I am sure that I saw somebody had come up with a better pivot for the Greenwich couplings that digging great holes in your fingers trying to get a Peco track pin to bend nicely at the right place without destroying the coupling.
I have tried
- super gluing the pin in place then cutting of the sharp end but for me that either falls out after 5 minutes or the glue wicks through the hole and gums up the pivot, even the gel
- a dob of black paint instead of glue and that works for a bit but then the pin falls out a again
- a short length of black coated wire bent in place which works fine but makes the coupling look even more bulky.
I am sure that I saw something very simple and effective but I can't find it anywhere.
Any ideas?
Thanks Stephen,I am with you on this matter. I have couplers for roughly 20 wagons and after a few builds,I simply gave up. Did I ever curse, my wife said to me " I thought this was a relaxing hobby". At least Micro trains sell a jig to help assist in its coupler assembly.
Look forward for a fix,
Thanks.
Perhaps the key is the right tool for the job? I've used both the supplied track pins and brass wire (about 0.5mm diameter) for the loop pivot on Greenwich couplings, but have some fine needle-nosed pliers - bought for jewellery making and I've filled the jaws finer at the end - to do the job of bending the pin/wire down to stop it slipping out, then some equally fine cutters to remove the excess. It may also help to have 2 pairs of pliers, one to hold the pivot between the 'ears' on the 'buffer' part whilst the other holds the end protruding from the loop pivot to bend the pin/wire over.
The other suggestion would be to drill a hole in a small bit of thin brass (bit cut from the frame of the etch) so that it slips over the end of the pivot like a washer. This could be stuck in place with adhesive (make sure its a very snug fit to avoid the wicking through problems, or use a gel glue), or if you're feeling brave this could be soldered on - just slip a washer of oiled paper between the coupling and the metal washer to prevent flux and solder from wicking through (bit like assembling valve gear).
Quote from: JulienW on March 13, 2021, 09:26
Perhaps the key is the right tool for the job? I've used both the supplied track pins and brass wire (about 0.5mm diameter) for the loop pivot on Greenwich couplings, but have some fine needle-nosed pliers - bought for jewellery making and I've filled the jaws finer at the end - to do the job of bending the pin/wire down to stop it slipping out
I do indeed have two pairs of needle nose pliers, one straight, one curved and would probably be better off with something slightly wider inside the coupling. The issue there is if I am too close it puts a slight bend on the sides of the pivot causing it to stick, or the pin is over length and rattles from side to side.
I am more than happy to admit though that this is probably my own cack-handedness.
Quote from: JulienW on March 13, 2021, 09:26
The other suggestion would be to drill a hole in a small bit of thin brass (bit cut from the frame of the etch) so that it slips over the end of the pivot like a washer. This could be stuck in place with adhesive (make sure its a very snug fit to avoid the wicking through problems, or use a gel glue), or if you're feeling brave this could be soldered on
Or I could just solder it to the side of the coupling which is far more is my comfort zone. If I tin the side of the coupling and pin first, slightly open out the static part and go over it with a pencil to make it less likely to take solder then this might be a possibility. I will still have to trim down the excess pin and paint it but then by the time I have finished half the brass is normally showing anyway :-)
I just found the notes I made from that article, and there was another solution that I had forgotten about
(1) Cut a very short length of 0.5mm ID plastic pipe (evergreen?) which you glue between the static parts of the pivot using a needle to hold it still. You can then push the track pin through, which will be an friction fit and trim to length. You could even cut down two pins to 2mm long and push one in from each end. This was the one I was thinking of, but in retrospect looks a bit fiddly.
(2) 3D print the static bit, leaving a 0.6mm hole for the pin. This could either be NEM or spread out to a T for easier fixing to the chassis. I didn't have a 3D printer at the time so it didn't have any impact.
I would love to be able to share these but it was only a few months after I started back and had decided to be more economical with the stuff I kept and just made notes in my "One drive" which I had forgotten about. Nowadays I just PDF whole articles, save them to disk so at least I know its somewhere on D:\archive\009\.... :laugh:
The original Greenwich couplings came with brass wire rather than a Peco track pin. Well I assume they did as I have a couple of packets that I bought at an exhibition, from a stand selling them off, that included brass wire. It is possible to buy blackened brass wire sold for jewellery making.
I did try the modification Julien did to a cheap pair of pliers bought on the sales stand once, but gave up due to ineffective progress, life seemed too short. Perhaps I needed a better file and should have persevered.
I use brass or nickel silver wire, about half a mm dia, the sort sold for handrails. As drawn so stiff and straight. It works well, but you do need fine nosed pliers for a neat job.
One other point, make sure the bits with the holes in that you bend down to take the pins/wires are really at 90 degrees and/or run a fine drill through both holes to make sure the path for the pin/wire is open snd straight.
Frank
I know as I age I no longer have the dexterity. Pity there is no simple jig to make the basic form to make it easier for older modellers. Oh well, the next generation May have other ideas.
Quote from: Frank on March 13, 2021, 13:28
make sure the bits with the holes in that you bend down to take the pins/wires are really at 90 degrees and/or run a fine drill through both holes to make sure the path for the pin/wire is open snd straight.
Yes that is an issue isn't it. I have a pack of dental round files, one of which is just the right size for opening them up a little, but one day it will break and I will have to find something else :-)
I have heard that heating the pin and allowing it to cool makes it more malleable. Not tried this as I use brass wire istead.
Like others, I now use brass handrail wire (0.45mm diameter)
Quote from: hughn on March 13, 2021, 16:32
Like others, I now use brass handrail wire (0.45mm diameter)
That would be easier to solder too ;)
Well soldering sort of worked. If you scrape off the side of the bit that dangles down you can use a hockey stick shaped bit of wire for the pivot and solder the bend over end down. It looks Ok, but took about twice a long and bending the pin :-\
And on that subject I now have an issue with the Iron wire. I made the first 4 sets of couplings using 6 turns of wire from the same hank that came with the first set, and they work nicely. However for the last two I had to start a new hank which is completely different, 6 turns there will almost stop the train going over the magnet.
So I measured it, the first hank was black and 0.2mm, but the new one is red and 0.25mm diameter so 2 turns of that is more than enough. I can't help wondering if I somehow got this mixed up with wire from somewhere else. ???
Someone (I think it was Neil Moss of Mosskito fame) posted a method of using soft copper wire for the pivot, this could then be crimped with pliers both ends to form a sort of "rivet" in effect.
Must admit that I haven't tried this.
Earlier batches of Greenwich Couplings were indeed supplied with 0.45mm brass wire (I remember the packing sessions!), though ISTR that the pivot holes were a bit smaller as well.
Simon.