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 Posted - January 22 2013 : 12:07:01 PM
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So I've got lots of old cars in the collection from my Dad and his father, most of which is over 50 years old. Some of the stuff, like the more 'loved' athearn blue box cars, and most of the Revell and Varney cars, has worn the screw holes out that hold the trucks on. I tried putting a self-tapping screw in, and thouroughly ensured that the threads are entirely destroyed. The plastic kinda just powdered out of the hole when I picked the car up, and now only an absurdly large screw seems like it would bite in.
I'd like to rethread the holes to accept a slew of 2-56 screws I got from Trainland, but I know the holes are too big. I need some idea of a decent substance to backfill the truck screw holes with so that I can use my new Kadee Drill and Die set to put 2-56 holes in this 'plug'. Does anyone have good ideas for that?
Something tells me hot glue is going to make a big mess and not fill the hole in. CA glue just doesn't seem forgiving enough to drill and die to have threads. Surely someone has performed this type of surgery before?
Also, does anyone have experience with Kadee's plastic screws? They're 1/2" long, and made of nylon, but that makes me concerned. One of the Revell cars had plastic srews, which disintegrated when I loosened them!
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Posted - January 22 2013 : 2:22:43 PM
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You could buy some 2-56 nuts, drill the hole straight through and secure the trucks that way.
That would be my suggestion
just me Ray... and just because I have Tyco doesn't mean I am not a model railroader
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Posted - January 22 2013 : 2:43:45 PM
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Do as Ray has said. Use a 2-56 nut and washer. If no success, try some JB Weld.
" Heck with counting 'em rivets, TRAINS ARE FOR FUN! Not called the Mad Scientist for nothing either!"
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Posted - January 22 2013 : 5:30:53 PM
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If you have some saved plastic sprue from an old kit; determine what the diameter of it is and drill out the screw hole to accept a short piece of sprue. When the glue is dry cut it off to the length you want and drill and tap as usual.
5/32" is a common size I use.
Randy
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Posted - January 22 2013 : 6:14:35 PM
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Regarding Kadee plastic screws, they are made of a nylon like plastic and are pretty tough. I use them for locomotive pilots so that I can trim the excess so that the screw is flat with the surface of the pilot. Since they are nylon, they are easy to cut with an xacto knife.
-Thomas
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Posted - January 22 2013 : 11:19:17 PM
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| I'll have to research where I can get 2-56 nuts. I do have lots of kits I didn't yet assemble. In the meantime, I may be staying over at school; haulting railroad repairs.
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Posted - January 23 2013 : 09:16:12 AM
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2-56 nuts can be found at any ACE hardware or LHS.
just me Ray... and just because I have Tyco doesn't mean I am not a model railroader
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Posted - January 31 2013 : 3:19:14 PM
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neither my nearest ACE hardware nor either LHS has 2/56 screws or nuts.... believe me, I've looked way too many times.
--CRC
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Posted - January 31 2013 : 3:20:36 PM
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also, I have one Lima gondola where somebody did just such a modification to allow prong-mounted trucks to be replaced with screw-in ones, but I still don't know what they used and am trying to replicate id.
--CRC
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Posted - January 31 2013 : 5:20:14 PM
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Radioshack has 2-56 screws and nuts. I bought them from there store. Fairly priced.
" Heck with counting 'em rivets, TRAINS ARE FOR FUN! Not called the Mad Scientist for nothing either!"
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Posted - January 31 2013 : 6:01:50 PM
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Cool, thanks - I never thought to try Radio Shack. That's good to know.
I have purchased 100 packs of brass 2-56 screws from Amazon, which are also fairly priced. Sometimes when I do this when I just need a couple bucks to get me to the free shipping level.
quote:Radioshack has 2-56 screws and nuts. I bought them from there store. Fairly priced.
Originally posted by Redneck Justin - January 31 2013 : 5:20:14 PM
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