A couple weeks ago I bought a small set of the HOn3 Sharon couplers for Blackstone models . It looked like the website said they would work without mods. on the boxcars and stock cars , but they will still need reamed as they are way too tight . Should I also expect the other cars to  require this , and are there any other mods I can expect for the other Blackstone cars ? .....Mike

Hi Mark, I'll make my test print in the next few days.

It looks great but has it been printed on a 3D printer yet?
Rob Briney

The pivot point ( the post with the threaded hole where the coupler cover screw goes) on Blackstone cars is only the same diameter and tapper on the box and stock cars (same under frame). The gons, flats, tanks and refrigerators all have slightly different diameters and tappers. So plan on reaming all Sharons with a tapered reamer.

Hi Rob, I have not made the test print yet, but the simulation in the slicer software shows no issues yet.

I'm interested to see how these compare to the similar coupler boxes from Smokey Mountain Model Works. 

 

🤓

Talmadge C 'TC' Carr
Sn42 and Hn42 somewhere in the wilds of the Pacific Northwest
@dapenguin

That is the only way to really get fine details.
Rob Briney

--
Jim King
www.smokymountainmodelworks.com

Jim, just out of curiosity- would these boxes also work for Kadees?

--
Jim King
www.smokymountainmodelworks.com

The smokey mountain draft gear boxes look really good. Put them on a red caboose PFE  reefer and it really improved the look of the end. No connection just a satisfied user.

--
Jim King
www.smokymountainmodelworks.com

Hello,

This email message is a notification to let you know that a file has been uploaded to the Files area of the SergentEngineering@groups.io group.

File: Sergent Engineering EN87 - Uncoupler.zip

Uploaded By: Timothy Cann

Description:
MP4 video of an uncoupler operating

You can access this file at the URL:
https://groups.io/g/SergentEngineering/files/Sergent%20Engineering%20EN87%20-%20Uncoupler.zip

Cheers,
The Groups.io Team

It has been my goal over the past six months or so to build an uncoupler that could be used manually (like the prototype), or automated under DCC control. My hope has been to have the uncoupler look and operate as close to the prototype as possible. This project has taken me down numerous paths looking for the right hardware that could be driven by a standard DCC decoder using one LED driver for each end of the car.
And yes, I’m aware that this is probably not a practical thing to do, especially because of the cost, and those of you who are firmly of this mind can remind me as often as you like. Managing the DCC addresses (two per car) is also going to be a challenge during operating sessions.

Kadee couplers were my choice at the beginning, but as soon as Sergent Engineering couplers came to my attention, I’ve never looked back. Their magnetic uncoupling design seemed a natural for my project. There are uncoupler designs on the Internet that use Kadee, I built several of them, but for my taste they simply did not look or operate like the prototype. If any of you are interested in the steps taken to come to this conclusion, I’d be glad to summarize the steps.

I’ve now successfully built a prototype using EN87 couplers, built after many hours of SolidWorks 3D design work. My next step is to finish at least two cars and an engine, including painting and weathering, so a video can be produced showing the operation. Some parts are purchased, some are 3D printed (my Anycubic Photon, a liquid resin printer, meets the detail and size required).
There is no motivation for me to get any financial gain; my design will be posted to this website when I’ve completed the documentation, including the 3D printed parts’ printer files. Final documentation will include the source of each of the purchased parts along with the cost. It looks like the cost per car to add the DCC and mechanical parts for two couplers is about $100, but that number is by no means final. I’m using all brass rolling stock, which puts the cost per car including the car itself, couplers, electrical 4-wheel trucks, mechanical parts and DCC decoder at about $300 minimum.

To my delight this design can be used without DCC, simply move one of the handles to lower and raise the magnet, just like the prototype. The only thing that is not prototypical is the uncouple operation is backwards: lever down = uncouple, while the prototype is lever up = uncouple.

Included with this post is a SolidWorks animation (MP4 zipped) to show how this works.  It's posted in the Files section.

Are you using a function only decoder? Would one of those per car lower the cost any?

Talmadge C 'TC' Carr
Sn42 and Hn42 somewhere in the wilds of the Pacific Northwest
@dapenguin

Have you thought about a cam to reverse the direction between the rod and the "lifter"?

Talmadge C 'TC' Carr
Sn42 and Hn42 somewhere in the wilds of the Pacific Northwest
@dapenguin