Music wire and Tortoise turnout machine

[Medina1128]

I am about to install my first Tortoise on my layout. I've read in other forums to use .029 or .032 music wire when installing under thick foam. What, if any, do you use as a sleeve/sheath for the wire? I used 1/2" plywood as subroadbed, in case that makes a difference.

[rrinker]

No sheath for the wire - make the hole somewhat oval so the wire can fully move side to side and not get bound up against the side of the hole before the turnout points move all teh way. An alternative is using a wire inside a tube rigged up to rotate - There's a recent thread floating around with several ideas on how to accomplish this. Slightly more complicated but you only need a tiny hole in the roadbed that gets completely filled with the tube instead of a rather large hole to allow the 'normal' wire to tilt back and forth.

                                      --Randy

 

[Sperandeo]

Hi Marlon, I like to use .047" music wire with my Tortoise motors. You have to open up the holes with a no. 55 drill bit, but there's no need for the complication of sleeves around the wire. The stiffer wire gives the motor plenty of mechanical advantage. This makes the installation and adjustment that much less critical and therefore easier. I use 3/4" plywood as a subgrade and HomaBed roadbed that adds another 1/4". I've even installed Tortoise motors under a 3/4" plywood splice plate, running the wire up through 1-3/4" of subgrade and roadbed, and the .047" wire still did the job. You can find this wire at hobby shops that handle flying models, but I get it at my local Ace hardware store. So long, Andy

[Bill54]

If you are only using 1/2" plywood with cork roadbed you don't need the thicker piano wire.  The wire that comes with the tortoise is fine.

However, if you are going to put thicker foam on top of the plywood then cork or foam roadbed on top of that I would use a thicker piece of piano wire. 

The wire that comes with the tortoise is only good for about a 1' thick surface.   When I installed mine there was about 3/4" sticking above the ties that I had to cut off.  I'm using 1/2" plywood and cork roadbed.

Bill

[dstarr]

My Tortoise operating wires have to reach up thru 2" foam, 1/2" plywood and 1\4" of pine roadbed.  I used music wire a size or two thicker than what comes with the Tortoise.  I also had to open up the holes in the Tortoise with a small drill held in a pin vise.  I drilled 1/2 inch holes under each turnout to give plenty of clearance for the operating wire.  No sleeving used, or even thought of.  The installed turnouts completely conceal the 1/2" holes.  

 

[hewitt]

 

I lost the wire that came with my tortoise machine and when I wanted to use it again [ after many years ]

I used a straightened out paper clip which has worked OK for me.

my roadbed is 1/2 inch board with 1/4 inch cork on top so I don`t know how it would go in

thicker roadbed etc.

however don`t be afraid to try the unusual

[donhalshanks]

You can also use wire sold in stores that have artificial flowers, like Franks or Hobby Lobby.  They have several choices for guage.  It wire used to make flower arrangements, and cheap.

Hal