drawbar Posted May 21, 2010 Share Posted May 21, 2010 Re. home made points ( live frogs) and electrical switching between blades and stock rails ( polarising ??) I wondered if anyone knows a source for very small micro switches.....in fact, micro micro switches. I was unable to find anything in Maplins. All my controls have to be above board so size is important. Alternatively, perhaps someone might be able to advise on a home made switch. With Thanks Drawbar. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzie Posted May 21, 2010 Share Posted May 21, 2010 If you make your tie bar from copperclad PCB, you can use double sided and make a switch on the bottom similar to the way that a PL13 is made. It will probably be just as reliable, and you can probably use parts from a PL13. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
meple Posted May 21, 2010 Share Posted May 21, 2010 Re. home made points ( live frogs) and electrical switching between blades and stock rails ( polarising ??) I wondered if anyone knows a source for very small micro switches.....in fact, micro micro switches. I was unable to find anything in Maplins. All my controls have to be above board so size is important. Alternatively, perhaps someone might be able to advise on a home made switch. With Thanks Drawbar. you use a DPDT switch. One half switches the point baldes the other the crossing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenton Posted May 21, 2010 Share Posted May 21, 2010 Home made points are not usually operated manually. Home made points are usually operated by a remotely activated point motor/machime Usually not with solenoids as the point is "delicate" so it is usually either a lever frame or a slo-mo motor (eg. Tortoise) If it is a Tortoise then you get a built in switch (actually you get 2) to change the frog polarity as tit throws the point. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted May 21, 2010 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 21, 2010 Lots of people make hand built point on operate them mechanically. Favourite methods often use either a slide or toggle switch in conjunction with linkage to operate the point and switch the frog. Some more mechanically skilled connect them up to proper lever frames ( possibly interlocked). It is a case of finding what works for you. I suggest trying DPDT slide switches with 'wire in tube' as a starter. Actually you only need SPDT to switch the frog only. The point blades should be connected to the respective stock rails. However a spae contact may be handy and DPDT are probably more common than SPDT Donw Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
drawbar Posted May 22, 2010 Author Share Posted May 22, 2010 Thanks to all for replies to my query....I can see now that the slide switch or the PCB method is much better than my efforts with extended tiebars shifted by springy piano wire horizontal "levers"which, after setting the point blades, clip into position behind brass studs. The electrical connection is from each of the stock rails to the brass studs, thence through the piano wire to the lever fulcrum which in turn is connected to the frog. It works well enough but is not very pretty and should really be below deck. I will certainly experiment with the suggestions......just one further point though, what is a PL13? drawbar Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coombe Barton Posted May 22, 2010 Share Posted May 22, 2010 PL13 - http://www.railway-models.co.uk/767_1_1038688.html Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete the Elaner Posted May 23, 2010 Share Posted May 23, 2010 Along with many others on here, I have found PL-13s unreliable & would strongly recommend avoiding them. How about this ? Rapid are typically about half the price of Maplin, stock is of similar quality & delivery times are usually fast. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny Emily Posted May 23, 2010 Share Posted May 23, 2010 Whilst I have not found any of the PL-13s that I have used unreliable yet, I have also used a method that involves old Hornby Dublo G3 switches. Any switch designed for flicking colour light signals are fine (that's what the G3 is intended for). You wire it as if it is a PL-13, then switch it at the same time as you switch the point. It is bullet proof reliable, needing only wire feeds from the appropriate places on the point. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coombe Barton Posted May 23, 2010 Share Posted May 23, 2010 How about this ? Rapid are typically about half the price of Maplin, stock is of similar quality & delivery times are usually fast. Good source - these are just over a quarter of the Maplins price. I've just discovered Rapid for other things - quick delivery, too. I'm using manual control with these activated close to the point in question to switch the polarity of the crossing. However if you're interested in making your own switch gear please make sure that there is sufficient gap between breaking one part of the circuit and making the other - if you don't you get that funny burning shellac smell associated with warmish power supplies that are suddenly shorted and you end up shelling out for another one pretty soon. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
drawbar Posted May 23, 2010 Author Share Posted May 23, 2010 Lots of good practical replies and my thanks to all again. I have made up a combined point lever and polarity switch based on PCB and phosphor bronze wiper contacts and results have been excellent. My layout involves only 10 points so not a Herculean task to replace my original switches. Haven't had time yet but looking forward to having a good look at Rapids website. drawbar Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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