Model Railway Forum

These or similar are what I use (Image below).
New Example link
7" (175mm) Blue Spot Side Cutters. Low cost and effective drive pin cutting. Had them for ten plus years and cut hundreds of Peco and Seep drive pins on my own and club layouts.

Always securely hold the end of the pin in between thumb and finger of one hand and cutters in other or lay a cloth over the pin before cutting - stops the pin flying off.

Personally and after melting a brand new Peco points tie bars drive hole to an elongated shape, I stopped using a Dremel drill with slitting disk. The pin quickly heats so be warned!

For hard wires used on point motors etc I use these https://www.expotools.com/cgi-bin/sh000 ... tml#SID=97

Had them for sometime and still in excellent condition with no damage from cutting piano wire etc.

Paul

I made the same mistake cutting the pins on Cobalt motors. I now use a cheap B&Q cross cutter . Pins are cut with the motor in situ and tested to be working OK. If any further height reduction is needed a cheap Dremel type drill and grinding attachment are deployed. Incidentally I have found a local aero modelling shop a useful source of supply of suitable piano wire should a new pin be needed e.g after moving a motor. Much easier than trying to locate an already shortened pin if working from under the baseboard!

I use those expo ones linked above, not found anything they can't cut without any sign of damage.

Paul-H wrote: ↑Sun Nov 10, 2019 9:19 pm I use those expo ones linked above, not found anything they can't cut without any sign of damage.

Ebay sell them at £17 inc P&P "Every little helps"

Just used mine to chop up and old rabbit cage which was made from 1/8 wire, they chopped through that lot without breaking sweat.

They will be the last set of pliers you will buy so well worth the money.

Paul-H wrote: ↑Mon Nov 11, 2019 9:49 pm Just used mine to chop up and old rabbit cage which was made from 1/8 wire, they chopped through that lot without breaking sweat.

They will be the last set of pliers you will buy so well worth the money.

Laugh! i read that as the rabbits didn't break a sweat. Not sure how accurate a rabbit would be on my points.

It's a pity the manufacturers did not secure the pins in the armatures with a grubscrew rather than an interference fit then no cutting would be needed except that SEEP and Peco motors would have to be side mounted. I suppose it keeps the costs down not too.

Richard

Reading this topic so may I ask a question.
I have just ordered some Peco track to get ready for track laying soon and was talking to a friend of mine who convinced me I should buy some track cutters. He said there are two types. One which cuts across the sides of the rails and the other which cuts down from top to bottom of the rails.
As I have never had track cutters before so does anyone have any recomendation which type are the best buy. I have alway cut my track with a fine cut junior saw in the past but cutters seems better idea. (OO Peco Flexi)

The vertical cutting version are best if you are cutting track that is already laid. Horizontal cutters for track which has not yet been laid, often while holding the track in your hands.