Detail parts installation for a Kato Heavy Mikado

[peteski]

How many posts fit on a page? 

Default is 15. 

[cjp53]

Here is a link to the diagram for the detail parts:

https://hoseeker.net/katoN/katoN282mikadopg1.jpg

As far as adhesive, I would just use a small dab of CA to hold the staunchions in place.

Thanks Mike!!!! Nice and large print,that will be a huge help.I want to Thank everyone for being so helpful and bringing a smile to me.I'm sure there will be some difficulty but I plan on taking my time and advice offered.

[woodone]

I have put quite a few of these 1st run loco details on. I took a pair of eye brow tweezers and modified them to hold the hand rail,stancions. I have had very good luck getting them in place now. Before WOW, what a PITA. 

[cjp53]

I have put quite a few of these 1st run loco details on. I took a pair of eye brow tweezers and modified them to hold the hand rail,stancions. I have had very good luck getting them in place now. Before WOW, what a PITA.

How did you modify the tweezers?That sounds like a great idea as the ones I have are plastic and things slip out from them.

[nickelplate759]

One last thing - DON'T install these parts while in a carpeted space.

[woodone]

How did you modify the tweezers?That sounds like a great idea as the ones I have are plastic and things slip out from them.

Wow! These were just a pair of cheep metal, ones I got from a drug store rack. Years ago- I filed a very small tee shaped notch at the tips of a squared ended pair. Some of my hand made tools are very old, because ready made ones just weren’t out there. I have a set of metal files that are over 40 years old and the smallest one I have ever seen. One round & one square. These are small- only about two inches long shaped like excapement files- wish I could find a replacement for them.
These are what I used to shape the tee notch.

[brokemoto]

if you press fit, after a couple years you can pull all the details off
and put them back in a bag
and offer them on the bayo as new old stock, with pix being the proof!

It is truly amazing what the detail parts bags fetch on FeePay.  The ones that command the highest prices are the drawbars and the bag with the stanchions and the bell.  As mt modelling directions changed, I no longer has a use for a USRA heavy 2-8-2, so I sold mine.  In addition, I sold off the detail parts bags, except for those that I could use for bashing.  I had no use for the drawbars, so they went.  They got bid up to thirty dollars apiece.  I started them at what was printed on the bag:  three dollars and change.

To address Original Poster's question, I had the most success on the stanchions when I used a small to average sized pair of needle nose pliers.  You must take care to grab them tightly enough lest you launch them but not so tight that you deform them.

The one thing that I never could get onto them was the frame for the bell.  I simply stuck the bell on its bracket and left it at that.

[keeper]

Already on page two....

Thomas

[Chris333]

Already on page two....

Thomas

[SkipGear]

I could post a picture of the 3 unopened detail packs I stumbled across at a trainshow a few years back unfortunately only one is left in tact. I love the bells in these kits. The seller was into HOn3 and had been buying Kato Mikes for the mechanism only. He was changing scales and had a small plastic box of random bits for sale on his table $10. I could see enough parts and gears that it looked worth $10 to take a chance on. Got home to find the 3 detail baggies and a complete set of valve gear buried under the rest of the stuff.

[mike_lawyer]

I could post a picture of the 3 unopened detail packs I stumbled across at a trainshow a few years back unfortunately only one is left in tact. I love the bells in these kits. The seller was into HOn3 and had been buying Kato Mikes for the mechanism only. He was changing scales and had a small plastic box of random bits for sale on his table $10. I could see enough parts and gears that it looked worth $10 to take a chance on. Got home to find the 3 detail baggies and a complete set of valve gear buried under the rest of the stuff.

Wow, great find!  I am always looking for extra valve gear for Kato Mikes, I wish Kato would do a run of just the main drive rod.  I have thought about sending a piece of valve gear to an etching company to make copies, but I haven't found an economical way to do it yet.

[glakedylan]

as the handrail detail parts have to be removed to take shell off of frame
it makes no sense to me to pull the shell in order to install those parts
am i missing something?

i am following this as a guide: https://tcsdcc.com/installation/n-scale/1661


sincerely
Gary

[peteski]

as the handrail detail parts have to be removed to take shell off of frame
it makes no sense to me to pull the shell in order to install those parts
am i missing something?

Nope - just some Railwire silliness.
I suggested melting the standoff ends from the  inside of the shell to make the installation permanent. 

[ns737]

you do not need to remove the stanchions from the shell. the black railing will slide out of the stanchions. thats what you do to service the engine. that is what I have done to many mikado's to fix or put decoders in for members.

[cjp53]

I press the rail through the each stanchion while it is still attached to the sprue. Makes it much easier to then get the stanchions into their holes. Never use any adhesive.

The stanchion seemed turned to their sides on the spruce and it looks like to pass the handrail through them on the spruce they must be twisted to line up the holes.I still have everything in the bags and waiting for a sunny day for the best lighting before I start putting on the detail parts.To bad the train shop is closed due to the virus because I would take it there and gladly pay to have these put on.I'm sorry I had that problem with the first Mikado that had the unknown decoder installed because that one had the parts factory installed.