Brake Pipes

[Paul M]

A few weeks ago, on a thread relating to the Bachmann Lynn, someone (I beleive it was Jon Dunnyrail) suggested using copper wire to make replacement brake pipes. So, as I had some coaches crying out for such things, I decided to have a bash. Please note, this is not in anyway accurate modelling, in fact the 10 foot rule rather than the 6 foot is the order of the day!

Basic requirements. The thicker copper wire is stripped from a piece of 2.5mm Twin & Earth ring cable which is pretty much spot on for the thickness of the Lynn pipework, the smaller wire from a piece of 2.5 stranded control wire.
The copper wire is easily bent to the approimate sape

The finished item, just needs a quick solder on the ends and a quick paint job.

Sorry, the pictures about as dodgy as the modelling!

 

[playmofire]

Looks fine, even with the dodgy photography!

 

[Gizzy]

Looks good to me Paul....

 

[ntpntpntp]

Try bass guitar strings! Various gauges, perfect for this type of thing.

My lad plays heavy metal on 6 and 8 string basses with thick strings, and also an electric upright bass with really thick ones!

In the smaller scales regular electric guitar strings are sometimes used to create brake pipes.

If you pop into a guitar shop that does re-stringing they're bound to have off-cuts or old replaced strings.

Grid squares are 1mm in this photo

 

[JimmyB]

A few weeks ago, on a thread relating to the Bachmann Lynn, someone (I believe it was Jon Dunnyrail) suggested using copper wire to make replacement brake pipes.

It was my request for thoughts, and this is what I came up with:

 

[Paul M]

Try bass guitar strings! Various gauges, perfect for this type of thing.

My lad plays heavy metal on 6 and 8 string basses with thick strings, and also an electric upright bass with really thick ones!

In the smaller scales regular electric guitar strings are sometimes used to create brake pipes.

If you pop into a guitar shop that does re-stringing they're bound to have off-cuts or old replaced strings.

Grid squares are 1mm in this photo

View attachment 262858

Brilliant idea. It's something that most wouldn't have thought about usingguitar strings. Next time there's a double bass player at the folks club, I'll ask him if he has any spares.

 

[Greg Elmassian]

How easy is it to bend the guitar strings? As I remember they did not want to bend and hold a curve easily.

Greg

 

[dunnyrail]

Brilliant idea. It's something that most wouldn't have thought about usingguitar strings. Next time there's a double bass player at the folks club, I'll ask him if he has any spares.

Ah but nothing beats the work of all that twiddling with spare bits of varying sized wire, though the guitar string method works it is not as neat as yours. Yes I have in the past suggested this method, may even have shown some somewhere in the long mist of time.

 

[PhilP]

Vertical lengths of guitar-strings, make great radiators for Dismal's and IC loco's..
Use some 'U' channel to frame them..

PhilP

 

[David1226]

Vertical lengths of guitar-strings, make great radiators for Dismal's and IC loco's..
Use some 'U' channel to frame them..

PhilP

My brother-in-law has a large collection of guitars, I'm sure he must have a few old strings knocking about, but if I told him what I wanted them for, I guess he would think I was pulling his wire.

David

 

[dennishodge]

Very nice! My friend made brake hoses for his American steamies and attached miniature super strong magnets to the ends so the hoses connect.

 

[Paul M]

Very nice! My friend made brake hoses for his American steamies and attached miniature super strong magnets to the ends so the hoses connect.

I have some friends who have done something similar using bespoke parts that lock together. They do look the part.

 

[KeithT]

My brother-in-law has a large collection of guitars, I'm sure he must have a few old strings knocking about, but if I told him what I wanted them for, I guess he would think I was pulling his wire.

David

Or, just stringing him along.........

 

[Paul M]

Or, just stringing him along.........

Don't fret about it though