Cheap, easy point motor fitting aid.

[Prairie Tank]

I had hoped to go to the Bristol show today however Mrs PT is working and I was unable to secure a dog sitter so I have had to give it a miss.

I decided to crack on with my lay out and fit two more tortoise motors. Straight forward enough until it comes to lining up the blade actuating rods.
Laying on my back, under the table and trying to feed the roods through the holes was bad enough but getting them the correct side of the blades was proving almost impossible! Then I had a brain wave...…..

I placed two pieces of heat shrink against the blades and down through the holes, it was then just a case of sliding the rods through the heat shrink and screwing the motor in place, simple. I then removed the heat shrink and soldered the rods in place.

John

 

[Bill Campbell]

Hi John

For future installations you may wish to consider a more prototypical drive method. By driving from the outside only a single slot needs to be made in the baseboard and positioning the point motor is somewhat easier.



The drive bar is double-sided copperclad (single-sided works as well) and it is attached to the switches by Ambis etched brackets (thin copper wire also works but is not just as neat). A wire loop is soldered to the end of the drive bar. To install the point motor pack the switch rails to their centre position, move the operating wire of the point motor to its centre position and then place the point motor underneath.

Regards.

 

[Osgood]

Cue blu-tac, ballast and the non-bristle end of a paintbrush?

Oh yes, and a taxi or a fast dog .....

 

[Prairie Tank]

Hi John

For future installations you may wish to consider a more prototypical drive method. By driving from the outside only a single slot needs to be made in the baseboard and positioning the point motor is somewhat easier.

View attachment 117220

The drive bar is double-sided copperclad (single-sided works as well) and it is attached to the switches by Ambis etched brackets (thin copper wire also works but is not just as neat). A wire loop is soldered to the end of the drive bar. To install the point motor pack the switch rails to their centre position, move the operating wire of the point motor to its centre position and then place the point motor underneath.

Regards.

That is brilliant!!!!

John