need recommended products.....

... What are the best and most affordable knuckle couplter for n scale, hera that Micro-Scale's are pretty nice I've looked at then but it's 10 bucks for 2 pair. I'm on a limited spending ration.

... What about masking off for painting, any special products?

 

Like the old saying goes. Pay for the best now or pay again and again for the other.

 

For sure Micro-Trains couplers are the best. Don't let anyone else tell you otherwise.

 

You can save a little money by buying the bulk packs which have enough trucks for ten cars. That's the way I buy them. Buying from a source that discounts can also bring the cost down some, but they still aren't cheap. You might try the links on N Scale Collector for starters.
http://www.nscalecollector.com
Good luck.

[ 07 November 2001: Message edited by: upguy ]</p>

 

That's why I prefer to body mount my couplers unless I can't easily do so or the trucks are not up to scratch and being replaced - more bang for my buck. A 10 pair pack of unassembled 1015's is US$10 or less!

Masking? - I personally use Tamiya's masking tape. Available in spools (and refills) in 6mm, 10mm and 18mm widths. I have yet to have paint lift with it nor leave residue behind, even after being on the paint for months!
Otherwise, any of the 3M series should do the trick.
A tempered glass plate is useful for cutting the tape to size/ shape (and your decals too) as it has no give like traditional surfaces like wood-based and plastic (self healing type) cutting boards.
For oddball masking like special shapes and curves, I use MicroScale's MicroMask. An alternative is Humbrol Maskall but it has an obnoxious smell, IMHO.


Gary

 

10 BUCKS FOR 2 PAIR?.....Where are you buying them from? At our shop they go for between $4.00 and $6.00 per 2 pair pack, and thats retail price. $10.00 is way more than retail. Perhaps you should get your stuff thru a mail-order house and tell your local hobby shop owner that if he wants to continue to see your smiling face coming through the door, he'd better get his prices in line with the competition.

 

I agree with upguy - I purchase the bulk packs of microtrain (10 trucks and couplers) for about $30-
For loco conversions the unassembled packs of 2 pair run about $2-$4. The best part about buying the bulk packs also is that MT has many different style trucks to choose from (Roller bearing,Bettendorf, Blomberg et al.)


Russ
Hoffman Valley RR

 

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by HERMANzGERMAN:
10 BUCKS FOR 2 PAIR?.....Where are you buying them from? At our shop they go for between $4.00 and $6.00 per 2 pair pack, and thats retail price. $10.00 is way more than retail. Perhaps you should get your stuff thru a mail-order house and tell your local hobby shop owner that if he wants to continue to see your smiling face coming through the door, he'd better get his prices in line with the competition. <hr></blockquote>

No he said $10 for 10 pair thats 20 not 2 That is enough for 10 cars.

 

I too recommend going with the MT couplers. If your budget is tight, here is a method on replacing your trucks over time:

Start out by converting all of your locomotives. After this is done, start on your rolling stock. In order to allow for use of both types of couplers (MT and Rapido), replace the trucks on one end of a couple of cars making them a "transition" car to use between the locomotives and un-converted rolling stock. Eventually over time, you will replace all of your trucks and then you can convert the other half of your transition cars. It took me about two years to finally get all of my rolling stock converted (about 100 cars).

 

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Kevin Stevens:
I too recommend going with the MT couplers. If your budget is tight, here is a method on replacing your trucks over time:

Start out by converting all of your locomotives. After this is done, start on your rolling stock. In order to allow for use of both types of couplers (MT and Rapido), replace the trucks on one end of a couple of cars making them a "transition" car to use between the locomotives and un-converted rolling stock. Eventually over time, you will replace all of your trucks and then you can convert the other half of your transition cars. It took me about two years to finally get all of my rolling stock converted (about 100 cars).<hr></blockquote>

I agree. There will come a time in your hobby life when you look at the rapido couplers and secide they will have to go. The task of converting to MT's will then be rather formidable. Atlas Accumate couplers are a little cheaper and you may be tempted to go with them. Be aware that there are differences and it is usually best to settle on one brand of coupler. The Atlas coupler will work with MT's but their selection is limited and there is a problem with the trip pin falling out. Fortunately the trip pin is not necessary for operation as it is on the MT's but it is necessary for magnetic uncoupling. The Atlas coupler seems to protrude further from the car than the MT's which may be a help with small radius curves but may not be very prototypical. Still waiting in the wings is an alleged new coupler from Kato. I use their older coupler on Concor passenger cars as it permits easy coupling and close coupling and usually these trains entail no switching.

 

I think you checked your prices wrong. They sell for $3-6 for a pair (4) couplers. www.4nscale.com has a great selection of Micro-Trains couplers, so does www.buynscale.com
Micro Scale does not make couplers. You probably mean Micro Trains.

 

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by sd9043mac:
I think you checked your prices wrong. They sell for $3-6 for a pair (4) couplers. www.4nscale.com has a great selection of Micro-Trains couplers, so does www.buynscale.com
Micro Scale does not make couplers. You probably mean Micro Trains.<hr></blockquote>

Those are the assembled ones. But you can get the unassembled in bulk (10 pair) for $10 US and have the joy of assembling them. Its not easy at first but once you climb the learning curve it does get easier.

 

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Inkaneer:


Those are the assembled ones. But you can get the unassembled in bulk (10 pair) for $10 US and have the joy of assembling them. Its not easy at first but once you climb the learning curve it does get easier.<hr></blockquote>

Sorry hit the wrong button. BLW lists the 1015 RDA bulk pack (10 pair unassembled) for $8.65US.

 

I have never bought the assembled couplers, as they are easy to put together (hardest part is burnishing with Grease 'EM). To convert most rolling stock 1129 is needed $3.70 for an un-assembled pair ($4.60 at hobby shop)

 

What is the most recomended Micro-Trains coupler type (####)? I'm planning on buying this stuff after christmas.

 

For body mounting, I recommend the 1015, 1023 (assembled)/1025 (unassembled).
Please note that these can be used in most situations with little or no shimming (with the 1015 you get a shim plate). You will need to purchase a 00-90 tap and drill set compring of a tap, a #62 and #58 clearance drills. Though MTL has a set, best check a local machine shop supplier for these - they could come cheaper that way.
Personally I avoid the rapido coupler replacement type like the 1128, 1129, and 1130. I've had little success with these and they are more painful to assemble that the above (IMHO).

If you go the truck mounted types, use a type suitable for the period you are modelling and the type of car it is going on. Cars that have cushion coupler gear fitted for load protection are generally represented by using a medium extended coupler truck. For details - http://www.micro-trains.com/cplrs.htm

This has been covered in previous posts. Try http://www.trainboard.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=9&t=001128 for starters.
Use the search function to find more posts.

Gary.

 

Gats is right. Any of the T-shank couplers are nothing but trouble and frustration. Not just to assemble, but in actual use. They have to be "just so", or they will uncouple habitually. I am right now in the process of replacing all of the T-shank couplers that I installed on all my passenger cars with the body mounts for passenger cars. Use what Micro-Trains calls their "reverse draft" couplers, which are the same couplers that they use in their own trucks. The body mounts are part #'s 1015 & 1023/1025. The instruction sheet that comes with these is pretty thorough with most of the install scenarios included. I have found that they work pretty good even with tight curves. Please remember that proper weight in cars is almost as important and will effect the performance of the couplers in freight cars and passenger cars. Most cars do not weigh enough to perform properly on a real world train layout.

 

I find the T shank couplers easier to install than the 1015 body mount couplers they drop right in where the rapdios where. But they do need to be burnished with Grease 'Em (as with the 1015s) and secured with Walthers Goo as per manual

 

I agree with sd9043mac, the T-shank couplers are not that hard to install and work just fine. But you do have to follow the directions. i use a few windings of nylon thread to keep the parts in alignment while the Goo sets up. I then just leave the thread in place, hasn't ever given me a problem. I've been replacing rapidos with T-shanks since Atlas cars still came with black roofwalks.

Paul