Remounting structures on my layout

[RR_Mel]

For years I’ve always used my home made lighting connectors to hold my structures in place.  All the lighting was on one circuit to each structure, one simple pair of wires.  Since I began using the Arduino Random Lighting controllers I needed to redo the wiring and could no longer use the home made Mel connectors.   I no longer had a way to easily secure my structures and still have them easily removable.  The old connectors worked to keep the structures in place but I wanted a better way for the multi circuit versions.

 

I had a sack full of ⅛” diameter x ⅜” long Neodymium magnets that I bought to use as uncoupling magnets that didn’t work out for my needs.  I give them a shot for holding my structures and so far they work great.  I glued a single magnet in each corner and a mate for each magnet on my layout.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I placed the mating magnets on the glued magnets in the corners to make the alignment easier for gluing them into the holes on my layout.  I filled the holes with Amazing Goop and dropped the house in place then waited several hours for the Goop to set up.  That worked out great.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Both the house and garage really snap solidly in place.  The installation of the magnets in existing structures can be a bit tedious but well worth the effort.  Only 7 more to go.

 

Mel

 

 

My Model Railroad   

http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

 

Bakersfield, California

 

I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

 

[cedarwoodron]

Where do you get your magnets? In bulk? I may have seen a similar article several years ago- or perhaps it was an earlier post by you. This is very helpful as I have about 10 led-wired structures to locate on my layout and your system would make it easier to place and to re- place them when required. Let us know about the magnet source. Thanks !

Cedarwoodron

[RR_Mel]

I bought my magnets off eBay in a 50pk.  Here is a link, I don’t know if it’s the same seller I just put in the size.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1-8-x-3-8-Inch-Neodymium-Rare-Earth-Cylinder-Rod-Magnets-N48-50-Pack/162810731402?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

 

I don’t remember paying that much but it’s been a couple of years.

 

I got the garage magnets installed and it worked good too.

 

 

Mel

 

 

My Model Railroad   

http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

 

Bakersfield, California

 

I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

 

[PennCentral99]

Harbor Freight carries magents

https://www.harborfreight.com/10-piece-rare-earth-magnets-67488.html

Terry

[gmpullman]

Hi, Mel

I plan to use a similar idea for securing some tall PRR catenary poles along a few streches of my main line. My plan, though, is to cement a flat piece of iron to the "feet" of the poles but sink the magnets flush with the scenery base. This would give me a little wiggle room instead of trying to get perfect alignment with all four magnets..

I have used this method for securing roof sections on to buildings, again using the flat iron pieces. I'm always scrounging junk and I had a few transformers that I had no use for. With a little tapping and prying I got the lacquer loose from the laminated core of the transformer and have a nice supply of rectangular and E shaped iron plates.

The rectangular plates make great flat car loads.

IMG_7315 by Edmund, on Flickr

Even the white markings on the edge of the plate were from a stamp on the old transformer.

I have a place where pipes run into the side of a building. I used a magnet and plate here, too, so I can "disconnect" the pipes from the side of the building if needed.

IMG_5907 by Edmund, on Flickr

Four tiny magnets are glued inside the pipe flanges and the iron plates are glued to the building.

Thanks for sharing your idea, Ed

[cedarwoodron]

Harbor Freight - there you go! I stop by there at least once a month whether I need to or not! 

Cedarwoodron

[RR_Mel]

gmpullman

Hi, Mel

 I'm always scrounging junk and I had a few transformers that I had no use for. With a little tapping and prying I got the lacquer loose from the laminated core of the transformer and have a nice supply of rectangular and E shaped iron plates.

The rectangular plates make great flat car loads.

 

Thanks for sharing your idea, Ed

 

If the transformer coil is 120 volt I hope you didn’t toss it.  They work great for demagnetizing tools.  I cleaned up a coil and put a power cord on it with an inline switch and use it to demagnetize my screwdrivers and long nose pliers about once a month or as needed.  One pass inside the coil does it nicely.  Just don’t leave the power on to the coil more than a minute, they they hot without the iron core quickly.

 

 

Mel

 

 

My Model Railroad   

http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

 

Bakersfield, California

 

I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

 

[RR_Mel]

Be careful of larger magnets, too much power could be bad.  Even using the ⅛” diameter Neodymium magnets a single magnet will support the weight of the structure.  Larger magnets could hold strong enough to pull the structure apart during the removal from the layout.

 

I haven’t tried rectangular magnets, a single rectangular magnet on it’s side might work nicely and keep the structure inline.  A single round magnet like the HF magnets would let the structure rotate.

 

 

 

Mel

 

 

My Model Railroad   

http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

 

Bakersfield, California

 

I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

 

[BigDaddy]

You can buy Mel's size magnets by ordering at Home Depot.  Free shipping to the store.

Those disc magnets from HF might be too strong.

 

[maxman]

Rather than magnets, my suggestion would be to use small, square strip wood to outline the base around the outside of the structure.  Sort of makes a socket for the building, and looks like a footer.