Shorting Strips for GWR Ultrascale wheels

[best33]

I have on Ebay at the moment a selection of newly designed shorting strips for Ultrascale Wheels covering GWR tender wheels and a range of GWR driving wheels. These differ from normal shorting strips in that they form a complete disc that sits behind the wheel with spokes that line up with the spokes on the wheels. The outer ring has a half etched recess that is soldered to the back of the tyre and is therefore far less likely to spring off. Examples and links to the others can be seen by looking at item 191419433948 on Ebay.

Regards

Mark Humphrys

[DavidS]

Are the Tender wheel shorting strips only suitable for Ultrascale Wheels, or could they be fitted to other makes such as Alan Gibson?
Either way. they look like a very useful new development.

[best33]

Thanks for the comment.

The critical area is the back of the tyre. If the Gibson tyre bores are the same diameter as the Ultrascale versions then they should work. I haven't got any Gibson wheels to check, but I guess I could list the diameters of each shorting strip over the diameter that drops into the bore and people can make their own minds up.

Regards

Mark Humphrys

[Philbax]

Ultrascale wheels have the plastic moulding for the spokes inset from the rim, so I presume (haven't seen or tested one yet) that the shorting strip fits inside this. This means that it would not increase the thickness of the wheel. Also it would be easier to make a small solder connection between the wheel rim and the shorting strip. Looking at Gibson wheels they are flush on the back face so this would increase the thickness of the wheel, may be a problem, perhaps someone could check?
Also ensuring the connection to the wheel rim.

philbax

[best33]

These are soldered to the back of the tyre using a half etched step, so they still make the tyre wider by the thickness of the half etch over a radius of around 0.5mm. A GW Models back to back gauge should make it possible to accomodate this when setting the wheels to gauge.

The driving force behind designing them was being fed up with shorting strips which once filed down had an annoying habit of springing off several months/years after the model was completed. The simple expedient to this was to make the mating surfaces with the wheel a complete ring, which means it has to fail in multiple locations before it comes adrift!

Regards

Mark Humphrys

[Tim V]

How about some pictures Mark?

[grovenor-2685]

The pictures are on eBay, just search eBay for the reference number in the first post.
Keith

[best33]

How about some pictures Mark?

I'll bring them down tomorrow night for the BS4 group to peruse!

Regards

Mark

[best33]

The full range of these shorting strip are available from stores. If there is sufficient interest I will look at expanding to cover more wheels in the Ultrascale range.

Mark Humphrys

[John McAleely]

As Mark notes, we're now carrying his current range in the Stores:

MHD379 Shorting Strips for 3'7" or 3'9" Plain Disc Wheels (£5.50)
MHGWR47 Shorting Strips for 4'7" GWR Loco Drivers (£3.30)
MHGWR52 Shorting Strips for 5'2" GWR Loco Drivers (£3.30)
MHGWR58 Shorting Strips for 5'8" GWR Loco Drivers (£3.30)
MHGWR60 Shorting Strips for 6'0" GWR Loco Drivers (£3.30)
MHGWR66 Shorting Strips for 6'6" GWR Loco Drivers (£3.85)
MHGWR68 Shorting Strips for 6'8" GWR Loco Drivers (for Exactoscale King Wheels) (£3.85)
MHGWRT Shorting Strips GWR Tender Wheels (£5.50)

A few sample images (A full set in the stores):

MHGWRT.jpg

MHGWR60.jpg

MHD379.jpg

[jon price]

Presumably the shorting wheels are standard etch thickness so should not stick out further than a "normal" shorting strip at the hub. Back to back would need adjusting, but a GW wheel press sets the wheels from the outside as far as I can see so shouldnt interfere. Is reducing one of those right angle back to back guages by the thickness of two etches going to be a problem?

[Tim V]

A right angle back to back should measure the flanges/rims only. Do not push the BtoB against the axle, a lot of wheel centres protrude beyond the rims, upsetting the BtoB.

So no problem using Mark's items.