is there an easier way to strip the triplex wire on atlas N switches? i see this strip tool on tv and was thinking someone must use something like that. i know they sure give me a fit . being small and stranded and combined in a trio makes them tough for me with sight prob.
secondly i have a roll of themostat wire 18 guage solid . is this too big and cause resistance problem? my layout best as i can tell so far will be 4-5 wide by 12 feet max length. thats what i have room for anyway and also have walkway. said good bye to the panel saw i was trying to restore so we have room for MRR.
im hoping to use this wire i have as its color coded and also has a covering for the inside pairs. it seems like i did use this wire way back when i had my other layout but im not for sure its the same roll or not now…
being solid i could just trench a small slot under roadbed for the track terminals as im going to have to go with block wiring again .
I have some Atlas switches at home, I will have a look when I get there later in the day.
As for the 18G wire, I assume you are proposing to use it for block wiring? That is one length of 18G wire to supply each block? If so then I think it should be okay as you will only have the consumption of one train at a time.
Your 18 gauge thermostat wire will be fine… No point in making the suppliers rich if you don’t have to… As for your flat wire, look for a stripper that is meant for flat phone wire. I think places like the depot sell them… something similar to this…
my gal goes for preop tomarrow in a real town that has such as depot and lowes ill see what they have . i need to get something other than kliens or even small needlenose. all still way to big to feel the pinch.
For the Atlas flat cable, I usually separate the wires first (for a couple of inches) by slicing them apart at the end with a utility knife. A quarter-inch cut is enough, and then I pull them apart by hand for an inch or two. Then I can easily use a cheap wire-stripper to remove a bit of insulation.
The Atlas cables are very, very short though. For my turnout wiring, I went to Home Depot (Lowes didn’t have it) and got 4-conductor telephone wiring cable for 8-something dollars for a hundred foot roll. (They call it 26/2, which seems to mean 2-pairs of wires for phone cable.) It was cheaper than buying 3-conductor from an electronics place, and it works just fine.