Detail Parts Availability

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wheeler1963

wheeler1963

Aurora & Portland Owner
Is anyone else out there experiencing a shortage of Detail Associates HO detail parts? I've already run 3 places out of parts and had long lists on backorder for weeks now. I usually buy in bulk (10 or more packages at a time) and I'm not finding much out there. :confused:
 


wheeler1963 said:
Josh, what do you use for the following parts??

-Lift rings
-drop steps
-MU stands
-un-coupler bars
Click to expand...

You didn't ask me but:
-Lift rings - Plano
-drop steps - make my own
-MU stands - make my own
-un-coupler bars - make my own
 
I have a huge collection of levers and lift rings, say 100+ of the latter and maybe 30 or so of the levers, so I have not needed to buy any, however... Plano makes some nice lift rings.

MU, I use Details West, drop steps, I have not found a need for yet!

Check out Atlas parts for levers if you cannot wait, theirs are single part injection molded plastic, but...
 
Jerome, Paul had a good point. It's really not difficult to build drop step and MU stands from scrap plastic and sprues from old kits. Cut bars a little too tough for me so I usually do use DA or Atlas parts for them. Don't overlook other sources for detail parts too. I was in Michaels the other day and they have what looks like a very close match for HO lift rings that people use to string beads. The best part is that they are $1.98 for 100 of them :)
 
I've noticed that many of the detail associates parts are no longer availible from walthers so I think detail associates either went under or aren't producing certain products anymore.

I am looking for DA 1022 ditch light housings.

Also looking for: Details West:

BE-135 (bell) OR equivalent from a different manufacturer as long as it's pewter (I need to mod it for a MBTA bell)
AH-252 (K5LA horn) OR equivalent from a different manufacturer
BL-162 (flat back ditch light housings for flush mount) - OR equivalent from a different manufacturer.

And... Lift Rings for Bombarider/Pullman Comet II coaches.

I know that some of them are availible, but I couldn't find them at my LHS. I want to buy them all at the same time so that I don't have to pay seperate shipping on each part.
 


Walthers overchareges shipping. I ordered something and they charged me $8 for shipping but actually sent it in an envelope and paid $1.55 total for the shipping.

Railflyer has a bell that is exactly what Iam looking for but they charge too much in my opinion. $12.48 for 2 bells? I only need 1. If someone has a spare one, I will gladly pay half of railflyer's price for one.
 
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Walthers charges by order price, not by weight/size. My webstore does the same, though my cheap price is lower (and I don't have the stock they do).

The Railflyer part is the best bell you're EVER going to see, the $12.48 is worth it!
 
Thank you all for the recommendations. I'm a creature of habit, DA for this, DW for that, A-Line for this, etc. I really wonder what is up with DA these days. :(
 
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