I'm looking to purchase one of the switch building kits and forgive my lengthy post explaining it.
I suppose I would consider myself new to the whole handlaying track scene though when I was last active in the hobby (about 13 years ago or so) I had scratchbuilt a handlaid #6 turnout as a test to see if I could do it. (I did, to my amazement. And if I do say myself, a healthy dose of pride.
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Anyways. The kit looks right up my alley as the videos of the turnout building are positively awesome and i'll say frankly that the efforts your company has put forth the SHOW how to use your tools only make it that much easier to believe in ones self that they too, can do it. Just look at Home Depot / Lowes. They do exactly the same thing for the same reason..IT WORKS!. But I digress...
Regarding the turnout building videos, it shows the inclusion/usage of various tools that are NOT included in the kits. I'm sure this was done to keep the kit cost reasonable, not to mention (from what I have read on these boards) you have a very large product list and not that many pairs of hands to maintain it. So I had been rewatching the videos and writing down the various products used and then cross referencing with the web site product listings.
I think it would be really cool to provide a tool set that included all the tools used in those videos. I know this poses a problem with the current kits as they *DO* include a pointform tool, but say there would be two tool sets. One including the point form tool and one without (in case you already purchased a turnout kit) I have admittedly not priced out a kit as individual parts to see if there is a price break by doing so, but I am assuming it is. (I know, bad word "assume"
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From what I see in the videos, this is the list of products NOT including that already in a turnout kit that are used/shown):
StockAid tool
Frog Helper, (I know..NOT required but bear with me)
File tool Kit
Track cutting tool (Rail Nipper)
Zona Jewlers saw (and maybe spare blades..the fine ones.)
Acid Paste Flux (solder is already in the kit)
Micro Brush
I know I did not include the Weller soldering iron or the conical shaped adapter for it. My opinion is to keep the cost of such a kit reasonable, and the fact the user may already have an iron, I would leave that as a seperate product. Thier choice.
But as you can see the list is pretty long and it took watching the whole video series and then cross referencing to get it. So such a kit would perfectly compliment a turnout kit purchase which would then give you every tool (sans the soldering iron as mentioned above) to follow the videos exactly and more importanty, put all the turnout building tools at the users disposal with 2 simple purchases.
I will also apologize in advance if it seems i'm barging in here as a new forum poster making demands (or"passionate suggestions" as I would call them). But I do think it's important that you get feedback from someone who is in your target demographic. Someone new to this aspect of the hobby who wants to handbuild turnouts as easily and reliably as possible and just wants to buy what is needed in a package. (or two) So I have everything I need to do the job and to follow the videos verbatim. There is obviously the option to make said purchases over time, for various reasons as is currently available to buy, but such a package would make that easier. And if there was a bit of a package price break by doing so, thats just frosting on the cake.
Respectfully,
Thanks for listening to my ranting.