Flange Problems

[Big Jim]

I have noticed that my Pearce Ulysses seems to have quite deep flanges on the wheels, deep enough to catch the chairs on Peco track. I know that one answer is to remove the wheels and turn them down. But as my lathe is currently dismantled I was wondering if any one had a similar problem and overcome it in any other way, eg a wheel swap.

[MDLR]

What sort of Peco track? The SM32 (or 45) track should be no problem, but 7mm scale 0 gauge track has a smaller rail section, and 16mm scale stuff will often catch on rail chairs.

[Big Jim]

Sm32 track. Surprisingly.

[Dor_Crank]

I would wait till you fix the lathe and do whatever leveling to it.
But, if not, here are some methods you may try.

1. A Hand job method.

You can turn the driver wheels and file them one side (left drivers
1st, then right) at a time, measure the flange several time to your
desired depth. That's what I did for my electric steam outline
loco in 0-scale. This was done off the electrified rails by connecting
the power pack directly onto the loco. It's more satisfactory if
you hold the loco on a vice rather than in your hand.

For a livesteam loco, you can do similar but more safer if you
use compressed air to turn the drivers. For any truck wheels,
they can be easily removed and can use the drill press method
below.

2. Drill press method:

Take the drivers off the chassis, pop one driver wheel out, chuck the remaining wheel and axle on your drill press at the axle*, then file the flange off.

3. Milling Machine method:

I would rather use my milling machine than the drill press!
With the milling machine, you maybe able to use it like a lathe.
Use the milling vice or some angle vice to hold a single point
cutting tool as the driver axle is chucked on a collet. You can
more precisely cut the flange this way. The vice is anchored
to the table.

*Insert the axle deep as possible into the chuck for less run out or
make a shorter shaft, then refit for this purpose

Make sure to press back the drivers and small wheels squarely.
I use the milling machine (its head perfectly squared) to press
fit the axle into the wheel to start. Then finish it off with my
hand press. I don't like wobbly wheels unless I want to simulate
an old yard goat (a switcher loco on an imperfect off phased sinusoidal rails). Dab oil on the axle and the hole (or loctite)

And, for my case, I use specially ground (by EDM) tire (tyre)
forming tool made by my local grinder shop per my prototype
wheel drawings. I don't like pizza cutter sharp and deep flanges
and also want the bigger fillet between the flange and the 3
degree tapered tyre. Don't like the fatter than 5.5" wide tyres
either for a main line or 4.5" for na. ga. locos.

The best way of course is with the lathe. All safety cautionary
measures must be used. Usual disclaimer apply here.

[Big Jim]

Thanks for the information, I have been thinking along these lines. Not much needs to come of the flanges probably less than 1/32". So a quick file is probably all that is needed.

Welcome to the forum

[Dor_Crank]

Hi Jim,

Glad you'll be fixing the flanges.  Make sure the depth for
all the flanges are same more or less if you care.  Though
you're filing all of the drivers (one side at a time) at once
with a long file, if the axles are sprung, their spring functions
may not be same.  I noted a lot of UK's models are just
straight holes with hat bearings (no up/down compensation)
so that would make it easier.  Remember to round off the
flange edges with a smaller and finer file individually**.
You don't want sharp pizza cutters to pick turnout points.
If you can make a depression on hard wood for the flange
profile, you can glue a piece of sand paper in that groove
for the consistent flange profile for all the wheels after of
course, you roughly smooth out the flange square edges
with that file.  When the sand paper gets worn out, just
scrape it off. Don't hesitate.
For the wood's groove, you can use Mr. Dremel's* help.
There are several diameter fiber discs available for him to
suit your wheels.

If you can, experiment somehow with scraps before actual
operation.

Some of the wheels are nickel plated.  It may take a bit more
pressure to remove the coating.  In that case, you may try
scraping the coating off with a carbide tool 1st.

*Or a dental type drill or even a regular pistol type drill

**Can angle that long file to remove all of the driver flanges'
   square corners at once but need to keep the file axis
   square with respect to the chassis.  I would rather do one
   wheel at a time.  Generally, remove manual holding of work
   and tool as much as possible for safety and consistency

When you perfect this flange turning business, you can do the
other locos with ease.

Have fun!

[funandtrains]

If it is an inside frame version these were really marketed for the G scale market, there being a version with a Germanic styled body and therefore the flanges were deeper to work with LGB track.

[Big Jim]

Definitely a British style body. But it is internally framed. The flanges only catch some peco 16mm track but not other pieces. Whether the mould has been changed at some point?

[Enginehouse]

If it is an inside frame version these were really marketed for the G scale market, there being a version with a Germanic styled body and therefore the flanges were deeper to work with LGB track.

I never run Peco track of any kind, preferring all brass track work, but have experienced odd problems when running on other folks Peco track work. I have some very nice kit/scratch built battery powered loco's that run on G- Scale loco motor blocks of various sorts and so try to avoid running these engines on Peco track. The 32mm bullhead rail in brass looks much better too when we'll weathered. I have been thinking of building a common 32/45 section of three rail track using LGB/Piko brass track and points.