Hey folks, I went to Radioshack today and picked up some wire for my layout. I was walking to Target when it hit me; I should have bought some terminal strips as I can solder more than one wire to each bit. I got to thinking though, and I have some spare code 80 rail (n scale). So, I would solder my feeders to this rail, solder a connection to the powerpack, and just use this as a homemade terminal strip. Here's a schematic I drew up in MS paint:
So I guess you'd say my question is how feasible is this plan, and what do y'all think of its chances of working. I plan to try it out, unless someone else here has and it didn't work. Thanks for your consideration!
Oh, and perhaps I should explain why I would rather not purchase the terminals trips from radioshack. I will have to get a ride to our local mall, which is rather difficult due to the fact that my family is constantly running around to different sporting events etc., and also I have some code 80 track on hand I can use (I went to code 55, and still have some code 80), and if I need more, I can just go to my LHS and pick it up for 45 cents a piece.
Sawyer Berry
Clemson University c/o 2018
Building a protolanced industrial park layout
..... Bob
Beam me up, Scotty, there's no intelligent life down here. (Captain Kirk)
I reject your reality and substitute my own. (Adam Savage)
Resistance is not futile--it is voltage divided by current.
SeamonsterI guess my answer would have to be sort of, but not worth the effort. You'd have to remove the rail from the ties or you'd melt the plastic soldering the wires to the rails and you wouldn't be able to wrap the wire around the rail to get a good connection. You'd have to mount the rail in such a way that you can wrap the wires around it. Maybe force fit the end into a hole in a piece of wood and have the rail stick up vertically. The biggest problem as I see it would be that as you solder additional wires to the rail the previous connections will get hot enough to loosen and if not come off at least half melt the solder on them and create a cold joint. I appreciate your situation re getting to Radio Shack and the minimal cost of this method, but you can order electrical supplies from many on-line suppliers. What the heck, try it with some scrap wire and see what happens. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
well, as to the plastic ties, I can remove the rail from the ties in probably 30 seconds.
I see your point about the previous connections, but my soldering iron isn't terribly hot, so I'm not sure if it would damage the previous connections.
I'll probably go for it, hey, if it works, it works. if it don't, I clip my feeders a half-inch shorter and get some terminal strips from radioshack.
An idea with merit perhaps.
Just off the top of my head...
If you made a mounting block and drilled holes in the block then epoxied the rail into the holes that might solve some mounting issues and make it possible to wrap wires around the rail for soldering.
Could you drill small holes through the rail to allow passing the wires through the rail to form a mechanical connection before soldering? The holes might make the rail too fragile though...
If you space the connections 1/4" apart it would be a simple matter to use an alligator clip on either side of a connection being soldered/de-soldered and probably take care of the heating previous joints issue.
Seems to me it would beat shelling out cash for terminal strips from RS.
Then I wondered, when soldering could the heat cause the mounting block to smolder? Perhaps it would need to be non-flammable and non conductive?
I don't think drilling through the rail will work; it might be way out of scale but it's still too small to cdrill through reliably.
Could you possibly draw a sketch of what you're talking about with the mounting block please, I think I'd understand it better.
Once again, my soldering iron is a low-heat one, I'm not sure if it would even damage the previous joint.
I've seen somewhere (one of last year's workshop sections?) that someone made their own terminal strips from wood, metal strips, and screws quite cheaply and easily.
The wires have either hook or eye type crimp connectors attached and these are secured to the screws on each strip.
Like mine?
I used a scrap piece of 1/4" plywood, washers, and sheet metal screws. This one has a bare wire bus running between all the terminals.
Nick
Take a Ride on the Reading with the: Reading Company Technical & Historical Society http://www.readingrailroad.org/
I mentioned here or on another site that I am not allowed to name that when I was young I had a 4 X 8 layout that I used several pieces of brass flex track as a power buss under my layout. It was flex track that had fibre ties so I didn't have to worry about melting them. Leave the ties on and use the nail holes to mount it. Then when you solder the wires to the rail do it like you do when attaching feeders.
I think the rail in a mounting block idea is meant to be somethign like this: Bend the rail into a long U shape - like really wide but not tall goal posts. Drill two hole sin a block of wood that distance apart, but not all the way through. The idea being that you stick the legs of the U in the holes and the rail is still raised above the wood surface so that you can wrap the wire around it. Use epoxy to fasten the rail in the holes in the block. Should work, just don;t try to make one a couple feet long, nickle silver isn;t that great of a conductor (which is why we need all the feeders in the first place) so if the furthest tap is a coupel feet from the input power, it won;t be much better than just having th epower go through the rails in the first palce. Attach the input power to the middle of the rail section, that will help as well.
Another method, using ring terminals, you need a long bolt of a diameter that will go through the ring terminals. And lots of nuts. My Dad once made a control panel for structure lights with this method, he used a piece of plexiglas as the non-conductive surface to mount the bolt in, but you can use thin plywood, masonite, or anything of the sort. Stick the bolt in fromt he back, and fasten it securely with a nut. Now, for each wire you need to attach, crimp on a ring terminal, feed it over the bolt, and run another nut on top of it. With a long enough bolt, you can hook up a dozen wires in common.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
nbrodar Like mine?I used a scrap piece of 1/4" plywood, washers, and sheet metal screws. This one has a bare wire bus running between all the terminals.Nick
Yeah, except I was just going to attach the wires bare to the rail. But now you got me thinking....my dad has some washers and screws that I think I can use....
At a cost of $2.69 it isn't worth your time or effort, it would be better spent working on your layout.
nbrodar Like mine? I used a scrap piece of 1/4" plywood, washers, and sheet metal screws. This one has a bare wire bus running between all the terminals. Nick
Basically the same idea, though the one I saw used a copper strip.
Allegheny2-6-6-6 At a cost of $2.69 it isn't worth your time or effort, it would be better spent working on your layout.
$2.69????? Huh, the terminal strips I want are about $6 or so a pop. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, the only thing I have to lose w/ this idea is a half-inch or less off of my feeders if it doesn't work.
I like these . They come 4 to a package too.
Packers#1Allegheny2-6-6-6 At a cost of $2.69 it isn't worth your time or effort, it would be better spent working on your layout. $2.69????? Huh, the terminal strips I want are about $6 or so a pop. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, the only thing I have to lose w/ this idea is a half-inch or less off of my feeders if it doesn't work.
Here you go $2.69 American money, what more then this do you need. I have a couple of the Minitronics ones with the fancy binding posts and two levels of terminals and guess what they work the same as the Radio Shack ones
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103229
Packers#1 I don't think drilling through the rail will work; it might be way out of scale but it's still too small to cdrill through reliably.
I didn't think so, not really needed anyway.
Packers#1Could you possibly draw a sketch of what you're talking about with the mounting block please, I think I'd understand it better.
It's like Randy described.
mfm37 I like these . They come 4 to a package too.
Allegheny2-6-6-6Packers#1Allegheny2-6-6-6 At a cost of $2.69 it isn't worth your time or effort, it would be better spent working on your layout. $2.69????? Huh, the terminal strips I want are about $6 or so a pop. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, the only thing I have to lose w/ this idea is a half-inch or less off of my feeders if it doesn't work. Here you go $2.69 American money, what more then this do you need. I have a couple of the Minitronics ones with the fancy binding posts and two levels of terminals and guess what they work the same as the Radio Shack ones http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103229
Just call me blind, saw that in the Shack over where I live, guess I jsut read the price wrong. Oh well, I tihnk I'm gonna go with the washer/bolt/wire idea, I've got some old 12 gauge that'll work perfect (old as in been cut, never soldered on or anything)
Packers#1 Hey folks, I went to Radioshack today and picked up some wire for my layout.
In case you haven't comparison-shopped for wire, Radio $hack is about the highest price place around to buy it. I can buy wire and terminal strips at my LHS for a lot less than R$ prices.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Hi!
May I offer an alternative..........
On my previous HO layout, built in 1993 (2 level, 11x15), I used common rail DC wiring. I started out with about 30 blocks, and had feeders every 4 feet or at least one on each small siding. As a result, in one part of the layout had quite a number "common wires" that needed to be joined before they hit the power supplies. Soooo, I got a heavy piece (#12 awg) of solid copper wire and made a circle with it, about 3 inches in diameter. Then I soldered each of the common wires to the circle. There was plenty of room, and my 40w iron worked beautifully.
Now I am not saying this is the best way to do this, but it was cost free and cheap and worked. As it was located in an isolated spot under the layout, I did not have to insulate it and the end result was what counted.
All that being said, my new layout is the same size, but in DCC, and all the wiring is as neat and pretty (and safe) as I can make it.
Mobilman44
ENJOY !
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
MisterBeasleyIn case you haven't comparison-shopped for wire, Radio $hack is about the highest price place around to buy it. I can buy wire and terminal strips at my LHS for a lot less than R$ prices.
Absolutely! Radio Shack, when they used to be in Canada were handy. I can't think of anything electrical or electronic that the Shack carried that I couldn't get cheaper someplace else.
mobilman44Hi! May I offer an alternative.......... On my previous HO layout, built in 1993 (2 level, 11x15), I used common rail DC wiring. I started out with about 30 blocks, and had feeders every 4 feet or at least one on each small siding. As a result, in one part of the layout had quite a number "common wires" that needed to be joined before they hit the power supplies. Soooo, I got a heavy piece (#12 awg) of solid copper wire and made a circle with it, about 3 inches in diameter. Then I soldered each of the common wires to the circle. There was plenty of room, and my 40w iron worked beautifully. Now I am not saying this is the best way to do this, but it was cost free and cheap and worked. As it was located in an isolated spot under the layout, I did not have to insulate it and the end result was what counted. All that being said, my new layout is the same size, but in DCC, and all the wiring is as neat and pretty (and safe) as I can make it. Mobilman44
Great idea, sounds exactly what I'm looking for, except I was going to have it in a straight line.
Mr. B, I was in the mall here and figured why not check, I don't think my LHS caries wire (I forget how many times I've been in there to order something). I might be able to get some strips of brass from there if the wire doesn't work though.
kcole4001 I've seen somewhere (one of last year's workshop sections?) that someone made their own terminal strips from wood, metal strips, and screws quite cheaply and easily. The wires have either hook or eye type crimp connectors attached and these are secured to the screws on each strip.
Guilty as charged, Yeronnor.
Base strate is simply something non-conductive and fairly rigid. I have used plywood and pine 1-by, but now prefer heavy sheet styrene (acquired by dumpster diving...)
I drill holes on 1/2 inch centers, with paired rows spaced 3/4 inches apart and 1 3/4 inches between pairs. Wires are routed up the narrow channels between rows, while terminal IDs are marked in the wider alleys. Each hole takes a #6 machine screw, held in place by a nut - washers on both sides, of course.
Wires are stacked on the studs thus formed, with washers between. I use solid wire for non-flexing applications, and simply bend a hook into the stripped end to go around the stud. Stranded wire, used where movement is expected, is crimped into a stake-on which is then soldered (belt and suspenders, maybe - but I don't want to spend time looking for mystery opens or shorts) One nut goes on top of each layer cake, torqued to keep everything immobile.
The largest block I have made so far has 90 studs - behind the control panel for two staging yards and a stretch of underground thoroughfare that includes a reverse section.
Some of those studs, currently unused, are going to be indicator and power connectors to the Master (CTC) panel - which is a future, "Build when it becomes necessary," project. I assume that the terminal block behind that will have rather more than 90 terminals...
The best things about my arrangement?
It takes a little work up front, but five bucks worth of hardware produces several hundred studs and about a thousand wire-end connections. The difference between that and 'store-boughten' terminal strips could buy me a couple of cars or a small locomotive.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with bulletproof electricals)
JSperanMisterBeasleyIn case you haven't comparison-shopped for wire, Radio $hack is about the highest price place around to buy it. I can buy wire and terminal strips at my LHS for a lot less than R$ prices. Absolutely! Radio Shack, when they used to be in Canada were handy. I can't think of anything electrical or electronic that the Shack carried that I couldn't get cheaper someplace else.
SeamonsterOne thing I do buy from The Source is the universal printed circuit boards.
I have to be honest, I have never been all the way in the door of The Source. I thought all they stocked was cheap electronics novelties etc.
They have proto pcb boards?
I have to drive to the city from where I live to get anything other than groceries anyway, so stopping at my favorite Electronics Wholesaler is reasonably handy. The thing I liked about The Shack, was they were open Saturdays and late Thursday evenings and until 6pm other days. The Wholesaler is Monday-Friday 8-4:30 and that's it!
JSperanSeamonsterOne thing I do buy from The Source is the universal printed circuit boards. I have to be honest, I have never been all the way in the door of The Source. I thought all they stocked was cheap electronics novelties etc.They have proto pcb boards?I have to drive to the city from where I live to get anything other than groceries anyway, so stopping at my favorite Electronics Wholesaler is reasonably handy. The thing I liked about The Shack, was they were open Saturdays and late Thursday evenings and until 6pm other days. The Wholesaler is Monday-Friday 8-4:30 and that's it!
Seamonster No, they're very similar to the old Radio Shack stores except that they have a lot more audio and video equipment than RS did and fewer parts. Otherwise there's not that much difference. Even the RS stores in the U.S. carry fewer parts than they used to. I guess people don't build things much any more.
I'll have to check it out a bit closer. I was under the impression that The Source carried NO parts. Thanks for the info.