Securing servo mounts under layout to plywood

videobruce Dec 26, 2021

  1. videobruce

    videobruce TrainBoard Member

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    Details;
    N scale, Peco electrofrog turnouts (around 57 yard & main), Motrak servo mounts, SG90 type servos, 3/8" plywood, 1/2 foam board, cork roadbed. Holes drilled under the throw rods, but they maybe too small and all are not 'dead center'.

    The only two ways I can think of are screws or hot glue, both with substantial disadvantages;

    Screws; they need to be drilled first after marking the EXACT location of the holes. Self taping screws don't make holes in plywood w/o a lot of pressure which will not work here.
    Hot glue; concerned about when it oozes out and/or gets on your fingers and sliding the mount around to position it.

    I tried looking around for small self drilling screws, but couldn't find anything. My concern for the hot glue other then above is the setup time after you apply the glue to the underside of the mount and tiring to line up the piano wire thru the hole on the base AND the hole on the 'horn'.

    I also thought about double stick tape, but I can't see it sticking to typical rough surface plywood.



    servo piano wire holes 02.JPG Servo Base setup 1 small.JPG
     
    Last edited: Dec 26, 2021
  2. Sumner

    Sumner TrainBoard Member

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    If you didn't see my reply on the other forum let me know,

    Sumner
     
  3. jamescoleman1960

    jamescoleman1960 TrainBoard Member

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    use double stick tape to position your servo mount then put screws in that way it is mounted solidly
     
    Rick Norell, Graff and Doug Gosha like this.
  4. videobruce

    videobruce TrainBoard Member

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    I'm sure the tape will stick to the mount ok, but to painted (primer) rough surface plywood??
     
  5. Shortround

    Shortround TrainBoard Member

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    I wouldn't use just tape to hold such a device. Even if the plywood is primered and painted. The tape is for stable displays.
     
  6. videobruce

    videobruce TrainBoard Member

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    There is something called "Alien Tape" ($20 for 3 10' rolls) that supposedly has a holding power of 17 lbs (claimed), but even so, once in place one can't move/adjust/tweak the servo base position.

    If those holes for the mount would of been further than what they are from the corners, one could just enlarge then to allow movement, but that could cause the base to slide around if the screws loosen up.
     
  7. videobruce

    videobruce TrainBoard Member

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    Correction to the above.
    After going ahead and purchasing the '3 pack' (three 10' rolls of the double sided tape) it appears you can temporary place the servo mount in place, lightly press it into place and test the position.
    IF it needs to be 'tweaked' a little you can remove the mount (with the tape attached) and move it slightly. IF that location works, you then can press hard on both side of the mount to secure it to the board.

    The tape is a very clear 2mm thick, very flexible material that has a peal off layer on one side. I cut the piece for the 1 1/2" square Motrak mount in half to allow a unrestricted opening for the music/piano wire to go thru. I left the mount w the servo attached for a couple of weeks and I found the mount be be very secure. (so far).
    A second mount I did the same, but after the 2 weeks, I pulled off the mount and it did take off the paint (flat primer) for the sheet of plywood. T discarded that piece of tape since it couldn't be re-used again.

    It appears this may work, it's a lot less messy than using a hot glue gun and no messing around tiring to drill pilot holes.
     
  8. Todd Hackett

    Todd Hackett TrainBoard Member

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