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Point Motor Extension Pins
Alan asks readers:
“I have point motors from previous layouts where the pin is to short for my new layout as the baseboard is thicker. How do you make extensions for the pins and what materials do you use .. and the measurements?”
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6 Responses to Point Motor Extension Pins
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I have extended one by using a piece of tube that is a squeeze fit over the pin, and a piece of wire, the same diameter as the original pin. Cut to length as needed.
So the result is a new pin with a plastic sleeve that joins the two pins.
Alternatively, I have exteneded pins by laying a new pin beside the old pin, with an overlap of about 12 mm ( half an inch) then binding with fine copper wire then soldering the overlapping pins and wire.
I got the copper wire from a piece of electrical cable. this is stonger that the plastic tube method, but it depends on how much use use it gets, and how strong it needs to be.
Thanks .. have you ever used copper tubing a wire ..
You need to use piano wire of either .15mm or .20mm.
This is hi tensil stuff so cut it with a really good quality pair of dykes. Do Not cut piano wire with rail nippers. You will ruin the jaws on the nipper.
If you have crossing gates, these are usually activated with a tortoise or servo. Piano wire,passes up thru a brass tube of 3mm diameter or so is used to reinforce the wire as it pushes.
Model & hobby & DIY stores will sell metal tubing in various diameters. Get the tubing inner diameter to suit the pin diameter, and stiff wire (eg piano wire) to make the extension pin. Fix wilth solder or glue.
I think Peco sell extension pins for their point motors made this way.
Instead of tubing, you could use any bit of metal or plastic that you can drill the right size hole through.
The plastic tube of a ballpoint pen sometimes comes in handy for joing things.
Don’t know if your point motors are Peco or another make but if you can get Peco parts where you are but they do kits of extension rods and joiners (3 in a packet) and we used them successfully on the Club’s layout..