I just found in my box of stuff an MTL 1015/1016 coupler kit that I bought a long time ago for one of my locos. (Looks like it will fit my GP30, GP35 and LL SW9) I know there is a jig to make putting these together easier, and at one time, I think I even owned it, but I can't find it. How easy/difficult is it to put this together? (might have bought it, but never used it) Any tips for doing it without the jig?
I don't use the jig,even though I have one.I made a spring pic from an old paintbrush.It's just the shaft,with a straight pin stuck in it,with the end hammered flat.You jam it in the end of the spring,works great..MicroMark makes them for HO springs.The only other tool I actually use is the MTL tweezers for holding the coupler knuckles together..
Not that hard. Here's how I do it. 1. Cut the coupler box, coupler box top and two halves of the coupler off the sprue. I use a fresh #11 blade in a hobby knife. 2. Take a pair of needle-nose pliers and grab the metal trip pin that fits into the top half of the coupler with the long end hanging about 1/8" out of the tip of the pliers. Take a flat file and swipe all sides of the tip of the long end a couple of times on each side to remove any burrs. Now take the top half of the coupler (the knuckle part) and insert the metal trip pin in the bottom of the knuckle where the hole is; note that the hole is rectangular, not round, so you need to line up the pin correctly to fit into the knuckle. The pin should just barely be visible out of the top of the knuckle when you are done. 3. Take the bottom half of the coupler and slip it over the trip pin to form a completed coupler knuckle. Put this down on the table, trip pin down. 4. Take the bottom of the coupler box (with the post and sides) and hold it in your left hand with the narrow tip facing out. With your right hand, pick up the completed knuckle and fit the back "loops" over the post of the coupler box. Now shift your fingers on the coupler box so that your thumb pushes out on the coupler knuckle assembly from the back of the box while you are supporting the box with your first and middle fingers. The back of the "loop" on the knuckle should be hitting the post, creating as much space in the front of the loop (between the post and the knuckle) as possible - this space is where the centering spring fits. 5. Take your hobby knife, and insert the very tip in between turns of the coupler spring at one end of the spring. The spring and knife will form a 90-degree angle after you've done this, with the spring hanging off the very tip of the knife where you inserted the blade between turns of the spring (the blade goes between turns of the spring, NOT in the open end of the spring). 6. Insert the free end of the spring in the space between the post and the coupler knuckle inside the "loop" of the knuckle. Use your thumb to "cover" the spring as you insert it and remove the knife so that the spring won't bounce out of the coupler. When you are done, the spring should sit flat inside the knuckle "loop" between the post and the front of the knuckle. 7. Put knife down. With your right hand, pick up the coupler box top between your thumb and forefinger, making sure that the top (flat) side is up (the bottom side has a small indentation that the tiny pin on the top of the knuckle "loop" fits in). Place the top over the post on the bottom box as you move your left thumb (which has been covering the spring) back to make room. You want to "slide" the top back into place over the spring to make sure the spring doesn't "spring" out of place. 8. Use pressure to "snap" the top of the coupler box onto the bottom over the post. You'll feel it snap into place. Flip the knuckle a couple of times with a finger on your right hand while holding the coupler box in your left hand to make sure the coupler moves freely and centers correctly. 9. You are done. This all sounds harder than it is. There is a definite "technique" to doing this, and the first time you do it, be prepared to cuss a lot; if you're a beer drinker, have one or two cold ones handy. And do this on a large flat table where you can find the coupler spring when you lose it the first time. But after you've done it once, you'll get the process down and any additional ones will go fast. I can now put together a 10-pair bulk pack (20 couplers) in 20 minutes from the time of opening the bag to having 20 completed couplers, or about one a minute, without the jig or any other special tools. Remember: you CAN do this. You WILL NOT be defeated by a coupler! John C.
I do basically the same technique as John. I use a couple items as seen in the pics below. The little red handled looking pic I 'borrowed' out of my wifes sewing box. I set the small pic on end...put the coupler pocket on it. I put the coupler pieces over the center post and hold with the side of my index finger. I use a dental pic and slip it into the end of the spring. I slide the spring into the coupler...up against the center post. I use my smallest flat screwdriver to 'roll' the spring into the coupler. I make sure the coupler cover is face down on the desk (there is a correct 'up' and a 'down' orientation to the lid) The side with the small groove goes down. I wet my index finger and push down on the lid...picking it up and putting it over the top of the pin and the coupler center spring. I use a small pair of needlenose pliers...slightly open...with one end on each side of the center post of the coupler. Gently push down on the lid to seat it. Coupler is done in a minute. Like John said...dont let coupler assembly get the better of you. :tb-cool: *BTW...I dont install trip pins on mine as I use manual uncoupling. BUT...you can do as John said to put the trip pin in during assembly * .
Unless you like to be tortured buy the pre-assembled. Heck i'v replaced the whole truck assemble w/coupler attached on some cars. Dave
Wow thanks for the detailed replies and photos! The reason I ask is because I already have the kit, so I figured I might as well give it a try. Dave, I have purchased dozens of car truck assemblies with couplers already attached, this is for a loco.
You live in Riverside? Pm me your phone number and address, I can show you how to assemble them without a jig in about two minutes per coupler.
Along with what everyone else said on how to assemble them, use a needle and about 2 - 4 inches of thread and run the thread down the inside of the spring. Leave it there until the box is assembled and the pull the thread out. The thread will help in keeping the spring in place and if it (spring) does try to fly away the thread will make it easier to find. Gary
I would rather have root canal work. I tried it several times and failed. I took PSG's advice and now only use the pre fabs, ESPECIALLY for the Z couplers.
Mark: That was years ago I told you that and how many couplers later??? I don't think you'd really rather have root canal work. However, It's so much easier to use the pre-assembled N scale and Z scale couplers. Now if you guys really want utter frustration try assembling the MT Z scale # 903 couplers. Personally I would rather spend the extra money and buy the MT Z scale # 905 which is the Z scale #903 completely assembled.
I have one tip to add. I leave the coupler box bottom on the sprue. Assemble the coupler and then trim it off the sprue. Just another way of having a better handhold as you assemble. The 903's are trickier but still doable. I just wish the lid would snap on instead of the melt the plastic trick.
I had to do a bunch of them and what worked for me was using the thin double sided tape and a small block. The block lifted the sprue and gave it an edge and the tape held bottom sprue steady. I also used a dab (needle tip) of CA glue to hold the lid in place. This was required on the 2004 kit. The lid was sooooo thin there was nothing to snap in. I used it for Kato's NW switchers and RS2C. PSGuy is right, its worth the $3 difference without the hassle. I had 8 sets to do and then it became a cost factor. Inobu
So, how exactly do MT assemble them. Do they have a clever machine or some very nimble fingered workers churning them out at 10 a minute.?
Jig and workers. They aren't not as hard as everyone makes it out to be. They also "weld" the boxes shut using a tool similar to a soldering iron.
There is a learning curve to climb, that is for sure but once you do that it goes easier and faster. But the jig really helps a lot. One bit of advice I would add would be to make extras so you will have them handy for a quick change out rather than only make what you need at the moment .
