Large Scale Central

DIY How to - homehade link and pin couplers

Modeling
#1

Heres a simple and dirt cheap way to make link and pin couplers for cars like HLWs mini series The Basic components:

the HLW car, some sheet styrene, brass rod, and a 1/4 x 3/8 ABS tube

measure out 1inch segments and cut, trace the face plate on the styrene, it should be about 1/16 to 3/32 wider than the tube

Glue them together

clip the corners and file to a nice smooth rounded shape, L shaped, R clipped

Now using a 1/8 drillbit drill two holes in the end plate and use an Xacto to shape to a nice oval that opens to the full interior width.

Drill two holes, one 1/16 for the link and one larger for the mounting screw

drill a hole into the HLW car and mount with screw

top view mounted

now useing a needlenose, bend the brass wire,1/16 here, to an eybolt shape, I add a small donut of small diameter tube styrene to the base of the eyebolt

final pin as attached, shown with homemade link using same brass rod

And as coupled to another car. Total time, about 20 minutes tops All thats now needed is paint.

#2

Vic: your the best. Thanks. Where do get the ABS tube from -lowes/homedepot??

#3

Thanks Shawn, theres 2 more parts to this to come,
one; on how to do this mounting it end beam style, and
two; how to adapt this to a tongue mount like a typical LGB car has…
I’ll try to get those up before the end of the weekend

I got the ABS thru the Plastruct display at my local train shop and I have a shop nearby work that sells model supplies to the local universities. Any decent shop should carry Plastruct or if not the Evergreen styrene tube will also work but it has a thinner wall, thats why I prefer the ABS. If you’re local shops dont carry any ( wow they must be bad if they dont) then Plastruct can be ordered direct from the maker. Just Google “Plastruct”

#4

Vic, i got all the materials today. Now I can spend the next few rainy days making some link and pins. Thanks for the idea

#5

This is part 2, This coupler is designed around an HLW minicar with Bachmann small diameter ore car wheels instead of the large wheels that come with the kit. Basic parts, 3/16 x 1/4 ABS tube, 5/16 C channel, 1/8 angle, and .40 sheet styrene

(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/vsmith/CheapCoupler2pic01.JPG)

C channel cut to 7/8 wide, tube to 3/8 long, glued together w/ angle and the styrene face plate cut about 1/16 to 1/8 wider than the tube and corners trimmed

(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/vsmith/CheapCoupler2pic02.JPG)

Pin hole drilled w/ 5/64 bit, link slot w/ 1/8 bit double drilled and filled to shape, as has the face plate

(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/vsmith/CheapCoupler2pic03.JPG)

Glued onto end beam

(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/vsmith/CheapCoupler2pic04.JPG)

Adding small brad nails at angle to add strenth to mounting

(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/vsmith/CheapCoupler2pic05.JPG)

Completed, all it needs is paint and the pin attached

(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/vsmith/CheapCoupler2pic06.JPG)

These couplers are also at the same hieght as the original couplers above, enjoy

#6

I wish this topic could be updated, as the click-ons for pics do not work anymore, any new topics on this out there, thanks, trainman

#7

All the photos and a great many more were lost in the Mylargescale Thanksgiving photo massacre when the new owners dumped our collective photo storage. Honestly these days I’m buying link/pin couples from ebay, two guys. One sells a black nylon body mounted coupler and another that’s selling a printed truck tange mounted coupler like the LGB link/pin. Both are very reasonably priced.

#8

FWIW Vic, I’ve had good success with small o-rings for the link. They have the advantage of springing outward and thereby holding themselves inside coupler pocket, lessening the chance of falling out. And in case they do, they’re super cheap to replace if you get a small bag of them.

#9

no more pics?
i got one.

for link and pin i either buy from pasidump on ebay, or i make my own.
an old cooling ribs from a pc, a fishing hook as pin and the biggest plastic chain for baby pacifiers, i can find for links.
(when i took the pic, i had forgotten to drill the necessary holes)

coupler

3 Likes
#10

“As a modeler” I prefer to build the pilot first then add a few details like an 1/8" rivet and a link off some jewelry chain. Mount them with some plastic parts that I cut off a broken toilet float lever and call it done. I hope to add a Railpro with battery power along with other 3d printed parts in the future.

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1 Like
#11

Thanks guys, some good ideas as usual on this forum.

#12

This was just improvised from Plastruct box channel. I think the trailer car came with its own couplers.

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Regards, David Meashey