Hi folks,
I was curious if there are any vendors producing locomotive drive wheels or rough castings in G scale. I’m considering building a US-proto WW1 era loco with roughly 2.0in dia counterweighted drivers.
Thanks for any help!
I’ve been interested in this as well. I’m also looking for 57 inch drivers in 1:29th scale, which is just under 2 inches.
I’m considering machining them myself, but it sure sounds tedious. I was thinking I could machine the wheel profile on my lathe, and then machine the details and counterweights with a CNC mill… but first I need to convert my LMS mini mill to CNC and hope it’s sturdy enough to do the job.
Casting would probably be a better idea. I’d have to farm out the casting itself, but I’ve heard 3D printing can be used to make the pattern.
Let me know if you make any progress on this and I’ll do the same!
Thanks Benjamin. I actually have a CNC mill, but like you say, its not going to be an easy process. Machining steel would take a very long time, but I wonder if aluminum wouldn’t be so bad. The softer aluminum, might even help with traction issues on oily track!
When you gentlemen get that worked out keep use posted as there is a need for drivers of various sizes is several ratios (1:20.3, 1:22.5, etc). With a CNC machine you should be able to get it going and not have to baby sit it too closely.
Paul
Jeff-Ben
2" diameter or thereabouts is a pretty common size and available from many sources from existing loco offerings in my experience. Larger diameter drivers becomes an issue, again in my experience.
There are a few aftermarket driver manufacturers out there; a few come to mind
Mark Wood
http://www.markwoodwheels.co.uk/
Pacific Locomotive
http://www.pacificlocomotive.com/
Cumberland Models
http://www.cumberlandmodelengineering.com/
Walsall Models
http://www.walsallmodelindustries.co.uk/
Roberts Lines/Bob Thon
email roblines at earthlink.net
Michael
Please note that there is no such thing a a ‘G scale’ wheel, since the ‘scale’ is not a recognised one by those who make wheels here in UK.
What has been posted is a list of manufacturers of wheels of different types and diameters - spokes can be round or oval in section - even flat-faced, and of course, the actual nnumbers also matter, as does the style and positioning of any counterweights. But without exception, unless you pay for the work to be done, they will need machining all over in a lathe big enough to handle them.
There are, however, both fine and coarse-scale standards for wheels. This refers to the flange sizes even before machining, so please bear in mind that wheels made in UK for smaller scales suitable for garden railway trains - NOT those you ride behind - will end up having finer flanges than might be useful for you in a typical garden railway situation running on non-scale track. Typically, track here in UK is Code 180, as are all the associated switches.
There is also the not-small cost involved - here in UK as-cast wheels, particularly from Walsall Models - CAN be bought as ready-machined sets for the many Gauge 1 [1/32nd and 10mm] models available here in UK], but the cost is a bit of a frightener, and that’s before shipping these cast-iron items over the ocean.
If you give me some idea of the type of wheels you are looking for, and how many, I can talk to other members of G1MRA here in UK, and see if we can work something out.
tac
G1MRA #3651
Thanks Mark! Walsall and Mark Wood seem to be exactly what I was looking for.
Tac,
You bring up some great points! I should have no problem machining the rough castings, though. I wish, of course, that there was a US based supplier of these castings, as I also suspect shipping and customs fees will add up.
Thanks for offering your help with G1mra, but I will have to get back to you once I figure out exactly what I need.
Bob Thon has a couple of US type castings. One is the Box Pox type that the Challenger used, other is a smaller size, not sure. Have to write him, he does have a spam block thing you have to fill out once. He is in the US, so makes it cheaper.