World Kougei - Brass Kits

[Beaver]

There are no standards for HO-Narrow, you can use anything..............

 

Rapidos are popular with those who use N scale parts as a basis but probably wouldn't suit the World Kogei models in terms of size and appearance. Too large and crude and looking like no real coupling at all. They do work very well indeed though.

 

Micro-Trains couplings are popular and do actually look very much like the knuckle couplings used by many larger Japanese 2'6" gauge companies. Prototypical and fully functional, but fiddly to set up.

 

The 'morning glory' couplings are accurate for the tramway type couplings usually used by smaller Japanese 2'6" gauge companies but cannot couple automatically or uncouple while on the track. So only really suitable for running fixed formations around in circles.

 

The twin buffer and centre hook-chain shown in your proto photo is rarely used in model form because it is ridiculously fiddly when scaled down so much. You might try a British finescale supplier for EM/P4 modelling if you want to go this route.

Edited October 1, 2023 by Beaver

[Martijn Meerts]

The 'morning glory' coupler is a 'link and pin' coupler. From what I've seen video wise, Kiso Forest railway used them extensively.

 

I have some Toma Model Works kits that came with miniature link and pin couplers, and they actually work rather well, but I've not seen them available to order separately. Some brands do seem to have them as spare parts, but to me they look like non-functional parts anyway. Also, as Dafydd said, they're fully manual and rather fiddly to couple and uncouple.

 

I don't know too much about H0e couplers, I haven't decided which ones I want to use yet either 🙂

[mags_minibuilds]

There's a poll of what couplers some HO narrow users prefer:

https://keuka.hatenablog.com/entry/20180621/1529595971

 

Modellwagen and IORI 工房 makes some morning glory couplers but unsure of how the latter attaches to the car:

http://www.modellwagen.com/coupler/04.html

https://iorikoubou.cart.fc2.com/ca20/171/

 

I suppose my ARU Model couplers will work just fine for now. I have a set of AAL Craft plastic logging cars kit that uses the U-shaped pins, so far this is the coupling method I'm seeing the most in the instructions.

 

Edited October 4, 2023 by mags_minibuilds

[Beaver]

Interesting poll results. The most popular couplers are those with the least actual coupling functionality!

 

Egger Type presumably refers to the centre buffer and lifting loop used on most British 009 and European HOe. There are lots of psuedo-compatible variants, of which the Greenwich is probably the most suited to small and delicate stock like yours.

 

https://gdngrs.com/couplings

[mags_minibuilds]

Finished up the ARU freight car and passenger car with paint, decal and a clear coat. I enjoyed look at the brass but it isn't complete until it's painted.

 

 

Now I can't decide whether to start on the HO narrow diorama or build another kit. These are the only kits I have left, I feel that I may need to get more soon...building these kits are somewhat addictive!

 

 

[cteno4]

Wow mags, those came out fantastic! You are really becoming a pro at these brass kits. Kudos!

 

cheers

 

jeff

[mags_minibuilds]

Thank you Jeff for the kind words! I’ve certainly learned quite a bit in the past few months.

 

Here’s a fun video I stumbled upon, this person put a Kiso Forest railway in a bento, very clever.

 

[cteno4]

Very cool bento rr! Love the concept.

 

jeff

[Martijn Meerts]

They definitely came out looking great. Going by the pictures I would easily believe they were pre-built / pre-painted models. That little passenger car came out great!

 

[mags_minibuilds]

I haven't started any new kits but I did make some micro stainless steel brushes. I ordered some stainless steel rope that took a month to get here. While working on the kits, I had the black handle steel brush which is the only kind I can find in the US. It worked ok but I needed something that can squeeze into tight spaces. I use minimal solder but sometimes it's just a little too much to create a tiny bump. I like that the brush only removes the solder and retains the brass details (just don't over scrape, of course). I came across this article and was intrigued. I missed out on 2 chances to purchase the IMON stainless steel brush but these DIY brushes will suffice.

 

 

Materials used:

• 1mm Stainless Steel Rope (has 7 strands of 7 wires, totaling 49 wires, each wire is about 0.06mm thick)
• 3/32" Brass Tube (fits one rope)
• 1/8" Brass Tube (fits 3 ropes)

I inserted the rope(s) and crimped them with a heavy duty bench vise. These micro brushes can be fit inside a pin vise for better holding.

 

 

The results, before and after:

 

[mags_minibuilds]

A soldering tip question...I clean the tip with the brass sponge and tip tinner. I store the tip with a bit of tip tinner coated. My working temp is pretty high, 370-400°C (not F) as I'm using lead-free solder. Is this a result of the high temp I'm using that it damages the tip faster? It creates black areas on the tip and cannot be cleaned off. I'm wondering if there's something else I should be doing. The finer tip was used for only half a day and it blackened pretty fast, I can still use the other side of the tip but the black part won't pick up any solder. I use Hakko tips and brass sponge only. Any thoughts?

Edited October 3 by mags_minibuilds

[bc6]

Are you using flux when soldering that may help?

[mags_minibuilds]

I use Superior Supersafe No. 30 liquid flux.

[bc6]

Ok that's good, I use high temps on my Hakko tips and haven't had an oxidized tip in a long time. 

Are you using a brass sponge to keep the tip clean and coated with solder?

[mags_minibuilds]

Yes to both, I'm also suspecting I might be using the tip tinner too often and it's eating away at the coating so I'm trying to use it less and only coat it with rosin-core lead-free solder.

[Kingmeow]

You should double check to make sure your brass sponge is actually brass.  There are a lot of brass-looking sponges that are actually steel, especially on Amazon.  The color looks like brass but it isn't and the steel will wear away the coating.

 

Personally, I only use a wet sponge.  No metal whatsoever.

[cteno4]

Kingmeow is right, many of the brass wool (especially the ones that look really bronze I believe) are steel and not brass. Steel will abrade the tip surface, brass a lot less as it’s much softer. Remember to use distilled water if you are using the wet sponge. 
 

I only use tip thinner once and a while, so yes maybe using it too much? Higher temps cause issues in everything.

 

I have stuck with lead solders as I really dislike the non lead solders. I’m not sure if the non lead solders promote more oxidation on tips. With lead solders my tips rarely get to bad states unless a lot of soldering. Lower temps mean I don’t have to worry about melting other components and flux lasts longer and less oxidation everywhere. Higher temps just wear tips out faster.
 

I remember decades ago in an electronics course a couple of the profs arguing in lab about wet sponge vs brass ball. I’ve never seen any good science spouted around it nor experimentation, just the same things said on each side, so it’s a bit religion I think, like track cleaning was for a long time. Personally I’ve found the best results with brass wool over wet sponge. I pull mine apart gently to get it to the right density to brush the tip without it having to really scrape hard on a soft plunge into it with the tip. 

 

jeff

[maihama eki]

I think the black tip means you have chipped off the plating from the tip, and it is damaged and needs to be replaced.

 

I favor the wet sponge and 63Sn/37Pb eutectic solder. I also tin the soldering iron tip with solder rather than specialized tip-tinning materials.

 

My soldering background is mostly electronics, and I was around for the conversion from Pb solders to Pb-free. Pb bearing solders are easier to use, and the lower melting temp (183C for Sn63/Pb37) versus (217C for SAC305) makes a big difference when you need to get pieces hot enough to flow solder.

 

The electronics industry is totally Pb-free for a very long time now, and that's great, but for hobbies using a Pb solder makes life easier. If you are worried about Pb exposure from your hobby, just be sure to use good ventilation and wash your hands after handling Pb solder.

[cteno4]

@maihama eki you just tripped a neuron from way back and that argument on the electronics profs debate on tip cleaning! One had thought that using wet sponge caused more cracking to the tip plating and thus shorter tip life! Again I remeber the discussion really having no specific research to back up any of the theories presented.
 

I do notice that I will get small short line of consistent black spots on an older tip that slowly grow into a spot. I think things usually start in a small crack or scratch in the plating and as oxidation gets in there it just grows to the point a chunk flakes off.

 

Quite a while ago I found a study that looked as solder “smoke” from Pb solder that found very little Pb in the smoke, but of course the usual combustion nasties from the flux there, so best to just have a small fan to move any smoke away from you directly sucking it in. Most of us don’t solder all day long so you don’t have to have the smoke sucked outside, but just some circulation in the room is fine. Handling lead as well requires you do it a lot to start to get exposure issues and Sn/Pb also reduces exposer than pure Pb exposure. I too like the connivence of Sn/Pb soldering.

 

jeff

[Martijn Meerts]

Since I got the more advanced soldering station, I've actually not had any issues with the tip going bad. I did have to replace 2 tips at some point due to the heat sensor in them failing, so the station base couldn't read the temps anymore.

 

I also don't use any special cleaner, nor do store it with solder on the tip. I do have a brass sponge I use, and also a wet regular sponge. I normally use both after soldering some bits. Initially I didn't use any flux at all, these days I use a 'soldering water' flux, a very liquid flux that gets into all the small corners. It's not very acidic, and it doesn't seem to really affect brass at all. I still do clean the brass with some IPA though.

 

For solder, I use anything from leaded to non-leaded to high silver content, to special low-melting solder (for white metal parts, although I usually glue those these days). 

 

I did get the black spots on my old soldering iron though, which I used in much the same way, so it's quite interesting I'm not getting any with the new one really 🙂

 

[cteno4]

Martijn, maybe better quality tips on your new iron. I’m sure the higher temps also just break down the tip plating faster.

 

Straying off topic a little, I also use flux paste a lot for small soldering (especially smaller electronic stuff) where I don’t was the liquid flux to seep all over. I use a medium gauge sewing needle crammed into the end of a piece of dowel. The needle eye tends to grab a nice little glob of flux paste well to dot onto a small solder joint on the side I apply the colder, opposite of the joint from the iron tip placement. I also find the paste flux useful for soldering wires as I just poke the tip of the stripped wire into the paste to get a tiny coating of the flux in the wire strands, feels like it makes the joint solder faster and solder sucks in fast and no blobs of solder or holes of no solder. 

 

jeff

[mags_minibuilds]

The last two days I tried using a new tip that came with the soldering station...Hakko T18-D16 1.60mm Chisel Tip. I didn't use the tip tinner, working temp at 390C most of the time, and I changed out the brass sponge to a fresh one. So far the last two days of soldering, the black stuff hasn't developed (yet, at least). The black spots on the old tip still transfers heat and will melt the solder but it just won't pick up the solder.

 

I'm highly suspecting it's the tin tipper that's the issue.

[cteno4]

Interesting, I wonder if the tip tiner was designed for lower temps. Which tip tiner are you using?

 

jeff

[mags_minibuilds]

I was using this tip tinner:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NS4J6BY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

Now that I think about it, I'm not getting that gunky residue left on the tip after I stopped using the tinner.

[cteno4]

Yep same stuff I’ve used for a number of years. Thermaltronics doesn’t say anything about temperature or use with Pb or Pb free solders. It’s just pure tin with ammonium phosphate to help remove oxidation for the tin to coat the tip well. I use it only when I find a single brass sponge stab doesn’t clean off things and there are sticky spots not silver. But my soldering is erratic sometimes none for a few months then a pile of it, so I just do it when tip doesn’t clean easily. So far my hakko tips have stayed good over the last 4 years or so. Older soldering irons had cheaper tips that required more cleaning and tinning.

 

jeff