Do you polish Kadee wheel sets?

[ndbprr]

I have started to poli***he tread on these before installing them. Easiest way I have found is to chuck a Dremel rotary wire brush in the drill press and spin the wheels around the rotating brush while holding the axle with pliars. It really leaves a smooth shiny tread. You could probably do the same thing holding the wheels stationary and using a Dremel or similar tool.

[ndbprr]

I have started to poli***he tread on these before installing them. Easiest way I have found is to chuck a Dremel rotary wire brush in the drill press and spin the wheels around the rotating brush while holding the axle with pliars. It really leaves a smooth shiny tread. You could probably do the same thing holding the wheels stationary and using a Dremel or similar tool.

[tomwatkins]

Yes I do, using a hand held Dremel tool with a wire brush.I use Kadee trucks on my freight cars, and I air bru***hem. This is the easiest way I've found to get the paint off the wheel treads.

[tomwatkins]

Yes I do, using a hand held Dremel tool with a wire brush.I use Kadee trucks on my freight cars, and I air bru***hem. This is the easiest way I've found to get the paint off the wheel treads.

[ndbprr]

I wish I could come up with a way to only polish a little of the tread - preferably at the flange. I think it would give the cars a more prototypical look as far a tread width. more like proto87.

[ndbprr]

I wish I could come up with a way to only polish a little of the tread - preferably at the flange. I think it would give the cars a more prototypical look as far a tread width. more like proto87.

[dknelson]

Yes I tried to limit the polishing to make the wheel treads look thinner (I used a very slender wire brush in my Dremel) but it was irregular and when the cars rolled they looked funny -- they looked like they were wobbly when they weren't. Maybe there is some way to do this right but I have not found it
Dave Nelson

[dknelson]

Yes I tried to limit the polishing to make the wheel treads look thinner (I used a very slender wire brush in my Dremel) but it was irregular and when the cars rolled they looked funny -- they looked like they were wobbly when they weren't. Maybe there is some way to do this right but I have not found it
Dave Nelson

[Sperandeo]

Yes, I've polished many, many Kadee wheelsets. I prefer to poli***he wheelsets before installing them, or to remove them from Kadee trucks to poli***hem. It's easy to hold the axles stationary and rotate the brush around the wheel. This may seem the counterintuitive way to do it, but I've found that if you let the wheels spin too fast you can melt the end of the plastic axle and then the wheelset won't roll so well.

For those who want only a little of the tread polished, just run them long enough and that will happen naturally. Of course, then you have to ask yourself where the black stuff on the wheels went. The answer is obvious, it's on the track, and that's another reason why I like to poli***hem.

so long,

Andy

[Sperandeo]

Yes, I've polished many, many Kadee wheelsets. I prefer to poli***he wheelsets before installing them, or to remove them from Kadee trucks to poli***hem. It's easy to hold the axles stationary and rotate the brush around the wheel. This may seem the counterintuitive way to do it, but I've found that if you let the wheels spin too fast you can melt the end of the plastic axle and then the wheelset won't roll so well.

For those who want only a little of the tread polished, just run them long enough and that will happen naturally. Of course, then you have to ask yourself where the black stuff on the wheels went. The answer is obvious, it's on the track, and that's another reason why I like to poli***hem.

so long,

Andy

[dknelson]

Andy's method is the one I use -- I have a pliers just the right width to hold the axle -- it virtually spreads as wide as the wheels -- and I move the Dremel around the wheels. One reminder -- wear eye protection. And keep your mouth closed! Those little wire bru***hingees are nasty. It also helps to do this in very good light because it is depressing to realize you "missed a spot" while putting the wheels in the truck.
Dave Nelson

[dknelson]

Andy's method is the one I use -- I have a pliers just the right width to hold the axle -- it virtually spreads as wide as the wheels -- and I move the Dremel around the wheels. One reminder -- wear eye protection. And keep your mouth closed! Those little wire bru***hingees are nasty. It also helps to do this in very good light because it is depressing to realize you "missed a spot" while putting the wheels in the truck.
Dave Nelson

[aluesch]

I polish mine on the go, that is while I operate my layout with this wheel cleaning machine: http://www.mrsonline.net/html/wheel_cleaner.html
It also keeps them clean.

Art

[aluesch]

I polish mine on the go, that is while I operate my layout with this wheel cleaning machine: http://www.mrsonline.net/html/wheel_cleaner.html
It also keeps them clean.

Art

[ndbprr]

The easiest way for me is to chuck the dremel brush in a drill press and hold the wheel set with a pair of pliars. Then rotate the wheel set counter to the brush rotation. usually takes just one pass

[ndbprr]

The easiest way for me is to chuck the dremel brush in a drill press and hold the wheel set with a pair of pliars. Then rotate the wheel set counter to the brush rotation. usually takes just one pass