02-14-2010, 06:01 PM
This is what I discovered when I was powering the frogs on my layout. using the same turn-outs as you:
First, I experimented with soldering directly to the frog.... doesn't work. The metal that the frog is cast from just won't accept solder. As I tried and tried, I put more and more heat, and of course, I melted the plastic and warped the turn-out, and the frog fell off.
So... my solution was to tap a 1-72 screw hole in the existing hole in the frog. Then run a brass screw through the hole and solder your wire to that. Yes, the screwhead is visible from above, but some paint hides them nicely. Doing this before the turnouts are installed is a simple matter.
Now... concerning your situation. I did have a couple of the turn-outs installed before I realized I would need to put power to the frogs. I took a piece of "music wire" and snipped it off at an angle. I chucked that in a drill and then, starting at the top and using the frog hole as a guide, I drilled a pilot hole down through the layout. Then I took a 1/4" bit and drilled a hole from the bottom up to the frog. Now, be very careful when doing this, as you don't want the destroy the turnout with the 1/4" bit. Luckily, my layout is made from 1/4 plywood with 2" foam on top of that, so I was only drilling in foam when I got close to the turnout from underneath.
Next, I took 4" of scrap rail and filed one end down to a screwdriver tip. I soldered the rail in the screw slot of a 1-72 screw. Then I soldered a piece of feeder wire to the rail, about 1" from the screw. Then I used the rail as a screwdriver to run the screw up into the tapped hole in the frog. I did snug the screw up pretty tight by using pliers to turn the rail, but again, be cautious that you don't twist the frog out of the turnout. Then I snipped the rail off even with the bottom of the plywood, leaving just the wire coming out of the hole in the plywood.
Adjustments to the details I give above will need to be made based on exactly how thick and what your benchwork is made from.
If you need, I can make some drawings or whatever if any of the above isn't clear. Just let me know. And, I hope this helps!
Even though you have quite alot of turnouts to do, if you sit down at your workbench and make all of the screw/rail/wire assemblies at one time, I don't think it will be that difficult.
First, I experimented with soldering directly to the frog.... doesn't work. The metal that the frog is cast from just won't accept solder. As I tried and tried, I put more and more heat, and of course, I melted the plastic and warped the turn-out, and the frog fell off.
So... my solution was to tap a 1-72 screw hole in the existing hole in the frog. Then run a brass screw through the hole and solder your wire to that. Yes, the screwhead is visible from above, but some paint hides them nicely. Doing this before the turnouts are installed is a simple matter.
Now... concerning your situation. I did have a couple of the turn-outs installed before I realized I would need to put power to the frogs. I took a piece of "music wire" and snipped it off at an angle. I chucked that in a drill and then, starting at the top and using the frog hole as a guide, I drilled a pilot hole down through the layout. Then I took a 1/4" bit and drilled a hole from the bottom up to the frog. Now, be very careful when doing this, as you don't want the destroy the turnout with the 1/4" bit. Luckily, my layout is made from 1/4 plywood with 2" foam on top of that, so I was only drilling in foam when I got close to the turnout from underneath.
Next, I took 4" of scrap rail and filed one end down to a screwdriver tip. I soldered the rail in the screw slot of a 1-72 screw. Then I soldered a piece of feeder wire to the rail, about 1" from the screw. Then I used the rail as a screwdriver to run the screw up into the tapped hole in the frog. I did snug the screw up pretty tight by using pliers to turn the rail, but again, be cautious that you don't twist the frog out of the turnout. Then I snipped the rail off even with the bottom of the plywood, leaving just the wire coming out of the hole in the plywood.
Adjustments to the details I give above will need to be made based on exactly how thick and what your benchwork is made from.
If you need, I can make some drawings or whatever if any of the above isn't clear. Just let me know. And, I hope this helps!
Even though you have quite alot of turnouts to do, if you sit down at your workbench and make all of the screw/rail/wire assemblies at one time, I don't think it will be that difficult.
Three Foot Rule In Effect At All Times