Parkside OO wagon kit questions.

[DanielB]

Hi all, hopefully this is the right place to ask this. I've done a search on the forum but couldn't find anything specifically talking about this.

 

I'm building my first Parkside kits and I'm trying to fit the bearings but the don't seem to fit in the axle boxes. I guess I need to widen out the holes they go in but I'm looking for tips on what to use to do so and any pitfalls to avoid.

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Siberian Snooper]

I normally start by offering up the bearing and check to see how small the hole is,  if it's only slightly undersized I put a drop of solvent in the hole and then push the bearing home with a cocktail stick, it usually works ok. If on the other hand it's seriously undersized I open the hole with a slightly undersized drill, just twiddled with my fingers and then as before.

 

 

[Mark Forrest]

As above, something like a 1.8mm or 2mm drill bit held in fingers and lightly twiddled should do the job.

 

Sometimes helps to have a blob if blue-tack on the bench and press the front of the axlebox onto this to stop it moving around.

[The Johnster]

I 'try' the bearing first with a gentle squeeze from a pair of long nosed pliers; usually it will fit firmly but if it doesn't, I ream the hole gently with a rat tail file wiggled around in it, then try again.  With Parksides, I have found that the fit of the axle pinpoint ends can be loose in the bearings, even when I have taken care to mount the sideframe pieces as hard up against the rib on the floor as I can, and it is an advantage to only 'half insert' the bearings in the holes, taking care that they are evenly inserted or your wagon will run wobbly.  They can be further inserted if found to be too tight, so don't glue until the final running test has been done.

[SM42]

I usually find a drop of solvent will do the trick and press the bearing home using the handle end of a needle file. They are usually a slight interference fit.  I find this sufficient to hold them in place.

 

If the hole is too tight a twiddle of a 2mm drill bit will do the trick

 

Things to watch for are the parting nib (?) at the bottom of the bearing stopping it going fully home, moulding flash around the axlebox hole on older kits and on some kits (plate wagons and derivatives, I'm looking at you) the solebars are too close together when fitted to the floor for the wheels to turn freely. In this case I countersink the hole with an oversize drill bit to sink the bearing further in, but you could just as easily pack the solebars further out.

 

If the bearing sits proud, you can file some of the back, there is quite a bit of meat there. I use a piece of  plasticard with 2mm holes driled in it to hold them  whilst filing.

 

Do not use superglue or such like, as if need be you can adjust the position of the bearing after construction of the undeframe by prizing them out (being careful not to split the shoulder off the bearing) and using a packing piece on the inside of the w irons to bring them closer together or countersinking the holes to move them further apart.

 

The biggest cause of poor running tends to be the brakes actually being brakes, so be careful when fitting these as they tend to be quite close to the wheel (as they should) and make sure any flash is removed from the brake shoe face and rear and they are not rubbing against the flanges. It's easy to add some unintended tension / compression  in these parts when fitting and it's surprising sometimes how far things will move before and as the solvent goes off.

 

Andy

[57xx]

A 2mm drill bit (I use mine in a pin chuck) is what you need to open up the axle boxes. I also use a wooden coffee stirrer with a 2mm hole in it to hole bearings to file the back down so they aren't too long to fit in the axleboxes.

[Compound2632]

Don't get too carried away - the 2 mm bit can cut quite easily through the plastic. You don't want a hole in the front face of the axlebox! (Advice from incautious experience...)

[31A]

8 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

Don't get too carried away - the 2 mm bit can cut quite easily through the plastic. You don't want a hole in the front face of the axlebox! (Advice from incautious experience...)

 

Put the bit in the pin vice so that it only protrudes by the depth of a bearing.

[Barry Ten]

I've never had to drill out the bearing opening in 50 odd Parkside kits. although as per Siberian Snooper I do drop a bit of solvent in first.

[lofty1966]

15 minutes ago, Barry Ten said:

I've never had to drill out the bearing opening in 50 odd Parkside kits. although as per Siberian Snooper I do drop a bit of solvent in first.

If you don't drop some solvent,  you run the risk of splitting the plastic.

Been there, seen it, etc

[Compound2632]

1 hour ago, 31A said:

 

Put the bit in the pin vice so that it only protrudes by the depth of a bearing.

 

54 minutes ago, Barry Ten said:

I've never had to drill out the bearing opening in 50 odd Parkside kits. although as per Siberian Snooper I do drop a bit of solvent in first.

 

37 minutes ago, lofty1966 said:

If you don't drop some solvent,  you run the risk of splitting the plastic.

Been there, seen it, etc

 

All of the above. I generally twiddle the bit by hand - sometimes (not necessarily with Parkside) the hole isn't quite deep enough or one also needs to counterbore a trifle at 3 mm to take the shoulder of the bearing, to avoid ending up with splayed axleguards.

[enginelane]

What kit is it? The early kits need a little more fettling and a piece of glass is good for checking all 4 wheels are on the ground

[Compound2632]

Just now, enginelane said:

The early kits need a little more fettling and a piece of glass is good for checking all 4 wheels are on the ground

 

The later kits - especially the RCH mineral wagons - are as good as an injection molded plastic kit can be. An absolute joy.

[57xx]

1 hour ago, Barry Ten said:

I've never had to drill out the bearing opening in 50 odd Parkside kits. although as per Siberian Snooper I do drop a bit of solvent in first.

 

Which 50 kits were they? I've just recently completed the LNER lowfit and it absolutely needed the holes opening out. I prefer to drill them than melt them to size.

[Barry Ten]

9 minutes ago, 57xx said:

 

Which 50 kits were they? I've just recently completed the LNER lowfit and it absolutely needed the holes opening out. I prefer to drill them than melt them to size.

 

Numerous fish vans, CCTs, Micas, bloaters, beetles. 16t minerals, hoppers.... admittedly never a lowfit! I wonder if they've changed the bearing spec slightly?

[Baby Deltic]

I use smooth jawed pliers to press them in as they are an interference fit by design. The reason I use smooth jawed pliers is because serrated jaws can mark and damage softer materials.

[enginelane]

Yes smooth jaw pliers work well 

[57xx]

2 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

Don't get too carried away - the 2 mm bit can cut quite easily through the plastic. You don't want a hole in the front face of the axlebox! (Advice from incautious experience...)

 

Almost been there too, hence why I do it by hand and am careful only to open the hole and and not deepen it. Hence why I also file the backs of the bearings down. Found a pic of my tool in use when doing the Parkside NER bogie bolster.

[57xx]

31 minutes ago, Barry Ten said:

 

Numerous fish vans, CCTs, Micas, bloaters, beetles. 16t minerals, hoppers.... admittedly never a lowfit! I wonder if they've changed the bearing spec slightly?

 

Don't think I've done any of those, mine have mainly been the LNER vans, the NER bogie bolster and GWR O11 opens. I just do it as a matter of course on any kit regardless of manufacturer after nearly splitting an axlebox trying to press fit a bearing in (even with using solvent too).

 

They are also a damn sight easier to get out again if it turns out the bearing hole is not deep enough, as with the NER bolster bogies. Filed down bearing on left, unmodified on the right.

Edited January 10, 2020 by 57xx

[Compound2632]

7 hours ago, 57xx said:

 

They are also a damn sight easier to get out again if it turns out the bearing hole is not deep enough, as with the NER bolster bogies. 

 

 

Plan B is to use the so-called "waisted" bearings which have a shallower external profile, whilst the bearing surface dimensions are the same.

[enginelane]

Yeap waisted good as well but if pressed in too far produces sloppy fit of axle 

[Compound2632]

21 minutes ago, enginelane said:

Yeap waisted good as well but if pressed in too far produces sloppy fit of axle 

 

True, an advantage of the regular fit variety is that some adjustment is possible to get the best position.

[SM42]

On reflection, the number of times I've had to fully drill out the bearing hole can be counted on the fingers of one hand. At most I've just  given a quick twist to open / clean out the opening to get the bearing started on it's journey. Solvent does the rest. In fact the 2mm drill bit hardly removes anything as there is very little to remove generally and I find with Parkside it is often not needed.

 

The trick is not to force the bearing in. If it doesn't go in with very little pressure, then the hole needs fettling. Trying to force it will either split the axle box as mentioned or risk of breaking other things like axle box tie bars when things slip under load and finally check that the bearings are not sitting at an angle inside the axle box once fitted.

 

I've built mainly 12t vans of various vintages and designs, 16 tonners of all shapes, various  21 tonners,, 24 tonners,  fish vans, Lowfits, Conflats, Grampus, Tube , Pipes, Clams, Rudds, PMVs, CCTs, Plates and derivitives (Grrr!)  and all apart from the latter have not presented any major need to drill out the axle boxes. 

 

I agree with enginelane that if you get an early Parkside Dundas kit (pink tops anyone) and some older design plain red tops, they can be more work but anything with a red and white top or the Peco Parkside version should be OK and almost fall together

 

One major improvement that the OP can make in another area  is to replace the plastic buffer heads with some nice turned metal heads.  There are numerous sources for these out there, from the head only to the whole buffer.

 

A selection of drill bits from 2mm downwards and suitable pin vices are essential wagon makers tools.

 

Andy

 

 

[Barry Ten]

One thing I like about the Parkside range is that they can be put together with minimal tools. I built these two Micas (next to a Geen one) in a hotel room, using a knife, file, sandpaper and solvent. I packed the tools and kits into a Chinese takeaway tub and added a small cutting mat into my luggage. I did the fiddly handrails when I got back home but the rest was done in the hotel.

 

[Siberian Snooper]

Any tips on bending the handrails? I have a few too build,  but at the moment I can't get my head around bending the handrails.