# Side Rods



## d_sinsley (Mar 29, 2011)

OK. So it has been a long time since I have been on here and making a model. But I am back at it. I am bashing a Bachman 10 wheeler and turning it into a narrow gauge 2-6-0 in 1:20.3. I am not using the stock wheel placement at all. Because of that I need all new side rods. Is there a place I can get the ends of the rods that will fit the Bachmann wheels and then be able to put in my own plastic or brass rod at the right length. Or even another crank (thing the rod attaches too?) that I can drill out the old one and attach a new one to the wheels. Prefer not to do that though. I will even scratch build if someone has an idea or picture of something they have done? I am open to suggestions.


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## chuckger (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi,
Hartland locomotive works has rod ends in plastic that you can add metal side rods to. I don't know if they will work with Bachmann wheels though. A call to Phill Jensen at HLW parts, should get you an answer. Check their web site for the phone number, hope this helps.
Chuck


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## steam5 (Jun 22, 2008)

Could you use the bachmann rods? cut and shut them to fit?

Alan


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

Ten years ago I was working on a Bachmann Big Hauler project and I increased the main rod length with some rectangular brass tubing..I cut off the ends of the stock main rods, left about an inch to press into the new tubing, filed them down a bit to fit, then glued them in..I then painted the brass with a "metalizer" paint..it looked pretty good!

This photo shows the brass extenders:










and here is one after using the metalizer paint:










Scot


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## d_sinsley (Mar 29, 2011)

Thanks guys,
That gave me a great idea. I like the idea of using at least the Bachmann ends. I can cut them down and slide them in a small section of tube like Scot did. However make that piece small and then get some more rod to fit into the tube opposite the rod end and use that as the rod to connect the ends. That would be more prototypically correct for my little mogul.


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

d_sinsley said:


> Thanks guys,
> That gave me a great idea. I like the idea of using at least the Bachmann ends. I can cut them down and slide them in a small section of tube like Scot did. However make that piece small and then get some more rod to fit into the tube opposite the rod end and use that as the rod to connect the ends. That would be more prototypically correct for my little mogul.


I came up with the same idea as Scott for my 2-8-0, which uses a brass chassis and ten-wheeler wheels and axles.
On the left is my first attempt to heat-glue two rods together with a torch (!) On the right is a correctly sized piece of rectangular tube and a couple of tiny bolts.










P.S. Send an email to Barry Olsen at Barry's Big Trains. He has stainless steel rods made for his 2-8-0 and other projects. You can cut off the ends and intermediate bosses if they are the wrong length.


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## d_sinsley (Mar 29, 2011)

*This is what I am after*

Pete
Yes. Both you and Scot are on the money I think. The only thing I would do a little different is add a small section of larger rectangular tube over the area where you attached the end and the brass. In the prototype the rods are smaller and have a pronounced joint. This is a picture of what I am after.

(Thanks David Fletcher for the picture used)


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## d_sinsley (Mar 29, 2011)

Or use the size tubing your using for the joint and use a smaller solid rod in between. That would look more accurate.


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## d_sinsley (Mar 29, 2011)

*what I came up with*

So after taking some advice here this is what I came up with so far. I only have the back two drivers hooked up. I have to build the front half of the chassis so I know the distance to the front driver. But this shows the idea. It is using the ends from the Bachmann rods and a piece of brass tube for the shoulder (that's a good name for it) and a piece of styrene square rod for the side rod. I added some plastruct hexagon rod for some bolts.

In case anyone s wondering this is what is left of a Bachmann 10 wheeler. I have chopped it up a bit. I left the middle driver in place. Moved the rear driver back. Cut the chassis just in front of the middle driver and notched just behind the back driver. All the details of the original chassis are gone and I have added the frame rails and clamps and rivets and bolts with the inspiration of the 2001 masters class build. The bolts are two different hex rods for bolts and sewing pins for rivets. That's a lot of drilling with a pen drill. 

When I get the chassis done I will post the finished product. As this is a second hand working loco it will likely be all black.


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