[HO] Auto tire sources

Go to a commercial party supply store and look at their cocktail stirrers. I found some with heads with 3 circles in a triange pattern (like a pawn shop sign) that were about big truck size for n-scale. Might be about car HO.

Only problem is that this was about 15 years ago in Singapore but you might find them.

Tom

"Mark Mathu" wrote in news:46a028a5$0$29650$ snipped-for-privacy@roadrunner.com:

Why reinvent the wheel?

Borrow about a dozen from your H0 vehicles and make RTV mold using them. Simple 1 piece open mold. Then just cast as many as you like.

Peteski

Black O-rings of the right size would look convincing. Googling on "O-ring" might bring up some local suppliers.

David Starr

That's an interesting idea.... they would be one sides, of course, but if properly placed no one might notice.

I don't think they would have the tread & sidewall detail I am looking for.

I'm hoping to get something with a little more detail than swizzle sticks would offer.

That's an interesting idea.... they would be one sides, of course, but if properly placed no one might notice.

But that is not a "commercial source" as I cleary described in the first sentence of my question.

rubber auto

appropriate scenes.

sections from

suggestions of

eye-catching

Mark,

I just plugged 'HO' and 'Tire' into the Walthers web page advanced search and got a whole page of HO tires listed. First on the list was 116-50104, A-Line's 'Vinyl Tire Set' for $4.50. If the picture is accurate there are 24 loose tires, and 3 stacks of

Len

As you wish. You have to cut them off the swizzle stick, file them smooth, and paint them but the price is right.

"Mark Mathu" wrote in news:46a05b20$0$30664$ snipped-for-privacy@roadrunner.com:

Thanks Len!

You know, I searched Walthers before posting the question... but somehow that listing got past me.

About the most suitable I found (before you pointed out the A-Line product) was Trident Miniatures "Tires - 11mm Diameter" #729-96039:

I would appreciate other people's comments, either about the A-Line auto tires -- or other similar products by other manufacturers, especially from companies which might not be listed in the Walthers catalog. ____ Mark

Is your eyesight that good? {;^)

I just did a google on "n scale tires" and found this site

Jerry

Obviously I'm not looking su superdetail, but the layout is only about 24" wide.

I'm not sure if O-rings can cut it. I did take David up on his advice though, and found some sources that make "o-rings" with other cross-sections, including square and rectangular, which might be a closer match to a tire profile. I'm still looking for a commercial source for o-ring parts of the proper dimensions.

On 7/23/2007 9:39 PM Mark Mathu spake thus:

While someone suggested cutting plastic tubing, nobody suggested rubber tubing, did they? Seems like this ought to make perfect tire-shaped "doughnuts", perhaps sliced with a sharp paper trimmer.

Dig the link below, the seller has 10 sets at my last look.

Mark Mathu wrote:

I guess I missed the original post... : ( Since they are going to be background only, could you get an appropriate sized wire, strip off the insulation then slice that into disks? I'd think that would be "close enough" for background materials.

Could you get a small paper punch & punch out some holes in a piece of rubber, then take a larger punch and punch around the first holes? That would give you some small disks with a hole in the middle of each piece.

Does someone make smaller rubber washers? That might work too. I have seen some pretty small O rings too. guess it just depends on how accurate you need them to be.

Just a thought.....

dlm

On 7/27/2007 11:06 AM Dan Merkel spake thus:

What you'd be wanting are grommets.

Black "craft foam" might work. It is easily punched with sharpened brass tube. Joanne's Fabrics seems to have the best selection of thicknesses.

Wouldn't casting something that is already available comercially be "reinventing the wheel?"