Best material?

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Hi,

I’m in the process of upgrading a brass West-Side T-12 with a new motor and NWSL gearbox. Both the motor and gearbox shafts are 1.5mm in diameter. As this is the case, I’m considering using a metal tube to connect the two shafts, and I was wondering which material would be best for this - brass, aluminium or steel?

Thanks in advance,

tbdanny

2

I have no real experience in this…hold on!..but I think that in this case some guys use the plastic fuel line for the small motors in radio-controlled aircraft. One of the sizes is supposed to make a good snug fit and do a good job. If you are worried about what may happen due to metal incompatibility over time, plastic tubing may just be the ticket. Cheap, easily repaired…and effective.

Crandell

3

Northwest Shortline offers some nice plastic universal joints that work well, too.

4

Crandell,

I hand’t thought of that, but it sounds like a good solution. As it happens, one of my LHSes is a model aircraft specialist - I’ll have to try there.

Phil,

I did consider the NWSL universal couplings. I have used them before, but they require quite a bit of adjustment to get working smoothly, and this model doesn’t really have that much space. I was after something that would guarantee alignment.