I have a box with Kadee 148 couplers a few have lost there spring. I was thinking that maybe I could re-attach the loose springs with tweezers or this an exercise in futility?
Rather than tweezers, put the back of a hobby knife point through the coils to pick it up. That way you don’t have to squeeze (and possibly distort) the coils.
And here’s another helpful hint. http://mrr.trains.com/videos/expert-tips/2016/04/model-railroader-quick-tips-working-with-coupler-springs
Put a dab of plastic cemment on one end, and it won’t be able to find the floor again.
Building on what Mr. Otte said:
I use the classic pointy X-acto knife. I try to insert it near the end of the spring, where the coils are spaced closer together. That way, there’s more friction in the connection.
How to install the spring should be obvious. Especially after you try and fail the first couple of times.
I’ve been doing this operation for about half a century. With practice, it becomes very easy. AND. Kadee will sell you more springs, should you be on the wrong end of the clumsy scale.
Ed
Put a thread (sewing thread) therough the spring. Put one end in place then the other. the spring cannot get away from you because it is controlled by the thread.
When seated and secure, slide the thread out.
ROAR
This helps too.
Telescoping Magnetic Clean Club# My grandson gave me one and it really works, I wish they made them for plastic and wood stuff.
Mel
My Model Railroad
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/
Bakersfield, California
They do. It is called bare feet.
ROAR
You surprised me Elias, did you mean Lion feet?
GRRRRR
Mel
My Model Railroad
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/
Bakersfield, California
I’m beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
I also use the #11 X-acto knife blade. Dipped in Vaseline it works very well. I still lose about 50% of my attempts, but the springs are inexpensive, and most Kadee packs come with a couple spares.
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-Kevin
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No, Loosing a Kadee knuckle spring is fairly common. I have a pair of high speed tweezers that can grab the coil spring, compress it, and slip it back onto the knuckle. A tiny (VERY tiny) dab of cellulose cement will secure the spring to the knuckle.
Joe,
I’m a firm believer in a pair of good quality needle-nose tweezers - e.g. #3C or #5 tweezers from Techni-Tool. A quality pair (i.e. where the jaws align together when closed and are flat) will allow you to pick up the spring with minimal squeezing pressure; thereby reducing the chance of losing it into the “ether zone” or distorting it.
I grab the spring either in the middle or at one end. I push one end of the spring over the nib at the base of the “C” then compress the spring slightly to slip it over the other nib at the top of the “C”. I put one on a coupler the night before last it in about 5 seconds.
I prefer needle-nose tweezers over the X-acto blade because it gives me better control. And those tweezers are part of my regular tool arsenal, along with flat-nose and locking versions.
Tom
Yes, Bear feet are what our friend from New Zealand uses.[(-D]
Sorry Bear, no Kadees on those feet, keep looking.
Actually they are not on the floor from what I know. I use a basin when I work with small components like couplers or wheelsets on the floor sometimes.
I also use the thread-through-the-spring technique and no longer lose any of these springs. It is stupidly easy to do and the weight of a length of thread is more than the spring can overcome when it tries to escape (and disappear). Once the spring is in place on the coupler, simply pull on one end of the thread to remove it from the spring. Clean and easy with no chance of gumming up the coupler mechanism with errant dabs of glue.
Folks, they make a really nice tool to do this job:
https://www.micromark.com/Spring-Grabber
It’s just $9 and worth every penny. It’s superior even to the Kadee brand grabbers.
Basically, it’s an all-metal stick with one end that has been shaped into an oblong ball. This ball tip slips between the loops of a Kadee spring and holds it pretty securely. Much better than a screwdriver or an X-Acto blade can.
Get this tool. You won’t regret it.
Curious how to avoid this issue entirely? Do the springs pop off from doing something? No question that trying to find the tiny springs is far harder on the floor than wh the car on a clean workbench or over a container to catch little pieces.
Mostly they seem to mysteriously come off the couplers while still in the Kadee packaging.
The only time I’ve been “responsible” for doing it was when the little nub on the coupler wasn’t fullly cast. It was NEVER going to stay on.
Ed
They are you thrown together since I buy the bulk packs.
I have the Kadee tool but I prefer to just use an Xacto knife. The trick is to insert the blade into the spring near the end so that when you install it you have plenty of room for the spring to compress. Put the longer end of the spring onto the post first then the shorter end. It takes a little practice but after a few tries it gets pretty easy. Also don’t worry if you lose a couple of springs. Kadee gives you plenty of extras. I’ve never had to buy additional springs.
I use the KD tool… Its cheap and works as advertised.