After years of building 4 axle 30’ and 40’ rolling stock, I’ve started a new project.
A string of short 2 axle cars for a backwoods train. I’ll be using Porters and a small 2 axle diesel for power.
The first will be a gondola.
I filed off the “cast on nuts and bolts” and fastened the journals with 5 actual fasteners.
looks good John. I too prefer the real nuts and bolts to the cast ones. Much crisper and look sharper. Where are you getting brass square nuts or are you making them? are those 00-9 or 0-8 or ??
Looks good. And who wouldda thunk to use real bolts? (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-surprised.gif)(http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)
Microfasteners. The journals are glued on, but the bolts add reinforcement. Those metal journals are a little too soft for my liking. I wish I could find some brass ones.
Well, if you would design them and make a master, there is a person here who could cast them for you.
John, Here is my version of the short flat. I call them Quarry Flats. I once saw a string of these being used to haul quarrel slabs out of the mine.
I made the side beam removable so I could remove the axel sets.
Really nice ! . . But why knuckle couplers . . . wouldn’t link and pin be more appropriate ? (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-smile.gif)
Use brass tubing inserts as your journals, it will prevent the holes from going oval. A loose fit on the axle ends is ok.
John
Link and pin can be a bit of a pain in scale.
Dave,
Looks like we used the same journals. Nice little car. I thought about the wheel situation, but figured I’ll just permanently fasten them. I also considered bronze bushings in the journals.
I will be using link and pin couplers (with my own “custom links”) they’ll be shown with the finished product.
Geez I get all my small nuts and bolts from Micro and never noticed the square nuts. I need some of those and in a hurry before the challenge.
Am I missing something all I see is 2-56 and 4-40 in steel. Those your using loo smaller and brass whats the secret?
Those brass square nuts came from Phil’s Narrow Gauge years ago. (No longer in business.) They are pins. Sorry for the confusion.
The other ones I use from Micro are brass hex head lag screws.
John Bouck said:
Microfasteners. The journals are glued on, but the bolts add reinforcement. Those metal journals are a little too soft for my liking. I wish I could find some brass ones.
I have used belt eyelets for my journals just drill out/ream the journal hole to take a press fit.
Got them from a craft shop for $2/50 cheap and when/if they wear out easily replaced, mine are lubricated with locksmith graphite.
Or here
Devon Sinsley said:
Geez I get all my small nuts and bolts from Micro and never noticed the square nuts. I need some of those and in a hurry before the challenge.
Am I missing something all I see is 2-56 and 4-40 in steel. Those your using loo smaller and brass whats the secret?
Yes Devon you are:
http://www.microfasteners.com/home.php?cat=575
http://www.microfasteners.com/square-nuts.html
edited to add link two(http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)
David Marconi said:
Devon Sinsley said:
Geez I get all my small nuts and bolts from Micro and never noticed the square nuts. I need some of those and in a hurry before the challenge.
Am I missing something all I see is 2-56 and 4-40 in steel. Those your using loo smaller and brass whats the secret?
Yes Devon you are:
http://www.microfasteners.com/home.php?cat=575
http://www.microfasteners.com/square-nuts.html
edited to add link two(http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)
No I am not. I asked about small brass square nuts like the ones John was appearing to use. Micro does not sell them as it seems. Those you link too are the steel ones I am referring to that are 2-56 and 4-40. The brass machine screws I use regularly as well as hex nuts. It would be great to find real brass (or any materiel really) square nuts that are 00-9 or 0-08.
Small square nuts are easily made so not hyper critical to my overall success but it would be nice to just be able to buy some.
Steve smallest is 2-56 which is rather large in scale.
Thanks again David for trying those are hex nuts. And the 2-56 square ones everyone is finding would be good for big nuts like for bridge bolts. But there seems to be no smaller ones. Which is fine e they are easily made. Thanks all for trying.
Devon Sinsley said:
And the 2-56 square ones everyone is finding would be good for big nuts like for bridge bolts. But there seems to be no smaller ones.
This post has been edited by :Rooster
