QUOTE (pedromorgan @ 6 Jan 2009, 19:32)
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>my gripe with the markits wheels is not so much the look of them (i agree with you that the new scale wheels look supurb) but getting the darn things to sit square on the axle i have always found a real pain in the neck. with the coal tank i experimented with the gibsons and with the quatering tool i have they were fantastic. i may well experiment again with the markits wheels but for now i want to stick with what i know i can make work vey well. i know that with one click from the quatering tool i can get a set of gibsons perfectly square with correct back to backs and perfectly square on the axle.
having said that my long running project W1 hush hush has romford wheels and it is running very nicely too.
i have removed the tyres from older gibsons but the newer ones seem to be far better.
Peter
Hi Peter - good morning to you too!
As to charging for bespoke kit work, its a matter of both parties being happy - My post was only a "food for thought" sort of thing really - in the end, as long as both ends of the deal are smiling, thats all that matters.
RE markits wheels:
I generally rub the wheel back gently on a bit of 100mm x 200mm x 12mm customwood onto which I have glued some fine-ish wet and dry. (I do the same with most wheels, including Gibsons as they aren't always careful about cutting off the injection mould feeds).
I then do a very gentle pass of a square swiss file into each side of the squared hole - jst to make sure there a no casting dags anywhere. Its really just a gentle kiss of the file so to speak. That, plus the etched square holed washers and all will usually assemble square.
I also like the Gibson wheels though and as you say, with a good quartering tool like the GW models one they are a breeze.
It's nice to hear that the newly produced Gibsons are holding onto the hub better! Rusting can be an issue but I tame it with a chemical blackening and the odd touch up with the fibreglass brush -the look of the steel wheel is very nice and makes it worth while. (The steel wheels also grip better on NS rail, so a Gibson wheeled loco generally pulls well)
If you'd like to try them, I can put a full fret of those Markits compatible shim washers in with that CD rom of other info I PM'ed you about... remind me when U respond.
kind regards
Richard