I use metal wheels on all my rolling stocks. I've had some derailments and wobbling cars problems due to non perfect gauge. I found that gauging them properly and making sure they are perfectly perpendicular to the axel as well as parallel between each others is too difficult for my eyeballs. Too much frustrations and fiddling around for a 3 to 4 dollars per car price tag! That was then. Now, things are going to get better. Rodney is manufacturing a tool to very easily set the proper gauge. You place the wheel set in the slot and squeeze. That's all. I does not get easier and faster than that! I'll receive mine in a few days (weeks?). I'll let you know how well it work. You'll find the tool here: RRR TOOLS HOME - Available in N and HO scale.
Are these going to be made to fit each of the different wheel manufacturers? I ask as I don't think all of the manufacturers make their wheel flanges the same thickness, or is the difference in thickness not that critical?
This is a very good question as well as a perfectly valid concern. Thanks you for pointing it out. I'll receive my tool shortly (some days at best, few short weeks at worst). I'll then be available to provide testing and feedbacks. So far, my take on this is that as long as the NMRA standard gage works on your wheels type then Rodney's tool will be equally fine. edit: In other words, if your wheels respect NMRA standards, you are golden.
The good news are in, at last! The tool work very well. Put the wheel set in the slot and squeeze. It’s done. Perfect gauge every time. That’s what I have to say about that. Get one! :thumbs_up:
Would this work for plastic wheels (ie. Microtrains)? N Scale of course. The tool looks like it would work well though.
Nice. I just ordered one. I've ordered Rodney's other tools and they are great. Read my blog entry: Rodney's Railroad Tools.
I got one of these back in december to try to fix my FVM metal wheels that are not true. Well, it doesn't work on them. The wheels are wider than the tool. I'm going to try to add some thin metal to the tool so I can possibley fix all these FVM wheels I have that are wobbley. Mike
I'm a little confused, if the FVM wheels are too wide, aren't you suppose to squeeze them down against the tool to make them fit the NMRA standard, or are you saying that if you do that the FVM wheels will be to narrow? Jeff
Yes, the FVM wheel spacing is slightly larger than the NMRA recommended spacing. The insulated side of the FVM wheel doesn't move on the axle, so you can't push the whole thing down. When the wheel is pushed on to the insulated portion, sometimes it is not true, and has a wobble. I was hoping that the tool would force the wheel into a more true setting, and at least minimize the wobble, if not get rid of it completely. This is not the case, so I'll do a bit of modifying. Mike
