RMweb Gold Darius43 Posted February 19, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 19, 2023 Some advice for the designers of Heljan diesel locomotives. Please can you mould the holes in the buffer beams and elsewhere to be the same size (or slightly larger) than the lugs on the detail parts that are supposed to fit in to them. It is very frustrating to have to try to fit these parts only to find the location hole is too small and the part has distorted in the process or (worse) flexed as it won’t go in and pinged off into infinity. I have just been trying to fit the windscreen wipers to a Heljan class 52 and given up, having lost one wiper and squashed another that refused to fit in the hole. I plan to use some etched wipers now. Other loco manufacturers are guilty in this respect but, in my experience, Heljan are the world leaders in this failing. So come on, Heljan designers, use both sides of your brain… Yours sincerely Darius 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulbb Posted February 19, 2023 Share Posted February 19, 2023 It would be nice if more spares were available for the O gauge locos. I need a cab glazing set for a class 42 warship. Gaugemaster tell me that they wont get any more spares for that model until the next release of the model. Which may be never. Anyone out there help? Paul 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewartingram Posted February 19, 2023 Share Posted February 19, 2023 A pin vice and small dill bits do the job very well! 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Darius43 Posted February 20, 2023 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted February 20, 2023 16 hours ago, stewartingram said: A pin vice and small dill bits do the job very well! I have used exactly those tools on many models to open out the buffer beam holes to enable the detail parts to fit. That’s ok for an old modeller like me but someone without the tools or experience should not have to drill out holes on their models to allow the manufacturer’s own parts to fit. In particular, with the class 52, I was not willing to have a go at the cab to roof interface with a drill bit… Darius Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeremyC Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 It is possible the holes are the correct size when moulded and the reason they're under size is they're partly blocked with paint. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halvarras Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 Been there, done that, including the pinging off into infinity bit prompting the kind of language my mother wouldn't have approved of. Luckily I had some spares to hand. This problem affected Heljan's first three releases - Class 47, Hymek and Western - and to begin with these three had unpainted bufferbeams regardless of livery (some Westerns were supplied with replacement painted bufferbeams - trying to reassemble the buffers sprung with a bit of loose wire while manoeuvring the lower valance panels into position ensured the generation of more blue air), so paint blockage wasn't an issue, although when Heljan did start painting bufferbeams it hardly improved matters. It doesn't help when some detail parts are attached to the sprue by the side of the locating peg, requiring some very fiddly trimming/filing of these small parts - that is not a clever idea, all such attachment should be via the ends of the pegs. Now that these parts are fitted at the factory (on balance I think the logic of this is sound) I do wonder whether the air there is frequently tinged with blue too..... 1 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium jjb1970 Posted February 23, 2023 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 23, 2023 I think they're generally designed to be an interference fit for the benefit of people who want to avoid glue, but they should still go into the hole. I've had models where it was very obvious the detail parts were never going to fit without opening holes up with a pin vice. It's the sort of thing which probably doesn't faze most enthusiasts but which could really turn off new entrants to the hobby. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SouthernBlue80s Posted February 26, 2023 Share Posted February 26, 2023 In one way, I am comfortable getting my fine drill bit out and opening up holes and making things fit and making handrails ect. But it is all a bit of a faff, with things pinging off and lots of swearing. So given the price of new locos now, I would hope to see it all pre fitted or at least a very easy fit. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Roy Langridge Posted February 26, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 26, 2023 41 minutes ago, SouthernBlue80s said: In one way, I am comfortable getting my fine drill bit out and opening up holes and making things fit and making handrails ect. But it is all a bit of a faff, with things pinging off and lots of swearing. So given the price of new locos now, I would hope to see it all pre fitted or at least a very easy fit. Pre-fitted names and detail parts seem to be a bit of a marmite thing and I would suggest easy fit is the answer. It does seem some manufacturers make it easier than others to fit the parts. Roy 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Tomlinson Posted March 8, 2023 Share Posted March 8, 2023 (edited) On 19/02/2023 at 10:27, Darius43 said: Some advice for the designers of Heljan diesel locomotives. Please can you mould the holes in the buffer beams and elsewhere to be the same size (or slightly larger) than the lugs on the detail parts that are supposed to fit in to them. It is very frustrating to have to try to fit these parts only to find the location hole is too small and the part has distorted in the process or (worse) flexed as it won’t go in and pinged off into infinity. I have just been trying to fit the windscreen wipers to a Heljan class 52 and given up, having lost one wiper and squashed another that refused to fit in the hole. I plan to use some etched wipers now. Other loco manufacturers are guilty in this respect but, in my experience, Heljan are the world leaders in this failing. So come on, Heljan designers, use both sides of your brain… Yours sincerely Darius I have a feeling that in many cases this problem is due to the thickness of the paint, so the unpainted details might fit into an unpainted shell, quite tightly. Once they've been painted it doesn't work! As noted by Jeremy above. Very boring to have to either file the lugs on the details down, or open up the hole a bit, especially if it's a square. May in part explain why many people never bother, however I consider it to be adding the final gilt to any model. Also I'm northern, and if I've paid for stuff I expect to be able to use it! John. Edited March 8, 2023 by John Tomlinson typo 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Hal Nail Posted March 15, 2023 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 15, 2023 On the subject of Heljan spares, I can't for the life of me find them on Gaugemasters website anymore. If anyone can and could post a link that would be most appreciated! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
No Decorum Posted March 15, 2023 Share Posted March 15, 2023 1 hour ago, Hal Nail said: On the subject of Heljan spares, I can't for the life of me find them on Gaugemasters website anymore. If anyone can and could post a link that would be most appreciated! https://www.gaugemasterretail.com/categories/model-railway-spare-parts.html?manufacturer=205 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Hal Nail Posted March 15, 2023 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 15, 2023 4 hours ago, No Decorum said: https://www.gaugemasterretail.com/categories/model-railway-spare-parts.html?manufacturer=205 thanks but i meant the main header screen with the links to exploded diagrams and the contact form, as they haven't listed everything. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
No Decorum Posted March 15, 2023 Share Posted March 15, 2023 5 hours ago, Hal Nail said: thanks but i meant the main header screen with the links to exploded diagrams and the contact form, as they haven't listed everything. Possibly at the bottom of the home page under DOWNLOAD/Product Instructions and COMPANY/Contact Us? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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