Ho diesel handrails

[simon b]

Hi all, I've got a few old athearn diesels that need replacement handrails. Is there a supplier in the UK, or an alternative that can be adapted to work?

 

 

[cnw6847]

The KV Models handrails look superb.

I'm yet to try them but are planning to order some in due course.

 

You'd have to order them directly from the US though.

 

https://kvmodels.com/ho-scale-products/

[Traintresta]

I prefer precision scale cast stanchions, they are very similar to Smokey valley stanchions and may the old castings that have been updated? They ship to the UK. 

[jonhall]

I might be able to help, about 20 years ago I went into Caboose hobbies in Denver with some friends, I wasn't interested in HO modelling, but saw some of the handrails as a potential source of handrails on UK departmental conversions. 20 years later they remain unused, I will have a look at what I have and we can see if we con come to a suitable arrangement, since they are already in the UK, but I'm away from home until at least Wednesday.

 

Jon

[simon b]

1 hour ago, jonhall said:

I might be able to help, about 20 years ago I went into Caboose hobbies in Denver with some friends, I wasn't interested in HO modelling, but saw some of the handrails as a potential source of handrails on UK departmental conversions. 20 years later they remain unused, I will have a look at what I have and we can see if we con come to a suitable arrangement, since they are already in the UK, but I'm away from home until at least Wednesday.

 

Jon

 

Thank you Jon, that sounds perfect. I'll wait to hear from you. 

[Barclay]

I used Alan Gibson straight brass wire on this SW9 - I think it was 0.45mm, slightly slimmer than the originals. Tedious bending work but not difficult!

 

[F-UnitMad]

12 hours ago, Barclay said:

I used Alan Gibson straight brass wire on this SW9 - I think it was 0.45mm, slightly slimmer than the originals. Tedious bending work but not difficult!

 

Nice trackwork!! 👍👍👍👌

[Barclay]

13 hours ago, F-UnitMad said:

Nice trackwork!! 👍👍👍👌

Thanks, it's my EM layout - The SW9 was just plonked there for photographic purposes!

[jonhall]

 

 

My workshop search didn't bring up as many packets as I was expecting,

 

I have these two

 

39066 7.50 $       Stanchions, GP-9 handrail, 5/8", plastic

39069 12.75 $     Stanchions, GP-35 handrail, 7/16" 

 

based on the current list price, I'd guess £4 for the plastic ones and £8 for the brass (plus the cost of a stamp for postage) would be fair?

 

 

The box also had these in it, based on current prices, about £1.50 each for the tichy trains packets, or £3 for the Details Associates pack (again plus a stamp if sold separately for postage) would seem fair if you or anyone else is interested?

 

Otherwise they all seem destined to remain in a draw!

 

Thanks

 

Jon

[simon b]

18 minutes ago, jonhall said:

 

 

My workshop search didn't bring up as many packets as I was expecting,

 

I have these two

 

39066 7.50 $       Stanchions, GP-9 handrail, 5/8", plastic

39069 12.75 $     Stanchions, GP-35 handrail, 7/16" 

 

based on the current list price, I'd guess £4 for the plastic ones and £8 for the brass (plus the cost of a stamp for postage) would be fair?

 

 

The box also had these in it, based on current prices, about £1.50 each for the tichy trains packets, or £3 for the Details Associates pack (again plus a stamp if sold separately for postage) would seem fair if you or anyone else is interested?

 

Otherwise they all seem destined to remain in a draw!

 

Thanks

 

Jon

 

Hi Jon. Thanks for finding those out, I'll take everything please! Can you PM me your payment details and I'll get that sorted.

 

 

[Traintresta]

Does anybody know if it's possible to print handrails using a 3D printer?

[298]

1 hour ago, Traintresta said:

Does anybody know if it's possible to print handrails using a 3D printer?

 

Yes, and no. This was a trial end for a tank car with high level roof walks, in the end I made the ladders as a separate print and soldered the frame from 1mm brass. The grabs are 0.4mm and the key is the alignment when printing and not getting a support near them (going from 0.3 to 0.4mm nearly doubles the cross sectional area).

 

For the handrail supports I've used copper coated staples (purely because I thought they would be easier to solder), but the copper is so thin that one pass with a glass fibre brush cleans it and the second removes it completely. But they still seem to solder ok. 

 

I might have a go at drawing up some handrail stantions but from experience I think I'd prefer metal, such as KV models. 

[Traintresta]

On 11/06/2024 at 14:31, 298 said:

 

Yes, and no. This was a trial end for a tank car with high level roof walks, in the end I made the ladders as a separate print and soldered the frame from 1mm brass. The grabs are 0.4mm and the key is the alignment when printing and not getting a support near them (going from 0.3 to 0.4mm nearly doubles the cross sectional area).

 

For the handrail supports I've used copper coated staples (purely because I thought they would be easier to solder), but the copper is so thin that one pass with a glass fibre brush cleans it and the second removes it completely. But they still seem to solder ok. 

 

I might have a go at drawing up some handrail stantions but from experience I think I'd prefer metal, such as KV models. 

Thanks for the insight. Please forgive me as I’m just getting started with 3D printing but is going from 0.3 to 0.4 mm a case of changing settings on the printer, or is it a function of the drawing/slicing?

[298]

3 hours ago, Traintresta said:

Thanks for the insight. Please forgive me as I’m just getting started with 3D printing but is going from 0.3 to 0.4 mm a case of changing settings on the printer, or is it a function of the drawing/slicing?

 

Ultimately it's the drawing. You can scale things in a slicer but that would affect of the dimensions of the piece. I suppose it's possible just to do on one of the axis (so something like the 3d printed end above would still have the same height and width but the depth and therefore the handrail would be thicker. But in reality I'd be more likely to just re-draw it.