Try the phosphor bronze before missing with the stainless. Trust me, it is much easier to work with and holds up much better than brass. If you need something stronger, you or someone is mishandeling your equipment.

Jerry Glow

--- In STMFC@..., "Steve Lucas" <stevelucas3@> wrote:

Thanks to everyone for the good suggestions and advice. I have some CMA phosphor bronze wire, but have yet to use it for grabirons and brake rigging. Seems to me that some commercial grabs already use phosphor bronze wire, but are oversize in diameter.

STMFC construction has been held up for a bit by work on my layout. But, I recently built a Westerfield CN 48' gon and used .007" brass wire for grabirons. A bent grabiron on a gon is not a big issue, as anyone familiar with the abuse that these cars receive can understand.

I want to build my STMFC's with scale-sized diameter grabs and other wirework, and thus I'm looking for material that is to scale and will stand up to handling--which is why I'm considering using stainless wire for the smaller diameter stuff. I kitbashed a tank car using D/A .019" brass wire for the tank railing, and I have no issues with its strength. But the smaller stuff just bends way too easily.

One would think that .008 stainless wire would be as easy to cut as say, .015" brass wire, right? Smaller wire, less resistance to shearing force when cutting it, etc.?

Steve Lucas.

Thanks to everyone for the good suggestions and advice. I have some CMA phosphor bronze wire, but have yet to use it for grabirons and brake rigging. Seems to me that some commercial grabs already use phosphor bronze wire, but are oversize in diameter.

STMFC construction has been held up for a bit by work on my layout. But, I recently built a Westerfield CN 48' gon and used .007" brass wire for grabirons. A bent grabiron on a gon is not a big issue, as anyone familiar with the abuse that these cars receive can understand.

I want to build my STMFC's with scale-sized diameter grabs and other wirework, and thus I'm looking for material that is to scale and will stand up to handling--which is why I'm considering using stainless wire for the smaller diameter stuff. I kitbashed a tank car using D/A .019" brass wire for the tank railing, and I have no issues with its strength. But the smaller stuff just bends way too easily.

One would think that .008 stainless wire would be as easy to cut as say, .015" brass wire, right? Smaller wire, less resistance to shearing force when cutting it, etc.?

Steve Lucas.

Xuron does make a hard wire cutter, though I've not tried it on
stainless:

http://www.micromark.com/XURON-HARD-WIRE-CUTTER,7624.html

-Clark Cooper

Brion Boyles said...

...and it WILL RUIN A PAIR OF CUTTERS. NEVER use a Zuron on it. Even the small stuff.

THEN WHAT DOES ONE DO TO CUT IT?

Paul Lyons
Laguna Niguel, CA

Staring at me in the pile of car kits to build is a Rail Shops' carbon black covered hopper. .009" stainless steel wire is supplied in the kit for grabirons and brake rigging.

Has anyone here any comments on the use of this wire on STMFC models? It seems tougher than the usual brass wire that we use, and in .009" diameter, is very near scale size for HO grab irons and brake rigging.

Steve Lucas.

Steve,

As is often the case, you got lots of opinions, but no answer to your question.

Unfortunately, I can't help either. I've never tried stainless wire for
grabs. You probably will have to experiment.

I'd see how paint sticks to it first. Bright silver grabs won't cut it.
If paint adheres well, then try forming it to the shape you need and paint it.
If the paint's still on after you apply them to a car, post your
conclusions so we all can learn.

In fact even if they're a flop, a post would help us all.

Good luck,

Ray

In a message dated 5/6/2009 3:27:17 PM Central Daylight Time, cobrapsl@... writes:
The originating post was clearly regarding HO scale. Point well taken, Paul.
Just pointing out that Rod models "O" scale and anyone that scratchbuilds work as fine as his knows something of what he works with.
Guy Wilber
West Bend, WI

I cannot imagine?why, for any reason, you would?want to use something with no rigidity, like copper wire, ?for?a grab iron. Let's get real, model railroad cars get handled, even in amd out of display cases!

If .013 is the smallest size you can get, it is not even good for UF brake piping, being about twice oversize the prototype.

Jerry's suggestion of the CMA phosphor brass wire is?the material?from which?all my grab irons are made.

Paul Lyons
Laguna Niguel, CA


-----Original Message-----
From: Rod Miller <rod@...>
To: STMFC@...
Sent: Wed, 6 May 2009 12:04 pm
Subject: Re: [STMFC] Re: Stainless wire for STMFC safety appliances...








Another option, borrowed from someone who posted
on one of the yahoogroups I read, is to use copper
wire. It is available in a large number of sizes,
and has the advantage of being very easy to form,
a real advantage for brake system air lines.

While softer than other wires we've discussed,
you don't really want to handle/press on the grab
the wire once it is installed anyway, do you? Six
100 foot rolls of each size from .013 to .040
cost me $65 including S&H about 2 years ago when
copper was dear. If desired I can post my source
for the wire; I would have included it but the
source isn't handy at the moment.

Rod

jerryglow2 wrote:

I prefer phosphor brass wire as from Tichy/CMA (and probably
others). Its readily available and more workable IMHO.

Jerry Glow

--- In STMFC@..., "Steve Lucas" <stevelucas3@>
wrote:

Staring at me in the pile of car kits to build is a Rail
Shops' carbon black covered hopper. .009" stainless steel
wire is supplied in the kit for grabirons and brake rigging.


Has anyone here any comments on the use of this wire on
STMFC models? It seems tougher than the usual brass wire
that we use, and in .009" diameter, is very near scale size
for HO grab irons and brake rigging.

Steve Lucas.

------------------------------------

Yahoo! Groups Links

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I prefer phosphor brass wire as from Tichy/CMA (and probably
others). Its readily available and more workable IMHO.

Jerry Glow

--- In STMFC@..., "Steve Lucas" <stevelucas3@...>
wrote:

Staring at me in the pile of car kits to build is a Rail
Shops' carbon black covered hopper. .009" stainless steel
wire is supplied in the kit for grabirons and brake rigging.


Has anyone here any comments on the use of this wire on
STMFC models? It seems tougher than the usual brass wire
that we use, and in .009" diameter, is very near scale size
for HO grab irons and brake rigging.

Steve Lucas.

------------------------------------

Yahoo! Groups Links

Another option, borrowed from someone who posted
on one of the yahoogroups I read, is to use copper
wire. It is available in a large number of sizes,
and has the advantage of being very easy to form,
a real advantage for brake system air lines.

While softer than other wires we've discussed,
you don't really want to handle/press on the grab
the wire once it is installed anyway, do you? Six
100 foot rolls of each size from .013 to .040
cost me $65 including S&H about 2 years ago when
copper was dear. If desired I can post my source
for the wire; I would have included it but the
source isn't handy at the moment.

Rod

jerryglow2 wrote:

I prefer phosphor brass wire as from Tichy/CMA (and probably
others). Its readily available and more workable IMHO.

Jerry Glow

--- In STMFC@..., "Steve Lucas" <stevelucas3@>
wrote:

Staring at me in the pile of car kits to build is a Rail
Shops' carbon black covered hopper. .009" stainless steel
wire is supplied in the kit for grabirons and brake rigging.


Has anyone here any comments on the use of this wire on
STMFC models? It seems tougher than the usual brass wire
that we use, and in .009" diameter, is very near scale size
for HO grab irons and brake rigging.

Steve Lucas.

------------------------------------

Yahoo! Groups Links

I prefer phosphor brass wire as from Tichy/CMA (and probably
others). Its readily available and more workable IMHO.
Jerry Glow
--- In STMFC@..., "Steve Lucas" <stevelucas3@...>
wrote:

Staring at me in the pile of car kits to build is a Rail
Shops' carbon black covered hopper. .009" stainless steel
wire is supplied in the kit for grabirons and brake rigging.
Has anyone here any comments on the use of this wire on
STMFC models? It seems tougher than the usual brass wire
that we use, and in .009" diameter, is very near scale size
for HO grab irons and brake rigging.
Steve Lucas.

------------------------------------
Yahoo! Groups Links