¿ªÔÆÌåÓý

ctrl + shift + ? for shortcuts
© 2025 Groups.io
  1. Felderownersgroup
  2. Topics

HP needed for heavy cutter?

 

You might consider laying as many as will fit edge to edge and on a long table, butted to a stop on one end.? Clamp the stack horizontally.? Lay over and affix a jig to guide a routers with a surfacing bit and rout out the dadoes.? The jig would look like the ones made to surface large slabs, but simpler as the router does not need to cut across the entire surface, just two tracks.? The cut would be best done in two passes for each depth of cut: down one side and back up cutting the other side.? Depending on the router and bit size, a full dept cut might be possible.? With two such workstation and two workers cutting, one from each side on first station, a third or fourth person could unload the newly notched ties and load up with blanks on the second station.

It would not be the most fun job to work on, but I think it is a low tech and quick way to go about getting them all prepared for the rails.
 

Mike, your idea of frames and several people would speed it up further.??

I just happen to have railroad ties that are 1/4 scale of 2-1/2 scale, and I mocked it up.? A sheet of melamine plywood, a couple routers screwed underneath, a stick of wood for a fixed fence, and three cycling frames to push a batch of pieces through.? One or two people load frame, one person pushes through and a third and maybe a fourth pulls and stacks from the offload side.? You could build this in a few hours probably, for free except the cost of two routers bits (surely you can have the routers in the shop or among members, and some 2x4 scraps and a sheet of plywood, maybe you buy a $30 melamine sheet for slipperiness)? ?

If you have 3 or 4 people working concurrently, they could have a loaded frame ready as soon as you've pushed the last one through.? Your cycle time per frame could be perhaps 30 seconds.? 18,000 would take 2.5 hours at that rate.
 

Mike,
?I had a chance to take a look at your link and I have to say that is fascinating. I had no idea that That was a shout away from my house. The only thing I knew about was the guy that collected tanks. I did get to see part of that years ago. I can't remember his name and not even sure if he is still alive. Very cool what your group has done.

My simpleton thought would be the box May be 10ft w/ a router template and tree guys. I think it would progress pretty fast. The hardest part of this however resetting all that track.
My back is hurting just thinking about that part.
Glen
Alpine Moulding and Millwork Inc.
Mail: ?? P.O. Box 257
?????????? Avery, CA. 95224
Shop: 441 Pennsylvania Gulch Road
????????? Murphys, CA. 95247
????????? 650-678-3137
LIC # 707507


On Fri, Jan 29, 2021 at 10:40 AM TMichael WARD via <tmikko=[email protected]> wrote:
Great stuff ! What a rich resource you guys are.

Here are some thoughts on your excellent replies.
First, Mark T's dwg is correct for the ties. They are 1.5" thick, ~ 16 inches long and 2-1/2" high.? The material is recycled, molded plastic.?
The specs on spacing of the grooves is 7-5/8" +.092, -0.? Or, better said, 7.667 +- .046 if my math is correct.?
Jonathan M: The length of the ties are nominal, so making one cut and flipping them means you handle them twice, and any error in length is translated into an error on spacing.
Hence my desire to make both cuts in one pass.

George W; 18,500 pieces, at 3 per foot means we are refurbishing 6,175' of track with wood ties. Our RR has about 1.8 miles of track, and the older track is on wooden ties, which we are replacing.
Scale for narrow gage is 2.5"/ ft, for standard gage is 1.5"/ ft, so both can run on the same track.
The precision required is to keep the engine wheels on the track, especially on curves, and with variability introduced during th making of the track panels.
You can visit our website at if you want to see the operation.

The CNC machine idea is great, maybe the best, but we are a volunteer organization with a low budget, so looking for reliable, safe, low cost solutions.
We do have folks with excellent metal working capabilities, so making a dedicated machine is not a challenge.
It would be like the Woodmaster that Imram suggested. By the way, the right sized Woodmaster has? 5 hp motor.
Interesting idea to buy one used and resell.

A router table with two routers is a good idea, much easier to make than the dedicated machine.
Mark T.: On a formica (slippery) table with a fence at right angles also good idea. I was thinking of the frame idea so one team could be loading a frame, another pushing it through, third disassembling.
Good choice on the router bits.

Brian: Rebate cutters are also a good idea, because the inside dimension of the cut must be precise, but the outside cut can be a little large, so 50mm or 2" would work
David B. We are vols, so no pay, it is boring, but fun to figure out.

Thanks again.? If this inspires more ideas, I'd love to hear them.

Mike Ward

 

¿ªÔÆÌåÓý

Thanks Mark and Glen. ?

Mark, very nice visual, and if your cycle time is right, a reasonable length job.

Even if we can¡¯t get 60 ties in a frame,, say 20. still only 8 hours of work.

Glen Christensen, ?Glad u like the website for . ?Tank collector and rairload foujnder was Jacques Littlefield, who passed 12 years ago at age?
 

One or our RR members contacted Train Mountain in Oregon to see how they milled plastic ties. Sort of a combination of ideas presented here. ?Two routers on an overhead trolly. Fun to see a solution from people who have rails and know how to weld. ?Dust collection would be a great addition.

Screen Shot 2021-02-02 at 1.01.10 PM.png

21 - 25 of 25