Terminal Strips

Yep, Radio Shack is becoming less and less useful. They are giving up stocking parts. PITA. See if there are any electronic surplus dealers in your area. Sometimes they have parts, although most of 'em now just carry junk computer stuff which is less useful for model railroads. Try mail order. All Electronics is a good surplus place. Mouser and Digikey are good sources for new parts.

David Starr

Radio Shack only stocks what sells - what retailer does otherwise?

If you can't get terminal strips easily, you can make your own. Just drive small brass screws partways into the benchwork. Quick and dirty, but it works.

Good afternoon Craig;

Sometimes electrical suppliers and contractors will carry them as well.

Cheers, John

On 7/26/2007 4:38 AM Craig spake thus:

Digi-Key:

I go sort of the same way Wolf does: A drill, lots of 8-32 machine screws (various lengths) and lots and lots of 8-32 nuts. Quick, convenient, flexible. Can control spacing for access. Don't know if it's cheaper (although I suspect it is) but it sure makes life easier when I'm hauling my 6'5" less than graceful frame around under the benchwork.

On 7/26/2007 11:19 AM Henry Murray spake thus:

May I suggest a small refinement? Use 8-32 thumbnuts for the hold-down; that way you don't even have to carry a wrench when you're crawling down there.

Allied Electronics

BDK

You can have them ordered for you if you just like shopping in town as I do.

Then there is the "Mouser" catalog (and others) that I use for many discontinued items.

Here are some possibilities. I do not how prices and shipping compare to Mouser or Digi-Key.

Now why didn't I think of that! Excellent idea- unfortunately it comes AFTER I've finished the wiring for a major expansion. Oh, well, use it next time! Thanks.

This place has a great sekection at a good price.

You might want to try

If you have access to them, I'd suggest using "euro" strips rather than barrier strips. They come in a variety of sizes, and the connection is completely surrounded, reducing the chance that a wire could "squeeze out" from under the screw of a regular strip.

The wires go in straight instead of being formed into a loop, making that part simpler, too.

You can see these in use in our club's "Power Vault", connecting the #12 feeders to the PM42s.:

On 8/5/2007 10:42 AM Mark Johnson spake thus:

Kewl. Those seem very much like the bonding connectors used inside power distribution panels (aka "fuseboxes") here in the US. Those are a little bigger, as they're made for large wire sizes, #14 and up, but essentially the same idea: you loosen the screw, stich the bare end of the wire into the hole, then tighten the screw which smushed down on the wire. Simple and very effective. I'd think they'd work OK with the smaller wire gauges used on a layout.

One may be able to buy those bonding strips separately from a good electric supply house, if one were so inclined.

don't defend them - that's not what the thread is about... they betrayed the radio community years ago and have become worse than circuit city et al because they double prices on a lot of needed items. Case in point - cell phone battery at radio shaft wikll run you $49. At any other cell phone store $22. I know i used to work at one...