Does anyone have an easy technique on installing springs on Kadee couplers besides good eyes and steady hands?[?]
Besides having a good steady hand and eyes that can see the darned things. I eather take my Kadee Spring pic or a small flat screwdriver. Place the blade to eather end of the spring and slip it into the spring. Here is the tricky part, Take the spring and slide it over the nub thats on the moving part of the Knuckle of the coupler. Then slip the spring end (that you have on the blade of your screw driver) over the other nub that is close to your shank of the coupler. Then slip the screwdriver blade off the spring. Spring should stay put in the coupler. It might take ya a couple of times to master this, but thats what this crazy hobby is about. Hope that I was of some help, Kevin
I have had the best luck using the tip of an X-Acto knife blade as the grasping tool and an Opti-Visor for the close-up vision.
I agree with cacole, the X-Acto knife blade is thick enough to gently hold the spring, but thin enough to not deform the spring. It is not a guarentee; I do not know how many of those springs have gone flying off somewhere never to be found again.
Running a string through the spring helps keep it from flying off to never, never land while your installing it.
USE SEWING THREAD; THREAD THRU SPRING AND INSTALL IN COUPLER. HOLD A FINGUER OVER SPRING AND REMOVE THREAD, WALLA !! BAYOUMAN.