Jeepy Posted January 28, 2023 Author Share Posted January 28, 2023 1 hour ago, Enterprisingwestern said: My method of ensuring the the solebars of plastic kits are are 23mm apart, which is the correct distance for flush fitting bearings, and ensures the axles are parallel. Slightly countersinking the inner face of the axlebox before fitting to ensure flushness is recommended. Sometimes, (calling Cambrian and old Ratio!), the solebars are too wide when fitted in their intended positions so packing out is required. Mike. Mike. Thanks...... That looks like a handy little tool..... Keeps the sole bars square too! Best wishes, Jim. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeepy Posted January 28, 2023 Author Share Posted January 28, 2023 I have just this minute recieved a reply email to say they are sending replacement axle boxes on an incomplete sprue they have sitting around, at little more than the cost of postage, excellent service! Best wishes, Jim. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Bucoops Posted January 28, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 28, 2023 1 hour ago, Jeepy said: Thanks...... That looks like a handy little tool..... Keeps the sole bars square too! Best wishes, Jim. That particular one is a Bill Bedford one which was available from Eileen's - not sure there are anywhere else with stock. Brassmasters do a version however - https://www.brassmasters.co.uk/axle_gauges.htm Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeepy Posted January 28, 2023 Author Share Posted January 28, 2023 10 minutes ago, Bucoops said: That particular one is a Bill Bedford one which was available from Eileen's - not sure there are anywhere else with stock. Brassmasters do a version however - https://www.brassmasters.co.uk/axle_gauges.htm Excellent! Thank you, Best wishes, Jim. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium cctransuk Posted January 28, 2023 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 28, 2023 2 hours ago, Enterprisingwestern said: To make a top hat bearing flush you have to countersink the inner face of the axlebox, not necessary with flangeless. Mike. Quite - WE understand that, but it is not what Cambrian said to the OP. CJI. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted January 28, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 28, 2023 1 hour ago, Bucoops said: That particular one is a Bill Bedford one which was available from Eileen's - not sure there are anywhere else with stock. Brassmasters do a version however - https://www.brassmasters.co.uk/axle_gauges.htm 1 hour ago, Jeepy said: Excellent! Thank you, Best wishes, Jim. There are a couple of issues with using the Brassmasters jig to do what I do with the BB version, neither of which are insurmountable if you work at it! The overall width of the jig is only 16.25 so won't give you the correct placement of the solebars on the underside of the floor, nor will it fit inbetween the wheels of a OO gauge model. The jig has slots not holes so there isn't a positive placement in the horizontal plane to ensure all axles line up. I would imagine Bill's stuff will re-appear somewhere given time for the EE dust to settle. Mike. 1 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Compound2632 Posted January 29, 2023 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 29, 2023 On 25/01/2023 at 11:20, Barclay said: In general with plastic kits if you consider the bearing as a top hat then the hat bit goes in the hole and the brim sits flat on the back of the axleguard. If the axleguards look a little splayed then you can lightly countersink the back of the axleguard or use the brimless bearings that are available, which go right into the hole. Sometimes the hole in the plastic needs drilling out to take the full depth of the bearing, or you can file off the end of the bearing to make it fit the hole. I'm with @Barclay on this - it's very much trial and error and experience gained. It's hit and miss how far the bearing flange needs to be countersunk into the plastic - I usually find a gentle twist with a 3 mm drill bit takes off enough material. If assembling the kit using a solvent such as MekPak, it's easy enough to winkle the brass bearing out of the hole and try again. My usual method is, having countersunk for the flange, put a glop of solvent in the hole and push the bearing home. assemble one solebar to the floor making sure all is square, allow to set, then offer up the second solebar with an axle in place. If the second solebar won't sit square, i.e. axleguards would splay, then remove the bearings and countersink a bit more. On the rare occasions when the bearings have been pushed in too deep, they can be eased out a bit and another dob of solvent applied. The solvent allows the plastic to form itself around the bearing, holding it firmly but not too tightly. That's all you need to do for 00 - no fancy equipment needed. If working to the finer tolerances of EM and P4, you're probably wanting to replace the plastic axleguards with etched brass fold-up units anyway. The Cambrian kits for ordinary wagons are cheap enough and the sell the underframes as separate items, so it really doesn't matter if you make a hash of one or two while building up the skills. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
doilum Posted January 30, 2023 Share Posted January 30, 2023 Not for the engineers A fine pointed soldering iron can be used to countersink tophat bushes. Care and experiment essential. I started on converting Airfix wagons over fifty years ago and have just used the same technique on a batch of Ian Kirk I gauge bogies. 3 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeepy Posted January 30, 2023 Author Share Posted January 30, 2023 Hello, I agree with Compound2632 actually, it looks like trial and error will be the way! I glued the bearings in with a 'super glue' as they are brass...... ........ Then I set the sole bars in the correct positions on the wagon floor against the little nipples with blu-tak and an elastic band then inserted the wheel sets, there is a tiny amount of splay, just about noticeable! I dont know if you can see in the pictures taken on my phone! One side....... ...... And the other side....... ...... This side actually looks straight to me so I pushed the assembly over a little and the amount of splay gets divided between the Two sides so isn't quite as noticeable but I know it's there! There will be a little bit of fettling going on by removing the bearings and trying again after countersinking a little I think, it's only a minute amount so won't take much doing I think! Thank you all for your contributions, I'm learning quite alot from this and I'm enjoying it tremendously! Apologies for the poor pictures, it's the first time I've uploaded any onto the forum and I'm no expert at photography! Best wishes, Jim. 2 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted January 30, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 30, 2023 Nowt wrong wi that for a first effort. Onward and upward on the slippery slope of wagonry! Mike. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeepy Posted January 30, 2023 Author Share Posted January 30, 2023 Hello, The splay is more noticeable in the flesh so to speak, the pictures don't show it very well......... More 'wagonry' it is then! Thank you! 😆 Best wishes, Jim. 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeepy Posted January 31, 2023 Author Share Posted January 31, 2023 Hello, Just to add in case you're wondering..... No, I haven't actually glued the sole bar assemblies in place yet! He! He! Best wishes, Jim. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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