Circular axle boxes

[michael howarth 1Participant @michaelhowarth1]

I have been having what I believe is a common experience of “sticking” grooved axleboxes on a Gauge 1 LBSC “Dot”. I have read elsewhere that relieving the grooves to  a rounded profile can do the trick. This got me to thinking about circular axleboxes. I have experience of them in a Gauge 1 kit that I built some years ago. Those axleboxes were in a pony truck and worked very well. This has got me thinking about circular axleboxes for the coupled wheels. They would lose a bit of bearing surface against the frames but this might be compensated for in part by increasing the flange width. How much bearing surface do you need? Bear in mind this is only for a Gauge 1 loco with 1/16″ frames. Such axleboxes would be very easy to make. Has anyone else had any experience of them or any thoughts on the subject?

Mick

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

If the circular axlebox rotates then the wear will be spread out but if it fails to rotate it will be concentrated on a small area. If the axle picks up on the axlebox an rotates it then you might get it acting as the bearing instead.
First of all I would concentrate on removing every sharp corner that can catch and cause the sticking.

[michael howarth 1Participant @michaelhowarth1]

Thanks Bazyle. I have already made the conventional axleboxes and as far as I can tell they are moving freely so no problem there. I was just wondering whether a different approach has been tried. The problem of a circular box rotating is a difficulty which i thought might be solved by a somewhat beefed up spring pin……that is if the loco is free running and the axle doesn’t pick up. Just a thought.

Mick

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