mm scale bullhead sections. However, as with everything in Templot the settings can be adjusted to whatever you require. So if for example you had a batch of rail which had been manufactured with an over-sized web, you can adjust the settings to allow for it.
In the back of my mind is the thought of getting a batch of rail produced to BS85R specifications which isn't available commercially. If I did, I'd be able to make the chair adjustments in Templot very easily.
Similarly, one could input the rail section data for any scale and Templot will programmatically produce the correct chairs.
It's really quite incredible.
It's actually Lisa's husband posting, we really must get separate paid accounts! We're in the USA. I suspect importing bullhead rail to the USA isn't going to be cheap! But I've spent three years thinking about this and waiting for the price of 3d printers to come down. Now the biggest problem seems to be the smell ... but how wonderful to find someone else has saved me so much work!
I wish there were a program like this for the track used in North America! Is there any way to introduce randomness into the sleepers? Being wood, do they not have some random grain patterns? Also for track laid down 100 years ago, would the spacing between the sleepers be perfectly consistent?
Hi John,
Each sleeper can be independently controlled for position, length, skew angle, etc. They can even be rotated long-ways for bulk timbering. It's quite remarkable.
Thanks for watching,
James
How do you export the sleeper files to a laser cutter for them to produced in ply or MDF
Select export timber for laser/2D at the dxf/STL file export menu box.
As an American Citizen modeling American FRA railroads, most especially from Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Santa Fe rail lines, we use tie plates and spikes on wooden sleepers, and cement ties use clips and shoulders to as the fastener method to hold rails in place. Does this software model this? Can this software create a template or tie web that can be 3D printed with this consideration in mind at an HO scale?
Hi Matthew,
Templot does not currently model North American tie plates and spikes, and I suspect such things are not on Martin's to do list. However, it would be possible in Templot to create timber sleepers to NA specs, at the length, widths, etc are all definable within the program. In fact each could be a different length and be placed at quirky angles if you so wished. By switching off the chair sockets you could create just about any form of timbering to any scale or gauge, and definitely HO, for which there is a pre-set option. I've not tried it though. If you do, then I'm sure folks at Templot Club would be interested to hear about it.
Thanks for watching,
James
I have downloaded a Couple of CAD programs to which I plan on designing quite a few things with but have to get through the learning curve on those first, that said, I have downloaded your program with the thought that it is hard to get detailed drawings of sharp curved turnouts from my 3rd Planit program, and I'll try to pitch a few dollars your way once I have determined its value. Thanks, I hope it works for this Yankee.
Are the timbers best printed in PLA or ABS? I have both kinds of filament. I'm a little worried about how well PLA lasts, as some sources say that it gets very brittle with age.
Hi Guy,
PLA+ seems to be the filament of choice, and is especially good for the filing jigs, but you could of course use whatever you have for getting to grips with Plug Track initially.
All the best,
James
Is there any reason why the bases HAVE to be printed with an FDM printer instead of a resin printer?
No, except they will curl as resin prints. The greater mass/surface area of upper side will cause each panel to bend upwards like a banana. An FDM print is a more suitable application of technology for the timbering bases as they are more stable. CNC milling of the timbering bases is another option for those with the kit.
and how can i print the plugs???
I show how to create the plug files in the video. The files should then be resin 3d printed.
To produce the files for the loose outer jaws, do this: Real>chairing/3d>chair jaw options, select export only Loose Outer Jaws. Store the template and repeat the export process shown in the video for the plugs. This will give you just the outer jaws. :)
Cutting edge stuff, print me a pint please...
Ha Ha, if only...:)