makeing trucks from resin

Edavillenut

Edavillenut

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Aug 4, 2002
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pepperell, ma
www.lighthousehobbies.com
he guys i need your help to solve a problem

i model in On2 and need about 50 pairs of trucks. the ones i can buy are about $18 less wheels sets the wheel sets are about another $15

i have been toying with the idea of making a mold out of mold rubber and casting the side frames of the trucks out of resin. what do you think do you think the will hold up.

i need to do this soon as my fleet of cars are just sitting on the workbench waiting to be moved to the rail once they have trucks.


thank shawn
 
Dumb question here. Is this the same scale that Bachmann has released all that neat stuff in? Or is that On30? (Okay, so that was two dumb questions.) The reason I ask is that almost everything that Bachmann sells is available separately, which could save you a ton o' cash, if the scale is correct.

Wayne
 
doctorwayne said:
Dumb question here. Is this the same scale that Bachmann has released all that neat stuff in? Or is that On30? (Okay, so that was two dumb questions.) The reason I ask is that almost everything that Bachmann sells is available separately, which could save you a ton o' cash, if the scale is correct.

Wayne
Click to expand...

bachmann is on30 runs on ho track

On2 is 1/2" between the rails. all of my stuff is kitbashed or scratch built
i just wanted to make my own trucks.

i might try casting in brass using lost wax casting
 
I believe that you're looking at temperatures near the 2,000 degree mark, for brass. You could cast them in lead, using only a propane torch, although I don't know if that would be suitable for the lost wax process. You'd probably still need bearing inserts: the sintered bronze ones from the older Athearn HO diesel sideframes (metal) might work.

Wayne
 
would N scale wheelsets work? i cant remember the distance between rails in N scale track but i beleive its close to half an inch.--josh
 
This sounds a bit similar to my own problems.
I have turned wheels on lathes in hard woods and metals...that is not a problem.
And I have molded quite a few trucks out of various auto-body fillers.
But the problem is encorporating all these home grown peices into a reliable and balanced end product.
I have several I use today,although I'm not proud of them.
I envisioned turning out pairs of trucks in hours once I had the molds down.But the outcome was never as good as what I could see in my head.
I even asked recently here about a cheap truck source to just get some cars on the tracks.I think I found out the answer... there is no cheap home grown way around this.
But don't give up.And if you succeed...please let me know your technique.
 
the bachmann ones sit to high and look like crap

this is what On2 sandy river passenger trucks look like

Me2ftFAQ-trCoronadopass.jpg
 
You could make your own from resin, but you wouldn't be able to do it as a 1-piece casting. You'd need a pretty complex multi-piece mold to do it, and the time and effort you'd put into making the mold... well... what's your time worth?

You could do it as a 3-piece, potentially. Do each sideframe and the bolster as separate pieces.

The problem then becomes the bearing for the end of the axle... making it uniform, and slippery enough that the trucks will be free-rolling. You could either inset a pre-formed bronze bearing in the sideframe, or you could try to machine it.

As for how the Bachmann trucks look, don't you think "crap" is just a little harsh? Maybe they're not an exact match for what you're trying to do, but for what they are, and the price, I don't think "crap" is quite fair.

Let's see how your trucks turn out before we start throwing stones, eh? ;)
 
i have no problem with the bachmann trucks i have a couple of pair that i narrowed but the do not look good for what i model.

when i modeled in HO i wasent to worried about it being exact to proto type. now that i am modeling narrow gauge it has to be exact or not at all.

also i work on the maine 2 foot cars that i model at the maine narrow gauge railroad so i am around the real thing every weekend so i know what it looks like and i cant settle for less.

for some of the cars i have i plan on using the bachmann trucks but made to On2. but for the 10 cars i have finished and the 40 other they have to be exact or the cars are never going to roll.

i am going to try to give casting them out of resin a shot. i already have the first part of the mold made.

what i am going to do is make the frame out of brass then just mount the cast side frames on to the brass frame. this way there is no weight on the resin frame.

ill let you guys know once i make one if i think it is worth it. if i dont think it is then the owner of the company that makes the trucks is going to be my new best friend
 
I just like Squidbaits handle and signature-
"Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines."

Thank you-
the Manayunk Canal Line Management.

Mark
 
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