Slaters wheels not being round !

[Tigermoth]

I recently acquired four Slaters 7mm wheels for a project i'm presently doing, testing out the gearbox with an an axle and two wheels i noticed the wheels were not turning round, at first i thought it might be the gearbox so i put an axle in the lathe with one wheel on at a time to test for trueness and all four wheels were out, then i went through other wheels i have from Slaters and found the same. Am i doing something wrong somewhere, i cleaned up any burr on the square ended axles but the problem is still there, I thought Slaters wheels were a quality product or maybe i got a bad batch.

[Kenton]

Have you discussed this with Slaters? Might be useful to determine if it is a bad batch or you are measuring to finer tolerance than their specs. I'm sure you have checked that it is not the axle (bent) at fault rather than the wheels. I have never seen this, though admit have never felt the need to check. Just how much out are they?

[Tigermoth]

The problem seems to be that the brass bush in the center is not centered to the wheel rims so this pushes the wheels out of true. Some wheels are worse than others, i may well write to Slaters, this has turned out to be a surprise for me as i have always until now taken for granted the quality of their wheels i have never bothered to check either. If you put two wheels on an axle and run them on plate glass you can't see it because in that case it would be the axle that is out it's only when you compare just one wheel and axle in a lathe for example that you can see it clearly.

[Sandy Harper]

It is not unknown for some Slaters wheels to be less than perfect and it always pays to check them before installing them on a locomotive. Other faults can be the crank pin hole having a different throw or angle to the brass centre bush. If you don't notice this before hand, you can spend a lot of time and wasted effort, not to mention knackered rods, trying to get smooth running.

 

Normally their quality control is fine but, rogue wheels can slip through the net, at times. I have always found that Slaters are good at replacing defective items.

 

Regards

Sandy

[Tigermoth]

I must admit the plate glass run with two wheels on the axle fooled me and i never thought until now to test each wheel individually with the lathe and the axle running true.

[richard carr]

My experience is that the tolerance on slaters wheels is in the 2 to 3 thou range. This shows itself quite clearly in lathe but in practice has no impact on the running of your loco. Slaters wheels run fine so long as you take the trouble to get the wheel sitting well on the axle.

 

Richard

[Tigermoth]

My experience is that the tolerance on slaters wheels is in the 2 to 3 thou range. This shows itself quite clearly in lathe but in practice has no impact on the running of your loco. Slaters wheels run fine so long as you take the trouble to get the wheel sitting well on the axle.

 

Richard

If it were only two or three thou then i woudn't of noticed it, but even though they are difficult to measure, the worst of them look to be in the .3 mm range out. Having looked up on the net since posting this thread it seems others have noticed this, apparently something to do with the cooling down procedure once the plastic inserts have been placed in, causing distortion.

[Kenton]

 

it seems others have noticed this, apparently something to do with the cooling down procedure once the plastic inserts have been placed in, causing distortion.

What was the response from Slaters? If as described I would expect them to replace the faulty ones pronto. As said above they are normally very good at customer service. Things can go wrong with almost any process, when the supplier is aware of this it is all down to the customer actually contacting them as first resort. Then making the public aware of the problem and how efficiently they were dealt with.

[Tigermoth]

 What was the response from Slaters? If as described I would expect them to replace the faulty ones pronto. As said above they are normally very good at customer service. Things can go wrong with almost any process, when the supplier is aware of this it is all down to the customer actually contacting them as first resort. Then making the public aware of the problem and how efficiently they were dealt with.

I want to write but what can i say, that from different orders and different wheel types i've noticed problems with concentricity, with some of them i can't find the receipts. I think the way forward is when i need four wheels i shall order ten, that way i have more chance to have four true running wheels ! 

[Tigermoth]

Good morning, a very interesting subject. Look at it this way. A pair of Slaters wheels for 7mm cost about twenty quid for two wheels and an axle. Not bad really considering. However, a pair of Exactoscale wheels in 4mm. minus the axles, the wheel press and all the other "gubbins" associated with the wheelsets cost considerably more than the larger models but there is no comparison with the quality and the asthetics of the 7mm. product compared to it's "junior". Maybe one day Len Newman and C&L may even extend their range to 7mm. I wish!

I personally don't mind a heavy price if the quality is there and if i'm sure to get what i pay for.

[Kenton]

 

I want to write but what can i say, that from different orders and different wheel types i've noticed problems with concentricity, with some of them i can't find the receipts. I think the way forward is when i need four wheels i shall order ten, that way i have more chance to have four true running wheels ! 

How can we expect Slaters to be aware of the problem, to even begin to put it right, if we do not let them know.

 

I assume that you consider the wheels to be so far out of alignment that you consider them to be scrap (and not fit for purpose) so there would be no loss by returning them with an informative letter? I would not expect Salters to replace them outright with no proof of purchase. However, there is something called goodwill and they may also agree about them being unfit. In which case you may well receive replacements.

 

I think the idea that only 4 out of 10 are acceptable is a over exaggeration otherwise many more of us will have experienced the problem. Though I guess 0.3mm might not be such a concern to some as you indicate it does put the argument for springing in perspective.

[Tigermoth]

On another forum one person stated that he sends back about 10% of his wheels and they are replaced, so Slaters must already know about this problem.

[marc smith]

I once had some new wagon wheels that were far from square on the axle
They wobbled sideways rather alarmingly
Again, like yourself, it had been a while since purchasing, so I had no idea where the reciept was...

I find that their back-to-back measurements are really variable too
I know this is easily corrected (if you can get your hands on a B-T-B gauge!)
but it's odd and annoying that they can be so far out, and so inconsistent

I've never noticed a set of wheels with the problem you describe,
but I've never checked on a lathe

Good luck sorting it
Sounds an expensive method, to buy far more than you need

Marc

EDIT: I think in your position, I'd write to them, or speak on the telephone
and next time you see them at a show - maybe they'll swap your faulty wheels?

[Tigermoth]

I once had some new wagon wheels that were far from square on the axle

They wobbled sideways rather alarmingly

Again, like yourself, it had been a while since purchasing, so I had no idea where the reciept was...

 

I find that their back-to-back measurements are really variable too

I know this is easily corrected (if you can get your hands on a B-T-B gauge!)

but it's odd and annoying that they can be so far out, and so inconsistent

 

I've never noticed a set of wheels with the problem you describe,

but I've never checked on a lathe

 

Good luck sorting it

Sounds an expensive method, to buy far more than you need

 

Marc

 

EDIT: I think in your position, I'd write to them, or speak on the telephone

and next time you see them at a show - maybe they'll swap your faulty wheels?

I'll take my lathe with me to try them out at the same time ! A little quality control from time to time does wonders.

[Kenton]

 

On another forum one person stated that he sends back about 10% of his wheels and they are replaced, so Slaters must already know about this problem.

I'm sorry I remain very sceptical of such claims especially on other forums. I don't think Slaters would remain in business very long if 10% of their wheels were bad. There is undoubtedly those who are more fussy about their wheels than others, such is the modelling community. I also believe that many are wishing the standards of S7 (with its additional cost) to be implemented more widely.

 

There is a big difference between Slaters being aware of a problem and them being aware of the extent of the problem. The extent only becomes apparent when everyone complains and returns the evidence of their claim. 10% (or even 4 out of 10) from one or two fussy (perhaps from the perspective of Slaters) customers is a drop in the ocean of the evident majority of customers who do not see this problem.

 

Remembering that the majority of modellers do not have a lathe (or even access to one) should also be worth considering. I use Slaters wheels in fairly large numbers and without a lathe I'm not sure how/if I could begin to check them. I have experienced problems with advanced rusting but that can be dealt with. Having also discussed it with the folk from Slaters - it is manageable.

 

If this problem is as widespread as 10% and is as bad (0.3mm even I am concerned about) then I want Slaters to be aware of and working on the problem. For those of us without the ability resources to check.

[Horsetan]

Good morning, a very interesting subject. Look at it this way. A pair of Slaters wheels for 7mm cost about twenty quid for two wheels and an axle. Not bad really considering. However, a pair of Exactoscale wheels in 4mm. minus the axles, the wheel press and all the other "gubbins" associated with the wheelsets cost considerably more than the larger models but there is no comparison with the quality and the asthetics of the 7mm. product compared to it's "junior". Maybe one day Len Newman and C&L may even extend their range to 7mm. I wish!

 

 

I personally don't mind a heavy price if the quality is there and if i'm sure to get what i pay for.

 

You used to be able to do this when Alan Harris was making wheels....

[ozzyo]

I want to write but what can i say, that from different orders and different wheel types i've noticed problems with concentricity, with some of them i can't find the receipts. I think the way forward is when i need four wheels i shall order ten, that way i have more chance to have four true running wheels ! 

 

Hello Tigermoth,

 

try phoning Slater's and explaining your problem. I had a customer send me a kit with all of the wheels in it one set were the wrong size (X 3 axles 6 wheels, customer mistake)., and another where the tender wheel sets had all got S7 axles in them. 

 

In the first case the packets were unopened. In the second case the packets were opened. In both cases I did not have the receipt, but in both cases Slater's sorted it out for me.

 

So I would say contact Slater's and let then know of your problem, don't assume that someone else has informed them of the problem.

 

OzzyO.

 

Edit for PS, it's not much good telling us about the problem, if you don't tell Slater's about it.

[Tigermoth]

Hello Tigermoth,

 

try phoning Slater's and explaining your problem. I had a customer send me a kit with all of the wheels in it one set were the wrong size (X 3 axles 6 wheels, customer mistake)., and another where the tender wheel sets had all got S7 axles in them. 

 

In the first case the packets were unopened. In the second case the packets were opened. In both cases I did not have the receipt, but in both cases Slater's sorted it out for me.

 

So I would say contact Slater's and let then know of your problem, don't assume that someone else has informed them of the problem.

 

OzzyO.

 

Edit for PS, it's not much good telling us about the problem, if you don't tell Slater's about it.

All the wheels that were out have already gone in the post.