Problems Installing Point Motors are Resolved.....

When I finished my ramble last time I had purchased a couple of Spade Drill Bits and two new Phillips Head screw drivers.

As mentioned last time, Raymond was despondent because he could not mount three of the point motors as one of the L-Girders was in the way. This particular L-Girder was a 4 X 1 with a 2 X 1 piece along one side. It was lying at the outer end of the metal shelving brackets with the 4 X 1 lying horizontal. At least two of the point motor mounting screws were above that L-Girder and these could not be accessed to screw in the Phillips Head screws. Two of the guys from Mackies Marauders (otherwise known as the Tuesday Nighters suggested a solution thus my purchase of the two Spade Bits (18 mm and a 24 mm) and two new Phillips Head screwdrivers with rubber handles, one with a standard shank and the other a long shank.

Before starting work today (Sunday 20th), I moved one of the baseboard supports along about 100 mm so as to allow the fitting of one of the point motors. Raymond indicated that he could access two of the mounting points but the other two were above the L-Girder. We carefully measured and then I drilled a 24 mm hole with a Spade Bit. Raymond mounted this first motor with no problems. He was very happy with the access that the hole in the L-Girder gave him and the he found that the long shank Phillips Head screwdriver with its rubber handle made the task so much easier.

We then breezed through mounting the second motor with no problems other than a flat battery on the drill. The third motor presented an additional problem. It was not only above the L-Girder but was also located between the double shelf brackets I had installed where two lengths of L-Girder met. The 24 mm Spade Bit was too big so I used the 18 mm Spade Bit which just fitted the space between the two brackets. The newly rejuvenated battery drill (its amazing what recharging a battery will do) made short work of this hole and Raymond mounted the third motor.

We are now looking forward to laying the rest of the track in the yard along with the points and their motors.

We had some discussion about the wiring and a future control panel. The main red bus wire has been soldered to the droppers from the track already laid and so, Raymond is reluctant to remove it. He had laid the wire through the 4 X 1 baseboard supports using the largest drill he could find but this was not large enough to ensure the required twisting of the wire. The black bus wire can be easily removed so we are going to relocate it at 100 mm from the red bus wire.

We also discussed the location and wiring for the future control panel. Raymond had been convinced that we would have to install the power supply and UDP connection at a temporary location pending installation of the control panel. I have suggested we could make that temporary location where the control panel will be positioned. This will mean that removal and rewiring will not be necessary. We should just ensure we allow adequate wiring lengths.

Sorry, no photos this time, I am just happy to report a little bit of progress.