Large Scale Central

Ozark Harp Switch stand

Track and Trestles
#1

Does anybody have a picture of the Ozark Miniature harp switch stand?

Any one dimension so I can estimate the scale would be helpful also. I know they came in different sizes but I don’t want it to be to wrong. It needs to look believable in 1:20.3.

Butch

#2

I’ve attached a picture, let me know if you need more info.

#3

I have found Ozark’s metal to be too soft for this type of application. I would recommend a brass switch stand such as Sunset Valleys or LLagas Creek.

http://www.sunsetvalleyrailroad.com/switches.html

http://www.llagastrack.com/collections/turnout-components/products/switch-stand-kit

#4

I agree with John and it was never my intent to actually use it for actually operating a switch. My plan is to attach it to the switch’s throw and have it just move when the switch is thrown by the below table Tortoise switch machine. I think that will probably work since the Tortoise is pretty “torquey” and the stand is pretty low friction. Another item on my rather long list of to-dos.

I also have the SVRR stands that I intend to do the same with.

#5

Thanks

My intention is like Mark’s. the Ozark harp will just tag along with the points as a show function. The actual operating mechanism will be else where.

Butch

#6

You can always make a new target and shaft for it if it looks a little short for your tastes. The shaft is brass which is stuck into the whitemetal casting for the part that goes into the harp part of the stand.

Later,

K

#7

I initially tried to remove the target for painting but it appears to have been cast onto the shaft. I gave up since I was bending the target (only gripped with fingers on target with shaft in a vise) and didn’t want to potentially fatigue and crack it. Maybe I gave up too easily?

(http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-yell.gif)<==<< Look on my face during attempted removal.

As usual, your mileage may vary.

#8

If you have any guest operators, you need to tell them to NOT try and throw the switch using the switch-stand. I have heard some stories (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-undecided.gif)about that happening on others’ layouts.

#9

Coming in a little late to this discussion, but I have a set of Ozark stands that I’m using to indicate direction (not to throw the points) in this fashion.

The switch is run by a Tam Valley micro singlet, housed in that brown styrene box on the left. The harp stand just shows the throw direction. Here’s a video of my test setup:

I have some more info about the setup on my site

#10

very nice Dan, is it track powered from DCC, and how did you waterproof the board and servo?

Thanks, Greg

#11

EDIT

#12

Butch Huvaere said:

Does anybody have a picture of the Ozark Miniature harp switch stand?

Any one dimension so I can estimate the scale would be helpful also. I know they came in different sizes but I don’t want it to be to wrong. It needs to look believable in 1:20.3.

Butch

Welcome Butch!

#13

Dan Hall said:

Coming in a little late to this discussion, but I have a set of Ozark stands that I’m using to indicate direction (not to throw the points) in this fashion.

The switch is run by a Tam Valley micro singlet, housed in that brown styrene box on the left. The harp stand just shows the throw direction. Here’s a video of my test setup:

I have some more info about the setup on my site

Welcome Dan

#14

I took a look on your site Dan, could you give some closeups of the “clip” showing how it attaches to the switch and tube?

Also, did you put plasticdip over the pushbuttons? How do they move if covered with plasticdip?

Thanks, Greg

#15

Greg Elmassian said:

I took a look on your site Dan, could you give some closeups of the “clip” showing how it attaches to the switch and tube?

Also, did you put plasticdip over the pushbuttons? How do they move if covered with plasticdip?

Thanks, Greg

Hi Greg,

As you guessed, the whole thing is powered from the track. I have two wires running alongside the tube between the box that houses the singlet and the switch. The wires attach on the switch end with soldered-on ring connectors in split-jaw rail clamps. So power and signal are over those two wires. It’s pretty convenient, because it means no additional wiring/pneumatics/whatever to the switch locations. That’s the main reason I’m trying this…

As for construction, I’ll grab some photos of it this afternoon as that would be better than a description… the “clip” is hard to explain. There’s a flat piece of brass stock soldered to the tube. It has pins in the bottom of it that go into the screw holes in the tops of the ties. Then there’s a brass “loop” that goes around the whole thing (stock and ties) that holds the brass piece down so the pins don’t come out. This keeps the whole thing together, but makes it really easy to remove if something goes wrong. Like I said, a picture would be better.

The waterproofing was done by dipping the servo and singlet–I held the singlet by the servo connectors so they (and the screw terminals) were above the plastidip. Both of them are pretty much completely coated. The singlet fascia controller I dipped the back and did the “front” with a paintbrush. I painted right over the push button housings, though not all the way up the plastic posts. The plastidip is flexible enough (or the switches sensitive enough) that they still work–although they’re stiff. I don’t expect to use the switches much (and probably never in the one installed location–it’s out in the middle of the layout) so I wasn’t too worried even if they had stopped working.

#16

Thanks Dan, was wondering about the switches, they would be a place to attract and hold moisture, I believe they are small snap types with a flexible metal disk… good to know you could waterproof them and the switches still worked.

Will look forward to the “clip”

Thanks again,

Greg

#17

Greg–here are a couple of photos

As I said, the point of doing it this way was to make for easy removal. I had screwed my original test version to the plastic ties, but I didn’t like seeing the big stainless screws and it didn’t seem like it would hold up if there were repeated removals/installs.

Once this is ballasted, it should mostly be hidden.

#18

Butch Huvaere said:

Does anybody have a picture of the Ozark Miniature harp switch stand?

Any one dimension so I can estimate the scale would be helpful also. I know they came in different sizes but I don’t want it to be to wrong. It needs to look believable in 1:20.3.

Butch

Wondering if you found the answer as to what you asked Butch?