How to re-attach individual ladder rungs?

I'm sure there's a tool, but the tip of a toothpick, pin or small nail is cheaper.

I use a small brass rod or a stripped unraveled wire strand. Place a drop of glue on them and transfer it to the piece. If it’s a grab iron or ladder that needs to be spaced from the body. Stick a scrap piece of something to maintain the correct spacing till the glue sets.

Try using a large sewing needle, depending on the location you can use either the tip of the needle or collect a small amount of ACC in the eye of the needle and capillary action will do the rest.

Lee Gustafson

You might also want to consider using a pair of self-closing, locking tweezers to hold the individual rungs in place as you glue them rather than your fingers.

If using a CA type glue, using a non-spray accelerator can also help.

@Ed Kelly posted:

Hi All,

I was thinking of using ACC to re-attach several individual rungs to the side of the boxcar.  However, I need something like a micro-applicator.  Is there such a thing?

Micro-tip, Ed.

I'll have some at my table at Strasburg on Sat. for you.

E6000 clear, flexible, strong glue can do that job with the use of a tooth pick or tip of a pocket knife.  Just that simple.

Charlie

I have used this tool available from Micro-Mark for jobs such as you're faced with.  Works fine. 

That and Micro-Mark's other tool, the mini-loop applicator, are variants of the sewing needle Lee Gustafson mentions above.  I suppose one could make the Y-shaped applicator by inserting the pointed end of a sewing needle into a piece of wood dowel.  Then clip the top end of the needle's eye off.

Similarly, the loop applicator could be fashioned in the same way, but perhaps with a needle having a smaller eye, and NOT clipping the end off.

I've found a single-drop applicator tool such as these to have a clean-up advantage, too.  Applicators that are basically micro-tubes in style always seemed to get clogged up after a short while with dried glue, and are, therefore, a subsequent pain in the gluteus maximus to restore to operation.  The Micro-Mark and/or sewing needle styles?...not as difficult to keep clean.   IMHO, of course.

FWIW...

KD

P.S. - A glass of wine also helps to steady the hand...or so it seems.  A second glass of wine will improve the appearance of the resulting glue joint...  Hey, works for me!

Charlie,

Who makes E6000?

Thanks,

Ed

@mwb posted:

Micro-tip, Ed.

I'll have some at my table at Strasburg on Sat. for you.

This looks to be a perfect item for micro glueing. 

I have a 2oz bottle of the CA but even the nozzle it has gets plugged.  How in the world do you keep that long thin applicator open ?

@Dallas Joseph posted:

This looks to be a perfect item for micro glueing. 

I have a 2oz bottle of the CA but even the nozzle it has gets plugged.  How in the world do you keep that long thin applicator open ?

They are PPE and CA tends not to stick well to it; CA doesn't stick to the inside of the bottle. Stand it upright and the CA gets pulled back down inside.  Eventually they clog just at the very end of the tip which is ~0.1 mm. Just slice off a mm back down the tip.  Good for many months.  Been using them for years now.  Great so you can see the actual flow and then control that flow of the CA.

Thanks to all.  A great amount of information!

One additional question:  Where can I buy grab irons and individual rungs?

Marty, et al:  I won't be able to attend the Strasburg meet this Saturday.  Family duties come first.

Thanks again.

Ed

You can buy individual grabs from Precision Scale. Pricey but they will feature the bolt detail. The best bang for your buck is probably Tichy Train Group. I think you get a dozen for about $3.00.  You can also with some searching get them from Atlas.

@Ed Kelly posted:

Thanks to all.  A great amount of information!

One additional question:  Where can I buy grab irons and individual rungs?

Grab irons - PSC if you want the mounting details all cast in & Tichy if you just want the plain wire - can add your own mounting nbw's.

Ladder rungs......brass wire, styrene rod, brass flat stock, styrene flat stock

Marty, et al:  I won't be able to attend the Strasburg meet this Saturday.  Family duties come first.

Unfortunate; I'll still have a few bags of them Sat.

@Ed Kelly posted:

Charlie,

Who makes E6000?

Thanks,

Ed

Easy to find. Home Depot, most craft stores have it.

Dick