I put a coat of paint over a HO Kadee #308 Delayed "under-the-track" Uncoupler with the result that it will not uncouple anything anymore. How can I hide the uncoupler without impairing its hability to uncouple?
Guy
Modeling CNR in the 50's
I'm surprised that paint had that effect, and don't understand why you needed to paint it anyway. Mine were hidden completely by the ballast between the ties. The field was still strong enough to attract cars with steel axles. For a show when it formed part of a modular display, to keep operations manageable I was able to reduce the pull by placing a strip of metal between the rails. It continued to operate the couplers when desired.
I assume you checked to make sure the magnet didn't move, either dropping further below the ties or sideways. And if it became hidden that you remembered its location correctly. We all overlook the obvious from time to time.
John
I can't imagine a process that would cause a magnet to weaken because of paint. Like...the two aren't even related physics.
Though I haven't used any of the uncouplers yet, aren't there between the rails and under the track magnets? If so, did you inadvertently use the wrong one?
Just a thought.
Good luck,
Richard
In addition to Richard's suggestions the delayed under the track has an intensifier plate. Did you install it also??
Bob
Don't Ever Give Up
The uncoupler did work fine for months until I put paint on it. It is why I am stunned it doen't uncouple anymore.
What type of paint did you use? I imagine latex might have an effect with it being rubber
Vincent
Wants: 1. high-quality, sound equipped, SD40-2s, C636s, C30-7s, and F-units in BN. As for ones that don't cost an arm and a leg, that's out of the question....
2. An end to the limited-production and other crap that makes models harder to get and more expensive.
The paint I used was Gesso, a paint that is mainly used by artists to prepare canvas or wood before applying paint. I use it to prepare balsa (sidewalks) and cardboard (streets) on my layout before painting so those mediums will keep paint without being distorted by it.
After reading the above answers, I decided to make some tests to try to figure out what could be the problem. First of all, I choose four cars which I was sure they had real Kadee couplers on. With real Kadees, the uncoupler pushed the couplers to the side BUT, on two cars one of the couplers moved inward instead of outward so the cars would not uncouple anyway. Kadee wannabes were unreliable to say the least.
I then decided to remove the track, lift the uncoupler and remove the paint. Like acrylic paint, gesso was easily removed with glass cleaner (Windex). I put everything back and every coupler, except one that is not Kadee, worked fine again. No more gremlins.
Now I can say that the coat of paint affected the performance of the uncoupler. I can only hope that the ballast will not. I could also see the difference in performance between real Kadees and other wannabes.