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STEP 6
Now You'll want to hook the wires back up to the switch machine, hope you remembered which ones go on which side. One important thing
to remember is that you will be flipping the switch machine over so that the back faces up, so taking that into consideration
connect your wires. Once you have that done stick the switch lever into the notch on the arm you've decided to use, in this example
I used the furthest away from the tracks (remember the switch machine should be upside down). Be sure not to push the lever
to far up into the arm or it will cause problems in a minute and you'll be taking it out. Now go grab some small
finishing nails, we'll use these to hold it in place for testing, place them in the holes that normally would be used for
screws.
After doing this let's take a minute and talk about the switch machine, they are the most temperamental gadgets
I've dealt with, start testing the switch. Make sure the lever moves the arm of the switch. If it doesn't, pull one of the nails
up and shift the position slightly left, right, or pull the lever out a little from the arm. While holding it, test the switch again.
Once your getting consistent results, put the nail back in to hold it in that position.
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STEP 7
Now we'll start covering this thing up. Get your double-faced tape, the stuff with a thin plastic backing that you peel
off, usually is white. Cut all your pieces longer than the area we are going to cover. Starting with the first piece on the outside
end of the switch machine, place one end of it right at the edge of the switch machine up where the lever comes out, as in the
photo to the right. Rub it down to make sure that it's stuck to it and the foam nice and good. Ok, now test your switch again.
If it starts giving you problems just wiggle it a bit then test again.
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STEP 8
If the switch machine is working good then apply another piece of tape on the opposite side of the switch machine. Should be the
side closest to the tracks (the harder one). This piece you want to place just like before, one end right at the edge of the
machine where the lever comes out. The only catch is that this piece you may have to tuck one side of the tape under the ties
of the track.
So, you may be wondering why are you using this tape and not another? Well, the answer is simple, this tape,
with that thin plastic peel-off backing is durable and does not flex when you put glue on it, it stays the same shape it was when
you put it down even after the glue dries.
Test your switch again.
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STEP 9
Place another piece in the center part, overlapping the first two you put down, doing the same as before start up at the edge of
the switch machine where the arm comes out once you have the first three down, test your switch. Then put the rest down but the
only difference with the remainder is that you don't need to start up at the edge of the switch. From here on out your just using the
tape like sculpta mold, your just smoothing it out. Once you have the whole thing covered it should look kind of like the photo to the
right.
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STEP 10
From here you can start applying scenery, which I will cover in the next few days / weeks. BUT to sum it up without photos here are some
key points to remember:
- You can paint the tape, I found air brush works best.
- Be sure to paint around the arm and lever, unless you like pink :)
- BE CAREFUL WHEN USING THE GLUE! do not get ANY glue on the lever or arm
- BE AWARE OF ALL MOVING PARTS! otherwise your in for a longer project.
- Use your finger and gently spread some elmer's glue on the tape and only the tape and foam leaving an area around where the
arm and lever work untouched
- spread your ground cover of choice
- Let it dry over night
After it drys, you guessed it, test the switch. It may need some messaging (a little help at first). If you laid ballast around
the tracks and between the ties, take a small "clean" paint brush and clean out any scenery that maybe messing with the moving parts
of the switch. The area you left untouched, you can sprinkle "a little" scenery material on and around it BUT NO GLUE!! Then, test the
switch. In the end you should have a near flat surface with a "thing" that looks a lot closer to the real thing than those big black boxes.
To see how some of mine turned out check out my layout page
here
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