Toy train track question

[Cliff Miller]

Does anyone know of a site or a thread that has information on templates or how-to's for making wooden train track for the Thomas/Brio style wooden trains? My son is a huge fan and with all the tools in the shop is should be a fun project. Thank you!

[Larry Browning]

I think that MLCS has a router bits made especially for making the track.
http://mlcswoodworking.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/smarthtml/pages/bt_bull.html#train_track_bit_anchor (http://mlcswoodworking.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/smarthtml/pages/bt_bull.html#train_track_bit_anchor)

[Tim Lynch]

Rockler too.

http://www.rockler.com/search_results.cfm?filter=train+track

[Charles Wilson]

Rockler has a little .pdf plan to follow as well.

Chuck

[Paul Johnstone]

I made some about 10 years ago. There's an excellent website out there.

This might be it.. our firewall is blocking it http://www.bscandm.com/trains/

Cherry Tree Crafts has the magnets and nails for the cars. Or you could PM me and I'd sell you some real cheap (bought way too many 10 years ago when I made them)

I used wooden wheels and axels. They work pretty good, if you wax the axels. I also have extras of those.

I made the tracks out of maple. It was a lot of fun. As with all homemade things, I'm not sure you save a whole lot in the end. I made a boatload of track and a lot of cars, but I ended up spending about $80 on the wood and probably another $30 on supplies (but I WAY overbought).

In case the website doesn't work, you can cut the arcs on a bandsaw. Put an arm on a circle cutting jig.. Tracks are made with a 1/4" router bit, on the router table. You can buy the connector router bits. When I made them, they weren't available.. There's another way..If you want more detail, respond..

[Cliff Miller]

First off, THANK YOU, all for your response! I knew the Creek would have the experience to help me. Paul please let me know any methods you came up with making your tracks, jigs or anything that helped you get the train track done.

Sincerely,

Cliff

[Paul Wingert]

Hi Cliff..

You might want to search groups.google.com under rec.woodworking.. I found a killer website there with tips about 8-10 years ago..

I used a bandsaw circle cutting jig with an "arm" on the circle center. I would butt the maple blank there and cut the outside curve, and then the inside curve. I built a curved fence on my router table which allowed me to route the tracks.

For the male connectors on the tracks, I used two dowels. I forget the measurements, but you glue them in a "T" .. looks kind of like a sledgehammer.. Then for the female end, a jig held the track so I could drill press a hole at the specified distance and then use the bandsaw to cut the "slot" from the end of the track to the hole.

I even made "Y" pieces, multitrack pieces, crossings, etc.. It was fun.. The only disappointment was that I think I spent more time making them than the kids did playing with them.. I spent about 3 months of weekends making stuff, but I had a boatload of track and cars when I was done.

[Lee Schierer]

I have made lots of straight track for my grandson. I use a table mounted router and then hand bevel the edges of the track with a hand plane. I use a jig to cross drill a 3/8" dowel on it center line and then cut it to the height of the track by hand. 3/16" Dowels go into the end of the track pieces and into the cross drilled dowels to make the joiners. I drill the holes for the opposite end with my drill press and cut the slots into them with my BS. I keep one commercial piece of staright track in the shop for test fitting my track pieces and for set up measurements.

We buy the curved track pieces as they waste a lot of wood and take lots of time to make the jigs needed and to make the pieces.

You can buy the router bits and drill bits, but for the price you could also buy a lot of track.

[jeremy levine]

If you do it, make some gender converter tracks.