San Juan Car Co's truck springs - how to position?

Could use a picture to help visualize.  Is each spring individual?  Are the spring planks also styrene?

I did a 3d model and print of a modern truck where I had to manage 18 individual springs (9 per side) while installing the bolster in the sideframes.  I did the work upside down, so I didn't have to hold the bolster as well as the springs.  Not enough hands!  This way you can install the springs without also trying to compress them at the same time.

I started with the middle row of three springs, using an exacto blade to tip the spring upright so it could settle over the boss on the bolster.  Then I tacked it in with a touch of solvent.  The parts were all printed in ABS so it was pretty straightforward.

After the middle row, I did the inside row, then the outside.  When all springs on both sideframes were tacked in, I flipped the whole truck assembly right side up.  If you do this while pinching the bolster to the top of the sideframe, the springs should hang straight down.  Ease the bolster down and the springs settled onto the bosses on the sideframes.  Then I lightly tacked the springs to the sideframes.

I have some pictures elsewhere on this forum.  I will try and find them and link.  I realize that we aren't talking about the exact situation, but they sound similar.  The trick for me was starting with the truck upside down so the bolster rests in the open position, and tacking the springs.  Without the solvent tack, I probably would have end up in a funny coat in one of those padded rooms.

response from padded room - - - (!)       I acc'd the rear springs to the rear lugs on the spring plank. Then slid the spring plank in position, with the bolster locked in place. Found the springs were too big, cut them down a bit.......and one broke.     Arrrrrggggh.......      May just give up and go back to steel springs with thread for positioning.   

Thank you for the response BIG TRAIN.    Think I was pursuing your technique, but so far, no luck. Yes, the spring planks are styrene, as is the entire truck.   Were you using steel springs?

No.  All the parts were printed on an FDM style printer, with ABS filament.  That includes the springs.  And they actually work.

Here are a couple if pictures....

In the immortal words of the late Stan Windrim "hooboy, I needed a few Scotches after putting those trucks together"

What scale are the FDM printed trucks?  Very nicely done.

Gene 

Gene,

The truck is printed at 1:10 scale.  I have additional pictures of a revised and improved iteration with full brake rigging and better detailing.  I am out of town through the weekend but I can post more images early next week if people are interested.

Jim

mark s posted:

Am struggling with a couple pair of San Juan Car Co Andrews trucks and trying to get their styrene springs, which are castings, positioned on the spring plank lugs.  In the past I have just chucked them and gone out and purchased steel coil springs. Worked ok, but the SLC springs are the right thickness and look best. How do you get the  #&*%@  springs in place? Any help will be greatly appreciated !!

In the past I've done one pair of these trucks for one car.....one.  That saturated my tolerance for these forever.  Best help and advice I can render is to sell them to someone else and use differenct trucks.

Think my move from this point will be to either place the SJC styrene springs in the front bank of springs in the truck - and forget the rearmost and essentially invisible springs. Or, stated differently, two springs per side, not four. The other alternative, which I have employed succesfully in the past, is steel springs on all four lugs; the steel springs are much more compresable. They just don't look quite as good. 

Thanks to all who contributed !