| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| desertdrover |
Posted - 05/11/2012 : 1:23:53 PM
A question on another thread was asked about mounting Tortoise Machines, so I thought I would make this how-to and post it here for all interested members.
My staging yard is a flat area with 1”x4” grid work with ½” plywood and ½”homasote screwed down on top of the grid work (similar to the picture below - Thanks to Mike Mueller). Since it was not possible to see the switches from the underside of the layout, I made a jig to line-up/center, and mount the tortoise machines from below. I had already drilled the switch holes through the homasote and plywood dead center under the center of the throw bar. This is the jig I made to make life easier for me under the layout. I hope this all makes sense to you. I took a Kadee height gauge and drilled out a hole in the middle front for a piano wire the same size as the Tortoise wire. Then epoxied the wire to the Kadee gauge. This way the Kadee Gauge sits on the switch after it is in place on the layout, and centers the switch to the middle/center with the wire going through. Then I got under the layout and used the Tortoise template to slip up onto the wire so I could mark the four (4) holes for the Tortoise Machine. It lined up the tortoise each and every time. This method worked like a charm for me. See pictures for how the modified Kadee was made and used to line up the Tortoise wire.
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| 15 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| desertdrover |
Posted - 05/14/2012 : 11:55:50 AM
Mike, will this client be having you install liftout sections into this layout?
I would think at that size surface, he will find the need for some one day down the road. |
| desertdrover |
Posted - 05/14/2012 : 11:51:00 AM
quote:
Originally posted by closetguy
Louis
What I like about your jig is that it sets the points dead center. For all of you who have installed or are about to install the tortoise machines, that is the secret to a great working machine. Getting the machine and points to install dead center. My first 10 years ago were not installed dead center and gave me nothing but trouble for years. When I went back and reinstalled everything dead center, they worked like a charm everyday.
Thanks Louis for sharing you great invention.
Mike M
Very glad to hear your comments and thoughts on this Mike. I'm also happy to have hepled you in anyway possible.  [:-thumbu] |
| closetguy |
Posted - 05/14/2012 : 10:50:40 AM
Louis
What I like about your jig is that it sets the points dead center. For all of you who have installed or are about to install the tortoise machines, that is the secret to a great working machine. Getting the machine and points to install dead center. My first 10 years ago were not installed dead center and gave me nothing but trouble for years. When I went back and reinstalled everything dead center, they worked like a charm everyday.
Thanks Louis for sharing you great invention.
Mike M |
| closetguy |
Posted - 05/14/2012 : 10:46:00 AM
Hi Frank
Yes, the bench work is Poplar.
I buy 4/4 at the lumber wholesaler and than rip it to 3 1/2" wide pieces. I use hardened #8 x 2" phillips screw with a self tap tip and nibbed head to attach everything. The nibbed head is self recessing. The Poplar is cheaper than clear pine, and since Poplar is technically a "hardwood" it is some much stronger than pine. The layout you see is being built for a client and is 10 x 14 .
Mike M |
| desertdrover |
Posted - 05/13/2012 : 1:02:55 PM
quote:
Originally posted by k9wrangler
I've gone to using hot glue to attach my Tortoi.. I use a pre-drilled hole in the roadbed below the throwbar, tack the throwbar with the turnout half thrown and then attach the machine with an elongate wire sticking up an inch or so before trimming.
I don't have any SteamNuts around here to help me, and mine hurt climbing under the layout...
Your method is about the same Karl. By me using the modified Kadee guage, it hooks/sets down onto the track switch, and holds the drawbar centered for marking Tortoise placement. |
| desertdrover |
Posted - 05/13/2012 : 12:57:58 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Orionvp17
Louis,
What a great idea! I love it!
I, too, wondered about rotation looking up from "down under." Seems to me that you could resolve that pretty easily by measuring down from the track to the bottom of the hole and attaching a small length of wire to the shaft perpendicular to the track to give a good idea of the orientation from below.
A piece about a quarter of an inch or so long epoxied to the shaft would do it. Cut a slit in the template, send the shaft down the hole, slide the template slot over the perpendicular wire and you'd have a positive indication of where the holes should go.
Pete
who can never seem to get "comfortable" under the layout
in Michigan
Thanks Pete. It's pretty straight forward, once you see the drawbar from below, because you know 90 degrees from that is the track. The holes on either side of the Tortoise are straight with the drawbar side to side. |
| desertdrover |
Posted - 05/13/2012 : 12:53:34 PM
quote:
Originally posted by MarkF
Louis, that is one clever idea! I'm fortunate that I have SteamNut that seems to love installing those damn things, but I'm certain this would make his job easier too. Great idea and thanks for sharing!
Thanks for your comments Mark, and taking a look. |
| desertdrover |
Posted - 05/13/2012 : 12:52:43 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Frank Palmer
Switch machines are one thing, but what about that benchwork, it looks like poplar. It's beautiful! That's what I'm in awe of.
Thanks Frank, but the benchwork I can't take credit for, it is a job that Mike Mueller is doing. I just used the framework picture for a reference for the switch machine how-to. |
| Frank Palmer |
Posted - 05/13/2012 : 09:48:08 AM
Switch machines are one thing, but what about that benchwork, it looks like poplar. It's beautiful! That's what I'm in awe of. |
| k9wrangler |
Posted - 05/12/2012 : 7:30:32 PM
I've gone to using hot glue to attach my Tortoi.. I use a pre-drilled hole in the roadbed below the throwbar, tack the throwbar with the turnout half thrown and then attach the machine with an elongate wire sticking up an inch or so before trimming.
I don't have any SteamNuts around here to help me, and mine hurt climbing under the layout... |
| Orionvp17 |
Posted - 05/12/2012 : 7:17:49 PM
Louis,
What a great idea! I love it!
I, too, wondered about rotation looking up from "down under." Seems to me that you could resolve that pretty easily by measuring down from the track to the bottom of the hole and attaching a small length of wire to the shaft perpendicular to the track to give a good idea of the orientation from below.
A piece about a quarter of an inch or so long epoxied to the shaft would do it. Cut a slit in the template, send the shaft down the hole, slide the template slot over the perpendicular wire and you'd have a positive indication of where the holes should go.
Pete
who can never seem to get "comfortable" under the layout
in Michigan |
| MarkF |
Posted - 05/12/2012 : 7:04:11 PM
Louis, that is one clever idea! I'm fortunate that I have SteamNut that seems to love installing those damn things, but I'm certain this would make his job easier too. Great idea and thanks for sharing! |
| desertdrover |
Posted - 05/12/2012 : 4:20:00 PM
quote:
Originally posted by anubis51
Hi Louis,
That Kadee coupling gauge modification...Great idea!
You keep coming up with all these wonderful gadgets, tools, and critters - it makes me wonder how you have any time left over for anything else....
Thanks for sharing.
John
Thanks much John. [:-thumbu]
This hobby has been a big part of my life from a young age. And, know retirement has a big help on things that just used to be in my head. |
| anubis51 |
Posted - 05/12/2012 : 4:17:45 PM
Hi Louis,
That Kadee coupling gauge modification...Great idea!
You keep coming up with all these wonderful gadgets, tools, and critters - it makes me wonder how you have any time left over for anything else....
Thanks for sharing.
John
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| desertdrover |
Posted - 05/12/2012 : 3:53:12 PM
quote:
Originally posted by railmus
Am I missing something here?
How do you ensure that the tortoise is not rotated at all?
Great tutorial!
Thanks John.
See the arrow in the Tortoise template? Well, that shows the direction of the track above. You can see from the bottom of the layout through the hole the drawbar direction, so the arrow is placed in the direction of the track, and the Tortoise mounting holes are made.
Did I make sense in what I'm saying?
I used a picture of a switch (assume it is up-side-down) and I used a red circle to show what you see from the bottom of the layout up through the hole to know the direction of the track.
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