I am remotoring several brass pieces that I have and the can motors from NWSL are to me outrageous… Is there a cheaper alternative that will give me the same results? It just seems to me that 40.00 for a motor that size is just highway robbery… Am I just cheap or is there anywhere I can get similar motors for less$$
Sam
Well, yes and no. There are many places that sell small can motors. However, you may not get what you want or need. For instance, slot car motors are very high RPM, low torque so may not be good in a loco. (I still have an old athearn F7 powered with two slot car motors). Personally, if you are working with brass, they are pretty pricey to start with, so $40 may not be out of line. There are companies that will sell you motors where the RPM is too far off to be good in a loco. I would stick with a company that deals with model trains so you have a pretty good chance of getting something that will do the job. Sometimes you can buy motors from Atlas or Kato or whomever.
If I recall, there was someone taking motors out of old computer equipment, but I have no experience with them.
PRRT1MAN–
Believe me, biting the bullet for a NWSL can is worth the money. I’ve replaced quite a few of the original motors in my large brass steam fleet with NWSL’s, and they’re worth every penny.
HOWEVER–I don’t remember ever spending over forty dollars for a NWSL can–most of the ones I’ve picked up at my LHS here in this area have run me between $20-$35, and the higher end ones were always for re-motoring large articulateds. The last one I bought, about six months ago ran me about $25, and it went in a 4-8-2 to replace an old Japanese DC-71 that had run its course. I couldn’t have chosen better, the forty year old Balboa SP 4-8-2 runs like a Swiss watch, and will haul even MORE than it did with the original open-frame, and at much more controllable speeds. I’ve even used the NWSL’s to replace underpowered Sagami’s, and the money is well spent. I know that there are cheaper cans on the market, but frankly, I’d be leery about buying them after the luck I’ve had with the NWSL’s.
Don’t mean to sound ‘elitist’, but with cans, you gets what you pays for, and with some of the cheaper ones, you can end up with a locomotive that runs far worse than the motor you had in it to begin with. And of course, proper weighting and balancing of the locomotive always makes a good motor run better.
Tom [:)]
Toy Train Heaven has Kato HM-5 motors for $14.98. I’ve remotored 12 engines, brass, Athearn & Hobbytown. They run great! You have to buy flywheels from A-Line, NWSL or Timewell. All 3 are good.
Jim
Sometimes you can find some on epay. I have a buheler I picked up for $15, and am going to use it on an athearn Gp35 (which was a dummy for $20). I just need to get the worms and drivelines.
I have 3 cans laying around I haven’t used. 2 are from a broken Playstation controller. I also have one I picked out of an old VCR. I figure they might work for an F-unit or similar. I Don’t know about RPM or torque on any of them.
There is an electronics surplus warehouse close to where I live that occasionally has Canon can motors. They are of excellent quality and I have repowered at least half-a-dozen brass steamers with them. They are a single 2.0mm shaft and they sell them for a whopping $1.99 each! Needless to say, when they get them in, I buy a few.
Can you get me a name & number?
I do hear you when you say you get what you pay for. I just did a small alco diesel with a “cheap” can and it is way tooo slow. The RPM on these motors are way too slow for it’s gearing. I was hoping to find the golden goose here guess I will have to bite the bullett!
Sam - I sent you an e-mail!
Thanks!!!
Sam–
Again, just my thoughts, and I hope I don’t sound ‘elitist’ to you again–but if you have a fine brass locomotive that cost you possibly between $300 to $1,000, why would you want to power it with a $1.99 motor that might have spent its previous life running a Hard Drive?
Just my thoughts on the matter.
Tom [;)]
Hey, Packer! I posted all the Athearn drive parts for a hex drive in answer to your previous post asking that question. I was wondering if you ever saw it.
Try the “motor man” on eBay. http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/microlocomotion_W0QQ_nkwZQQ_armrsZ1QQ_fromZQQ_mdoZ
I’ve gotten two fantastic coreless motors from him for only $25 each. He also carries good quality can motors from manufacturers such as Canon (the current motor supplier for Overland Models) at very low prices.[:D]
I have bought from the “Motor Man” also.
Rich
I know I would be depressed if I bought a $500 brass loco and found a tape deck motor jury rigged inside of it…[2c]
Guys - Say what you want, but in case you don’t know, Canon has supplied numerous brass locomotive manufacturers with the same style and measurements of can motors. And the comment on “jury rigged” was uncalled for. In all of the ones that I repowered, a new mount was carefully built to match the frame and motor using brass and the motor was screwed into place. This makes a very neat, factory looking installation and the locos run great. And besides, the motors are new.
I don’t understand some of ya’ll. What is wrong with trying to save a few bucks? With the money saved, that buys the decoder!
You shouldn’t bad mouth something unless you know for sure…
I know I would be depressed if I bought a $500 brass loco and found a tape deck motor jury rigged inside of it…[2c]
I would be too. ( and I have bought brass that people have really hacked up.) Some you you are missing my point. These motors cannot cost 40.00 so I was just looking for a cheaper source for good quality motor. I know that the Canon motors are pretty good quality so I am going to persue the source. It will probably lead to nowhere but to me it is worth the effort to look at a cheaper (same or better quality) alternative.
cf-7-The “jury rigged” comment wasn’t a shot at you. Sorry if you took it that way. I’ve just seen the less than professional methods some folks use. I myself take junked electronics apart looking for the Holy Grail (Ni!) of motors and have yet to find any that could easily be converted to loco use. I also agree that $48 for a Helix Humper with fly wheels is a bit absurd.
Folks:
There are a LOT of good motors that cost very little.
The Helix Humper motors are automotive can motors, which see a lot of use powering rear-view mirrors and stuff like that. You can buy motors that seem virtually identical from Jameco for very cheap…about $2 or so. These are very good quality motors, which have been thoroughly tested and used by this guy:
http://www.geocities.com/budb3/arts/xmpl/bwb6.html (Example)
http://www.geocities.com/budb3/arts/motor/stltrq.html (Evaluation, note the listing for one of the Jameco motors in the table.)
Jameco listing of the motor in question:
It’s well worth browsing their catalog…they’re a good source of other components, too.
Don’t knock tape deck motors 'til you’ve tried 'em, either. They can be very good, reliable, strong, and quiet motors. Nobody with a mechanical bent should let a broken piece of machinery with potentially useful parts hit the trash can unsalvaged. 
VCRs are an especially good source of motors.
Another good, dirt-cheap method is simply to disassemble an old, tired open-frame motor, make sure its bearings are decent, give it a good clean & lube, and replace the magnet with a NdFeb cube or stack of bars. You can do this for the cost of your free labor, a bit of oil, and perhaps $1-$2 for the magnet, and no need to change any drives or mounts. It’s about as close to a free lunch as you can get in this department. I don’t trust free lunches either, but when the risk is $2, I’d say it’s worth a shot. Remember, a “can motor” is just that…a motor in a can. There’s nothing magic about a can. It just holds beans. If they’re good beans, they’d be good outside the can, too.
A few months back I removed a can motor from a CD ROM. The motor was used to pen and close the device. Specs, PPN13LB11C 26.5mm X 12mm X 16mm , shaft 1.5mm X 9mm Very nice motor. NWSL has sleeves for worms with 2mm I.D. I have used sleeves with a couple installations.
Recently picked up a Maxon 7 pole coreless motor with 1.5mm shaft. The motor is 13mm diameter and 20mm long. $30.00 including shipping off of ebay. This one is quite a beauty.
Rich
Autobus-Great links! Thanks![tup]
So, what rpm should I be looking for as a starting point? I know this will depend on gearing and other variables, but is 6000rpm a good starting point? More? Less?
I assume I should be looking for motors that are 12v nominal??