Hey, I’m just wondering what everyone thinks the best way to open up the holes on the throwbars of Shinohara turnouts would be. They’re just a little bit too small for the Caboose Industries ground throw point that hooks into the throwbar. I don’t want to try something and end up ruing in the turnout.
any ideas?
I haven’t tried it with Shinohara, but I use a correctly sized drill bit in a pin vise on Micro Engineering turnouts and it works fine. Careful use of a small burr in a moto too at VERY slow speed might work, too (I haven’t tried this, but I think it is a possibility).
Good luck,
Phil
Ideas? Sure.
I drill the proper size hole in the throwbar. Sometimes I make a piano wire connector instead. Just drill gently and don’t let the bit wander.
Good luck,
Karl
Put the bit in a hand tool, pin vice or exacto knife handle. Works great and you can be gentle and allow the bit to do the cutting.
Before you start modifying holes in the turnout throwbar, try using the #215 groundthrows. They come with different size pins that should work with the Shinohara turnouts. I used them on my two Walthers curved turnouts, which are made by Shinohara and they work great. You also have to consider the amount of travel in the turnout throwbar. I learned through experience. Hopefully you did not do anything to them yet or else my theory will not work.
Good Luck.
Nah I havent done anything to them yet. The hole sizes are JUST too small. I have the regular 202 ground throws. I’ve thought about using my exacto knife to shave down the g.t. pin so that it would fit.
So you guys have done this to your Shinohara turnouts for use with caboose industries ground throws? Any recommendations on what specific size bit works best?
thanks guys
I used the #218’s (my mistake eariler). Go here http://www.cabooseind.com//pr1.html this shows you the different groundthrows. When you look at the 218’s you can see the different pin sizes.
I’m using Atlas turnouts and a #54 drill bit in a power drill to increase the size of the throwbar hole. The only issue is that the drill bit is to thin to fit my cordless drill. So, I pulled out my Black and Decker 3/8" corded drill purchased in 1983 and I have no issues with the result.
Duh! I never thought about drilling out the holes. I just figured they were supposed to fit somehow. . So I put a dollop of PTFE grease on the pin, put a small cardboard shim under the throwbar to support it, and gently press the pin in. Then I align the ground throw and glue it to its support pad. The pin can move in the hole, but not freely, and it never pops out. Ingenuity, born of ignorance.
-Walleye