Comments on: Point Motor Extension Pins

By: Trevor C Hull

Trevor C Hull — Wed, 02 Dec 2020 01:53:56 +0000

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..

By: Phillip Collins

Phillip Collins — Tue, 24 Nov 2020 07:24:12 +0000

The plastic tube of a ballpoint pen sometimes comes in handy for joing things.

By: Frank B

Frank B — Mon, 23 Nov 2020 23:28:15 +0000

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.

By: ROBERT SCHWORM

ROBERT SCHWORM — Mon, 23 Nov 2020 23:04:06 +0000

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.

By: Chris

Chris — Mon, 23 Nov 2020 14:49:11 +0000

In reply to Bob T. Thanks .. have you ever used copper tubing a wire ..

By: Bob T

Bob T — Sun, 22 Nov 2020 16:06:54 +0000

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.