Guide Wire Size used with Faller groove cutter

Michael B

I'm new to this forum so I hope I don't get post in wrong place. I bought Faller N scale car system since I have a long road layout planed, I bought Faller 161669 groove cutter but I can't find the guide wire 161670 locally & shipping from over seas runs the price to a $1 per foot, way to much money. I'm hoping someone here has this groove cutter & can tell me what music wire diameter (mm wire) is use with this tool. Maybe I can get music wire locally once I have the mm diameter of wire.

Thanks Michael

el Gato Gordo

Welcome, Michael -

Good to have another N scaler!  And doing the car system, too!

First, a question.  When you say you bought the "car system" did you buy a starter set?  If so, doesn't it come with 10 meters of wire?

Either way, I'll be glad to send you the wire size shortly.  There is a good discussion of the car system, mostly HO, under the Members section of this Forum.  Some folks prefer to use magnet wire, though I've never tried it.

Next time I go out to the barn (where the train stuff is), I'll put a micrometer on the wire and let you know.

Michael B

Thanks Markus, You wouldn't believe how hard this has been finding wire size, it must be top secret stuff.

Even though I got the Faller 161669 groove tool, which works great, but pricey. They didn't have any road wire or starter kits. Everything is back ordered in US. Sorry it took me so long to get back, but I didn't get a reply email, just happen to check back to forum. Thanks a million Michael

Michael B

Thanks Gordon for the welcome, seem like a nice group here. I'm mainly into the train part of N scale, but these cars caught my eye so I thought I would give them a try. Hobby shops in US are out of Tomytec & Faller stuff all the time, because China & Germany only send partial orders. You can skip that trip to the barn, because Markus was quick to find the answer. Thanks anyway.  Later Michael 

Michael B

Markus you must have wire from something else other than Faller car system. I ordered 200 ft of 1 mm wire & it is way larger than what Faller groove cutting tool does for Faller car system wire.

Thanks for trying anyway. 

Michael B

Gordon I still again need to know the diameter of Faller brand wire for car system. I know now 1 mm is to large for groove cut by Faller tool, that's made for that purpose. If you have genuine Faller car system wire in your barn, I would like to hear from you when you get a chance. I would also appreciate knowing if you do not have Faller wire, so I can look else where.

Thanks Michael

el Gato Gordo

Okay, I'll be out there a little later.

Michael B

Markus since I last posted, someone else told me the wire is 1 mm diameter also. I must be doing something wrong. The cutter blade is only .59 mm wide & when I tried pushing 1 mm in groove it wouldn't go, even hit it with hammer & still was above wood. The tool came with no instructions that help, so I'm guess how this is done.

Is the correct wire soft steel or music wire? Can you tell me what I'm doing wrong? 

Thanks Michael

el Gato Gordo

The wire fits neatly into the groove made by the cutter, even in plywood. Check your messages. I'll mail you my leftover wire. Battery is out on my micrometer.

el Gato Gordo

Mailed the wire today. You should have it by Saturday.