kf4yyd Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Hi All, My search skills seem to be a little lacking, when I try to search for construction help on a traverser or sector plate all I seem to find is the word. I'm looking at building a shelf style layout which would include a fiddle yard but I don't think I have ever seen traverser/sector plate construction covered here in the US. Does anybody have an online source which could explain how to build one of these, to include how to wire the electrics? Thanks, Tom Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poor Old Bruce Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Not much time for a difinitive answer ATM. I cannot recall an article on their construction but each must be built to their own requirements. I have a sector plate which uses a fixed board covered with Formica (I do not know if this is still available or not). The underside of the sector plate has a sheet of felt glued to it, this allows the plate to slide easily but also stay put when needed. Electrically, on rail of each road is connected to a common return, the other is fed via a brass bolt which also provides alignment for the tracks. Same principle used for the traversers on Farkham. HTH Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kf4yyd Posted March 23, 2011 Author Share Posted March 23, 2011 Not much time for a difinitive answer ATM. I cannot recall an article on their construction but each must be built to their own requirements. I have a sector plate which uses a fixed board covered with Formica (I do not know if this is still available or not). The underside of the sector plate has a sheet of felt glued to it, this allows the plate to slide easily but also stay put when needed. Electrically, on rail of each road is connected to a common return, the other is fed via a brass bolt which also provides alignment for the tracks. Same principle used for the traversers on Farkham. HTH Thanks for the reply, at least I know know more than I did! I can visualize the one rail tied to a common return easy enough but not quite sure about the brass bolt part. Tom Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poor Old Bruce Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 Thanks for the reply, at least I know know more than I did! I can visualize the one rail tied to a common return easy enough but not quite sure about the brass bolt part. Well I did say it was a quick reply . The slider (male) side of the bolt goes on the fixed board and is connected electrically to the 'live' rail. The (female) reciever for the bolt is on the sector/traverser and is connected electrically to the appropriate storage rail. You will need a separate female part for each storage track. Needless to say, when the bolt is home, the relevant track needs to align so fit the receptor first and then fix the track. A slight chamfer on the gauge corners of each rail should reduce the chances of derailment through lateral misalignment and the fixed and sliding boards may need packings to get the vertical alignment correct. I should have said that the Formica/felt interface only needs to be a few inches at each end of the sector board. HTH Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 I'll come back to you a bit later when I have a bit more time Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 Sector plates Easiest way is to screw a mini jack-plgu into the underside of the sectotpate at the pivot point with a matching socket in the baseboard framework - feed All the south tracks from one of the terminals on the plug and have a short lenghth of wire from the other with a croc clip attatched and clip this to the end of the other rail on the track that you want to be live. A small triangleof 60 thou plasticard pointing along the sector plate set at the alignable end, together with another pointing the opposite way between the track leading away and forming a diamond shape between the sector plate and the fixed board) will help to make sure that wheels crossing the gap don't derail Stick a strip of plastic from a margerine pot under the end of the rail, and visit your local Supermarket for a sheet of baking tray non-stick sheet, cut a strip of that and stick it with EVOSTICK, under the end where the sector plate slides - this will prevent any jerkyness of the setor plate movement from derailing stock on it, by ensuring a smoot sliding action. Traversers You can use drawer slides for these- get the ones that run on ball-bearings. They MUST BE FITTED PERFECTLY PARALLEL! or they will stick and bind. I make my own from sections of K&S brass channel that fit fairly tightly over each other, but that needs more than a description. Feed tracks on the traverser via the sliding rails - operate as the description in the previous post. Reading Matter Model Railroader -12/08 Build Sector plates to save staging space - Sam Swanson Mpdep Railroader How to guideShelf Layouts for Model Railroads - Ian Rice Model Railroader How to build realistic railroads No 8 More layout in less space Railway Modeller Oct 2009 - Neil Rushby Sector Plate fiddle yards and March 2010 Traverser and turntable fiddle yards Back issues of the last two are available from PECO Technical Advice Bureau, Underleys, Beer, Seaton Devon EX12 3NA at £4 each for overseas customers Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kf4yyd Posted March 23, 2011 Author Share Posted March 23, 2011 Well I did say it was a quick reply . The slider (male) side of the bolt goes on the fixed board and is connected electrically to the 'live' rail. The (female) reciever for the bolt is on the sector/traverser and is connected electrically to the appropriate storage rail. You will need a separate female part for each storage track. Needless to say, when the bolt is home, the relevant track needs to align so fit the receptor first and then fix the track. HTH Ahhhhh, I think I was having a English English to US English translation issue When you said bolt I was thinking of a fastener with threads to which one applied a nut. However, now I'm thinking you are referring to what I would call a latch, which makes a hell of a lot more sense. Thank you for the reply, every little bit helps. Tom Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kf4yyd Posted March 23, 2011 Author Share Posted March 23, 2011 Sector plates Easiest way is to screw a mini jack-plgu into the underside of the sectotpate at the pivot point with a matching socket in the baseboard framework - feed All the south tracks from one of the terminals on the plug and have a short lenghth of wire from the other with a croc clip attatched and clip this to the end of the other rail on the track that you want to be live. A small triangleof 60 thou plasticard pointing along the sector plate set at the alignable end, together with another pointing the opposite way between the track leading away and forming a diamond shape between the sector plate and the fixed board) will help to make sure that wheels crossing the gap don't derail Stick a strip of plastic from a margerine pot under the end of the rail, and visit your local Supermarket for a sheet of baking tray non-stick sheet, cut a strip of that and stick it with EVOSTICK, under the end where the sector plate slides - this will prevent any jerkyness of the setor plate movement from derailing stock on it, by ensuring a smoot sliding action. Traversers You can use drawer slides for these- get the ones that run on ball-bearings. They MUST BE FITTED PERFECTLY PARALLEL! or they will stick and bind. I make my own from sections of K&S brass channel that fit fairly tightly over each other, but that needs more than a description. Feed tracks on the traverser via the sliding rails - operate as the description in the previous post. Reading Matter Model Railroader -12/08 Build Sector plates to save staging space - Sam Swanson Mpdep Railroader How to guideShelf Layouts for Model Railroads - Ian Rice Model Railroader How to build realistic railroads No 8 More layout in less space Railway Modeller Oct 2009 - Neil Rushby Sector Plate fiddle yards and March 2010 Traverser and turntable fiddle yards Back issues of the last two are available from PECO Technical Advice Bureau, Underleys, Beer, Seaton Devon EX12 3NA at £4 each for overseas customers Thank you Sir, The mini jack plug is a really good idea, I'll keep that idea in mind. Seems to me one could even do away with the croc clips with this and have dropper wires from the tracks all connect and then get hard-wired to the plug. Use the Tip for power and the barrel for the return. Of course I should have known that Model Railroader would have something I probably skipped getting these issues for some reason. I'll contact PECO on the other two and see what I can learn. Tom Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poor Old Bruce Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 Ahhhhh, I think I was having a English English to US English translation issue When you said bolt I was thinking of a fastener with threads to which one applied a nut. However, now I'm thinking you are referring to what I would call a latch, which makes a hell of a lot more sense. Thank you for the reply, every little bit helps. Tom Sorry Tom, perhaps I should have said 'door-type bolt' (a tube with a slidey thing with a little handle working in a slot). I hadn't realised until this post that you were in the colonies so there may be a language difference. That could start off a whole new diversion off the thread because a 'latch' means something else to me. Some people make up their own 'sliding locators' from brass sheet, tubes and rods. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kf4yyd Posted March 23, 2011 Author Share Posted March 23, 2011 Sorry Tom, perhaps I should have said 'door-type bolt' (a tube with a slidey thing with a little handle working in a slot). I hadn't realised until this post that you were in the colonies so there may be a language difference. That could start off a whole new diversion off the thread because a 'latch' means something else to me. Some people make up their own 'sliding locators' from brass sheet, tubes and rods. No apology needed I actually had a good laugh at myself once I figured out we weren't on the same page. It is how they say two nations divided by a common language. Anyway I now have a much better understanding of these, I just wish I had a local person I could get with and actually look at one. I do better when I can physically see and touch something. Once I get started with construction of my layout I'm sure I'll be bothering the boards quit a lot. I plan on trying to build a mid to late 60's Brit Rail model. I recently was able to purchase a Class 33 and a Class 37, the 33 is being repainted to a late era BR green and the 37 is getting BR blue. Tom Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold RedgateModels Posted March 23, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 23, 2011 There's an image in my Summat Colliery Showcase post here that shows the main entry/exit from the sector plate. I have other photos of the construction on the main thread on the old forum here I just used a threaded bolt, oh okay, the second bigger one is still pivoting on a woodscrew temporarily put there "just to test" Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kf4yyd Posted March 23, 2011 Author Share Posted March 23, 2011 There's an image in my Summat Colliery Showcase post here that shows the main entry/exit from the sector plate. I have other photos of the construction on the main thread on the old forum here I just used a threaded bolt, oh okay, the second bigger one is still pivoting on a woodscrew temporarily put there "just to test" Very nice layout! I guess I won't know what I am going to do until I get to that point... This is all new to me. Tom Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted March 23, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 23, 2011 I built a traverser using two drawer units these were the full extent type with three sections that slide out on ball bearings and are normally fittted one each side of a drawer. I fixed them flat screwed one side to the frame the other to the traverser deck. Can't take any photos as I gave it to the local club when I moved home. Connections latch/bolt as above although for DCC they caould all be live having only the one live saves accidents (wrong loco assigned) Don Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killybegs Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 Rather than using a crocodile clip, wire all the tracks through a rotary switch. This has worked well on Clinkerford for over 20 years (as have the drawer runners on which the traverser runs!) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 40-something Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 Hi Tom I have a very simple sliding sector plate which is single tracked. The track is laid on a length of foamboard which slides on top of a piece of sanded plywood. The 'plate' pivots on a woodscrew mounted through the foamboard into the baseboard frame, screwed down just enough to avoid distortion of the foamboard and to allow easy pivotting. Alignment for the 4 'running' lines (soon to be increased to 6) is by stoppers at each end of the swing arc and by eye for the middle 2. Electrical connection is again very simple as the layout is DCCC. Dropper wires soldered to the rails at the pivoting end, which connect into the main wiring circuit. I can post a couple of pics if this would help you? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kf4yyd Posted March 26, 2011 Author Share Posted March 26, 2011 I built a traverser using two drawer units these were the full extent type with three sections that slide out on ball bearings and are normally fittted one each side of a drawer. I fixed them flat screwed one side to the frame the other to the traverser deck. Can't take any photos as I gave it to the local club when I moved home. Connections latch/bolt as above although for DCC they caould all be live having only the one live saves accidents (wrong loco assigned) Don Once I start construction I guess I'll need to hit the home improvement stores and see what they have. Thanks, Tom Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kf4yyd Posted March 26, 2011 Author Share Posted March 26, 2011 Hi Tom I have a very simple sliding sector plate which is single tracked. The track is laid on a length of foamboard which slides on top of a piece of sanded plywood. The 'plate' pivots on a woodscrew mounted through the foamboard into the baseboard frame, screwed down just enough to avoid distortion of the foamboard and to allow easy pivotting. Alignment for the 4 'running' lines (soon to be increased to 6) is by stoppers at each end of the swing arc and by eye for the middle 2. Electrical connection is again very simple as the layout is DCCC. Dropper wires soldered to the rails at the pivoting end, which connect into the main wiring circuit. I can post a couple of pics if this would help you? Hi Joe, I could use all the help I can get so if you don't mind please post your pics. Thanks, Tom Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium jamie92208 Posted March 26, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 26, 2011 I've built two trav ersers in 7mm and 4mm and used drawer runners mounted vertically at the 2/3, 1/3 positions under the deck and they worked fine. I use simple brass bolts for the electrical and mechanical connections, the male part on the fixed part and a series of female sockets on the traverser. Occiasionally the sockets get a lttle loose but a bit of nickel silver wire soldered inside sorted that out. For the 4mm one I used two ball bearing units from a keyboard shelf and two from a dsimantled filing cabinet for the 7mm version. They have a stop at one end that needs removing to allow the travereser to move equal distances either side of the centre line. This mens that if you go too far the ball bearing can drop out on some designs. To stop this put a simple wooden stop under the deck on either side at the limit of travel that then catches on the side frame of the support structure. Jamie Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 47137 Posted March 13, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 13, 2012 My search skills seem to be a little lacking, when I try to search for construction help on a traverser or sector plate all I seem to find is the word. I'm looking at building a shelf style layout which would include a fiddle yard but I don't think I have ever seen traverser/sector plate construction covered here in the US. Does anybody have an online source which could explain how to build one of these, to include how to wire the electrics? I have just finished building the sector plate on my micro and have been wondering whether to start a new thread or append it to this one. I too have found little on the web on making a sector plate so I think my notes are more useful here. I made the deck from 3 mm thick plywood (it is a very small sector plate) and I used a steel ball with a spring and some washers as a rudimentary indexing system. Here are a couple of photos ...I have posted more details of it with my layout web page at http://www.castellybwrdd.co.uk ... there is an internal jump near the top of the page to 'sector plate'. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunmar Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 Hi, My traverser is set up on 3 drawer runners purchased from B+Q and the electrics are simply a plug and socket from Maplin! ( and I don't work for any of them! . See pics! Bill. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattWallace Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 This is awesome, lots of ideas for me for my traverser here, thanks guys! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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