Accurascale HOU wagons - removing NEM coupler pockets

[Captain Kernow]

I've posted a question regarding how to remove the NEM coupler pockets from the Accurascale HUO wagons, without damaging the rest of the wagon - 

If anyone can advise, I would be most grateful.

 

Thanks.

 

[Enterprisingwestern]

  

 

 

 

 

 

Apologies for the pictures being all over the place, bloody useless computer.

Hope they make some sense, any queries just ask.

 

Mike.

[Captain Kernow]

Thanks for that. Not sure what the bits in the second photo are, or how you effected the actual cutting off of the coupler pocket, sorry.

 

[woodenhead]

2 hours ago, Captain Kernow said:

Thanks for that. Not sure what the bits in the second photo are, or how you effected the actual cutting off of the coupler pocket, sorry.

 

I think it is because the NEM socket also houses part of the rigging for the hopper doors, removal of which requires the plastic rigging to be replaced with a bit of brass (or similar).

[Enterprisingwestern]

10 hours ago, Captain Kernow said:

Thanks for that. Not sure what the bits in the second photo are, or how you effected the actual cutting off of the coupler pocket, sorry.

 

 

Apologies Cap'n, a bit more detail from the beginning, if the other photo's had loaded properly it would have been a tad clearer.

 

Remove the 2 bits of half brake cross rod, depending on the glue ration for the day of assembly, they will either fall off or put up a fight, (and if you're anything like me you'll spend time searching for the pig tails which ping off!), remove pig tails and clean excess glue from both it and the collar it fits into on the solebar.

Remove the 2 hopper sides (as seen in photo) from the chassis by wiggling them off with parallel jaw pliers, the glue proviso works here as well.

As, for some inexplicable reason, Accurascale have seen fit to mould the NEM pockets as part of the chassis, (they've obviously never seen a Bachmann wagon), you'll have to get violent to remove them. I used a short pair of plastic cutters and snipped all around the pocket and cleaned up with fine chisels.

Tidy up the slope where the hopper sides fit, and the sides also and glue back in position, ensuring the holes for the brake rod line up with each other and the solebar holes.

Cut a longer length of brass rod to go the full width of the wagon and glue on 1 pigtail as per the photo, slide the rod through holes and cut to length, noting that the pig tail fits in a recess on the solebar, so the rod needs to be cut flush or even a tad shorter.

Voila, on HUO with a less lumpy end!

 

Mike.

 

[McC]

3 hours ago, Enterprisingwestern said:

Accurascale have seen fit to mould the NEM pockets as part of the chassis,

 

Fwiw, all of our later wagons have demountable nem sockets. The HUO was our very first model and we’ve learned and improved.  

[Captain Kernow]

Thanks all, I have now found a way to remove the NEM coupler pocket, which involves the careful use of an old and specially adapted soldering iron bit, filed to the profile of a very small and thin knife blade, which removes the larger lumps of plastic quickly and effectively. I then clean up with a scalpel.

 

[ISW]

50 minutes ago, Captain Kernow said:

which involves the careful use of an old and specially adapted soldering iron bit, filed to the profile of a very small and thin knife blade,

Wouldn't it have been easier to wire-wrap a scapel blade onto a soldering tip instead? The blade will heat up, eventually. That way you don't have to sacrifice a solder tip. Just a thought ...

 

Ian

[Captain Kernow]

5 hours ago, ISW said:

Wouldn't it have been easier to wire-wrap a scapel blade onto a soldering tip instead? The blade will heat up, eventually. That way you don't have to sacrifice a solder tip. Just a thought ...

 

Ian

Possibly, but I did already have a life-expired tip, so it was a simple choice