Model Railroading > Fixing Stripped Holes

Hello Group:

I have a couple of Athearn RTR 85' intermodal flats with stripped holes in the post that holds the plate in place over the coupler pocket - of course the plate and the coupler fall right off without the screw holding it in.  Is there a fix for this because otherwise, the car is kind of useless!  Any recommedations on techniques or tools would be greatly appreciated. I'd like a mechanical solution over glueing the plate on in case I ever have to change the coupler.

Thanks in advance,
SkokieSwift

A couple of methods that work:

1) Drill out the hole, glue in a piece of styrene rod, then after the adhesive has cured, redrill the new styrene rod to fit your screw.

2) Add a small dab of old-style styrene cement, from a squeeze tube, to the stripped hole. Attach the coupler cover plate and run the screw in until it's about where you'd want it, but don't just keep spinning the screw, stop when the cover would be at the right spot. After the glue dries, it won't hang on to the metal screw, but it fills the stripped plastic threads and in effect creates a new set of threads for the screw to grip. You can then tighten the screw a little to be sure all is secure.

Jeff Johnston
thesugarpineshop.bigcartel.com

Jeff_Johnston Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> A couple of methods that work:
>
> 1) Drill out the hole, glue in a piece of styrene
> rod, then after the adhesive has cured, redrill
> the new styrene rod to fit your screw.
>
> 2) Add a small dab of old-style styrene cement,
> from a squeeze tube, to the stripped hole. Attach
> the coupler cover plate and run the screw in until
> it's about where you'd want it, but don't just
> keep spinning the screw, stop when the cover would
> be at the right spot. After the glue dries, it
> won't hang on to the metal screw, but it fills the
> stripped plastic threads and in effect creates a
> new set of threads for the screw to grip. You can
> then tighten the screw a little to be sure all is
> secure.
>
> Jeff Johnston
> thesugarpineshop.bigcartel.com

Two part epoxy would work too and with much less chance of damage to the styrene car body.

Try this take some canopy glue put it in the stripped screw hole. Not a whole bunch. Put the coupler back with top plate and the screw. Lay upside down overnight with some light weight holding the screw in place. Should be good to go next day. ----  Ken 

Remember that canopy glue can be softened and parts separated in the future by wetting it with water and waiting an hour or three.  The process described above is nicely reversible.
 

I use canopy glue for many applications. Dries clear .Will stick to anything including Delrin. I even used it to glue down flex track in a Helix. Window glass in building and cars. Delrin handrail repair including those pesky Stewart handrail pins that always seem too short to hold. Wallpaper seam glue is the same exact product. -----  Ken 

Thanks to everyine that replied with techniques and information - additional replies are more than welcome. I have never heard of canopy glue before so I learned something new and useful.  I will get the carshop "employee(s)" (only me, actually) working on this right away - afterall, we have pigs to move!!

Thanks again,

SkokieSwift

For stripped out holes in plastic, I have a super easy fix. Simply fill the hole with Testors plastic cement and insert the metal screw and allow to dry for a couple days. Unscrew the screw after it dries since the plastic cement won't stick to the metal.
 

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

It appears I do the unorthodox method. I either glue a piece of styrene or plastic sprue in the hole or fill with epoxy then drill the hole and use a blind hole 2\56 tap and finish with a 2\56 screw.

Tom
Weaverville, CA

Tom:

That's what I suggested in my first post on this thread.

Jeff Johnston