Izzy
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Blog Comments posted by Izzy
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Quite a few modellers I understand use 3mm scale S&W's in 4mm, smaller and less obvious. When I decided I needed to fit some type of auto-coupling rather than carry on with 3-links my first thought was to get some. But as someone whose main scale these days is 2mm/2FS I already had some of the 2mm size ones I had tried before choosing D&G's as better for that scale. So I thought I'd give them a go. But to do so meant making a few alterations.
Obviously as they are made to suit 2mm the hooks are a lot smaller so much finer wire needs to be used for the loops. I chose 0.3mm/30swg phosphor bronze simply because I had several coils of it. Mainly coming with the packs of 2mm DG's I get..... As the hooks are just 2mm deep there is far less leeway with differing loop heights so care is needed here.
Since the hooks haven't enough length to work in 4mm with the pivot holes these need moving back by about 2mm. Drill new ones and then file away the excess in front of them.
The pivot holes need to be at the headstock to get enough clearance over the buffer heads, so the hooks stick out far enough even with moving the pivot point back like this. The pivot loops are more of the PB wire. 0.3mm holes drilled into the headstocks into which they are pushed. How much lower than the underside of the headstock they are determines the height at which the leading edge of the hook rests. If the headstock is too thin then pad it out with plasticard at the rear before drilling. To give balance weight to the hook I add the etched fixture plate soldered onto the rear crossways.
As I wanted to try and just use small 6mm round magnets fitted in-between the sleepers I ditched ideas of using links and instead solder soft iron wire onto the hook and angle it forward so both are pulled down at the same time.
I also angle the hooks to one side so they don't catch each other on curved track.
In use I have found that the fineness of the hooks etc. the small measure of leeway, tends to mean they can un-couple over fixed magnets when not wanted, so I would suggest that they need to be used only with electro magnets so this doesn't occur.
I can't do this, fit these, the layout baseboard design won't allow it, so having removed the permanent magnets, and made magnet 'paddle sticks' ( from the old 3-link coupling hooks) using thin disc magnets to un-couple stock in the fiddle yard also now use this method on the layout itself. I just poke them under the couplings and the rolling stock can be moved apart while they are pulled down.
Rather crude and simple, but easy to do. For a purely home based layout it's all I need, not much different to using 3-links but far, far easier!
Anyway, hope this is of help and interest.
Bob
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To use the 2mm SW's for 4mm you need to make a few alterations. I can post a few shots of these, how I've done it, and what they look like, but wouldn't want to do that on your blog unless that is okay with you Mikkel.
Bob
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If there is sufficient space to add a decent amount of weight - it’s surprising just how much weight even an etched body has when it’s finished - then I think this kind of mix is a good idea if the body material isn’t that hard and easily fractured type. All the 3D printed details I’ve tried to use to date have suffered this and been ditched as not useable. Perhaps I’ve just been unlucky. Certainly having all the splasher details attached and ready to glue onto the etched footplate in one go seems great. Will certainly look forward to seeing it finished.
Bob
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If you look through the hand built track & Templot section here you will I think find plenty of help with regard to basic bullhead construction using chairs. @hayfield has just added a thread which is probably all you need.
https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/168596-easy-and-cheap-built-turnout-point/
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If you don't mind me saying I think the 'simple' track design looks better whatever the gauge you decide to use. Doesn't look so bunched up, flows better with larger curvature to the pointwork. I'm not sure what the single slip and 3-way bring to the party except perhaps added complication. But then I am a 'less is more' follower.
Bob
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I have found all this very useful, having found the need to fit some type of auto-couplings on my 4mm/P4 shunting plank, my eyesight no longer being up to the job of using 3-links.
As there was the requirement to retro-fit magnets into the track as electro-magnets were not an option, after some experimentation I have gone for the combination of 6mm x 6mm rod ones - they will just fit between the sleepers - and the 2mm mk3 S&W's. I had these for my 2mm scale modelling before deciding DG's were better in this scale so thought I'd try using them in 4mm given the size issues with even the 3mm/4mm ones. With some alteration they enable quite close coupling and look slightly less obvious. Having spent a modelling lifetime getting free running rolling stock the biggest challenge perhaps has been to make them the opposite so the S&W's work properly all the time, no random un-coupling when not wanted! What fun......but worth it in the end.
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I've built several layouts in various scales in the last few years that are 60" long, all thin plank types no wider than 11". They have been produced in a mountboard/foamcore layered mix for strength and lightness and are fine to move around vertically, which seems the best orientation. I'm not sure how easy to move ones quite a bit wider would be but I have tried longer lengths and found them a bit too unwieldy. It's okay when just flat boards but once you add depth through buildings/scenery it changes how they can be held and gets awkward. Being able to get through doorways is key for me.
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I know people do body mount them on coaches/diesels but I’m afraid I don’t know what the track radius limits might be through pointwork and curves etc so thought it worth mentioning. I’m afraid I use quite tight radius so it’s not an option for me.
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With regard to the coupling height datum, normally the default is hard up against the underside of the wagon headstock, but if you intend running bogie stock of any kind, either coaches or diesels, you might want to consider fitting the DG’s on the bogies, in which case the coupling height level for all the stock would need to be lower. This has a knock-on in that the loop tails need to be shorter as well to avoid them catching the track when lifted. IIRC my setting to do all this is around 1mm lower than standard. Oh, and the delay latches don’t work/can’t be fitted on coaches with corridor connections.....(they can’t lift high enough - bump their heads).
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Terry, you are correct in that the ones in the OP are the wrong way around. Either the shoes and push rods need reversing, or a Morton lever instead of a standard one fitted.
Izzy
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Make sure the lay shaft with the wormwheel has a little bit of play so it spins easily. I have found this to often be the biggest cause of less than brilliant running. Either I’ve made the muff too tight a fit, or somewhere along the line bent the top of the chassis inwards to cause excess friction. The difference can be quite remarkable......
Izzy
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I do really like your baseboard design and construction. Looks good and strong/rigid. Although I used to model in 7mm in the 90’s, (still packed away in the loft!), when I went into my local shop the other day I was amazed how big the 08’s were.
The idea of having sound decoders hooked up to the track for output seems a very simple and clever idea. With the Hornby TTS decoders just giving them the same address will work and sync the with diesel locos. They do them for the 08 at present, and 31/37’s .... Oh dear it’s giving me ideas....
Izzy
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I must admit to a wry smile when I read the comment about foamboard before ply. I now never get past that first stage, using both it and mountboard as the sole materials for my baseboards proper. Makes them nice and light and easy to move, which is what I need these days.
It’s all looking very good anyway.
Izzy
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That looks a smashing design, a kind of railways-in-the-landscape in a minimal space. I look forward to seeing it progress as it really seems worth pursuing.
With regard to the Cl 37 iffy running, I know space might be tight in the bodies, but would some measure of stay-alive help at all - unless they are already fitted. It's quite amazing the difference they can make, but may depend on the sound decoder type fitted.
Izzy
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Machine Mart do a 10 piece diamond needle file set for £8.39. I got a set a few years back so just checked they still sell them. Okay, not as fine as some others I have, quite coarse by comparison (they are usually classed in grit sizes), but don’t be fooled by the price as for many jobs - like the one being discussed, they do the job needed.
If you have to use a cutting disc in a mini-drill then hold the end of the motor shaft in either a pin chuck or a vice. They will act like a heat sink and keep the heat level of the shaft down.
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If I need to cut a motor shaft these days I now always use a diamond needle file of some shape. Cuts quickly and neatly but generates no heat.
Izzy
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Oh dear, what a really mixed bag these locos are. These designs seem to be 4mm versions of those used in some Dapol N gauge locos such as the pannier, which appeared while DJ was there. Similar issues exist when the motors fail and need replacing as they are glued into the bodies according to threads I have read.....
While I do hope it works out I wonder whether the small 10x15 Mashima, which is often used in N to re-motor UM tender drives, will have enough oomph to power the loco even coupled to a 60-1 roadrunner +.
Izzy
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Hi John,
Before you tackle putting the wheel sets together could I suggest you check the crank position on the axles. My experience has been that although you would think that they need to be hard up against the axle shoulder, as you have done - which them means trimming back the ends of the axles for clearance for the coupling rods - the cranks need to be at the end of the axles to provide sufficient clearance for the frames to sit between the wheels and cranks. Hate for you to trim the axles and then find you need new wheels because of the above.
Regards,
Izzy
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I fully understand your dismay. It is never nice when confronted with things like this having spent a considerable sum of money.
If I am correct I believe the problem may lie with the Heljan diesel loco that you used. I understand that they have a reputation, certainly the early ones, for drawing high levels of current, much more than most RTR and way above the safe limit levels of most/the average DCC decoder, but which can vary between different ones anyway.
If you have a spare length of track, and a different loco (perhaps non Heljan?), could I I suggest that you give it another try just using this, to see if you get a different result.
Izzy
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A lot of the problems with non-running Farish Diesels with circuit boards can be traced to the 'fingers' that take the power to the motor contacts. Often these don't work/transfer the current. I often now hard wire from the CB to the motor to prevent this re-occuring.
Izzy
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I have just done the same re-jig of the handrails on a 65477. Well worth the effort. Having also converted it to P4 I would warn that you might find the space under the footplate limited for both wheel and coupling rod clearance. Burrs and a mini-drill come in very handy.............
Izzy
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Gosh, those pins are long aren't they, meant no doubt to be used with baseboards of differing thickness without problems. Pity they don't just adjust in height with a screw fixing. Instead of cutting the pins short, an alternative might be to use a packing piece between the board if there is the clearance room underneath. Might be simpler/easier as I know the pins are made of a fairly hard metal.........
Izzy
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I've always found it helps to clean up the machined face of the axles that the brass insert seats onto. More often than not there was the odd burr there that just needed knocking off and then they ran quite true. Sounds daft I know but mounting and de-mounting a few times also helps take any rough edges off the brass insert and gets the screw to seat into it without too much pressure otherwise being countersunk they can also tend to pull off-centre.
Izzy
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I think it might be an advantage if you were to post this as a question in the DCC questions thread where I am sure you would get plenty of helpful advice.
Izzy
Sprat & Winkle couplings
in The Farthing layouts
A blog by Mikkel in RMweb Blogs
Posted
Thanks Mikkel. Should add the magnets are glued on using Evostick for a bit of resilience. These thin type magnets can fracture quite easily under force and it usually stays a bit rubbery if put on thickly which you need to do to get a good fix on the brass wire rod.
Bob