# Groundthrows



## Brendan (Jan 12, 2008)

I build my own turnouts with a fair amount of sucess. However I've had trouble with ground throws. I have a large amount of turnouts and I can't afford the cost of proprietory ground throws. 
Has anyone any ideas on scratchbuilding ground throws.


----------



## Bruce Chandler (Jan 2, 2008)

I built some out of brass pieces.










There's some more info over at my Web site

I've since gone with a bit thicker piece of brass around the vertical rod. These cost less than $1 each to make.


----------



## Dean Whipple (Jan 2, 2008)

For a how-to check out my *D.I.Y. switch stand's*


----------



## Brendan (Jan 12, 2008)

Thanks Bruce and Dean that info really helps and given me some ideas but how are your switchstands connected to the throwbars?


----------



## Bruce Chandler (Jan 2, 2008)

Brendan,

I use some music wire that I bought at the local hobby shop. It's rather springy, and you need a good set of cutters to get through it.

I bent it to shape:











The "v" helps to equalize the throw a bit. In this case the "v" is vertical as I didn't have enough room between the ties to make it horizontal.


I used a brass strip to act as the throw bar. When installing, I put the points about midway between the stock rails and set the switchstand midway and then screw the stand in place.


----------



## SE18 (Feb 21, 2008)

Bruce,

Would that be the technique one would use to build an automatic spring switch (for example if you have a loop and want the train to come back around and out of the loop to the single track without throwing a switch)?

Is it stainless steel to avoid rusting?


----------



## Bruce Chandler (Jan 2, 2008)

I've not built an automatic spring switch, so I'd be the wrong person to advise you on that.

I thought it was stainless, but I've had a few rust out; and I've got so many different pieces of wire that I am never sure which I used last. I suspect I should get more organized.


----------



## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Spring Switches;
I have a reverse loop and have a spring switch controller. There are two ways to do it; 1. the points go all the way or 2. they open and then close back the way they were. 
Unfortunately my PC crashed that has photos, BUT there is a thread here that covers it. Look under Spring Swiches 

I wanted the kind that snaps over so the next train goes the opposit way around the loop. It's real simple to make. 
Take a piece of stiff wire (I used brass while 'figgering' and have spring wire to make the production run). Take a 2 1/2 " of wire make a 70degree bend in the middle, and at the ends make 2 90degree bends on a plane 90 degrees to the middle bend. Laid on the ties you should see a wide V and the bent ends go into holes drilled into one tie and the throwbar. Where isn't as important as the distance from one rail, the holes should be parallel to the stock rail and slightly closer than the ends of the spring. When installed the spring should be under slight compression. Don't worry about the spring length as much as centering the holes in the tie. The angle of the center bend isn't critical and can easily be adjusted to span the gap under compression. Open or close as needed. 

Fine tuning; for the wheels to activate it, keep the spring tension as light as possible. Too stiff a spring and you'll have wheels on the ties. 

Visualise a staight wire (stuck into a tie) and see as the end describes an arc as it moves from side to side, while the throwbar traveles in a straight line, at the center of the throw the spring in the throw bar must compress slightly and as it moves past center it springs open and pushes the points across to the other rail. 

Ah hah! got 2 cells to fire and remembered this link; 

http://i577.photobucket.com/albums/ss218/Totalwrecker/Springswitch.jpg 

Mine is outside, the throwbar must be clean and easy to throw so keep the ballast low and out of the throways. 

John


----------



## SE18 (Feb 21, 2008)

thanks, John for the link. Oh, forgot to say "good job" on the switch stands, Bruce, et al


----------



## Dean Whipple (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Brendan on 08 Jul 2009 06:26 AM 
Thanks Bruce and Dean that info really helps and given me some ideas but how are your switchstands connected to the throwbars? 
My connection to the switch stand is the same as Bruce's and yes it's stainless steel....


----------



## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

Hey Dean

Just a FYI the Mike Gray link is no longer valid.


----------



## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By SE18 on 08 Jul 2009 07:20 AM 
{snip...}[/i] Would that be the technique one would use to build an automatic spring switch (for example if you have a loop and want the train to come back around and out of the loop to the single track without throwing a switch)? {snip...}[/i] Dave

Here's a link to some other methods, including a spring switch made from a safety pin. *MLS Archives/Topic: Ground Throw Development*


----------



## Dean Whipple (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By SteveC on 08 Jul 2009 10:34 AM 
Hey Dean

Just a FYI the Mike Gray link is no longer valid.









Thanks Steve....If anyone knows Mike Gray's current web site address let me know, his website also had some great speeders on it....


----------



## Brendan (Jan 12, 2008)

Thanks everyone for the advise. I'm inspired and I'm off to the shed.


----------

