BagEndJct Posted August 10, 2020 Share Posted August 10, 2020 I'm going through a selection of my stock fitting one the "new" magnetic coupling systems (the simple type where you pull stock apart to uncouple. I've given up on anything more complicated). I've done quite well with both Hornby and other makers' locos, wagons and coaches where they have NEM pockets and everything has matched up quite nicely. But I have a couple of suburban Bachmann Mk1 coaches without pockets. Can anyone help with a fairly simple method to convert these as I'd be loath to leave them out. I've spent quite a bit of time searching online but have drawn a blank.Thank you in advance./media/tinymce_upload/f5a6aec76de9b86f8c3b59f910774143.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted August 10, 2020 Share Posted August 10, 2020 Trim that thingie to remove the coupling and glue a NEM pocket on it that will match your magnetic coupling.I haven't seen the detail of these mag couplings so I have no idea of how far you would have to fettle the original thingie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BagEndJct Posted August 10, 2020 Author Share Posted August 10, 2020 Thanks Rob, I was thinking along those lines. I'll have to look through my old stock for a pocket. What glue would you use? Glue and me don't mix(!) and Spanish glue just doesn't seem to stick! Maybe it's the heat. I lashed out and bought a bottle of Plastic Magic and have yet to find anything it will stick. Superglue just doesn't seem to hold. I know, pathetic, isn't it?! Cheers. Here's one of the little couplings. I'm liking them!:-/media/tinymce_upload/27a6f427db0eebe761ed5028af26fae1.JPG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atom3624 Posted August 10, 2020 Share Posted August 10, 2020 One comment. Once fitted, gently tug, nothing excessive just what you could expect the locomotive to do occasionally when pulling off or perhaps with partially interrupted / restored power. Some are not printed as well as others and pull out very easily. Al. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BagEndJct Posted August 10, 2020 Author Share Posted August 10, 2020 Yes I find they do differ (as do some pockets). I usually find one to fit. But some pockets have been just too slack. At the moment I'm "fixing" these with a tiny blob of 'black tack'. So useful that stuff! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinB Posted August 10, 2020 Share Posted August 10, 2020 I am glad that I am not the only one that has issues with the Hunt magnetic couplings. On my Bachmann Birdcage coaches they just simply pulled out. I did try the trick of using black tak and they lasted a little longer. In the end I placed them in boiling water to allow me to bend them out a bit. After breaking two it did finally work. I keep meaning to EMail them, a really brilliant idea sadly let down by poor detailed engineering. If they just made the tails out of the same plastic as the NEM couplings, they might work a bit better, the ones I have, have little or no spring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atom3624 Posted August 10, 2020 Share Posted August 10, 2020 I left my Dapol 68 circulating with TEA Oil tankers, and however it happened, it pulled one out went around and got it's nose stuck, jammed the bogie, and burnt out the motor - REALLY wasn't impressed. Decided those couplings weren't going to be removed, and certainly didn't want a repeat, so super-glued in - overkill I know, but ain't going to happen again - he says!! Al. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinB Posted August 11, 2020 Share Posted August 11, 2020 Do you know, I think the old Triang/Hornby couplings seem to be the best for staying coupled, they may not look great but they work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mac-_- Posted August 11, 2020 Share Posted August 11, 2020 I liked the look of these coupler's, bit concerned if they pulled out easly. Wonder how a little black screw going form the bottom up would hold them in place better. Shouldn't have to, but would give peace of mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted August 11, 2020 Share Posted August 11, 2020 No idea about which glue to use as I have bo idea what either of the llastics are. Many these days seem to be polythene based, like washing up bowls, etc. 3Ms site used to have a good ‘what glue’ table to match meterials but I don’t know if its still on there. How about a combo ‘glue and screw’ where the screw not only reinforces the pocket but locks the flexible tail against collapsing inwards on tension. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mac-_- Posted August 11, 2020 Share Posted August 11, 2020 This is only my opinion, but using glue could give you a lot of headaches down the road, if you ever wanted to take these out for what ever reason. If i was to use glue with the screw, it would only be a little over the head of the screw so i would have a chance of getting the screw out with out much damage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinB Posted August 11, 2020 Share Posted August 11, 2020 I did mail them saying that it was not a critism but were they thinkiing of improving the tails. I have not received a reply as yet. The thing is, it is a good idea, but if word spreads that they easily pull out it could ruin a quite promising venture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BagEndJct Posted August 12, 2020 Author Share Posted August 12, 2020 Rob and others, thanks for the gluing tips. Going back to my Airfix model days as a kid, glue and me have never got on! Mac As it happens I have a spare bogie to play with. I had to replace one following a previous botched modification on my part. So I can play with the old bogie to see what I can get to work. But thanks for the tip. Colin, I'll Email them too. I was disappointed when I suffered a derailment when pushing some Hunt coupler-fitted coaches over points into a siding. I'll take a look to see what was happening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mac-_- Posted August 12, 2020 Share Posted August 12, 2020 BagEndJct Rob might be right with the glue and screw combo, with it being underneath going upwards could gingle down/out, and catch the tracks. I'd use a little bit of weak glue just under the head of the screw, just too be safe. Let use know how you get on. As Colin said they do look promising. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BagEndJct Posted August 28, 2020 Author Share Posted August 28, 2020 There are now new Hunt couplings ("Elite" ones that don't rely on getting polarity right). So those old ones are now reduntant (wish I'd know before I bought them! Having just bought a mix of the new ones, the cost soon mounts up). The new ones do not depend on getting the "A" and "B" right. They just have to be the correct way up, which makes life simpler. Mine arrived yesterday and I have to say it look as if the production quality is better than the original couplings. I have yet to get round to fitting them..... Among the various types I ordered are those that have screw fixtures. I'm hoping I might be able to adapt these to fit the Mk1 bogies, which was the original point of this thread! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atom3624 Posted August 28, 2020 Share Posted August 28, 2020 Nice to know.Hope the fit in the pockets is tight and more consistent. Al. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinB Posted August 29, 2020 Share Posted August 29, 2020 I did get a mail back saying that they were looking into it, so we can only hope. The reason I was using them was I found that the NEM ones are always uncoupling, it got so bad on my Bachmann Mk1s that I bought the Bachmann permanently coupled option, but they give issues when you want to decouple them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted August 29, 2020 Share Posted August 29, 2020 The obvious way round the polarity thing is to have the magnet glued in/behind the buffer beam and the attaching link made from steel so as to attract to any pole of a magnet. Realistic three link couplings could easily be made to throw at and self attach to magnetic rolling stock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maw78 Posted August 29, 2020 Share Posted August 29, 2020 How easy are these couplings to put in to replace NEM couplings ? I've got a bachmann class 37 and some intercity mk2 coaches in tow. I emailed the company for advice on which would be best but got no response. From what I saw on youtube it looked kinda fiddly taking the NEM coupling apart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinB Posted August 29, 2020 Share Posted August 29, 2020 If they are NEM couplings, then all you do is pull out the coupling from the NEM pocket and clip the Hunt coupling into the NEM pocket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atom3624 Posted August 29, 2020 Share Posted August 29, 2020 They've got most options covered - normal, short, cranked - NEM pocket mount - and also HST clip over. Al. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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