# DIY How to- homemade link and pin couplers



## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Heres a simple and dirt cheap way to make link and pin couplers for cars like HLWs mini series

The Basic components:








the HLW car, some sheet styrene, brass rod, and a 1/4 x 3/8 ABS tube


















measure out 1inch segments and cut, trace the face plate on the styrene, 
it should be about 1/16 to 3/32 wider than the tube










Glue them together










clip the corners and file to a nice smooth rounded shape, L shaped, R clipped 










Now using a 1/8 drillbit drill two holes in the end plate and use an Xacto to 
shape to a nice oval that opens to the full interior width.










Drill two holes, one 1/16 for the link and one larger for the mounting screw










drill a hole into the HLW car and mount with screw










top view mounted










now useing a needlenose, bend the brass wire,1/16 here, to an eybolt shape, 










I add a small donut of small diameter tube styrene to the base of the eyebolt










final pin as attached, shown with homemade link using same brass rod










And as coupled to another car. 


All thats now needed is paint.


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## Guest (Nov 6, 2008)

*Ok, I'll need 12 please and make them and ship them over night!








**Hey! there cool man....quick and easy.....
Toad

*


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## Road Foreman (Jan 2, 2008)

Vic, 

I like your couplers.. I made some links by bending brass rod in a oval shape.. This worked with the Ozark couplers but has the draw back of long links or very broad curves to keep from derailing.. 

BulletBob


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks guys, theres 2 more parts to this to come, 
one; on how to do this mounting it end beam style, and 
two; how to adapt this to a tongue mount like a typical LGB car has... 
I'll try to get those up before the end of the weekend


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## Road Foreman (Jan 2, 2008)

Vic, 

Your doing GOOD!! 

BulletBob


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## snowshoe (Jan 2, 2008)

Vic: got the materials today. My local Hobytown had the stuff. I picked it up and hope to get started on them this week. Cant wait for part two. I like your link and pins so much I might end up putting them on my flats I just got.


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## Les (Feb 11, 2008)

Vic,

Thank you for the how-to. Very simple--I'd never have thought of that on my own.

Les


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## trainbuffjr (Jan 11, 2008)

*Thanks for posting Vic! I bought the supplies and made a pair for one of my Haltland cars. Now just have to make 6 more pair.*


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Trainbuff, very cool, I see you did yours a little differently than my OP, at the backing plate, is the coupler notched into the car frame or is it just end mounted to the car? 

I ask because when I did mine end-beam mounted like that I included a tad wider back plate which had 2 small brad nails set into the end beam, small angles of styrene on each side of the coupler to the back plate, and I included a full lenth plate at the bottom of the coupler so I could anchor (screw or brad) up into the bottom of the end beam, sounds like a lot but I wanted to make sure the coupler could take some pounding or not pull off under loading. 

I really need to do the next two parts for this.


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## trainbuffjr (Jan 11, 2008)

*Thanks Vic! They are mounted directly on the end by gluing them on. I will have to try your suggestion for mounting them because it sounds like it would be much stronger. *

*Thanks,*
*Aaron* *Loyet Logging Company*


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## Guest (Nov 21, 2008)

Trainbuff,
Where did you get the very small chain?

-----------------------
Vic,
Are you ever going to use the cutting mat or just keep using your chopping block there?









Thanks
Toad


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## paintjockey (Jan 3, 2008)

Ozark miniatures sells small chain. I usually buy chain at Jo-Ann fabrics or Michaels craft store. I'm sure any craft type store would have some, just look in the jewelry making department. Oh, and don't mind the odd looks you'll get from the employees the first time you go in and ask for the jewelry area, it's normal.


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## trainbuffjr (Jan 11, 2008)

I get some of my chain from places like Michael's, But alot of times I go and look at the clearance jewelry at the local Walmart. I to have recieved some wierd looks when I am looking at jewelry, and then when I leave they are saying how cheap I am. Looking forward to the next articles Vic!

Thanks,
Aaron


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

This is *part 2,* 


This coupler is designed around an HLW minicar with Bachmann small diameter ore car wheels instead of the large wheels that come with the kit.


Basic parts, 3/16 x 1/4 ABS tube, 5/16 C channel, 1/8 angle, and .40 sheet styrene












C channel cut to 7/8 wide, tube to 3/8 long, glued together w/ angle and the styrene face plate cut about 1/16 to 1/8 wider than the tube and corners trimmed












Pin hole drilled w/ 5/64 bit, link slot w/ 1/8 bit double drilled and filled to shape, as has the face plate












Glued onto end beam












Adding small brad nails at angle to add strenth to mounting












Completed, all it needs is paint and the pin attached












These couplers are also at the same hieght as the original couplers above, *enjoy*


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## Les (Feb 11, 2008)

Vic,

Thank you for the how-to series.

ANYBODY: How can I 'bookmark' this series?

Les


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## nkelsey (Jan 4, 2008)

Can we put it in articles????


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

I would like to convert to an Article but the Articles section is still non-functional as far as I know


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

Vic

I know that it's not an article, but maybe if you put this PDF file up in your 1st Class web space people could download it from there.

DIY How To: Link & Pin Couplers[/b]
File Type: PDF / File Size: 773KB
Left-click to open - Right-click to download


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

WOW....Thanks, howdya do dat? 

Uploaded to my webspace


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By vsmith on 02/04/2009 8:12 PM
WOW....Thanks, howdya do dat? {snip...}
No problem Vic, just trying to help out. Just a matter of a bit of "copy & paste" to MS/Word, a bit of editing, finally running it through Adobe Acrobat.

Not to be "pushy", but where's part three.


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

I'm getting there, not quite sure of the subject though, I just did a test conversion on an LGB 2axle car, mounting the L&P coupler to the standard hook mount tang on the pivot axle, maybe that one???


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## Scott (Jan 29, 2008)

Awesome!!!! A deceptively simple yet fully functional idea! Instead of making them all by hand you could make a couple of good masters and then cast yourself enough to do your railway.


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