KADEE SPRINGS
JUP KADEE SPRINGS
Welcome.
From a Google search. Hope it helps.
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/t/166076.aspx
Rich
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
Assuming you are talking about HO standard gauge: Kadee makes two different truck springs. One for the 100 ton roller bearing trucks, one for everything else.
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They are pretty easy to insert with the old style red Kadee spring pick. It can be done with a #11 blade.
Removing them is a pain.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
I 'cheated' a bit on install by making a little blob of something near the end of a #1 X-Acto knife blade (the very long, thin tip) which keeps the spring centered as you work it in, but still allows the tool to be slid out laterally with a little counterpressure on the spring base (or gentle pick lifting) when it's in position. This is especially useful if you model complete spring nests instead of just two springs side-by-side.
I find that effectively removing them required two tools: one to compress the coils 'from inside', like a regular spring compressor, and a second to slide between the lifted end and its seat, with a 'sticky' finish of some kind, to move the end outboard to where it will come loose, still lightly stuck to the second tool.
I may be a klutz but no amount of finagling with just one pick ever got these things out without them tending to jump like fleas; I used my watchmakers' hairspring tweezers in pairs to do them, but that is probably overkill.
(Might I add here that I used thinned Plasti-Dip on my springs to give them a prototype appearance -- you're best off using trial and error to get the right virtual thickness, and I used a hair dryer or similar gun to accelerate the set while turning the spring over and over, with the base in the hairspring tweezers to minimize any little bare patch.)
I've always used a #11 blade, which seems to work well for both removal and installation. There's an example HERE (just scroll down to the fourth and fifth images).
Wayne
Whether attaching a coupler or truck spring, a good pair of extra-fine needle-nose tweezers has always worked well for me. I grab the very last turn on one end of the spring with the tweezers, slide it over the bottom nub, then slide the other end over the top nub. Since you are holding onto it with the tweezers, it's less likely to go flying across the room into the ether zone.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
doctorwayneI've always used a #11 blade, which seems to work well for both removal and installation. There's an example HERE (just scroll down to the fourth and fifth images).
I'm only seeing the installed springs (behind what may be dummy leaf springs). Splendid microphotography ... just no visible blades or tools.
I think we are talking about the same thing: a #11 replacement blade for a #1 X-Acto knife. Right? Or is there some construction or material difference?
Overmod...I think we are talking about the same thing: a #11 replacement blade for a #1 X-Acto knife. Right? ...
Sorry, I should have been more precise: yes, a #11 blade in a standard X-Acto handle. To remove springs, simply slide the blade into the tightly-wound coils at the top or bottom of the spring, then compress the spring enough to disengage it from the retaining pin/nub. I usually keep my free hand over the operation, just in case the spring tries to take flight, but that seldom occurs. Installation of springs is pretty-much the same, but in reverse order.I couldn't show an in-progress view, as one hand is needed to hold the knife, one to hold the Optivisor in front of the camera's lense, another to hold over the operation to contain possible flying springs, and one more to provide a finger to press the button for the camera's shutter.
The leaf springs are phosphor-bronze, but once they're compressed enough in order to fit the holes in them onto the nubs in the sideframe, they don't spring back enough to remain in place. To rectify that, I use the same blade/handle to re-spread them (a simple twist from the back of the sideframe usually spreads the spring enough to engage those nubs), then the original coil springs are re-inserted to keep the leaf spring from re-collapsing.
doctorwayneI couldn't show an in-progress view, as one hand is needed to hold the knife, one to hold the Optivisor in front of the camera's lense, another to hold over the operation to contain possible flying springs, and one more to provide a finger to press the button for the camera's shutter.
Isn't that one of the principal reasons God invented wives, girlfriends, and partners? ...
Very valuable advice, and pictures. Thanks!
Thinned Plasti-Dip sounds like a great idea. What thinner do you use?
I use a: pointy tweezers from Rite-Aid that have serrations inside the tip, b: a dot of clear parts cement (canopy glue or Future) top and bottom to keep the springs in place, and c: generally work inside a big freezer bag -- that gives me a chance to retrieve flying springs.
Graham LineThinned Plasti-Dip sounds like a great idea. What thinner do you use?
The actual thinners in Plasti-Dip are VM&P naphtha (a complex mixture of hydrocarbons) about 37% by weight; hexane about 18.5%, and toluene just under 15%. At one point I used toluene as thinner only because I was also testing it as a promoter in diesel engines, but the thing I preferred was xylene.
All these, of course, are only to be used in extremely well-ventilated areas, with proper PPE, away from spark or heat sources.
I don't know of a low-VOC alternative to Plasti-Dip although I'm sure there would be at least one by now. Since dielectric strength of the film isn't a concern for dipped truck springs, I wouldn't worry if a non-VOC alternative gave inconsistent film characteristics as long as the appearance was reasonable.
I don't get more complicated than an xacto blade with these springs, but once they "spring" away from you, don't bother looking for them- especially on a carpet! They enter a dimensión....known as the HO lost spring twilight zone!
Cedarwoodron
Guys, the Kadee Spring Pick is one of the BEST $2 investments I've ever made. Bought mine over 20 years ago. The new one, I think now is yellow and includes an uncoupling tip on the opposite end. Still sells in the $2 range. Well worth it. The steel tip is is contoured to fit into and hold the spring.
Years back, my wife's cousin asked me for assistance with installing replacement springs on 20 freight cars (couplers & some trucks) and couplers on 4 locomotives! Some units were missing one spring, others both. I quietly said "Yipes!" to myself, but still wanted to help him.
I expected it to be a grueling task. Yet, we both smiled when I finished in about 3 minutes! After doing a few, the motions become almost robotic.
STEP 1: The replacement springs are laid out on a Terry Cloth Towel or on a strip of 3/4" masking tape with adhesive side up.
STEP 2: Gently insert the pick tool within a coil (not in the center, but closer towards one end).
STEP 3: Insert one end on to the truck or coupler's "hook". Gently compress it towards that end, lower the opposite end in line with the opposing hook. Gently uncompress the spring into the hook. Lift the tool...and your done!
I've gotten to the point where it takes me approximately 10 to 15 seconds per spring installation. Not trying to brag, but it's just that replacing springs used to be a frustrating, time consuming ordeal for me. Springs would fly into the wormhole that the USS Voyager disappeared into, LOL. Now, I just relax and replace.
Here's a photo of my tool (apologies for the blurriness). If you look carefully, you can see a Kadee Spring on the steel hook tip. There's no escape for that spring......Resistence is futile!
"I like my Pullman Standards & Budds in Stainless Steel flavors, thank you!"
Is the trick of a piece of thread through the spring (to prevent run aways) of any use in truck springs?
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
A piece of thread thru the spring is good until you've got the hang of inserting the spring. I have a spring pick, but perfer the #11 blade. I was using it to put springs in sprung trucks back in the 60s before Kadee ever made trucks.
Overmod doctorwayne I couldn't show an in-progress view, as one hand is needed to hold the knife, one to hold the Optivisor in front of the camera's lense, another to hold over the operation to contain possible flying springs, and one more to provide a finger to press the button for the camera's shutter. Isn't that one of the principal reasons God invented wives, girlfriends, and partners? ... Very valuable advice, and pictures. Thanks!
doctorwayne
Hello group, one of the methods I recommend to replace the truck springs is to carefully CA glue the springs onto the end of the bolster. When the glue is set you can set the bolster back into the side frame compressing the springs until the bolster slips up into position.
The truck springs are ferrous metal and can be picked up with a magnet. When one pops into never never land (carpet) try a magnet to find the spring. However, you have to do it quickly because our coil springs have a homing device in them along with an escape feature. When a spring launches out of sight it can escape any sealed room and continue to bounce all the way back to the factory into the drop box to be inspected and used again. Unfortunately, we haven't been able to build in a self-installation feature.
Sam Clarke
Kadee Quality Products
A couple wood toothpicks works for me.
The Kadee Spring Pick is really the best ticket.
I just found my old red one. It is not the same as the new plastic tool. The red one is great for truck springs. The yellow one is better for knuckle springs.