maxman I don't care for the option A version. You have to dig that large square hole. If you move something you have that large square hole to deal with. And if something goes wrong with the machine (rare but not unheard of), you have to reach up into that large square hole to remove it.
I don't care for the option A version.
You have to dig that large square hole.
If you move something you have that large square hole to deal with.
And if something goes wrong with the machine (rare but not unheard of), you have to reach up into that large square hole to remove it.
I think you're right, maxman. And based on what others have posted here, I should be able to do the vertical mount similarly to the horizontal mount, attached to the plywood substrate, as in option B.
I've read elsewhere on this forum where several people have said foam-on-plywood is a big pain in the neck, but I'm not too keen on gluing to foam board, and all I'll be doing is drilling holes through them, so I'm willing to put up with the extra bother.
Thanks for the advice.
Regards,Bruce
After studying all these great answers, I'm leaning toward using 1" foam board glued to 1/4" plywood. I think the 1" foam should provide sufficient sound isolation, while the plywood will provide a substrate to which I can screw switch machines, terminal blocks, etc. The offset switch machines will be mounted as per option B above. The vertical switches will probably be mounted per option A.
The current version of my N-Scale layout plan (working name "Spaghetti Bowl & Pacific") features an L-grider frame, adjusted to clear all switch machines and ground throw turnouts.
I have very limited space. The double mainline allows me to run two trains in opposite directions to entertain the uninitiated, and the rest of the spaghetti should provide plenty of opportunities for me to do some switching.
I'll be surfing the Web and seeking advice on using 1" or 2" foam board. If 1" provides sufficient sound isolation, it should be a bit easier to work. Either way, the 1/4" plywood on the framework should provide sturdy support.
Thanks again for all your responses.
Thanks, MisterBeasley. This is really good information.
kasskaboose MisterBeasley Most of my Tortoise machines are simply mounted under two inches of foam. I use a small square of 1/4 inch plywood, glued to the underside of the foam, as a mounting point for the Tortoise. This does mean that I need a longer, stiffer wire, so I buy music wire at the hardware store, cut and bend it to shape. This is a very relevant post. I was wondering similar. Curious if using liquid nails is strong enough to hold the plywood underneath the layout. I guess you could also glue the sides and not just the top of the wood piece.
MisterBeasley Most of my Tortoise machines are simply mounted under two inches of foam. I use a small square of 1/4 inch plywood, glued to the underside of the foam, as a mounting point for the Tortoise. This does mean that I need a longer, stiffer wire, so I buy music wire at the hardware store, cut and bend it to shape.
Most of my Tortoise machines are simply mounted under two inches of foam. I use a small square of 1/4 inch plywood, glued to the underside of the foam, as a mounting point for the Tortoise. This does mean that I need a longer, stiffer wire, so I buy music wire at the hardware store, cut and bend it to shape.
This is a very relevant post. I was wondering similar. Curious if using liquid nails is strong enough to hold the plywood underneath the layout. I guess you could also glue the sides and not just the top of the wood piece.
I first cut the plywood and drill a hole for the wire. Note that yo need to drill the hole through the roadbed and foam before you mount the track down. I like a 1/2 inch hole to make it easy to moiunt the Tortoise. Then I mark where the mounting screws for the Tortoise go. I remove the Tortoise and apply glue to the plywood. I then mount it beneath the track. I used caulk at first, but lately I have used plain white glue. I use a single carriage bolt through the wire hole, secured with a big washer and a wing nut. I let the glue harden for a day or two. Then I remove the carriage bolt, mount the Tortoise and I'm done.
When I'm ready to mount the Tortoise, I file the end of the wire to round it off, and apply a bit of grease so it slips into the throwbar easily. Note that if you replace the wire with a thicker one, you will probably need to enlarge the holes on both the throwbar and the Tortoise to accommodate it.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
For my carfloat, I have a pair of Tortoises with 4 inches of foam between themselves and the turnouts. There's no problem at all with these, either.
Finally, I have a pair of NJI crossing gates. I use two of those Circuitron linkages and drive both gates with a single Tortoise. Again, it works perfectly every time.
DanRaitz I use option B, as the Remote Mount comes with a guide tube (for the .025" music wire) long enough to go thru 2" of foam. Circuitron's instructions for the "Remote Mount" are very straight forward and make installation very easy. Dan
I use option B, as the Remote Mount comes with a guide tube (for the .025" music wire) long enough to go thru 2" of foam. Circuitron's instructions for the "Remote Mount" are very straight forward and make installation very easy.
Dan
Thank you, Don. This helps a lot.
rrebell Many have just caulked it to the foam, others have mounted a plate to foam with caulk and attatched the machine to that.
Many have just caulked it to the foam, others have mounted a plate to foam with caulk and attatched the machine to that.
Thanks for your response, rrebell. I must apologize for not making my question clear. The method of attachment is not my question, but rather how to configure the installation.
The "standard" method of installing the switch machine is shown in example A below. The machine is mounted vertically to a plate, which is attached flush with the top of the foam board.
When using the offset accessory, the switch machine is mounted horizontally. My question is, can I install it at the bottom of the foam board (example B), a full 2 inches below the top surface, or should I carve the foam board from the bottom to mount the machine closer to the surface? For those who have mounted the Tortoise with an offset, how did you do it?
Again, thanks for any help you can provide.
Can someone please advise me on how to mount a Tortoise horzinontally with the remote accessory on 2" foam board?
The Web has several examples on mounting the machine vertically using a plate
flush with the top surface of the foam board, but I've drawn a blank looking for the alternate mounting.
Thanks in advance.
Bruce