Wire for Omega Loops

Hi all,

I am in the process of constructing connections 'tween point motors and point activation mechanisms on my layout, and have come a cropper on the type of wire to use. It needs to be quite robust, with almost no flexibility for changing shape, yet I need to be able to bend it to put an omega loop in the middle.

Can anyone advise the best type of wire to use?

TIA,

Ian J.

PS, the method I'm using is a variation on the one here:

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though the original page I had was for the Green Street TOU here:
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that appears to have disappeared...

Reply to
Ian J.
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"Ian J." wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@individual.net:

Piano wire? I believe Expo sell various guages.

Reply to
Chris Wilson

Havent tried them myself but Gem offer omega loops and associated clips for their wire in tube system

Reply to
Mike

In message , Ian J. writes

The cores from ordinary mains twin and earth are quite suitable - stiff enough but pliable enough to make fine adjustments after installation.

Reply to
Bill Campbell

Green Street now at which you would have found from the Scalefour links page. Keith

Reply to
Keith

Piano wire.

Get it from your nearest Model Aircraft shop.

Reply to
David Smith

you could befriend a violinist and cadge used e-strings

David "Thomastik dominant works for me"

Reply to
chorleydnc

Guitar strings also - but they are steel and will rust - brass piano wire is better (some model shops sell them in roughly 1m lengths) For hand operation I picked up some bowden cable from a R/C model shop and used a short length of piano wire for the last inch or so (the bowden inner I had was a bit too big and visible).

No applicable to power operation but you can use a pull system with fishing line. I did this once on a garden layout to control the remote return loop points, with loops on the pulling ends to which a weight was hung to remind me what line was currently pulled. The run was several yards and I was not able to get any version of wire-in-tube to work (including lengths of coathanger wire joined with chock block and run in screw eyes).

HTH

Mike

Reply to
Mike

Many thanks for the new link.

Ian J.

Reply to
Ian J.

With a return spring it can be power operated on the pull stroke.

MBQ

Reply to
manatbandq

Can't you get it in longer lengths in piano shops?

Air-in-tube works a dream.

Reply to
Jane Sullivan

Many thanks to all who replied. I will try and get hold of some piano wire at the local model shop, or failing that, the local music shop ;-)

Any ideas as to what would be the best gauge? C flat or B sharp? ;-)

Ian J.

Reply to
Ian J.

Ian,

Last time I bought guitar strings they were ranged in diameters in thous of inches, so your going to have to equate keys to thous - have fun :-)

Jim.

Reply to
Jim Guthrie

Bump!

Hi all,

Just wondering if anyone can advise me on the best thickness of piano wire to use for turnout operation off of tortoise/fulgurex motors? I've read

0.025 inch as being suitable, but want to be sure that it's not too difficult to bend into omega loops, or too weak to survive motor operation.

TIA,

Ian J.

Reply to
Ian J.

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