UPDATE - "How To" series: Homemade (HO) Light poles (Rev. 1.1)

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
21

tstage Thanks, I am gonna give it a try in my yard later.

22

OK, none of my local hardware stores carry brass tube of a suitable dimension, where do you get the tube from?

23

Simon,

At my LHS. If you have a Hobby Town in your area, they should have some in supply.

Checked online for you, Simon. There’s one in Manchester Meadows:

HOBBY TOWN USA
13875 Manchester Road
St. Louis, MO 63011
Phone: (636) 394-0177
Fax: (636) 394-0139

Map: http://maps.google.com/maps?q='13875+Manchester+Road'+St.+Louis+MO+63011
(Click link up in left hand corner)

Don’t know how far they are from you, Simon, but you could at least give them a call to see if they have any in stock. Keep me informed…

Tom

24

well after messing with the search button unsucessfully for a while I give up. I can’t find the “useful topics” thread. Anyone out there remember the exact title?? I did find lots of other great info so it wasn’t a complete waste of time.

Ken - Tks for the help.
Terry[8D]

25

Terry,

I believe AggroJones started the thread. That will a least narrow the field of your search.

Tom

26

Built my first three lights tonight, took all of 10 minutes to build them, paint them , 1/2 hr. to wire them up. Look great, no pictures yet. TKs loads for the how to.

27

All right[^] And it beats paying over twenty bucks a piece store bought.
Terry[8D]

28

Excellent post. Many thanks!

29

Gerald,

Your welcome. Look forward to seeing how yours come out. Please do post when you have a chance.

Wow! You work much faster than I do. I replaced the lights on one of my poles and it took me a couple of hours to completely rewire and re-light it. Course, that included dismantling it again because I wired the A and B wires of each light to itself. [D)] Doesn’t work when you do dat…

Tom

30

I’d like to add my profound gratitude for you (and others who send out tips). Thanks again.

31

Tom,
took some quick photos: First is normal room light, poles not turned on, three, one in foreground next to truck terminal 2nd a little further down the road, 3rd one way back lighting parking lot at brown machine shop. 2nd picture of course is a night shot all three turned on. I made single lights for this particular location, I used 3/32 aluminum tubing I had laying around , after I stiffened the wires with CA I painted them silver.

32

Tom hope you don’t mind but I added your thread to the Compilation of widely useful threads. You are now officially famous
Terry[bow][bow][bow]

33

I will have to try this.

Thanks

34

Thanks for the the pics, Gerald! [:)] Nice job on the lights! [tup]

Since your layout is more modern, you could probably arc those wires coming off the pole just a bit to make them look like modern lighting. And…a support brace on either side would look pretty cool, too.

I did want to ask you one question though. Did a 3/32" hole in your bench top work for you as is, or did you have to support the light pole somehow from underneath?

In any event, as Terry said earlier, sure beats paying $15-$20 a light for commercial ones. Thanks again for the pics! [:)]

Tom

35

Thanks, Terry. I’m honored. [:I]

Tom

36

Yeah, I was thinking about the support rod idea, I will also string power lines between them as I go along. I drilled a hole into the table top snug fit, (the table top is 5/8 OSB)after they were snuggled into the hole, a drop of gap filling ca to hold them.

37

Made some small additions on pg. 1 for better clarity.

Tom

38

Hello this is a great idea .But what I need to know is how many lights would be by the round house and turntable ? Thanks frank

39

Wow! Haven’t seen this thread in a while.

Frank,

I would look for pics of roundhouses and turntables. Most of the lights would probably have been on the structures themselves, with a few light poles scattered about. I think it’s really up to you. If you want your roundhouse/turntable well lit, use more light poles…and vice versa.

Tom