I need some longer spring wire to hook up my Tortoise switch machine. Anybody know where I can get some? I tired the local Lowes and Home Depot but nothing.
If you’re near an Ace Hardware, they have music wire, which is the same thing. Look in the display rack where the brass and aluminum tubing and other shapes is stocked, and the music wire should be there.
Hello “dadret,” If you need a longer wire on the Tortoise, you probably need a heavier wire too. The motors come with about an .032"-diameter wire, but I routinely substitute .047" steel wire. A company called K&S is one supplier that’s carried both by hobby shops and hardware stores. You’ll have to drill out the fulcum and actuator arm with a no. 55 bit, but no other modifictions are necessary. Good luck, Andy
You can order it from Loy’s Toys at:
I found that a piano tuner friend had tons of scraps and left over piano wire, gave me enough to last a life time. Our local hardware store also stocks it.
Per the above discussion, the thickest guage of the two offered at Loy’s toys is only .039 inches–this might not be quite stout enough, as per Andy’s post. I’ve seen other threads that reccommend .05 inches.
Jim
Ok, to be clear the wire with the Tortoises is .025. I use .032 on all of mine. You get much thicker and the pressure on the points will wear them out and if you did accidentally go through a turnout with it switched the wrong way, you can almost count on a major dereailment. Thicker wire isn’t all good. With .032, I can put a lot of pressure on the turnout.
Okay, but here’s my question… Is .032 enough for a 2.5" think underlayment? Much of my layout is 1/2" ply with 2" foam over it. I’ve drilled 1/2" holes under the throwbars, but can .032 exert enough leverage at that lenght for a solid throw and hold?
Thanks - I found some at our local Ace Hardware - I got .039 and .047. and you’re right, the wire that comes with the machine is .025