Has anyone tried to make their own truck tuner similar to the one sold by Micro Mark? It looks like a chopped off drill bit with a rubber ring for turning it between the fingers. The $20 plus shipping seems pretty high for the simplicity of the design. The tough part would be finding a bit with the right pitch to properly clean out the axle socket. The other end would be easy to taper down on a grinding wheel.
Sure the design looks simple... but ——
Unlike a drill bit with two flutes and cutting faces made for removing material quickly the cutting face of the Truck Tuner is probably sharper than a drill bit because it is only one edge it will not cut too deeply.
An ordinary high-speed drill bit does not come to a sharp point, either.
Drill_points by Edmund, on Flickr
Even a 60° counter sink would probably take too much material off unless you modify it. But probably a better choice than a drill bit.
The other nice thing is the length is just right to fit in the space normally occupied by the needle-point axle. This keeps the cutting end centered and true.
The angle and shape of the cutting face allows it to shave off high spots but not remove too much material. Light finger pressure squeezing the journals together is enough to make a good cut.
The finish on mine is precision ground. I would have been able to make that kind of finish with a Blanchard grinder but I no longer have access to one.
I recently picked up about a dozen Broadway Limited HO hopper cars and they all rolled like the proverbial lead sled.
It was time-consuming, it only cuts one recess at-a-time, but using the truck tuner reduced wheel drag considerably.
It is a worthwhile investment.
Regards, Ed
Why spend time, money, and more time and money to reinvent the wheel? (Or, here, the truck tuner?)
They have already tested and proofed theirs. I would not want to test it and get it wrong on a car and ruin something.
I would go with the Micromark version way, way, way before I would make my own.
Ricky W.
HO scale Proto-freelancer.
My Railroad rules:
1: It's my railroad, my rules.
2: It's for having fun and enjoyment.
3: Any objections, consult above rules.
Really, I agree, 20$, is that so expensive for tool that has the right pinch, does just what it's designed to do, something that will probably last the rest of your model railroading life, to mess around with a drill bit, that doesn't have all the right angles.?
But, in a previous time, before I knew about the truck tuner, I used a philips screw drive, in the 80's? I did try to match the screw driver with the angle on the axel tips.
Mike
My You Tube
eaglescout Has anyone tried to make their own truck tuner similar to the one sold by Micro Mark?
Has anyone tried to make their own truck tuner similar to the one sold by Micro Mark?
That is indeed an interesting question.
I don't know anyone who has.
I look forward to reading a positive response to your question.
I will point out to responders, both previous and potential, that the OP DID NOT ask whether it was a good idea or whether it would work. He only asked if anyone had done it.
Perhaps we should simply and honestly respond to the question asked.
Ed
I think the OP might be setting himself up for quite a challenge if he wants to replicate a truck tuner, but I do strongly support one issue. That is the shipping cost! MicroMark is a rip off when it comes to shipping costs! I'm in Canada so getting their stuff up here is really expensive! I have done it a couple of times where I thought I desperately needed something, but I will never get sucked in again.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
NO!
I have never made a Truck Tuner.
I will update my reply if I ever do.
Happy Modeling, Ed
Cheers, the Bear.
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
I lost my turner several months back and never replaced it since I hardly used it.. I use a small phillips head screwdriver that came in a set of small screw drivers I paid $2.99 for. I used my Dremel tool to cut the screwdriver to the size it would fit between the truck's side frames.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
7j43kI will point out to responders, both previous and potential, that the OP DID NOT ask whether it was a good idea or whether it would work. He only asked if anyone had done it. Perhaps we should simply and honestly respond to the question asked.
Should we ask for your approval before posting our answers?
I think it is perfectly obvious that the OP was considering making his own truck tuner, and the advice given with regard to that possibility is spot on.
hon30critterI think it is perfectly obvious that the OP was considering making his own truck tuner, and the advice given with regard to that possibility is spot on. Dave
I think that may boil down to if a tiny easy to lose/misplace tool is worth $20.00 versus actual use and keeping in mind today's RTR cars is already free rolling.
My home made contraption works quite well..
I use mine for every piece of rolling stock when I put it in service. There are plenty of trucks that come with a burr in the bearing area from the molding process, plus I always paint the trucks of ever car anyway. It does make a difference, even if the truck would roll 10 feet on its own BEFORE using the tool.
A skilled enough machinist with the right tools could make one, from a piece of tool steel. Has anyone? Never saw it publicly mentioned if they did. Depends on how you value your time. It looks simple, but it would take a lot more than 15 minutes to make a replica of one. Yes, you CAN make one, but I doubt you would save over the $20 cost of the already made one.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Thanks for the ideas and advice. I still haven't ruled out purchasing one but may try Brakie's idea on a couple cars that I am not worried about ruining and see what happens.
It's concievable. You could buy a drill bit, cut it to the right length, and grind the ends to the proper angle. The drill bit will cost you a few bucks. You would have to rig something to hold the bit while grinding. That would take time, and maybe a few more dollars. And if you don't get it right, there is the cost of the truck that you ruined. Many of us have "junk" trucks in our toolbox we could test something on. It's doable. But in materials and time, it's gonna cost way more than $20.
But then again in this hobby we do tons of things that arent cost effective if we consider our time. We may choose to scratchbuild rather than buy a kit. We may buy kits rather than RTR. We do this because we enjoy the process. So if one enjoys the process of tinkering and making a truck tuner - then it becomes worth it.
- Kevin
Check out my shapeways creations! HOn3 and railroad items for 3D printing:
https://www.shapeways.com/shops/kevin-s-model-train-detail-parts
eaglescoutIt looks like a chopped off drill bit with a rubber ring for turning it between the fingers.
it's also the proper length for the axle to minimize the lateral play within the truck in addition to the proper angle.
when i use my truck tuner, the improvement is significant.
greg - Philadelphia & Reading / Reading
Seems to me a ‘truck tuner’ bit would be far more like a reamer than a drill. And that only the very end of the conical point is supposed to be the bearing, with the rest of the ‘dimple’ in the side frame not cut to match the face of the cone but at a slightly shallower angle to clear it.
I am surprised there is not a tool like a hone that will dress the very point of the cone, where it actually engages or bears on the plastic, to be sharp, smooth and concentric with the tread. Many of the axle ends I have seen have crude turning marks upon inspection. Just as in watchwork you need to stone worn pivots and rejewel to match, the axle should get attention as part of the ‘system’ being tuned.
The big question I have is: when will there be a tuner or retrofit kit to facilitate ’accurizing’ trucks with scale rotating endcaps, the single most glaring thing missing from most model rolling stock and, to me, obviously non-scale even when the rest of the car has good historical ‘fidelity’ and is beautifully weathered. Anyone have an approach to making or tuning trucks with those endcaps?
eaglescoutI still haven't ruled out purchasing one
Just a "heads-up", get the tuner from Micro Mark. I bought one from Reboxx, and it's about 3mm shorter, and hard to use. After I bought the Micro Mark tool, I never used the shorter Reboxx one.
Mike.
eaglescoutBrakie's idea on a couple cars that I am not worried about ruining and see what happens.
Just remember like the tuner you clearing burrs so turn lightly once or twice.
The Micro-Mark or Reboxx tool is a reamer and NOT a drill bit. So, one or two turns is all you really need to clean up the inside of a journal.
Buy the tool. You'll be happy you did.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
OvermodThe big question I have is: when will there be a tuner or retrofit kit to facilitate ’accurizing’ trucks with scale rotating endcaps, the single most glaring thing missing from most model rolling stock and, to me, obviously non-scale even when the rest of the car has good historical ‘fidelity’ and is beautifully weathered. Anyone have an approach to making or tuning trucks with those endcaps?
Actually I would think twice,thrice and rethink the idea..Those endcaps could fly off to never-never land never to be seen again and seeing the various prices for replacement trucks I think I would pass.
hon30critter 7j43k I will point out to responders, both previous and potential, that the OP DID NOT ask whether it was a good idea or whether it would work. He only asked if anyone had done it. Perhaps we should simply and honestly respond to the question asked. Should we ask for your approval before posting our answers?
7j43k I will point out to responders, both previous and potential, that the OP DID NOT ask whether it was a good idea or whether it would work. He only asked if anyone had done it. Perhaps we should simply and honestly respond to the question asked.
I can't think of any reason to do that. But if you think it would be useful to have your submissions be reviewed before submittal, I would be willing to give it a try.
I think it is perfectly obvious that the OP was considering making his own truck tuner, and the advice given with regard to that possibility is spot on. Dave
Yes, it is perfectly obvious. Which would explain why he wanted advice from someone who had done it.
An old engineer I had the privilege to work with, and learn from, had the philosophy that for a one off job, making do with the available tools was perfectly acceptable. However, if you needed to do that job three times or more, you should either buy or make the proper tool. Even though I still sharpen drills for various materials, and cutting tools, in this case I’d just buy the truck tuner, in fact, I did.
Sharpening a drill takes a lot of practice, it is easier said than done. As to the truck tuner itself it looks like a reworked center drill.
CGW121 Sharpening a drill takes a lot of practice, it is easier said than done. As to the truck tuner itself it looks like a reworked center drill.
I was thinking not so much reworked, as special order.
7j43k eaglescout Has anyone tried to make their own truck tuner similar to the one sold by Micro Mark? I will point out to responders, both previous and potential, that the OP DID NOT ask whether it was a good idea or whether it would work. He only asked if anyone had done it. Perhaps we should simply and honestly respond to the question asked.
I thought I had simply and honestly answered the question.
I thought the question was asking had anyone done it? (That could be a yes, or no answer.)
My answer, was no, and the reasons why.
Simple and honest answer to a simple and honest yes, or no, question.
You would need a Surface Grinder, a Coffee can grinder, and perhaps a fixture for making the cutting edge depending on how good your fingers are. Get a drill blank set it in the coffee grinder and make the angle. flip the blank and make the other end, then the cutting edge is easy to do. It would not be hard altho surface grinders and coffee grinders will set you back a pretty penny. Coffee grinders are used for grinding circular surfaces of various types, they are called that cause they look like old time coffee grinders. With the proper equiptment it would be a piece of cake maybe half an hour to do. I just bought one from MicroMark.
I sprung for the Micro Mark version, and consider it money well-spent. I have a lot of cars with older trucks (and still use mostly plastic wheels), and the tuner does improve rolling qualities in most cases. While it's a small tool and my workbench doesn't always look like the most organised place, I always put oft-used tools where they belong, so they're always easy to find. When I first got the truck tuner, I was surprised to find that it's single-ended...I wonder why they didn't do the opposite end with a left-handed cutter, as it would've halved the labour.
Dave, you're absolutely right about model train stuff (and probably everything else, too) being prohibitively expensive when we try to bring it into Canada. In addition to our lousy dollar, shipping costs are greater, and many sellers ship via means other than the USPS...I don't need my order yesterday or even in a couple of days. Many of the shipping methods offer faster delivery but send the items through a broker, which then values the item and adds applicable sales taxes and handling fees. For example, I ordered some brass shapes from K&S, in Chicago. Their minimum order was $25.00, and my order was about $30.00U.S. I asked them to ship it via USPS and, if they wished to simplify packing, suggested that I would not be averse to having them cut the 3' pieces of material into 1' lengths...I planned to make it into pieces under 2" anyway.By the time the package reached my door, I was almost $95.00CDN out-of-pocket. I could have driven to Chicago and back for less than that, and perhaps made a sidetrip to visit friends there, too.
I solved this problem with the help of a very good friend in the U.S., and now have everything sent to him. As I visit there frequently, and spend more than 48 hours south of the border each time, I am allowed to return to Canada with up to $800.00 worth of goods (excluding alcohol, tobacco, and firearms) without penalty. In some cases, depending on the seller or the amount purchased, shipping to the lower 48 may be free, another savings.I am within a half-hour-or-so from the border, and could get a post office box in Niagara Falls, NY, but I'd still need to stay there for at least 48 hours. I don't know if that's an option for Dave or not...perhaps a weekend getaway with his wife once in a while?Wayne
I was going to mention the same about the Micro Mark version vs the Reboxx version. I misplaced my old one, so at a train show I picked up a Reboxx one, thinking they were the same thing. When I got home and went to use it - the Reboxx one is pretty much useless for most common rolling stock like Athearn adn Accurail. Even squeezing as hard as I dared without snapping off the sideframes, the Reboxx one would not fit within the bearing surface, plus with the truck squeezed that far, it would have reamed the bearing out at an angle anyway. The Micro Mark one seems to need the sideframes pulled out slightly like when inserting a wheelset, and then, at least in Athear, Accural, and most other common brands, sits loosely, so a SLIGHT squeeze is all it takes to put a little presure on the cutting edge.
Of course, after finding the Reboxx one next to useless, i ordered a Micro Mark one. And after it arrived, I promptly found the "lost" one.
I misread the thread title. ;)
Quote - "Just a "heads-up", get the tuner from Micro Mark. I bought one from Reboxx, and it's about 3mm shorter, and hard to use. After I bought the Micro Mark tool, I never used the shorter Reboxx one. " - unquote.
Mike, I totally agree! I bought the Reboxx tuner and it is useless as far as I'm concerned. It is far too short to do the job. I had to squeeze the truck sideframes so hard in order to get the Reboxx blades to do anything that I figured I was doing more damage than good.
Note that I have not purchased the MicroMark tuner. I use InterMountain wheel sets and I have yet to find a situation where they didn't roll freely. Most of my rolling stock is Athearn BB but I have lots of better quality stuff too. I may have had two or three situations where the wheels didn't roll freely and all I did to cure the problem was to spread the ends of the sideframes a bit.
By the way Mike - for some reason your posts are wider than most, to the point where the 'Reply' button doesn't appear. That's why I had to copy and paste your comment. Don't ask me why!
Guys,I don't know but,$20.00 for a tool that is around 1/2" long seems a mite steep but,it's your money..I'll stick with my home made contraption since these newer cars don't need fine tuning like the older BB,Eoundhouse Accurail and other like cars..