!OST #14_rev - O scale trains

Painted Wheels with Shiny TreadsBy Ron GriblerFigure 3. Ready topaintFigure 4. Paintedwheels & axleFigure 1. Athearn truck with IM wheelsetsThe Intermountain 33" axle sets provide improved performancebut if you aren’t pleased with their bright, unpaintedappearance, here’s a simple method to paint the wheels andaxle and keep those shiny treads & flanges. Use an ordinaryrubber hose washer as a perfect paint mask for these wheels.Locate at least two of these washers and a 4 inch length of 1 ⁄8"shrink tubing. Drill a couple of 1 ⁄8" holes in a scrap piece ofwood, and you are ready to go. Wipe the wheels with solventto remove the slight film of oil from them.Figure 2. Hose washer on wheelPress one of the washers over each wheel of the axle setassuring each is tight against the wheel flange. Set the axle setinto one of the holes in the piece of wood and hold the shrinktubing over the tapered axle end. For the hopper car wheelsFigure 5. Truck with painted wheels & axleshown, I used a can of Testor’s flat black spray paint. Rotate theboard while spraying. When the paint is dry, flip the axle over& repeat. . When the paint is dry again, pull off the hose washer.A car set of these can be done very quickly.Reassemble the trucks and enjoy those shiny treads.36 • O Scale Trains - May/June ’04