Using a Gary S Tungsten Weight Kit

[jbaakko]

Background info:
For about 6 months now, I've been fascinated with Tungsten, its 1.7 times heavier then lead by volume! It's usually available in powder form, and has been known to golfers for years, to weight clubs, and replaces lead in that application.

How Gary S. became involved:
Gary is always looking for new tools, that are not yet available, or can be highly improved. I mentioned to him, my thoughts of using Tungsten to add, or replace, weights in Athearn's Maxi-III kits (those who have them, know they're too light to run "bare table").

Gary decided to make a kit, for me, and anyone else who needs it! Included is a Mixing, pouring stick, a metal scooper, a mixing bowl, and the Tungsten powder. Kits are currently available in 1 1/2ox, 3oz, and 6oz.


Click the following link to see if any are available for purchase.
eBay Seller: gary60s: Model RR, Trains, Toys Hobbies items on eBay.com

(Disclaimer: I am NOT receiving compensation for this article, or posting the link to his items for sale!)

First use:
Today I used the kit for the first time. I chose to test it on a Railflyer fuel tank.

Here's the tank bottom, as new, from Railflyer, the steel weight has been glued in with Walther's Goo. Notice the gaps between the weight, and the sides of the plastic tank shell.


I mixed the Tungsten 50/50 with Elmer's Glue All. Gary's instructions suggest to use a 50/50 water/glue mix, but I was not crazy about putting the thinner, wet glue mix next to the steel weight.

The included mixing bowl 3/4 full, makes about enough to fill one side. After filling both sides, I'm about 1/2 oz heavier. As the glue settles, there's small openings, so I'll get close to 3/4 oz heavier then the stock Railflyer weight.


This mixture works out well! I'd HIGHLY recommend anyone building a Railflyer kit, buy a Tungsten kit, and add some more weight as I did.

After Thoughts:
A local company here in San Diego has an item they call a "Poly Kit". The kit includes a 2 part epoxy, and some Tungsten powder. They claim it can be poured into a mold, so there's a possibility the Railflyer weight can be completely replaced with Tungsten, either by making the molded weight outside of the tank, or just pouring a mixture into the shell.

My next project involves buying the Poly Kit from Tungsten Heavy Powder, and testing the molding process, to possibly replace the cast weights on Athearn Maxi-III's. I'll also test out Gary's kit, for adding supplemental weight to the cars. More later...

[TallDude]

Very interesting and a great find!! Let us know how the poly kit works and which kit is better.

[ThoroughBreed]

I'm real interested to know how you make out with changing the weights in the maxi3's, as I have gathered a few of those. The athearn spine cars could also benefit from this too, as they weigh even less than the maxi3's.

[jbaakko]

I'll let you guys know, they're supposed to call me Monday.