Scalefour Forum

John Palmer wrote:If I remember the article correctly, it wasn't the bargees but the board of the Somerset Coal Canal that got trapped in a caisson

https://www.coalcanal.org/features/Caisson/Caisson.php Apparently one of those inventions which contemporary technology wasn't really good enough to make practical, and by the time technology caught up there wasn't any use for the invention.

Thanks for the link Noel, the last few post now make some sort of sense

I was wondering why my bottle of Loctite 603 wasn't glueing, best before date 1/2013 - over six years ago!

Starting work on the BG goods engine, first job is make the split axles. Very few useful dimensions on the BG website, but I've calculated that a 45mm axle will cover the outside framed engine. So I've started making them.

Tim V wrote:I was wondering why my bottle of Loctite 603 wasn't glueing, best before date 1/2013 - over six years ago!

That's useful! I was having the same problem - didn't even know they had sell-by dates! There is no date visible on mine, but that perhaps attests to its age!

My Loctite 601 bottle is still going strong and I must have bought it from Andy Mullins a good quarter of a century ago. I used it to fix a worm on a motor shaft only a couple of weeks ago so I know it still works.

Decided instead to build the tender first. Axles being made, wheels sourced.

Tim V wrote:Decided instead to build the tender first. Axles being made, wheels sourced.

I can post you tender axles......2mm for normal wheels, BG length and pin points, but maybe you need plain ends and splits.

Too late - already made them!

As said, I'm building this without recourse to any outside trade help. So although the BGS may have the correct wheels (for example), as I'm not a member I can't use their excellent trade counter!

Tim V wrote:Too late - already made them!

As said, I'm building this without recourse to any outside trade help. So although the BGS may have the correct wheels (for example), as I'm not a member I can't use their excellent trade counter!

There’s an easy solution to that Tim

Tim V wrote:Too late - already made them!

As said, I'm building this without recourse to any outside trade help. So although the BGS may have the correct wheels (for example), as I'm not a member I can't use their excellent trade counter!

Not true.
BGS sells to non members, all product prices are on our website, apart from any shewn as out of stock.
Members get approx. 10% discount.

Tender body assembled, minor problem as it appears the castings may be slightly over-width, but a bit of squeezing and fiddling looks like it might be on track. Motor tried in position, next is to make the running gear.

From the sublime to the ridiculous.....look at the loco at the back of Tim's bench with meccano lookalike wheels...must be for his 1810 caper!

Well, with broad gauge stuff, my working area went down to about three inches square - something had to be done, so I'm tidying the bench.

And look what I've found! A possible gearbox for the loco. Motor in the tender. I don't know how long I've had these gearboxes - weren't they part of Dynadrive (some of that pre-DCC nonsense to get better response). Anyway, they appear to work and I've got two of them. Just coupled them up to the motor, I don't remember what ratio they are, weren't they designed for diesels? And they drive back - if this works, those BG layouts this might run on won't know what's hit them

They do look like the Brimalm gearboxes that were part of DynaDrive. Quite a low ratio, maybe 30:1 or thereabouts.

Philip

I thought they might be, looking at some MRRC gears I have to reduce the speed. It is a goods engine I'm building.

Tim V wrote:I have to reduce the speed.

Perhaps a second gearbox with some spur gears either on the motor or before the existing gearbox? Your workbench looks in about the same condition as mine!

Terry Bendall

Terry Bendall wrote:Perhaps a second gearbox with some spur gears either on the motor or before the existing gearbox? Your workbench looks in about the same condition as mine!

Terry Bendall

That is the plan. That is the workbench after I'd tidied up!

Well that's blown it. The motor I planned to use (pictured above) that I thought was brand new, turned out to be a dud, it runs hot. Checked the brushes and springs which look OK.

I've now looked in my spare motor box, a couple of round cans which seem to work, so I'm going to have a look in the EMGS manual (shhhh) at the motor data for a suitable RPM.

IIRC the final-drive gearboxes use bevels and the ratio is quite low, possibly 15:1. Yes, they are for Dynadrive, and the system included a 2:1 spur box.

Another look at the motor I planned to use. I tried tapping the ends, as sometimes they are assembled out of square - seems to have done the trick, motor does not run hot. Now to make the reduction gearbox.

Paul Townsend wrote:From the sublime to the ridiculous.....look at the loco at the back of Tim's bench with meccano lookalike wheels...must be for his 1810 caper!

I'm still waiting to see how he gets that horse to walk.....

Steve
(self-isolating from the Cameo Challenge )

All in good time ...

Progress on the step down gearbox, now starting on the scratch-built frames.

Stripes in photo from the venetian blinds on the window.