Making your turnouts work cheap and easy, in those nasty corners or out of reach

[Greg Elmassian]

a single line of tubing with no electrical connections to deal with is much simpler and weather resistant. The tubing is cheaper than wire.

Running power around your track is more work, but it's the connections where you "tap off" the bus, which should be large gauge to handle inrush current and voltage drop.

I love my pneumatics very trouble free and positive movement at 40 psi

 

[justme igor]

To bring more bad news...what i had in my mind did not work, the dc motor was just to weak, even when it had 25A at 8v to its consumption...
I really made sure everything was free running and no obstakels ect, it was just to weak....and one dc motor can pull 12 cars????
I think i did something wrong? or not?





With best regards Igor

 

[Greg Elmassian]

It appears you wanted to move the points by rotating a threaded rod, with captive nuts on the point blades.

But why nuts on each side of the blade? You would want only one threaded "nut" on each blade, did you glue the nuts to the blades? It could have way too much friction if you have nuts on each side and either one moved, like a locking situation.

Greg

 

[Paul M]

It looks like one of your nuts will stop the points from completely changing, seems as it will hit the main rail before the blade is fully over

 

[justme igor]

I tried to make a gif, i think youtube will offer the solution, anyway it works







Funny fact about that switch: it started his life back in the 60's? as a switch that would operate real turnouts....
In 2006 "kijfhoek" in Rotterdam deisde to go digital, if i did not throw them away i have almost 100 of them....if not more.....big if, must insulate the attic with his third layer first to dig them out if they are not brought to the scrapheap by me.....IF i still have them
I toke apart and toke with me those pannels...
Every switch and every turnout will get there own matching led's, white red orange green yellow to match, yes per 4, 5 max (adam station will get digets. and different switches), this will be in a box of 4 with a computer svga monitor plug, every set of turnouts will get a female plug and my "switch boxs" will get a male plug, so i can get a wire to the fence and connect to the box, max 10 meters of cable, due to v loss
There will be some fine tuning but i am very happy with the end result, technically for sure.


With best regards Igor

 

[justme igor]

pics are really scrambled up again, sorry for the mess

 

[Greg Elmassian]

So, you removed the nuts that were apparently jamming, as commented.

The only issue might be the soft metal will wear more quickly than the rod, and some really slippery lubricant might extend the life of the threads in the point rails.

I don't think this solution will work long term outdoors, with the additional grit/dust. Keeping enough lubricant on the threads will hold dirt and grit too.

I think it is a clever idea, but probably best indoors, and low cycle use.

Greg

 

[justme igor]

The only issue might be the soft metal will wear more quickly than the rod, and some really slippery lubricant might extend the life of the threads in the point rails.

The point and the rod will be of inox, the rod i use now is made of soft steel (4.4) eventual it will rust and "eat" its way to the aluminium if it will not rust solid.
But it is nice to see the setup working with cheap stuff.

With best regards Igor

 

[Greg Elmassian]

what is "inox"?

 

[The Shed]

If I recall correctly, the recent bout of Covid has scrambled the last few remaining grey cells that are floating around in the vacuum of space between my ears, and from conversations from our recently departed son, obviously I can't ask him to verify the detail!, he mentioned inox, French I believe in origin, to refer to Stainless Steel.

 

[JimmyB]

what is "inox"?

If I recall correctly, the recent bout of Covid has scrambled the last few remaining grey cells that are floating around in the vacuum of space between my ears, and from conversations from our recently departed son, obviously I can't ask him to verify the detail!, he mentioned inox, French I believe in origin, to refer to Stainless Steel.

Google says you are correct. inox is the French (and other languages) term for Stainless Steel.

 

[The Shed]

Now that's a real worry, Google verifying that my rambling prose is correct, the end of the Free World as we know it, is imminent!

 

[Ralphmp]

Now that's a real worry, Google verifying that my rambling prose is correct, the end of the Free World as we know it, is imminent!

Or your grey cells are unscrambling

 

[PhilP]

With the infinite number of monkeys, typing on the InterWeb, statistically, some of of it has to be correct...

Just beware the Gorilla's, claiming copyright fees, on their behalf!

 

[Greg Elmassian]

To avoid galling, you really want the rod and the points to be a different material. I'd make the blades of stainless, nice and tough and no rust, and the threaded rod of brass, softer and that will be the main wear component, again will not rust either.

Greg

 

[PhilP]

What about bi-metallic corrosion?
Things will get damp, out in the garden..

PhilP

 

[Greg Elmassian]

stainless and brass with some waterproof grease... will be fine... biggest issue will be grit wearing out the threads as posted earlier.

dry, no lube is worse.... if it was me, then I do have some spray on graphite lube that drys "dry" and not tacky or sticky. But I'm a pneumatic guy anyway.

Greg

 

[PhilP]

But I'm a pneumatic guy anyway.

Must be the cigars?


PhilP

 

[Greg Elmassian]

yeah, inhaling even more hot air!

 

[justme igor]

i am sorry i did not know that inox was french, yes it is the same as stainless steel aka rust preventieve....rust delayment...what ever, that type...
Curios why use wet lube in the first place, always use dry lube, like graphite?
Curious why use two different materials, this i really dont get, i think my education is a bit different.
Rule one: the same material will not wear each other out or attack each other or "eat each other" soly in case of solidified metals...!

Why not both in aluminium or both in brass...
Alu is a bit corrives (certain to other metals) but it will stop at a certain point, oke, all brass, but not sure about the "self lubricating" advantages that aluminium has.

With best regards Igor

Ps inox/stainless is a bit harder to work with, i mean there is a lot of effort to create a single point alone in alu, and now in brass or freaking inox/stainless????i dont think i can improve my design?....Thought are welcome for improvement..
I will succeed!, i prommis.