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 Post subject: Installation of points
PostPosted: Sun Jul 20, 2008 7:26 am 
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Joined: Fri May 11, 2007 9:04 am
Posts: 1
Location: Toowomba Australia
Hi,

I’m been using the “Fast Tracks’ jig to build a quantity of #6 points and all has gone very well, a truly great product!

However, now that I have started installing the points on the layout they are not operating as feely as I would have anticipated!!!
The points all operate freely but once installed the Tortoise struggles to move the point blade completely from one side to the other.
I think this may be because I am drilling too small a clearance hole for the track spikes and this is bowing the sleepers which in turn is putting pressure on the point blade and restricting their movement.

Therefore, I would be interested in any feedback from members as to their experiences with installing hand laid points.

All points are installed on a cork roadbed and secured with track spikes.
I am using Tortoise point motors.
The holes I am drilling through the PC sleepers are a tight fit for the track spikes.

Is a better option to glue the points down rather than using track spikes?

Any comments or links to web sites would be appreciated.

Regards
Bill Waterhouse

_________________
Regards
Bill Waterhouse


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PostPosted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 11:46 am 
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Joined: Mon May 10, 2004 4:02 pm
Posts: 52
Hello Bill,

Handlaid turnouts points always require more force to throw the points, however there are ways to minimize or reduce the required torque.

To answer your questions on securing the turnout (you said points so I'll assume this is what you meant) glue and or spikes (both) if need be can be used. If you use glue, insure you don't glue up the moving points. Construction adhesive works, clear silicon aquarium sealant works, barge cement. The only problem with spikes is camoflauging the spikes.

On the points, try during the construction phase of the point to reduce the thinkness of the points by filing or grinding the base of the points, They don't have to be the full widith of the regular rail to work. After that I bevel the foot of the rail so it has a tendency to ride over any bumps in the ties. Having pivoting points will also reduce the required force. Those three techiques will lessen the force by some degree. However, you will still need to modify the tortoise to use a larger wire.

What benifits would you gain by doing the above even though you have to change the wire in the machine anyway. Well less force on the points and stock rails means more reliability in that area, and if your not using pivoting points this is a big plus. As the solder joint at the point rails is subject to shear force (which is poor with lead solders) better with silver bearing.

There are work arounds:

1. use a wider tie for the points, more area to solder to means more strength.

2. Solder the points to a solid brass bar, cut it and mount it on the pc tie. Pc tie delamination could occur if you heated the tie up too much. soldering the rail to the brass allows the solder joint to be at max strength, and the greater area of the brass bar to the pc tie will lessen the chance of delamination. The beni on this method is the throwbar will be below grade. You could also drill through the brass bar, insert a wire through the bar and pc tie and have pivoting points. The top will need to be soldered and the bottom secured in some way. I use small squares of pc tie drilled with a hole the same diameter as the wire. Then the turnout is turned over, the square is placed in position and a solder blob is placed on the wire square interface to lock it in. The pc tie acts as a pivot.

Rob


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