Snapped Lima Chassis - Help please!

[TVR1707822112]

Hello!

My Uncle's Lima Western locomotive's plastic chassis has snapped - presumably because it was brittle. Does anyone know where I can get a replacement from please, or better still if I could fix it! It's broken where the plastic frame around where the motor bogie is! Better still, if anyone knows a chassis that would fit that is DCC ready, could they please let me know!

Many thanks and best wishes

TVR

[atom3624]

I would take a look on Ebay, or go to fairs where parts and/or whole locomotives are sold - some 'bargains' possible.

Al.

[bill7437]

Try a piece of Plastikard across where the chassis has snapped - hold it in place with either Plastic Weld or Polystyrene Cement - I have repaired a numbered of plastic Lima chassis in that manner.

[threelink]

I have repaired various chassis including Lima in the manner specified by bill7437. The important point is the plate across the break site - essential for a strong repair. In some cases I found that the plastic of the chassis did not readily accept solvent. In such cases roughening the plastic with the point of a scalpel provided sufficient key for superglue gel to form a good bond between chassis and plate.

[ColinB]

I have used Plastic Weld to modify Lima chassis to take the newer Hornby powertrain bogie ( I glued the motor mounting bracket off a class 92) and found it glues really well. As someone said previously, use plasticard to give it extra strength. I never found superglue worked that well.

[threelink]

Yes, as ColinB says, solvent works on Lima plastic - certainly older plastic. Whatever the plastic, secure attachment of the plating is essential. My point is that solvent does not work on all plastics, especially some modern engineering plastics and, surprisingly, some older Triang plastics used (inter alia) to make bogies. I think it is a form of nylon. Whatever it is, solvent will not touch it. Superglue will work on these plastics but only if sufficiently keyed.

[Fazy]

Plastic weld works on most plastics and come in nice little air tight bottles. Don’t throw the empty bottle away. You can buy ‘Methyl Ethyl Ketone’ from eBay at a much cheaper price from eBay. That way you can top the bottle up from the MEK bottle and use it as normal that way if you nock it over you can refill and not worry so much. Plastic weld is something like £ 3.00 to 3.50 a bottle for 50 mil.

where MEK is £8.99 per 500mil which works out at 89p per 50 mil. You can can get up to 5litter bottles for £29.00. So if my maths are right works out as 29p per 50 mil bottle refill. Depending on how much plastic modelling you do I tend to buy the 500 mill and lasts me a few years. What ever you do make sure the bottle is tighten when finished it will evaporate if left loose.

[ColinB]

Thank you for the info Fazy, I didn't know that. It was handy as I had just ran out of Plastic Weld.

[Fazy]

My pleasure Colin, save where we can the hobby is expensive enough.

[508006]

Ebay, definitely the place to find parts and save money

[81F]

Hi TVR, chassis are available on eBay as "buy it now" for most Lima models (usually from dismantled second hand examples) and I have seen Westerns (aka Class 52) in the recent past. Just make sure you get the right colour to match the body (they were available in maroon, green, blue and sand). "LIMA Class 52" is a good search to try but there are only complete body/chassis combinations available if you sift through all the hits tonight.

A typical chassis without bogies can go for around £15 to £30 depending upon the Class of loco, its condition and if a body is included.

I have also repaired cracks and other breakages in other Lima Diesel chassis with Plastic Weld (or equivalent solvent methyl ethyl ketone) although I found Mek-pak a bit weak. If you get a good bond and leave for a few days you might even be able to get away without using plasticard to strengthen. However, this will depend on how clean the break is, its surface area and how much force is needed to put the body back on or take it off in the future.

PS. If getting a new chassis look after your buffers, Lima oval ones go for around £6.50 for four including postage on a buy it now so you could put up any spare to off-set the cost of a new chassis!

[TVR1707822112]

Thanks 81F, I'll have a look. Working at a second hand model shop does have it's advantages as well!

Best wishes