Wagon Kitbuilding tools

[JohnR]

I am looking at improving my wagon kit building skills, and wondered if folk use magnetic clamps to help ensure sides etc are square?

 

Does anyone have any recommendations?

[Nick C]

I've not used anything for sides, but I've been using a brassmasters axle spacing jig which is good for making sure the solebars are aligned correctly - especially for awkward things like hopper wagons with open chassis.

[JohnR]

2 hours ago, Nick C said:

I've not used anything for sides, but I've been using a brassmasters axle spacing jig which is good for making sure the solebars are aligned correctly - especially for awkward things like hopper wagons with open chassis.

 

I see from their website that its designed for compensated chassis' - i take it it works just as well for rigid ones?

[Nick C]

49 minutes ago, JohnR said:

 

I see from their website that its designed for compensated chassis' - i take it it works just as well for rigid ones?

I've only built rigid so far - just find it helpful for holding the axles while the glue dries on the solebars. A couple of my previous attempts either ended up with the solebars too close together, and so tight they wouldn't run properly, or splayed out with the w-irons nowhere near vertical.

 

For getting bodywork square I usually just rely on the grid markings on my cutting mat, and do them in two halves - one end and one side each; let those dry; then glue the pairs together around the floor.

Edited February 3, 2021 by Nick C

[Oil-burner]

For wagons (soldered or glued), buildings or anything else that needs three hands to keep it right-angled I use Coffman Combo Right Clamps as suggested by gwrrob and seconded by others in this thread from 2016: 

As far as I am aware Branchlines are still around, well they were 10 months ago:

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/152490-branchlines-kits/ though whether they still stock them I can not be sure.

 

For less critical applications I find the magnetic corner holders from Proses et al can be useful albeit not as rigid,

 

Ken...

 

[Guest WM183]

The only thing I use for making sure bodies are square is a small 3 inch engineer's try square. Get one. Better, get two. Seriously, the tool of 1001 uses.

 

AManda

[ianLMS]

I use Lego blocks for checking squareness, however, just remember to move them before using the soldering iron, or solvent glues!