This VERY handy aluminum block helps me make my track switches or track splitters. I’ve made track switches many different ways over the years – but have always made them by hand with no help in keeping the parts in place as I weld. When I met Bill Bethke many years ago, he was a retired machinist and he asked me if I needed any tools to help me make the parts I use on my Rolling Ball Sculptures. I told him of my problems in keeping my parts in place when I make my tracks switches.
This block I use almost every single RBS that I make. The different sized middle channels let me use two different sizes of tubes.
How this works is like this: A piece of tubing fits into wide the center groove. Then I lay across the tube two rods into the longer, shallower, cross grooves. This holds the center tube and the two cross rods in place while I make the welds I need.
This block is indispensable and saves me a lot of time not having to set up the pieces in some other way.
Thank you, Bill, your expertise and skill has helped me for nearly a decade since you’ve passed away in June 2012.
