Well scratch that last post... I spent 45 minutes building a solid support to try and beat the shaft out of that gear and save the motor in the process. It wasn't moving! So i took a deep breath and got out the grinding wheel. Slowly ground away the motor armature, stopping every once in a while to spray contact cleaner to cool it down. Then I drilled and reamed out a copper tube to 1mm ID for a support bushing and mounted that to a small square of styrene. The flywheel is left over from a N scale Tomytec power chassis http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/data/500/TomytecChassisTM-01.jpg It has a NWSL universal coupler pressed into the back of it: The flywheel is 9mm at the fat end and will fit completely inside the cab. There will be a 8x16mm motor in the tender soon. I know I said this locomotive was running fine, and it was, but when it runs I smell that strange ozone aroma and as Joe said the brushes will get dirty fast. I just don't want to take this apart after it's done unless absolutely needed. The journey continues...
I know I am probably stating the obvious, but, you may want to make sure when you get the alignment of the tender with the cab that is makes all of your curves with no binding. I tried to close couple one of my steamers with the tender and had to redo the coupler because of unforseen binding with the tender and cab on the curves. I know you probably know but just in case, I'd hate to see you get this up and running and then not be able to negotiate your layout.
So far with just the locomotive with pilot and trailing trucks it runs on MT 195mm curves and I hope to get the tender to do the same. Don't forget now I will have a drive shaft running through there. I'll try to get scale distance coupling, but more important is that it goes around the 195mm curves. I don't think it will do an S curve with the tender, but that is more of a torture test. I have none on the layout. Here is a quick shot showing the whole thing so far: The boiler is about 3/4 full of Walther's lo-temp lead and weighs about 50 grams so far with lots more room still. I tried mixing the lo-temp with the tungsten powder and that didn't seem to work, I think it will be fine (hope) though. Also I get the gear ratio to be about 34/35:1 which really isn't bad at all and is better than most N scale locomotives!
Hey that looks very nice! I figured you would take care of it making the curves, but sometimes it sneaks up on a person. Once you get this thing up and running you've got to send some picturtres in to Model RR magazine!
Man, I've been so busy the last week or so that I haven't been able to visit here. I missed a lot! I think this is simply the best Z scale model I've ever seen and it's not even complete yet! Truely amazing Chris! Randy
Randy, You haven't been gone long, I just started this 9 days ago! Think it was 6 days ago the Marklin mikado came in the mail. Now if I can just figure a way to cut sleep out of my schedule...
I think some of the most prolific and inspiring people I've ever met were insomniacs. I sure ain't one myself. ;-) Randy PS- Chris, 9 days away from TrainBoard is ages for me. ;-)
Excellent work Chris! How hard was it to bend that shell? I really want to do an NP Heavy Mikado done like you did yours. -Robert
Chris, The loc looks truly incredible. If only I had the motivation, oh, and talent. Great work. Dan S.
Robert, You mean the shaping of the firebox? It bent pretty easy. I did try to anneal it with a lighter, but I have no idea if it was done right as I had to wait for it to cool down to handle it. Just kept working with smooth jaw pliers till it was right and smoothed it with a mill file. The outer wrapper has half etched lines under it to help it curve. I worked it around a few dowels, going smaller till it would stay in the shape of the inner tubes. Then I wrapped it around and tied it every 1/4" with wire like a bread tie so it would stay in shape while I soldered it. I'd like to see you do one of those NP mallets in Z!
OK after seeing Dan's steam kit-bash: http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/showthread.php?t=88539 I got excited and went back to work. Had to remove the flywheel that was such a perfect fit. At the most extreme angle while just starting into a curve (MT 195mm) the drive shaft would have been just a bit too stressed. See the red line here: Now with the universal right up against the bulkhead the drive shaft will follow the yellow line. Here is a peek under the hood: I added some styrene around the universal just to be a view block and look like "something" is under there. In the tender there is a piece of tubing sliced long ways that will hold the motor. The tubing is sprung and will hold the motor with nothing else, plus I can remove it easy if needed. Also you can see all the lead and Lo Temp I added. There is room for more in the cab, but the rear already has most of the weight. With pretty much just paint to add the engine alone (no tender) weighs 67 grams now. The body is held to the frame pretty much like Marklin did, but now with a #00-90 screw that was drilled & tapped in line with my sand dome. Been slowly added details a little bit every day. Things just get more fragile as I go. Also along the way I tried to take photos of the photo etching process. A little step-by-step here: http://picasaweb.google.com/ErieChris333/Etching I was trying not to use the West Model parts, but I did use the tender trucks, pilot truck, and the pilot/cowcatcher. There is still most of it left and could still convert a 2-8-2 into a 2-8-4. If anyone is interested in the parts let me know.
Damn!!!! WOW!!! Your project updates just keep getting better and better. Wow!!! You are almost finished!!! When might we see it airbrushed and detailed out? Awesome!!! Hobo Tim
The last thing my poor little L1 needs is to be compared to this! That looks incredible. If I didn't know different, I would swear that this was a purchased kit. It's hard to believe that is Z scale. You are really starting to shine with that home etching. Dan S.
You win Chris! You are the master! I bow humbly before you, and only wish I had such skill! Fantastic work!
The Locomotive is beautiful Chris. Will the drive shaft bind if the flywheel is on the front of the motor? What about putting it on the back of the motor? Or if the flywheel is out altogether what about a gearhead/motor? Looks there is lots of room in the tender. I love to see this kind of innovation so forgive me if I get carried away here. What if you had a set (4) of the 0.304" driver wheels (~67" Zscale) to replace the 0.274" that are on this engine. I think the extra bit of spacing between the existing drivers would allow for this wheel swap. This would give the locomotive the high drivers of the proto-Berk. Still not exact but ~7'' closer. A 4 to 1 gearhead/motor would more than make up the negative change in gear reduction caused by the taller wheels. A set of 3 drivers off an 8899** (part #267670) will set you back $50 to $70 and you would be short one set of wheels which I would be willing to swap you for... something. The driver set I have is green, I'm only going to use 2 axle/wheels of the set for a 4-4-0 project I have in mind. Just a thought. Steve F
Chris, Outstanding! This is my vote for Model of the Year!! Your attention to details is fabulous. Where did you get the eye-bolts for the hand-rail along the boiler from? John
