12-23-2010, 10:23 PM
A note on the holes: The switches were 1/4" wide and approached 7/8" long with the wires on the back.
I drew a line extended from the throw bar and marked it every 1/4" with an awl (start 1/8" from the throw bar in the farthest position). Then I drilled 1/8" holes followed by 1/4" holes. For some of them I marked the desired area with an Xacto knife first. Then I tried to extend all the holes together into a rectangle. This was done by cutting between the dilled holed; running the drill along the rectangle; filing; carving and so on until the microswitch was a push fit (interference fit as the Brits would say). Then make sure the lever on the switch would move with the throw bar and that the switch would operate. Then I added the wires.
To confirm operation, I made a little contraption from two grain of wheat bulbs and 3 jumper clips -- red yellow and green. The yellow was soldered to both bulbs and a red and green to the outside wires. The read and green were clipped to the stock (outer) rails and the yellow to the frog. So I turned the power on. With luck, one bulb would light and a push on the switch would light the other one. If both lit dimly there was a problem with the wires. Also check that the proper bulbs lit. Then push the switch into the hole and adjust it to work at the right time with the points.
I drew a line extended from the throw bar and marked it every 1/4" with an awl (start 1/8" from the throw bar in the farthest position). Then I drilled 1/8" holes followed by 1/4" holes. For some of them I marked the desired area with an Xacto knife first. Then I tried to extend all the holes together into a rectangle. This was done by cutting between the dilled holed; running the drill along the rectangle; filing; carving and so on until the microswitch was a push fit (interference fit as the Brits would say). Then make sure the lever on the switch would move with the throw bar and that the switch would operate. Then I added the wires.
To confirm operation, I made a little contraption from two grain of wheat bulbs and 3 jumper clips -- red yellow and green. The yellow was soldered to both bulbs and a red and green to the outside wires. The read and green were clipped to the stock (outer) rails and the yellow to the frog. So I turned the power on. With luck, one bulb would light and a push on the switch would light the other one. If both lit dimly there was a problem with the wires. Also check that the proper bulbs lit. Then push the switch into the hole and adjust it to work at the right time with the points.
David
Moderato ma non troppo
Perth & Exeter Railway Company
Esquesing & Chinguacousy Radial Railway
In model railroading, there are between six and two hundred ways of performing a given task.
Most modellers can get two of them to work.
Moderato ma non troppo
Perth & Exeter Railway Company
Esquesing & Chinguacousy Radial Railway
In model railroading, there are between six and two hundred ways of performing a given task.
Most modellers can get two of them to work.