I've been wiring some Walthers streetlamps through my 2-inch foam base. These are very thin, flexible wires, so I needed a better way to get them through the foam.
I took a plastic coffee stirrer, one of the thin plastic tubular ones about an eighth of an inch across, and about 6 inches long. I threaded the wire through the stirrer, punched a hole in the foam with an ice pick, and then just slid the stirrer through the hole. Then I crawled under the layout and pulled it through, leaving the wire in place.
If the wire is co-operative, you can just cut a 2-inch length of this tube and leave it in place, running the wire right through.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Spacemouse Chip gave me the straw hint once...only for a hollow core door. Imagine trying to thread wires through the top little hole into empty space and then have it come out the bottom little hole. I also learned that for said hollow core door I could cut a hole saw hole larger in the bottom to reach in and pull some wires through. Doesn't seem to damage the integrity of the door either.
I could be wrong. I've been known to be wrong before.
Have a great day
-G .
Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.
HO and N Scale.
After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.
Always ready with an alternative solution.
Have you considered using a large, straight upholstery needle? Methinks would be quicker than the icepick and straw approach - just thread, equalize the wires and push the needle through.
I can't use this much myself. The foam isn't the problem, it's the layers of plywood or steel underneath the foam. I did punch #20 feeders through the foam and a hole in the steel stud trough (hole manufactured in) where I could, but that only helped for two of 30+ (so far) feeders.
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
Chuck
I talked with the NCE & Digitrax DCC folks, including Mr. Loy of Loy's Toys, extensively at the national train show this past summer. i was real interested in the max length and gage of wires that could be used for feeders for my new layout. I was very encouraged by them all that #20 or #22 wire (telephone cable) is more than adequate for feeders as long as you keep the length at 15/18" or less from the Buss wire to the track. Maybe these lengths would help you get around those pesky steel studs we both use.
jjackso8 wrote: ChuckI talked with the NCE & Digitrax DCC folks, including Mr. Loy of Loy's Toys, extensively at the national train show this past summer. i was real interested in the max length and gage of wires that could be used for feeders for my new layout. I was very encouraged by them all that #20 or #22 wire (telephone cable) is more than adequate for feeders as long as you keep the length at 15/18" or less from the Buss wire to the track. Maybe these lengths would help you get around those pesky steel studs we both use.
While I appreciate the information, I'm one of those fossils still using analog DC (modified form of Ed Ravenscroft's MZL system.) There are no busses under my layout - only a 'tree' consisting of heavy wires for common rail (RCom) and switch machine power common (TCom.) Everything else is small-diameter connections from local control panels to rails and switch machines, and equally small diameter communications links between panels. Instead of one main power supply, I have a plethora of single-train locomotive controllers, one-zone turnout power transformers and local lighting power sources.
Some of the steel studs I have to wire through, not around, are configured as long 'through girder bridges' under (around) tangent hidden tracks. Where I have to go through the steel, I open up the hole and give it an extra liner - insulation stripped off heavy solid wire left over from installation of a couple of 30A circuits.
If I was starting from scratch today, I would almost certainly go with DCC. OTOH, I already have a large fleet of decoder-free motive power units (steam, diesel and catenary locos, DMU and EMU) and a LOT of wire, mostly salvaged communications cable. I also have experience with the system I use, which allows me to operate a rather complex schedule on a rather complex railroad without either a platoon of dedicated operators or a computer programmed with a hundred thousand lines of layout-specific code.
Still, using steel studs frees up time for installing my electricals...
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with 1974 control technology)
Since I don;t haev any wood under the foam, I just push through with a drill bit, even if it isn't al ong one that goes all the way through. Ifi t gets halfway through, the solid feeder wires I use are strong enough to punch the rest of the way through. I considered an awl and tries a skewer - they work great, but the hole is too big, or at least I though so - each hole only has to pass a single #20 wire, I point both feeder to the indise of the rail so they are less visible and thus both wires don;t go through a single hole.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow