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sorry, but i’ve looked at some videos. all i see a guy jamming something into the couplers. As i said a post a while back, i was able to uncouple a string of coal hoppers.
but i have problems with other cars. including one of the coal cars coupled to the tender
i’d like to see a video where a guy has a problem and explain why this pair of couplers is a problem
I use the skewers and in my experience, there has to be three things.
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No kadee knock-offs.
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No drooping couplers, couplers must be at the same height, and,
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I have found that the thicker skewers work the best, why, I don’t really know, but they work fine for me.
Slack, I suppose, does matter, but you can gently adjust the slack with the skewer when uncoupling.
Greg and all,
I too have problems with skewers, RIX magnet and other manual uncoupling tools, but I found this to be effective 99% of the time. You can get them at the dental hygene section of your favourite store. The ones with nylon bristles not the rubbery ones.
Alan
The US version called Proxabrush works too. The brush refills look like very miniature pine trees and can be attached to a handle to use. They work rather well this way.
Joe
Yes Joe, and I can’t claim to have invented this method.
i have a problem with #5 and and #148 (metal) coupler. I had thought the difference was the different types of coupler, the 148 is smaller. But they are not at the same height.
i’ll correct the height and try again.
do anyone know why height is important?
but i still think there’s a feel to it. i’ve struggled, then they just pop open.
I don’t know about height as it pertains to using skewers to uncouple, but in general height is important because if you have any grades and the coupler is already engaging with half the face or less, it can easily slip out and dump half your train back down the hill. Even small irregularities, or dropping sidings lower than the main with either thinner roadbed or smaller code rail can do this.
Only thing skewer related I can think of is that you don’t jam the skewer in and through the entire coupler head, and the idea of the twisting action is to push the two knuckles away from each other. If you only catch one, there’s no leverage and likely neither one moves.
You’re right, there is a bit of a feel to it, but once you get it, it will ber pretty much 100% unless you are trying to uncouple at a spot where the couplers are stretched tight, or something else is interfering. I doubt this works well with upper shelf couplers, but I model an earlier era and have none of those.
–Randy
I use a skewer and, as mentioned, there has to be a little slack betwen the couplers. However, I have also decoupled with a skewer with no slack.
Skewer won’t work with double shelf couplers.
I use the pointy tool that came with my soldering iron.
Other than uncoupling cars, I have no idea what it’s for.
I rest the point in between couplers then twist. Slack helps.
I know when I tried the first few times it didn’t work right. Kind of have to get the feel for it.
T e d
To make holes in foam to drop wires or plant trees
[swg]
You mean that tool with the red plastic middle section and the pointy aluminum thing on each end? I think it is supposed to help you hold things you want to solder together. The solder won’t join anything to the aluminum.
I believe height is important (other than for avoiding uncoupling problems, as has been mentioned), because when you’re inserting the point of the skewer between couplers, you’re not pushing straight down on both couplers so that they both can open at the same time. I haven’t observed it that closely to verify that that’s what happens, but the “feel” is different when attempting to uncouple cars when either one or both couplers are drooping.
i tried again with the metal couplers. i think there is big difference between the #5 and #148. much less of a problem uncoupling #5/#5. there’s more space inside the #5
i didn’t think there was a problem with a height difference. I recognize the difference between droop, where the coupler is now at an angle. i agree there are problems with droopy couplers
but the other thing i’ve noticed, especially with the metal couplers is that once something forces the hands (moving part) apart, there little room between them and the opposite coupler body, and therefore little room for them to swing open
however, if the skewer is filed down more like a blade, it can be inserted not just between the hands, but to one side so that when twisted, it actually pushes the hand to the side. perhaps a little pressure in the opposite direction actually moves the couplers apart laterally. Perhaps this is part of the “feel”.
You know those little screw drivers we use to tighten the screws on trucks and coupler cover lids? I use a small Phillips screwdriver, insert it between both knuckles and my couplers, uncouple. I have no trip pins on my couplers, with added air hoses. They work, look, and operate great!