From: Alan Lambert Fort worth, Texas John, It is 105 in the shade down here. Problem is it is hot everywhere.Trying to stay cool. Alan
________________________________ From: John <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Friday, August 3, 2012 4:11 PM Subject: Re: {S-Scale List} Sergent Couplers It's 93 here east of Cleveland. John Armstrong ----- Original Message ----- >From: Alan Lambert >To: [email protected] >Sent: Friday, August 03, 2012 12:35 PM >Subject: Re: {S-Scale List} Sergent Couplers > > >From: Alan Lambert > Fort Worth, Texas > >Andy, >Your last parragraph sums it up for everyone. it is very hard for a one man >show to get it right. It takes a lot of fiddling to make sure it is right and >Frank is doing all he can for this. We need to give him a break and let him >work out all of the bugs he has incountered. I am in that thought faize know >.Give him a break. He knows we want them. Someone else jump in and help John >with the draft box. > Alan >Down here where it is Hot. > > >________________________________ >From: andym <[email protected]> >To: [email protected] >Sent: Friday, August 3, 2012 10:50 AM >Subject: {S-Scale List} Sergent Couplers > > > >Hi, > >Here is a rather objective review of the old Sergent S scale couplers >that came in kit form. This review will not apply to the new ones as I >understand they are going to be keyed and if they are RTR, even better. >This review is based on 4 Sergent coupler kit users. > >When I restarted in S Scale in 2000, Sergent couplers were readily >available in the kit format. Since I didn't realize there was a Kadee >802 standard, I bought lots. I really like them; however, I have found >that the ones I bought early on the game go together quite well and the >ones I bought just before they were cancelled do not go together well. >This may be in part due to the moulds being old. Unfortunately, I did >not keep track of which ones I bought earliest. > >Remember, I do prefer them over Kadees but I want people to know what >some of us have encountered with the kit version. I have three friends >that have used the HO kit versions. One models P87 and the other On30. >We have come up with these conclusions. The On30 guy has gone back to >Kadees because he finds them way easier. You can probably figure out >what the P87 guy still uses. > >Another modeller I know used the S scale kit ones with his On2 layout >and decided to go back to Kadees when he changed scales because he found >them to take too long to build not 100% unreliable. He says if the new >S scale ones come out and they are reliable that he may change back >because he did like them alot. > >First I will list the problems and this may be because of some of them >coming out of an old mould. > >The metal is very slippery once filed and I have yet to find a glue >that will keep them together 100%. I have tried many types of glue, >even metal filled epoxy. The HO modeller whom I know that uses the HO >kits and had the same problem, suggested Sinbad so I will give it a try. > >At times, to get the knuckle to move completely freely, the hole in the >shank will not line up. After gluing and if I drill out the hole, they >will come apart, hence the need for a stronger glue. > >If they are not put together so that everything lines up perfectly, >there will be problems both coupling and uncoupling. > >Each one takes at least 15 minuntes to put together. Hand filing close >to the pin in the knuckle is really important. > >If they are not installed all at the same height or there is a slight >bit of vertical sloppiness, there will be a problem coupling. > >Until John Degnan comes out with his draught gear box, there are no >boxes for them. I have developed my own method but John's will be >better and I will support his effort. > >Because of these problems, I have about an 80% success rate with them. > >If your friends all use Kadees, there will be problems and an idler car >with one of each coupler does not solve this issue. > >Now the plusses. > >They look way better than Kadees. > >They are slightly cheaper than Kadees, 5 to a pack. > >When they operate perfectly, they operate better than Kadees. >Operating perfectly means building them slowly and carefully and >installing them carefully. > >If you really want prototype operation, then they will slow down your >train movements and increase the amount of time in switching things out. >More fun for the whole family! > >There is none of the unprototypical giggling that the 802's have (even >with a 0.032" piece of rod in the spring to improve the giggling). This >is really important when running at 1 to 5 scale mph. > >Perfect for close operation and shelf layouts. > >Here is a reccommedation. I have also found that when they are not >used for a while, they tend to operate stiffly at first. Move them >around a bit and they will return to their former glory. > >It seems the minuses outweight the plusses on the kit versions. So >when the new ones arrive and if they are bullet proof, I will stop >building the old ones and leave them for when I have finished other more >pressing projects. > >I would suggest to all prospective users of the new Sergents who have >never tried them, to test a few before going the full route. Just >because I like them, it does not mean you will. > >As far as being patient goes, Frank Sergent is a one man show as I am. >My reason for delays on my kits are always because there are problems >with accuracy and mistakes that have to be corrected. Admittedly some >of the mistakes are mine. There is no point in coming out with >something that is not ready. > >Here's to patience. > >cheers, > >Andy Malette > > > > >__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 7350 (20120802) __________ > >The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. > >http://www.eset.com/ > __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 7353 (20120803) __________ The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. http://www.eset.com/
