I have several Kato HO locos that I want to put KD couplers on but the mounting screws are extremely tight. I don't have a phillips tip screw driver that fits perfectly and can't break the screws loose. I have also tried a flat blade, pushing quite hard, and the screw goes about 1 turn then gets too tight and I just twist the blade tip out of shape. So can anybody suggest the correct phillips tip screw driver, manufacturer name and size so I can win this little battle.
Thanks in advance for the correct answer!
You might want to check on line at big box stores, ace hardware, micro mark and/or harbor freight for jewelers screwdrivers. They often come in a set of 4-6. One of those should be correct for your job.
Regads, Chris
I have a HO scale Santa Fe Kato C44-9W that is currently out of commission for the same reason. I have the correct screwdriver, and it didn't budge the screw. I worked on it so much that I deformed the head; no screwdriver will work now. I did something rash in a moment of frustration; I drilled out the screw, with the thought of using epoxy to set a brass tube that I can tap for a mounting screw. I also purchased a spare frame from Kato as plan B. As usual, I set this aside a couple of years ago, moved on to other projects, and have not thought about this project until your post.
There is a bit of irony in this project. The locomotive came un-numbered from the factory; Discount Model Trains in Addison, TX applied the number "666" to make this a model of "The Beast" as it was known on the ATSF. I guess even the model lives up to perceptions.
I found this problem to be curious , so I did a Google search. What I read is that Kato uses metric screws, so you need a Philips metric screwdriver. Yes, there are, indeed, Philips metric screwdrivers.
Rich
Alton Junction
It sounds like you get the screw to make one turn out and did not bugger up the screws slots. That is a good start. I have never tried this on tiny screws of model trains but it has worked on rusted lug nuts and studs and steel shafts ''frozen'' in cast iron housings.
Turn the screw out and stop before it gets tight, next take shaved candle wax and stuff some under the screw's head, next take a soldering iron (low heat setting) and touch the head of the screw untill the wax melts and hopefuly will wick down the screw's threads. Then screw the screw in and touch the head again then try to back the screw out.
You could even made a ''thread'' of wax and while touching the screw's head with the soldering iron, touch the wax at the screw's head and coupler box, that will wick the wax down the threads.
Do not over heat the screw head, you just want to melt the wax.
I freeded up a 144 year old forge's blower shaft and housing with bees wax, heat, socket head and hammer.
I will go look at my Kato's couplers and screws just to see what the trouble could be.
This is the screw I removed with a Craftsman #41677 PH 00 X 40 that mated perfectly to the screw that was removed without trouble, BUT the screw did seem overly snug the whole way out.
Would a pin vice work?
richhotrain I found this problem to be curious , so I did a Google search. What I read is that Kato uses metric screws, so you need a Philips metric screwdriver. Yes, there are, indeed, Philips metric screwdrivers. Rich
With Kato locos being Japanese and I would assume they are using Japanese cross slotted head screws, the profile of the ''JIS''cross slot is different then Phillps cross slotted screws. For a perfect fit you would want ''Japanese Industrial Standard'' screw drivers. I do not have ''JIS'' screw drivers so I can not compare the fit differance between Phillips and JIS drivers to these screws.