Bernd:
Nice set-up! I can only dream of owning such luxuries. For now, I am stuck with my Dremel, cordless drill, files and a hack saw (‘hack’ being a very appropriate description given the lack of accuracy of the cuts it makes!).
I have said to myself several times that I should at least buy a small drill press.
Thanks
Dave
Thanks, Bernd.
Oh, I forgot to mention, I got a kick out of your movie credits!
Yes. It’s nice having the machines. Sherline 4400 lathe, and 2000 mill. The 2000 allows for far larger pieces than model RRing might ever call for.
Dave, Harbor freight has chunky little drill presses for less than a moderate priced locomotive. I got mine for about $40 a few years ago on one of their regular sales and it gets used a great deal. And it doubles for a small arbor press when needed. Check it out.
Thanks Dave. I saved my pennies up. I was very interested in Home Shop Machining. The tools have been collected over the years. I almost got into live steam. Have the castings to build a three truck Shay. Not going to happen. I’ve pared down my hobbies to just model railroading and specific scales. Not enough time to do it all.
Bernd
A freind of mine did that for me. He has one I can’t show in public, not that it’s not viewable, it’s just what he copied from the internet and applied it to me.
I have run out of room several times doing HO scale and even on a few TT projects I wished I had a bigger machine. As they always say, You can machine little parts on a big machine, but you can’t machine big parts on a little machine. [:^)]
Bernd
This is Version 2.0. A different motor and mounting method.
A while ago a fellow modeler alerted me to seller on E-bay that had motors I might be interest in. I took a look and sure enough it was something I could use. But for what I had no idea at the time. I ordered a lot of 10.
The output shaft revolves at 10rpm at 12 volts. A bit slow. Here’s what they look like.
Taking the gearbox apart you get an idea of how a reduction gear drive works. It’s almost like a standard transmission without the clutch. I think there are 6 stages of reduction. I removed the first three, plus I had to shorten some of the components in the gearbox to get it back together and work properly.
Here’s one with the three stages removed and reassembled. The one in the back is unmodified.
The final result of removing the first four stages. I didn’t bother with shortening the gearbox cover. The motor is epoxied to a brass motor plate and bolted on with the motor assembly bolt. The rest of the components are from the first version of the mod.
The pulley on the motor is easier to make and change do to the output shaft being threaded for a 3 X 0.5 mm thread. With this setup I can get it down to a crawl from tie to tie. Top speed probably is in the range or 5 to 10 scale miles per hour. I’m going to have to have a bigger pulley on the motor and a smaller one on the driven shaft. I’ll post a vidoe of it running when I get a chance.
Here’s the video of the chassis under power. Left to right at 2 volts. Right to left at 12 volts.
Bernd
Well, no. I spotted it on the 15th and said so in my post of that day. I was either too subtle, or my post went unread.
Ed
Southgate:
Thanks for the lead on the Harbor Freight drill presses.
Right now I’m a little hesitant to buy from the US because the exchange rate is terrible and shipping is getting ridiculous too. We have a couple of suppliers here in Canada that have reasonable prices for similar items so I’ll have a look here.
Dave
Dave, I hadn’t noticed you were up north.
Bernd…
Would you believe it if I told ya I have an experience so similar to yours it’s crazy? I also happened upon an eBay “lot” of motors and such a little over a year ago. One of my best ebay scores ever. Gearheads, motors, some of which are coreless, and an oddball assortment of useful hardware.
AND! Among the findings was a gearhead setup with this pulley on it. Labeled 22/1, I think it’s higher. So I got to wondering about it’s possibilities. I turned a smaller pulley and mounted it on an MDC boxcab truck shaft. An O ring quietly transfers rotation to below. Please note no expense was spared in mounting the motor to the truck. A rubber band was used to cob the motor on for testing purposes…
The slow speed at first is at 2 volts, then I jump it up to 12:
That was supposed to be a video. Try this:
http://s343.photobucket.com/user/Southgate_08/media/Model%20Railroad/PC183026_zpstuqnwjkb.mp4.html
As I said the rubber band, in fact the whole setup is for testing. But the idea looks an awful lot like that last one of yours, donut? It’s so slow, if I do anything with it, it will be just to move some cars to and fro on a specific siding, not as a yard switcher. Could do as a shop switcher. Any suggestions?
Southgate:
Yup, I’m from the Great White North!! Which, by the way hasn’t seen anything that looks like winter at all yet this year, at least not in our area. I may have to cut the lawn again! Last year at this time we had a foot of snow. If it is any consolation, Parry Sound on Georgian Bay is getting hammered tonight. They are expecting 16" of snow. They can have it!!!
Sorry, [#offtopic]
I wonder if there is a prototype for the rubber band motor mount![:o)][(-D]
Dave
Ed,
Yes I see you did. Perhaps if you would have led with saying is was a CR-4 and skipped the other chatter I might have caught it.
Bernd
Southgate,
I like you experimental drive. Looks very viable. Checked out the rest of your pictures and videos. Neat uncoupling system. Have you tried super magnets?
I saw a crane in there to. Something you’re building? I did an Athearn crane a while back.
Nice to see some other modelers coming up with inovative ideas.
Bernd
Well that kept it on topic. [8D] [Y]
Bernd
Yes. Good point.
The next time I see you make a mistake, I will have to be more direct with you.
Ed
I have no problem when somebody tells me I’m wrong as long as they are 100% correct. So next time I mess up I expect you to correct me. Thanks
I think I can finally call this project complete.
I wasn’t happy with the speed of the engine. It just didn’t seem fast enough at 12 volts. So I made two new pulleys, 1/2" dia. and .3" dia. I made plugs to plug the motor wire leads into. Makes it easier to disassemble and assemble the motor and frame. Plus I changed the pick up wipers to .015" phosphor bronze. I almost melted the .010" on the previous version when something jammed the in the gears. Here’s a picture with the up-grades.
And a video showing just the chassis running a 2.5 volts and then with the shell on pushing 8 hopper cars at 12 volts. Speed looks about right for a wide open throttle.
That’s it for now. Can’t believe I started this project one week ago today and it’s finished. It’s a record for me. Ok, back to TT scale modeling.
Bernd
You are quite welcome. While you may, of course, expect a correction, I may miss something. And, for that, I apologize.
All that said, I will say that I like the work you have done.
Ed
Bernd, I haven’t tried super magnets, considdering I don’t know what you mean by them. Rare earth? Anyway, I probably won’t do any further developement on these, since I have a few spares, and that aspect of my layout is pretty much complete, thankfully!
Ah, The Crane… I could write a book. Just might. Thumbnail sketch: Wanted to build a crane in 1/25 since I was 20. At about 48 I jumped right on it. At around 6 years in*, it’s 33 pounds of steel, brass, aluminum, styrene, small handful of kit part for detail, little wood, plus RC recievers, servos, gearheads, batteries, blood, sweat, tears, tantrums (some real whoppers), victories, failures, victories over those failures, evolutions, refinements, learning new skills, (bought the lathe and v-mill to build it) and POOF! A crane!
That IS the short version… Wanna know more?
Here’s a blow by blow account on a forum that takes it from the very beginning with commentary. You can jump around to see as much of the evolution as you wish.
http://s13.zetaboards.com/TheModelBuilders/topic/89997/22/
Or skip the blahblah, go just to the pics:
http://s343.photobucket.com/user/Southgate_08/library/Model%20Crane%20pix?sort=3&page=1
And a quick cheesily made video or 2:
http://s343.photobucket.com/user/Southgate_08/library/Model%20Crane%20Videos?sort=3&page=1
*I burned out on it about
No apologies necessary. Thanks for the kind comments.
Bernd
Went through the thread of your crane build. Just looked a the pics. I’m flabbergasted by the work you did. I can understand your pain. All I can say is you’ve eraned my respect as a scratchbuilder. Also picked up a couple of tips on that build.
I know I’m going [#offtopic] here but it’s the end of the project so a quick journey into the ding weeds.
Next to an O scale RS3.
I’ve been contemplating adding motors and radio control. Perhaps someday.[*-)]
Here’s a link to my Athearn crane I modified with radio control.
http://kingstonemodelworks.com/crane.html
Bernd
Man, Bernd. That Athearn crane is amazing! Likewise, you definately have my respect as a scratchbuilder. I thought the spaces in my crane were cramped! HO?!!! I followed the build until I hit "X"s. I’d like to see the receiver.
Great work on the exterior detailing too. Off topic? Change the topic name to include cranes too!
Nice Manitowoc too. Dan