Tool for cutting holes for point motors?

Suggest or recommend suitable tools for use in constructing your model railway.
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Brian
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Re: Tool for cutting holes for point motors?

#11

Post by Brian »

Hi
Seep/Gaugemaster PM1, PM2 and PM4 motors are notorious for needing 100% alignment under the baseboard with the point moving Stretcher/tie bar above. They can frequently cause more issues than owners wish for!
The Gaugemaster PM10 is much like the Hornby R8014 and Peco PL10 versions.
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Walkingthedog
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Re: Tool for cutting holes for point motors?

#12

Post by Walkingthedog »

£3-50 at Hattons
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teedoubleudee
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Re: Tool for cutting holes for point motors?

#13

Post by teedoubleudee »

Tricky Dicky wrote: Sun Sep 06, 2020 7:25 am For something small like a rectangular point motor hole, I would suggest a multi tool eg.

https://www.screwfix.com/c/tools/multi-tools/cat830708

They work by vibrating a blade side to side by no more than a millimetre and literally saw their way down, no hole drilling to insert jigsaw blades. I use one constantly to saw T&G floorboards to split them on the joist so no need to use battens when replacing the board. I got a cheap one at Lidl about 5 years back as an experiment having never understood their use, now it is my go to tool for all those awkward cutting jobs. When I demolished my old garage removing the cement asbestos roof was made easy because I could cut the nails in the corrugations without touching the asbestos.

Richard
Thanks Richard, you just cost me £60 :lol: Decided this is a tool I can't do without LOL!
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Re: Tool for cutting holes for point motors?

#14

Post by Tricky Dicky »

teedoubleudee wrote: Sun Sep 06, 2020 11:01 am
Tricky Dicky wrote: Sun Sep 06, 2020 7:25 am For something small like a rectangular point motor hole, I would suggest a multi tool eg.

https://www.screwfix.com/c/tools/multi-tools/cat830708

They work by vibrating a blade side to side by no more than a millimetre and literally saw their way down, no hole drilling to insert jigsaw blades. I use one constantly to saw T&G floorboards to split them on the joist so no need to use battens when replacing the board. I got a cheap one at Lidl about 5 years back as an experiment having never understood their use, now it is my go to tool for all those awkward cutting jobs. When I demolished my old garage removing the cement asbestos roof was made easy because I could cut the nails in the corrugations without touching the asbestos.

Richard
Thanks Richard, you just cost me £60 :lol: Decided this is a tool I can't do without LOL!
You will not regret it Terry. You will wonder why you never got one sooner! I bought mine from Lidl for £29.99 a while back and I have used it for all sorts of jobs even ones I do not think it was designed for. Even if it packed up tomorrow I would think I have had my money’s worth out of it and would be down the road to get another. For replacement blades can I recommend Saxon Blades for quick reliable service and good quality blades at competitive prices, they supplied the metal cutting blades I used on the hundreds of 6mm nails I cut to remove the old garage roof. If I recall I think I did the lot using only two blades.

Enjoy your new purchase :D

Richard
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Walkingthedog
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Re: Tool for cutting holes for point motors?

#15

Post by Walkingthedog »

If you tape a small tinlet of paint to the blade it make a great job of mixing it instead of stirring it.

Make sure the lid is secure first :D
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teedoubleudee
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Re: Tool for cutting holes for point motors?

#16

Post by teedoubleudee »

Walkingthedog wrote: Sun Sep 06, 2020 12:26 pm If you tape a small tinlet of paint to the blade it make a great job of mixing it instead of stirring it.

Make sure the lid is secure first :D
Thanks for the tip WTD :D
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mijj
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Re: Tool for cutting holes for point motors?

#17

Post by mijj »

teedoubleudee wrote: Sun Sep 06, 2020 12:29 pm
Walkingthedog wrote: Sun Sep 06, 2020 12:26 pm If you tape a small tinlet of paint to the blade it make a great job of mixing it instead of stirring it.

Make sure the lid is secure first :D
Thanks for the tip WTD :D
Yes, thanks for that :) . I'll make sure the lid is on tight. :lol: .
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Steve M
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Re: Tool for cutting holes for point motors?

#18

Post by Steve M »

If you have access to a plunge router with this type of bit it would be very easy to make a quide in a piece of 12mm ply. Cut a hole the right size in the ply first then screw the ply to the baseboard while making repeatable cuts with the router. Unscrew the template and reposition for the next hole.
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darkscot
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Re: Tool for cutting holes for point motors?

#19

Post by darkscot »

I bought the tool below off Amazon and so far I am very impressed, especially as I only paid £25 for it as I had a voucher. Even at full price I would have been happy, but I see at the moment it is at a special price of £30 for the next three hours.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N34GP13/ ... FbKMHCZNS

It is certainly not top quality, but as I said, for the price it takes some beating.
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Re: Tool for cutting holes for point motors?

#20

Post by Tricky Dicky »

darkscot wrote: Sat Sep 12, 2020 8:04 pm I bought the tool below off Amazon and so far I am very impressed, especially as I only paid £25 for it as I had a voucher. Even at full price I would have been happy, but I see at the moment it is at a special price of £30 for the next three hours.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N34GP13/ ... FbKMHCZNS

It is certainly not top quality, but as I said, for the price it takes some beating.
It will be interesting to see how you get on, I have a Dremel with similar accessories and I have to say it struggles with anything of thickness.

Richard
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