OO Gauge 3-link Couplings

[Porcy Mane]

35 minutes ago, Axlebox said:

nearly naked hirsute Uncle

 

I'm glad you made it clear I was still wearing some clothing and it can be seen from the video I kept well to the opposite side of the room.  Just accruing evidence for my industrial deafness claim.

 Remember the folk in the rooms either side of and further down the corridor that asked for copies of the vid so that they can be part of a class action.

 

Ere, this could be turning into the next Wagontha Christie Case.

Edited July 29, 2022 by Porcy Mane

[Axlebox]

You could just make the links yourself...this is my standard method, see pic below...the wire is 0.31mm nickel silver tightly wrapped  around a 1.5mm x 3.6mm form tool (which comes out at 4.5" x 10.75" - a scale version should be 3" x 10.25")...There is a short length of 0.31mm brass soldered to the top of the tool...you carefully saw through the links using the 0.31mm brass to guide the saw...and hey presto you have a hand full of links in about a minute!

 

You can make them any size you like, I just find slightly fatter links a lot easier to use and you don't notice the extra girth at normal viewing distances.

 

Clean up the sawn ends and then link together and close up with some fine pliers.

 

The hooks come from Ambis (this being an LMS one)...you do have to go at them with a file/wet and dry to get the subtle shape to the hook...always best to refer to a full sized hook...just keep everything rounded so it doesn't snag on the links...also, very slightly countersink the hole in the hook for the links, to prevent them from jamming when you least want them too.

 

BTW, the 0.31mm brass wire on the form tool is there to give you that extra bit of metal that you lose to the saw cut and ensures the links are a perfect fit when bent up parallel.

 

The real thing is here...

https://www.cs.rhul.ac.uk/~adrian/steam/RCHWagons/images/rch1007.PDF

[tomparryharry]

As usual, late to the party...

 

I make my own links. I use Brassmasters  coupling hooks. The links are made from the smaller paper staples. The operation allows about 1.5 couplings per staple. The major upside (for me) is a retention of manual dexterity; essential for being ex-stroke.  Every wagon is 6 links, so a 40-wagon train is something like 240 links per. 

 

A word of HSE advice. if you go down this road, be sure to wear suitable safety glasses. The little offcuts of the staple go everywhere, and I mean, everywhere. Also, make sure the floor allows you to recover any dropped parts. 

 

The sight of a loco 'taking up' is about as real as it gets. If you're the type of person who likes long rakes, I suggest that you firstly couple the rake together, and use a barrier wagon to connect your propriety coupling to the rake. That way, changing the locomotive is a much easier affair.