Hi Chris, I am new to this site after coming here looking for tips on the Bachmann N scale 44 ton loco. I watched your video and was interested in the fact you had used Tungsten weights. I am old school and have always reached for lead for weight so had to do a bit of reading to see that Tungsten would be better. Not sure if there are disadvantages but my immediate question would be how available is it in a form that can be reworked for N-scale weights? Dave
Dave, since a lot of people have a phobia about lead, just about any place that sells the Pine Car racing set-up should carry Tungsten. The tungsten putty is easy to work with, but is a bit lighter than the solid sheet stuff.....mike ( Myself I have no problem with working with lead, Just need to know what you're doing. )
Thanks for that tip, Mike C. Never having worked with Tungsten before can you tell me if it can be cut at all (with normal hand tools)? I have looked at a couple of Pine Car sites and see Tungsten in disks, cylinders and small rectangular pieces but wonder if any of these can be resized as necessary. Dave
The only way to cut tungsten is with an abasive cut off wheel and for shaping it, grinding is the only way. If you are uaing the rod type do not attempt to cut it with side cutters as it will ness up your side cutters.
Just google tungsten putty and you'll find what you need at Amazon, among others. It comes in a little blob, and you simply break off a chunk and press into wherever it will fit. Hope this helps you. Ron
I had the tungsten pieces custom cut at www.tungsten.com they are 90% pure instead of 100% so they are easier to cut. There is a slab on top and a smaller one milled into the fuel tank area. I bought 2 of each piece (2 locos worth) so 4 pieces total. Came to $47.60 after $12.50 for shipping. So about $18 per locomotive. It isn't pure tungsten, it is 90% so they could machine it easier. 90% is 17.12g/cm3, 7% nickel, and 3% iron. Pure would have been 19.25g/cm3. I didn't ask how much that would of cost. I didn't think it was expensive till the shipping costs, oh well it feels like a brick when I pick her up. Also lead is heavier than tungsten powered or tungsten putty. Those pine car cubes are good though and you can pack a bunch of the small ones in. And you can use tungsten welding rods. Just score them around their diameter with a cut off tool, then grab it with pliars and smack it on the ground. It will snap off where you scored it.
