JohnBS Posted June 22, 2016 Share Posted June 22, 2016 Hello everyone, I'm sure we have all discovered various techniques that we use to accomplish tasks in our model making. I am starting this thread so they can be shared, hopefully for mutual benefit. Best wishes, John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnBS Posted June 22, 2016 Author Share Posted June 22, 2016 Cutting pins, etc. I often need to cut down or behead pins. The method I use depends on the nature of the metal. For Peco track pins and lacemakers' pins (bendable), most cutters will be fine but hardened steel dressmakers' pins will rapidly blunt or nick even the best Xurion cutter. For these, I use a pair of needle-nosed pliers to hold the pin at the point to divide it, then snap off the remainder. Alternatively, and for piano wire or guitar strings, I use a cutting disc (carborundum or diamond). John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Ian Morgan Posted June 23, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 23, 2016 I often use a small triangular file to file a nick in one side of piano wire or steel hypodermic needles before snapping with pliers. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crosland Posted June 23, 2016 Share Posted June 23, 2016 I have posted this elsewhere but, when building from an etch, I use a narrow strip of fine wet and dry paper to open out slots that have etched too small for the mating tab. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkshire Square Posted June 23, 2016 Share Posted June 23, 2016 I have posted this elsewhere but, when building from an etch, I use a narrow strip of fine wet and dry paper to open out slots that have etched too small for the mating tab. Nice one. Alternatively (especially in 2mm) make a small file/flat broach by filing an edge on a bit of scrap etch. This can be worked in and out to remove excess material. Not my original idea, pinched from the Master (Bob Jones)! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 2mmMark Posted June 24, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 24, 2016 Angler's Rig Tubing I have absolutely no idea what "rig tubing" is but it's a very good silicon tubing for flexible drives. Available in a range of colours including a useful clear colour. A good simple alternative for tender to loco drive shafts. 1mm bore tubing easily stretches and grips a 1.5mm diameter shaft. Mark Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnBS Posted June 26, 2016 Author Share Posted June 26, 2016 Angler's Rig Tubing I have absolutely no idea what "rig tubing" is but it's a very good silicon tubing for flexible drives. Available in a range of colours including a useful clear colour. A good simple alternative for tender to loco drive shafts. 1mm bore tubing easily stretches and grips a 1.5mm diameter shaft. tubing.jpg Mark Mark, I like that idea for the tender/loco drive connection - much easier to cut to length than bending a wire. Tender/loco electrical connection I like to be able to relatively easily separate loco and tender on a tender-drive loco without having to resprt to a soldering iron. I found the following to be effective: Two lengths of phosphor-bronze wire soldered to the inside of the tender split frames, bent as shown and rubbing on the inside of the loco frames. The springing strength of these is fairly easy to adjust and has very little resistance to the bend between loco and tender while negotiating track curves. It is a good idea to carefully clean and polish the rubbing areas of the loco frames. Hope that this is useful. (Drawing from my 47XX article) John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 2mmMark Posted June 26, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 26, 2016 I'm restoring a circa 1966 Sekisui N gauge model of a Japanese C50 2-6-0. It's a very fine model, streets ahead of anything else at the time. Motor is in the tender and drives the loco wheels via a flexible shaft. The rubber connection has perished and the motor has been replaced by a Minitrix motor. I'm going to substitute a Mashima as it's in keeping with the origins of the model. Hence my need for flexible tubing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 2mmMark Posted April 5, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 5, 2017 If anyone is seeking those handy malleable aluminium hair clips, an eBay search for "aluminium curl clips, 2 prong" should reveal some for sale. I ordered some today, eBay item number 171425191786. Not to be confused with similar clips made from plated steel. These aren't quite as useful for our purposes as they are less easy to shape and reshape. Mark Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orange Cat Posted April 5, 2017 Share Posted April 5, 2017 If anyone is seeking those handy malleable aluminium hair clips, [...] Not to be confused with similar clips made from plated steel. These aren't quite as useful for our purposes as they are less easy to shape and reshape. They don't work as well as heat sinks when soldering, either. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caley Jim Posted April 5, 2017 Share Posted April 5, 2017 Being non-magnetic they are also the ideal thing for handling the tiny magnets you get from First4magnets, as recommended by Laurie in this month's 2mmSA newsletter. Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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