# how to straighten curved track?



## Guest (Mar 29, 2008)

i just accepted an irresistible offer. 20 boxes of LGB/Playmobil 1 foot track (1 dozen tracks to the box). at the lovely price of US$ 1.72 per track...

the catch is, that 17 of the boxes are R1 curves. - and i need straights, no curves.
i think, by putting them as pairs, allways one left and one right - bent straight, should give me a aprox. 2 foot straight track without sawing.

now the question:
how do i best bend the rails, to get them as straight as possible?

thanks in advance for any tips.

korm
.


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## dartracer (Jan 3, 2008)

Try This.         http://www.train-li-usa.com/railbender.html


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## Guest (Mar 29, 2008)

that looks marvellous. thank you. 
but i am afraid, that it is no good option for me. 
apart from the price for the tool it will cost me about 50$ postage, plus an unknown sum of import-tax, and will get here in two or three months, if it ever gets here. 
some homemade tool or some simple tecnic of doing with standard tools would be more adequate, i am afraid.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Some guys have made their own benders, you would have to remove the rail and bend it, one at a time, then slide it back in. You might do a search for it. Jerry


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## Guest (Mar 29, 2008)

Posted By dartracer on 03/29/2008 9:45 AM
Try This.         http://www.train-li-usa.com/railbender.html
It's prob the best $$$ I have spent thus far...I am not sure where you are, but there are dealers for the bender world-wide...the Train-Li is an amazing piece of work, and with what you described, it'd be worth the investment (IMHO)....Contact Axel, he may be of some help!


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

I've found that even if you get it straight, it will tend to bend some back alittle. but then the price is right.


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## JerryB (Jan 2, 2008)

Korm: 

Congatulations on your purchase!

There was an article in Garden Railways a few years ago that covered how to build a very simple rail bender using skate wheels and other low cost parts / materials that should be available virtually everywhere. I've seen reports from several folks who built these devices and were very satisified with the results.

You can see the GR index and order back issues on-line through the Kalmbach Publishiing / Garden Railways website.  I have  had very good service from them over the years. 

I would normally attach the appropriate GR URL here, but the new MLS website software is very unfriendly to obtaining and providing full information, so you'll have to do the research yourself. I do hope this helps. 

Cale: 

Kormsen's avatar indicates he is "in the middle of the west paraguayan semi desert". I'm not too familiar with the South American region, but would seriously doubt there is a local dealer for the Train-Li bender there! 

Happy RRing, 

Jerry


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## Guest (Mar 30, 2008)

i did search around a while, and found two easy options for homemade benders.
one made with skate-rollers and this simple beauty here:
 









it is made with furniture drawer rollers. (those the local hardwarestore can get for me)

but what i really hoped for, was that somebody would come up with ideas, how to rebend the rails with a hydraulic press or something.
i am a little sceptical, about railbenders being able to straighten the ends of R1 curves.
but i will find out.
thanks for your ideas.

korm
.


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## JerryB (Jan 2, 2008)

Korm: 

I had forgotten about the drawer roller bender. That too looks like a good solution. 

I think the judicious application of a pair of vice grip pliers will easily straighten the ends. I've bent a lot of rail using a Lindsay rail bender and just finish the ends of the rail by that method. A little work, but the price is right! 

Happy RRing, 

Jerry


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## Guest (Mar 30, 2008)

i just read the price of the train-li benders. 

a drawer-roller bender it will be, or one of the many unemployed, we got here, with a hammer.


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## xo18thfa (Jan 2, 2008)

Korm:  Maybe this might be worth a try:

http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/xo18thfa/bend1.jpg
http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/xo18thfa/bend2.jpg

Bob


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## Guest (Mar 30, 2008)

thank you, Bob! 

that looks definitely like something easyly made at home. 
i will try it out.


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