Ho superdetailing questions

[Tap]

Hey guys, i was wondering how you shape the grab irons to put on your trains. I just purchased some 0.020 or 0.20 brass wire and i'm wondering how you shape it to look like drop grab irons.

anyonw have detailed plans on building a jig? ive sen osme on the net but they weren't that detailed.
thanks
tap

 

[shaygetz]

Tap, I make mine from .020" brass wire, it's closest to old Athearn stock. For more scale appearance I use .010" or .015" wire. First I bend a short piece to 90 degress on either side of my jeweler's pliers. They're just about the right width. Take a pair of regular needlenose pliers and notch them at the width you'd want if that's all you have.

 

[shaygetz]

Then I grab them on the side of the jaws, about the width of the wire, then bend downward 90 degrees.

 

[shaygetz]

Snip off the excess and there you are:thumb: Use wire that's a bit longer than you need---the little boogers'll pierce you like a hornet if you're not careful.announce1ops:

 

[jim currie]

Snip off the excess and there you are:thumb: Use wire that a bit longer than you need---the little boogers'll pierce you like a hornet if you're not careful.announce1ops:

sign1 thought i was the only one who did that Bob . exultant tutorial.

 

[eightyeightfan1]

Gee...And I was just buying a packs of grab irons from Detail Asscociates.........
Nice work Bob!!

 

[shaygetz]

Gee...And I was just buying a packs of grab irons from Detail Asscociates.........
Nice work Bob!!

Thanks, guys. Came up with this when I found myself short some for a project years ago. Can't claim originality though as I modified it from tips in the book, "764 Helpful Hints for Model Railroaders".

 

[Tap]

nice! any other tips con cerning superdetailing... a web site perhaps?

 

[santafewillie]

Great tutorial. Does anyone do uncoupling levers? I am at the point of possibly adding them but I don't have a clue nor do I have any pictures.

 

[shaygetz]

Great tutorial. Does anyone do uncoupling levers? I am at the point of possibly adding them but I don't have a clue nor do I have any pictures.

On their way...

 

[CalFlash]

Getting the "drop" in drop grabs uniform is difficult so I made this modified set of pliers with a piece of stryene glued to the face to act as a stop. Bend to the U-shape as mentioned and insert into the pliers with the bottom of the U against the stop and bend over the legs.