I’m installing my first ever etched metal running board on a model, and wondering if there is an ideal way to go about adding the L shaped hand-hold on each of the two lateral running boards? Not sure whether i am over thinking it, but it doesn’t strike me as particularly strong to just insert the wire parts with CA. I was thinking i’d use a Yarmouth eyebolt for the corner as there is a similar corner post on the real thing.

Thanks in advance for any tips.

Rob

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Tim O'Connor
Sterling, Massachusetts

Sounds like a good solution.  Thanks for the thoughts Tim.

I hate etched running boards, for this reason.  You do have to have an eye for where the holes go, and it's not always obvious from looking at that corner grab (the L-shaped thing).  Early on, I drilled more than a few of those holes, and the drill bits didn't do well with the stainless.  So I more or less quit using them unless I have a really oddball build.

I like the Kadee ones, or the Branchline ones.  For Branchline, I drill the three holes where they're shown, and into the roof, which also helps the running board stay down.  I use (did use) the Detail Associated 2206 or 2222 eye bolt at the corner.  The prototype had a support there at the corner, anyway.

Other suppliers also make eye bolts, either from wire or as an etched part.  I had ended up with a couple packages of the DA 2222, which are great because the extra length disappears when mounted this way.

Barker's Trains (available on eBay) makes a coupler cut lever pretty similar to the old DA, except for the bend that goes under the coupler.  They provide an eyebolt just like DA used to.  I haven't seen the eyebolts separately, although they're in several other types of wire product they sell.  I've bought them 10 or 20 pair at a time, and they come in one package.

Ron Merrick

I guess that it's a good thing we have a few options.  

For me and my amateur skill set, the Kadee running boards (excellent products though they are) led to a number of challenges.  Because they are maybe ~ .015" to .020" longer than the model I am working on, the lateral running boards sit too close to the ends and (for the same reason) the mounting posts at the bottom of the diagonal end supports do not fully insert into the holes I drilled.  Forcing the posts to stay in the holes risked distorting the flatness of the running board and I had trouble with glueing the slippery plastic.  Then I realized I needed galvanized gray, not brown running boards, and my paint efforts were not great, partially filling a couple of holes in the running board grid.  

So I ordered an etched running board from Yarmouth, and drilled for the lateral walk handholds.  My bits weren't very effective at cutting through the metal, so I decided to switch to .008" phosphor bronze wire.  The .008" wire pass through the grid without drilling and, with minimal CA applied with a pin from below, I was able to pull the grabs up, into place.   They seem to be holding very strongly.  I found it easier to use a stub of wire as the corner post, rather than an eyebolt.  And overall I'm pretty happy with it; it lays straight, is that smidgen shorter to fit the car body and seems to be sturdy.   I have been using canopy glue for wood running boards for several years, and found it worked very nicely for the etched running board as well.  I've covered it with lear Tamiya flat and then weathered with greys.  

I'll be happy to try a Kadee board the next time, assuming I have a longer car body where the fit is closer to the Kadee car.