# Turntable workshop



## nkelsey (Jan 4, 2008)

Our club, Rose City GRS, put on a turntable workship last weekend, and here is the result:




























And as you can tell, we had a pretty good time: You can just see the original model on the left, weathered after 9 years outside.


----------



## Richard Smith (Jan 2, 2008)

Good idea for a very useful item. Your turntable came out great! Good lookin' group too. Didn't/doesn't your group have a layout near Tigard? I visited a really nice RR there twice in the 1990's.


----------



## Jack - Freshwater Models (Feb 17, 2008)

Very, very nice looking! Exquisite model! What are you using for the spider? 

Jack


----------



## nkelsey (Jan 4, 2008)

Richard, we have a couple of members with layouts in the Tigard area, if part was in a basement, that would be Joe Chesney's Underground (and outside RR). You should consider coming up June 20th for our tour. 

Jack, thanks. A lot of the credit for the finished product belongs to Gary Lee who put on the workshop. The original was built by Gary for his dad Odell, (Seated in the last picture) from plans in the Narrow Guage gazette of the turntable in Laws, CA. 
The spider is a six inch lazy susan bearing, the original has stood up for 9 years outside in the wet side of Oregon's climate with yearly lubrication. I have a basic turntable in the yard that has been out two years with a similar bearing and works fine.


----------



## Jack - Freshwater Models (Feb 17, 2008)

Nick, 

Good idea on the lazy suzan bearing! Can you tell me precisely what brand or where you got it? I may be building one in 1:13.7 since you have given me inspiration. 

Jack


----------



## nkelsey (Jan 4, 2008)

I got mine from my local Ace hardware. No brand shown, it was not packaged.


----------



## Jack - Freshwater Models (Feb 17, 2008)

Nick, 

Is it metal or plastic? 

Jack


----------



## FH&PB (Jan 2, 2008)

Does he do road trips? How about a convention workshop? Tell him he should propose that for the 2010 convention - I think it would be very popular!


----------



## Rich Schiffman (Jan 2, 2008)

I built an almost identical turntable last summer. I used a lazy susan mechanism I bought from Home Depot for about $4.00. It is metal and has ball bearings for smoothness. Can't go wrong. The most expensive item was the brass wire for truss rods and the nut bolt washers from Ozark. All in all, a very inexpensive project. Have fun, I did.


----------



## nkelsey (Jan 4, 2008)

The Lazy Susan is metal, the guy wires are RC Aircraft control rods, the nuts and bolts brass escutcheon pins with washers, the brackets are beading/jewelry spacers.


----------



## steamtrain95993 (Feb 21, 2008)

Nick, 

Is there a parts lists/cut list available? Are full size (1:20.3) plans available? It looks like you used redwood. I really like what you guys have done and would like to build one for my railroad. Any tips and/or advice is most welcome. Thanks for a great post!


----------



## nkelsey (Jan 4, 2008)

Mario, the plans were in Narrow Gauge Gazette, I will try to have Gary look here and post the issue. Gary has CAD and drew us plans in 1:24 and 1:20.3. No, mine are not for sale.  The wood is mostly cedar, Gary buys cedar balusters in the decking department at Home Depot and rips them down to size. Nice tight grain wood and no curling as you often get with the cedar fence boards. The white wood used in tie anchors and armstrong levers is maple.


----------



## steamtrain95993 (Feb 21, 2008)

Thanks, Nick. I'd love to get a set of the CAD drawings if possible. Thanks for the tip on the cedar balusters. Thanks again.


----------



## Rich Schiffman (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi guys,

A question, how do you get power to the rails on the turntable?


----------



## nkelsey (Jan 4, 2008)

battery r/c


----------



## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By nkelsey on 04/03/2009 10:26 PM
battery r/c " src="http://www.mylargescale.com/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/smile.gif" align="absMiddle" border="0" />


OH!!

Don't listen to these battery people....









GO LIVE STEAM!


----------



## Rich Schiffman (Jan 2, 2008)

No batteries / RC and no live steam. Sorry guys, I am stuck with rail power. This is all on an indoor module that is 12 X 5 ft. Maybe a stick to push the locos on and off?


----------



## nkelsey (Jan 4, 2008)

I have seen one very simple method using raill joiners on the approach track, line up tt, slide joiners to connect tt to track, provides power. Push joiners back, rotate, push on joiners on destination track.....


----------



## Rich Schiffman (Jan 2, 2008)

Nick,

A good idea I will try. Thanks,


----------

