Tortoise

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by TBat55

I used 3/8" holes with a short piece of thin-wall styrene tubing in the hole (used cheap plywood). I now want to try the thicker piano wire mentioned above. What diameter?

I also bought the Tortoise hole drilling template from Walthers which helps a lot for the 4 holes that hold the motor. The template is not metal, more like Formica. Sure helps when you're upside down marking holes.

TBat55:
I tried to send you an e-mail but it's not listed on your profile. I drill a 3/4" hole, use .032 dia. wire and mount the tortise with Goop from Lowes. The Goop does away with trying to get the screws in so the wire lines up with the throw bar. Don't use to much Goop or you'll never get the switch machine off the plywood. After it works to my satisifacation I slide two pieces of cardboard (cut from kit boxes) under the track switch to cover up part of the 3/4" hole and not let the ballast fall through.

If this doesn't make sense e-mail me at [e-mail]

Bob

[tomwatkins]

I use a half inch hole, having tried smaller holes and finding that I had problems on ocassion. I also use .032 piano wire which is larger and stiffer than what is supplied with the machine.
Have Fun,
Tom Watkins

[TBat55]

I used 3/8" holes with a short piece of thin-wall styrene tubing in the hole (used cheap plywood). I now want to try the thicker piano wire mentioned above. What diameter?

I also bought the Tortoise hole drilling template from Walthers which helps a lot for the 4 holes that hold the motor. The template is not metal, more like Formica. Sure helps when you're upside down marking holes.

[Pennsy58]

I initally tried the 1/4 inch hole. Wound up being a tad small in some instances. Part of the problem may have been that I added the machines after the turnout was installed.

Very hard to get the hole dead on no matter what I did. Went to a slightly larger drill bit, 3/8 and sucess has been better. Definately recommend drilling out for the machines before placing the turnouts down. I will drill out under all turnouts now, whether I plan on adding a machine or not, just in case. All of mine are controlled by DPDT mini toggles and they work fine.

[Anonymous]

Try using a larger diameter piano wire than that suppplied by Tortoise. The machine will work much better this way.

[jwmurrayjr]

Since this has been waiting since yesterday....

I think that Tortoise recommends 1/4" hole...some other recommend 1/2".

A DPDT toggles will serve better than the Atlas switch control. The Atlas control is momentary and the Tortoise is a "stall" motor and is designed to work with a toggle.

See the following link for some instructions and illustrations:
http://www.hoosierdiv3nmra.org/PDF/04/0204.Dispatcher.pdf

Try www.Tomstrains.com for prices (email Tom for prices) to start.

[:p]

[fwdguy]

Hello,

Whta size hole is needed?

Can you use the atlas control switch with them?

Where online has the cheapest?

Thanks,

Mark