Nice

Will you be putting it in the 3d print library for others?

Thank you!!!!

Cool idea. I don't think I've ever seen an O-scale lobster claw coupler gauge.

I keep an Lionel freight truck around to check the coupler height.

Nice job!

Deep in the KD site. #812O coupler gauge height.  At one time Bowser/Cal Scale, recent review of that site shows, not a lot left.

Nice project, thanks for posting. 

@Mike CT posted:

Deep in the KD site. #812O coupler gauge height.

That appears to be for KD couplers, though you'd think they'd be the same height for O-gauge.

Handy stuff for the ingot buggy car I started working on!

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

That appears to be for KD couplers, though you'd think they'd be the same height for O-gauge.

On this discussion, separate thread, it's the underlying 'bone' I'm picking...

Kadee has the de facto standard in coupler design.  Settled.  But the O3R (a.k.a. Lobster Claw-dominant) crowd far exceeds the market among O scalers.  Sure, they'd like for you to do a wholesale conversion of your empire, but a couple years ago I estimated the $$$$...forget the DIY time element for the moment!...as requiring a remortgaging of the home.  Not gonna happen.

So, why not cater to "us"?  We do seem to have some modest moolah, don't we?

IOW, Kadee, why isn't an appropriate O3R Lobster Claw (LC) coupler available for the 8120 height gauge?

(I promised the wife I wouldn't digress today on this hot-button topic for me.)

------------------

Hey, guys!...Look, I'd love to change my initials to keep things clear on this matter, but Mom & Dad apparently didn't foresee this topic/discussion/day/etc. back in 1944, and now they're livin' the victory they deserved were promised.  Sorry for any confusion.

KD...   

@dkdkrd posted:

On this discussion, separate thread, it's the underlying 'bone' I'm picking...

Kadee has the de facto standard in coupler design.  Settled.  But the O3R (a.k.a. Lobster Claw-dominant) crowd far exceeds the market among O scalers.  Sure, they'd like for you to do a wholesale conversion of your empire, but a couple years ago I estimated the $$$$...forget the DIY time element for the moment!...as requiring a remortgaging of the home.  Not gonna happen.

So, why not cater to "us"?  We do seem to have some modest moolah, don't we?

IOW, Kadee, why isn't an appropriate O3R Lobster Claw (LC) coupler available for the 8120 height gauge?

O scale is probably a minority market for KD already; far more invested in the HO market in both couplers, trucks, etm.  While they could probably get into the 3R market making a height gauge, I suspect that they feel it's not worth it to them unless some organization sets a standard or recommended practice that all the manufacturers (importers) would actually all agree to follow.

@VHubbard posted:

There has been discussion about the standard for 3 Rail coupler heights.   I think the .688" height to center of the coupler is the standard.  But you need a gauge.  So I designed and printed one today.   I think it will be a handy tool, especially for passenger cars.

I will see what needs to be done to get it added to the catalog in the next fiew days.

It has now been submitted to the catalog 10/5/2022

Val's O Scale 3 Rail Coupler Height Gauge is now available for download in the OGR 3D Project Catalog, project No. 1145.

Great job on the whole package Val... diagrams, photos, stl(s) etc., everything is TOP-NOTCH!

THANK YOU!!!

I run Kadee couplers on everything. Height is important. The majority of lobster claws are built into the truck design. Seeing Kadee’s are body mounted. You have a few choices . You can shim the couplers, use offset coupler shanks and in some models alter the ride height of the truck.

If you develop a standard to check heights which is a good thing on standard 3 rail cars. What’s the solution to alter the coupler height on trucks with ready made couplers mounted to them ?   The only issue I ever had were drooping couplers on Weavers rolling stock. The issue was related to the weight of the coupler and sharing the same mounting screw as the truck itself. It was a fine line. To loose and the coupler droops. To tight and the truck doesn’t pivot.