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Re: Now....what should i do with this?

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2018 12:34 pm
by ge_rik
Actually, looking at the videos, I'm not sure that weight is the issue. The chassis itself does seem to roll about a lot as if one or more of the wheels is out of alignment. Is the quartering out at all?

Or maybe the back to backs are too narrow - it looks like the wheels are falling down between the rails from time to time. It was interesting that the rolling seemed to iron out when she wnet through the pointwork.

Rik

Re: Now....what should i do with this?

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2018 1:46 pm
by markoteal
Cheers Rik - lots of good ideas there - I'll have to get busy this weekend - good news is that SWMBO is away this weekend so her digital kitchen scales may develop a new specialism (loco weigh-bridge) :D

Re: Now....what should i do with this?

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2018 1:48 pm
by markoteal
ge_rik wrote: Tue Mar 13, 2018 12:34 pm Actually, looking at the videos, I'm not sure that weight is the issue. The chassis itself does seem to roll about a lot as if one or more of the wheels is out of alignment. Is the quartering out at all?

Or maybe the back to backs are too narrow - it looks like the wheels are falling down between the rails from time to time. It was interesting that the rolling seemed to iron out when she wnet through the pointwork.

Rik
Yes - I did notice it evened out at certain points - I'll check those back to backs, not checked those - the quartering looks ok as I had the rods off to paint them and checked they were lined up when I put them back on but I will check again

Re: Now....what should i do with this?

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2018 1:57 pm
by philipy
Mark, I must say that, as Rik's first thought, my immediate thought was Quartering.
It's difficult to tell at the speed it goes though! Any chance of slowing it down and posting another vid?
Another thought would be that one(or more) wheels is not square on the axle.

Re: Now....what should i do with this?

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2018 2:07 pm
by markoteal
Cheers for the feedback Phillip - yes, it does rattle along and thats just on one AAA battery - the other in the battery box is a dud one to make the circuit. I think the fast speed doesn't help - I may have to loan a deltang to this loco from one of the diesels till I sort this issue out or wire in one of my 'one way' esc's to slow things down.

What i may do is do a slow mo version of some of the footage I have and zoom in a bit more

I'll add checking the wheels being square on the axis to the investigation list - thanks for flagging that

Re: Now....what should i do with this?

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2018 9:18 pm
by tom_tom_go
I quite like the rocking around. It could be a circus train?

Reminds me of loco from Dumbo:


Re: Now....what should i do with this?

Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2018 12:46 am
by LNR
Sorry Mark, I'm still laughing at your driver in the second video, showing great balancing skills.
I would venture to say that the problem is not weight, but that you have one or more wheels out of true. Could be worth a check. Not quartering but the circumference of the wheel not true on the axle.
Grant.
PS apologies, I seem to be having forum problems again, with pages not appearing.

Re: Now....what should i do with this?

Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2018 1:47 pm
by markoteal
Well thanks again for all the advice - managed a quick fettle last night and found a few things on your lists - on closer inspection by taking the chassis right out and into bits, one of the wheels is quite loose on the axle and so wobbles and when it does that the quartering goes out - this also means the gap between the wheels varies

After a bit of CHLR key hole precision engineering (read I pushed it all back together tight and added a spot of glue to the wheel/axle point), I put number 5 back on the track and ........



Its not perfect but its so much better - now more of a slight side to side motion which is probably down to the motion and things not being 100% spot on quartering wise - more fettling at the weekend but at least we are heading in the right direction.

I'll also see if I cab find a slightly less powerful AAA battery to lower the speed for now!

Thanks again - power to the forum

Re: Now....what should i do with this?

Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2018 2:17 pm
by GTB
markoteal wrote: Wed Mar 14, 2018 1:47 pm
I'll also see if I cab find a slightly less powerful AAA battery to lower the speed for now!
Fit a suitably rated diode in series with the battery, between the battery and the reversing switch. A silcon diode will drop a constant voltage (usually 0.6-0.7V) which isn't affected by the current drawn and it won't generate much heat.

Fitting a switch to switch the diode in/out would also give you a simple hi/lo speed control.

A resistor can do the job, but the voltage drop varies with the current drawn and a resistor will generate heat, which isn't desirable in a mostly plastic mechanism.

Regards,
Graeme

Re: Now....what should i do with this?

Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2018 2:37 pm
by philipy
Certainly looks a lot better now, Mark.
I still have the feeling that the problem is more a question of something still not quite square and true, than quartering.

Re: Now....what should i do with this?

Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2018 3:53 pm
by tom_tom_go
Power to the form, what a great quote!

Re: Now....what should i do with this?

Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2018 6:07 pm
by ge_rik
A great improvement - and a little bit of wobble adds to the charm of the loco. :bounce:
I agree with the others - it's less likely to be a quartering problem - that would tend to give you uneven speed (a jerky forward motion) with each revolution of the wheels, I think it's more likely to be wheel wobble on the axle. You might be able to see it if you run her upside down :?

Rik

Re: Now....what should i do with this?

Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2018 10:07 pm
by markoteal
Cheers guys - you were right - deffo the rear axle where the sideways wobble is coming from after an upside down run - another fettle required at the weekend

And Graeme, I'll have a look at that diode approach - a simple approach for my simple little loco

Ta


Mark

Re: Now....what should i do with this?

Posted: Mon Mar 26, 2018 10:18 am
by markoteal
After another few tweaks (and basically taking all the chassis apart including pulling 3 out of the 4 wheels off and reattaching - we are more of less there - actually works better in reverses that forward - slight 'throw' as one of the rods comes over the top going forwardbut now have it pulling something.



This video is based on 3V which is ok for speed buts struggles to pull anything else - so last night attached a 4 cell holder in there - 6V will probably be too much but will probably pop a blank in one of the holder and try 4.5V - we are getting there - more video to come over Easter

Re: Now....what should i do with this?

Posted: Mon Mar 26, 2018 10:34 am
by philipy
Looks much better Mark. I think that slight hesitation now is possibly quartering this time, especially since you say there is a tight spot.

Re: Now....what should i do with this?

Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2018 8:36 pm
by markoteal
The management at the CHLR decided that today was naming day for engine number 5 - Meteor - below are a couple of ex works photos of the loco on it special day:-
IMG_2311.JPG
IMG_2311.JPG (225.72 KiB) Viewed 6444 times
IMG_2314.JPG
IMG_2314.JPG (224.25 KiB) Viewed 6444 times
Here some of the lads have a chat with Beardy Bob the driver
IMG_2315.JPG
IMG_2315.JPG (235.53 KiB) Viewed 6444 times
Here Meteor head out on its first revenue earning train
IMG_2316.JPG
IMG_2316.JPG (217.24 KiB) Viewed 6444 times
And returns safely
IMG_2324.JPG
IMG_2324.JPG (220.7 KiB) Viewed 6444 times
and finally........... a reminder where we started
IMG_2068.JPG
IMG_2068.JPG (408.77 KiB) Viewed 6444 times
Hopefully I'll have video to follow soon of the finished engine in action

Re: Now....what should i do with this?

Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2018 9:02 pm
by Peter Butler
Comparing the two images I would call that a transformation and a great success, well done.

Re: Now....what should i do with this?

Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2018 10:02 pm
by tom_tom_go
Bang on Mark, looks the biz.

Re: Now....what should i do with this?

Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2018 7:20 am
by philipy
Great end result, well done.
Tbh when you started I thought you were on hiding to nothing, but its been worth the effort, well done.

Re: Now....what should i do with this?

Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2018 9:20 am
by tom_tom_go
Mark, you should submit it as model of the month on the 16mm NGM site as it will be something different for a change:

https://www.16mm.org.uk/category/model-of-the-month/