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10 Responses to How to Cut Flex Track
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I use a small aluminum miter box and a fine toothed 1.5 inch wide craft knife backsaw blade to make perfectly perpendicular and vertical cuts for rails or any model building project. These can be bought at most hobby shops or craft stores. Tim
I use a fine tip ink pen to mark cut. using 6 or 8inch side cutters cut just beyond mark then grind square on a bench grinder back to mark. use small round file clean burs on bottom of rail for joining plate.. roger
How well do the ” Xuron 90137 2175M Vertical Track Cutting Tool for HO N Z Scale Track ” work for cutting track ? I’ve seen these listed and have them on my wish list for a future layout that I’ll be useing flex track on
The Xuron cutters work very well, mark with a fine felt-tip & cut.
Use a fine file to de-burr the ends.
A Dremel type tool with an abrasive cut-off wheel works well too. WEAR EYE PROTECTION!
I use mine with the flex-shaft so that I can keep the cut as near vertical as possible.
De-burr as necessary, much less needed than with the Xuron.
Cheers,
Bernard
I use dykes (side cuts) and cut with a shade extra rail. I use a dremel with a disk and grind it smooth to the point it properly fits. I will also use a dremel cutoff disk and do the same on the initial cut. I think it works better that a miter box or hack saw. use a small modeling file to clean the burrs from your work which ever way you choose to do this. Use safety glassed using the dremel cut off disks as they will snap sometimes or metal can fly near the face even though it is real small. from Newman Atkinson
All good comments, and while you may already be aware of it, one matter has been left out. You need to mark and/or make your cuts when the flex track is in its final position, be it curved or straight. When straight, the rails are the same length; when curved, the rail on the inside of the curve is shorter than the one on the outside. Since flex track comes straight, when it’s curved the rail on the inside is forced to extend beyond the point where it is to be joined to the next track. While the joints on each rail don’t need to line up exactly, most modelers find it easier to join track when they do. While you might be able to use a miter box, it is usually difficult to cut both rails with the same cut while keeping the exact desired curve in the track.
Sorry I left that out on my comment Thanks Also when the connections might end in a curve you will want to fit the rails then straighten them out before mounting. At your connection youe will want the rail soldiered as if you are doing continuous rail at least in the connector or outside edge of the rail then flex the track back into position to set the track. Your result will be like it was continuous rail. If you don’t, Flex track has a tendency to want to straighten out at the rail ends and even with the connector the rail ends up like a kink between one rail and the one you are connecting to. Many folks don’t do this method and these kinks end up in a curved tunnel and the trains always derail there. So cut and fit, straighten the rail out and soldier your connection and flex it back and mount the track. It works wonders with just a little extra time. from Newman Atkinson
I LIKE TO USE A DREMEL WITH A CUTTING WHEEL AND JUST FOR XTRA MESSURE USE A SMAL FILE TO SHAVE THE TRACK DOWN TO GET THE BURES OFF
I find placing a track guage where I want to cut the fastened track, it makes an excellent tool for a square cut with the finest hacksaw blade. A small amount of cleanup with a small file makes it easy to attach joiners.
Rails joints don’t run side by side on real tracks. What I do is to start with the rails side by side but once a bend occurs the inside rail will be longer. On the next pcs. of flex track I slide the rail out far enough to allow the previous laid rail to slide into the ties on the next pcs. Where the rails meet you will need to cut the ties out. Then trim the cut tie down with a razor knife to allow for the rail jointer thickness. I then solder the rail jointer into place on both rails while the new pc of flex track is straight before bending it into position. Bend or place the solder track into position and replace the cut down tie. This reduces the number of cuts needed on rails and moves rail joint from being side by side which I found helps reduce derailments and kinks at rail joints. Unless your running a circle or all turn the same direction you be surprised how it balances out. Should the rail become to long then you will have to cut it. Use any method described above. I use rail cutters (side cutters) and file square. Again the length is critical until the last joint.