# Homemade rail clamps



## wigginsn (Jan 9, 2008)

Why would ya?

Well, at this end of the planet landing Splitjaws works out around $4 ea local currency. Ouch! Thought I’d have a go at making some, so... 

3.6m of 8mm square brass stock stock, cut to length for the milling machine at work 









Dovetail milled into each piece, then pairs matched for drilling.









Holes drilled at 10mm centres, 1 side tapped at M3, 20mm stainless cap screws.









Then cut to size with 4” angle grinder and 0.6mm disc.










I also cut some doubles for bending rail with the TrainLi.









Pretty happy with the result. Material costs were $106 and I got 86 clamps so that works out about 1.25 each.









Most problems were with the drill wandering in the material and the holes ending up so far off centre that they couldn’t be used. Combo of small drill and cheap Chinese drill press.









Cheers
Neil


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## Marauderer (Jan 5, 2008)

They look great Neil. I have been running Hillmans but since they sold out the price has gone up to about $2.50 US. I have a mill and lathe and I think I will make my own if cost effective. Thank you for doing this. Are the New Zealand inport taxes still real high?


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## MasonsDad (Feb 7, 2008)

Those look great, just like the store bought ones, and the price compared to store bought ones, heck ya cant beat it, Great post thank you


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Resourceful fellow Neil! Now you can start your own business to sell to the area GR guys!


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

Would you please post a picture of your Mill and Lathe? I got some Ideas I want to try so I would like to get a Idea of what equipment you got.

One of the things on my drawing board is a CNC plasma cutter. 

I think with a CNC Plasma cutter one could make better looking industrial sites. Like ore conveyors and the like.


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## tiespike (Jan 6, 2008)

Try this site. I have bought several packs from here and they are a good product for those of us without machinery.


http://cgi.ebay.com/10-Pack-G-Gauge-Code-332-Brass-Track-Rail-Joiners-Clamp_W0QQitemZ250312102240QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item250312102240&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2%7C65%3A1%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

Regards
Dave


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## wigginsn (Jan 9, 2008)

Thanks guys, it was fun working out how to make a bunch of them cost effectively and get them to work.

Barry,
The $4 cost is just currency conversion and freight, our dollar is rapidly becoming the South Pacific Peso!

I spent a bit of time looking at import taxes when we were talking about bringing in the TrainLi. Officially NZ now has no import taxes except.. (yep, there’s always those) when “the same items are produced in New Zealand”. In that case it can only attract a maximum 7% tax. The for once helpful person on the end of the phone said add 7% to everything anyway and that’s the most you’ll get stung for. Luckily we make no LS products here.

Jerry,
Except perhaps these now… Heh heh. Seriously though these are a bit “homemade”. I posted a photo of one of the better ones of course. Not quite production quality and quite a bit of variation from one to the next. Next time maybe.

JJ,
Saw your Q posted but I have no gear at home - I used the mill at work. We have a machine shop next to the office for our motor rewinding division and luckily I get on well with the workshop manager. 

I took a couple of cellphone photos as I was doing it, sorry about the quality but here’s something to give you an idea. The main bed is 4’ long, vice jaws around 200mm – that’s the length I cut the stock to so it was supported all the time while cutting. I made a couple of steel standoffs to position the stock to the same height each time. Vice jaws were set parallel with a dial guage to get consistent cutting depth along the length. The dovetail cutter is 18mm but anything bigger than 3 -4 mm will do. A couple of lathes are in the background.

CNC cutter eh? Nice – I’m going sit in the corner and get jealous.





















Oh, and tapping by battery drill …











Cheers
Neil


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