Electric Chassis

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Tony Bird
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Electric Chassis

Post by Tony Bird » Tue Apr 17, 2018 5:48 pm

Hi,

I have just finished an electric chassis for a child's toy. Being only 100 mm long I think it is the shortest chassis that I have made that will hold up to 4 AAA cells so it could be radio controlled. I have another similar chassis to finish which I think I will rig for 4 cells and maybe fit radio when I can afford it.

Regards Tony.
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Re: Electric Chassis

Post by bazzer42 » Sun Apr 22, 2018 8:07 pm

Been meaning to ask, is that chassis just one extrusion?

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Re: Electric Chassis

Post by Tony Bird » Mon Apr 23, 2018 5:28 pm

Hi,

Been meaning to ask, is that chassis just one extrusion?

The chassis is made from 25 mm x 19 mm x 3 mm aluminium channel, 1"x 3/4"x 1/8" in old money. The other part that the battery holder is fitted to is 25 mm x 6 mm aluminium which is held by screws to the channel.

I have just finished a slightly larger version with a bigger can motor and AA rather than AAA cells. It is fitted with 29 mm Binnie wheels and the gear ratio is 30:1. The body is fitted with modified Binnie couplings and Mamod buffers. Without the R/C the cost of conversion is about Β£12. Video at:

https://youtu.be/RlazvI-jDrg

Regards Tony.

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Re: Electric Chassis

Post by ge_rik » Mon Apr 23, 2018 6:47 pm

I do admire your chassis (ie chassises - plural?), Tony. They look simple but are blooming effective. I might be tempted to have a go at making one myself. My success with my own chassis-making to date has been lamentable. I think I will have to invest in a pillar drill / drill press though to keep things square.

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Re: Electric Chassis

Post by markoteal » Mon Apr 23, 2018 10:57 pm

ge_rik wrote: ↑Mon Apr 23, 2018 6:47 pm I do admire your chassis (ie chassises - plural?), Tony. They look simple but are blooming effective. I might be tempted to have a go at making one myself. My success with my own chassis-making to date has been lamentable. I think I will have to invest in a pillar drill / drill press though to keep things square.

Rik
Agree - your chassi (My 'own' Yorkshire plural) Tony are always really neatly produced, including the wiring on this one - soooooooo good!
Where did I put that uncoupler?

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Re: Electric Chassis

Post by FWLR » Fri Apr 27, 2018 8:23 am

That is so cheap and looks a easy build. :) Thanks Tony for posting :thumbright: :thumbright:

I need a pillar drill has well Rik. I have put my order in with Anne, might get one for my Birthday. heres hoping.. :lol: :lol:

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Re: Electric Chassis

Post by IanC » Fri Apr 27, 2018 12:05 pm

That's set me thinking about building my own battery powered loco. Lack of equipment and skill are my biggest obstacles. Would a pillar drill cost more than buying a kit?

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Re: Electric Chassis

Post by philipy » Fri Apr 27, 2018 1:06 pm

IanC wrote: ↑Fri Apr 27, 2018 12:05 pm That's set me thinking about building my own battery powered loco. Lack of equipment and skill are my biggest obstacles. Would a pillar drill cost more than buying a kit?

Ian
I got one in Lidl about 6 months ago for, I think, Β£60. They have them as their weekly special buys from time to time. I've been keeping half an eye out for some time since I saw good reviews of them. I have to say I haven't used it yet, so can't really comment on value for money.
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Re: Electric Chassis

Post by FWLR » Fri Apr 27, 2018 1:14 pm

Saw one last week Phil at Lidl, let Anne know this would be great for my Birthday…. :lol: :lol: Β£56 it was. :thumbright: :thumbright:

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Re: Electric Chassis

Post by IanC » Fri Apr 27, 2018 2:38 pm

philipy wrote: ↑Fri Apr 27, 2018 1:06 pm I got one in Lidl about 6 months ago for, I think, Β£60. They have them as their weekly special buys from time to time. I've been keeping half an eye out for some time since I saw good reviews of them. I have to say I haven't used it yet, so can't really comment on value for money.
Thanks for that Phil. Lidl isn't one of my regular shops. I'll have to start checking them out.

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Re: Electric Chassis

Post by philipy » Fri Apr 27, 2018 4:00 pm

IanC wrote: ↑Fri Apr 27, 2018 2:38 pm
Thanks for that Phil. Lidl isn't one of my regular shops. I'll have to start checking them out.

Ian
At the risk of being accused of hijacking, we don't use Lidl regularly either, but I think they put them on their website a week or so ahead and if Rod has seen them recently, a quick trip might be worth it.
Philip

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Re: Electric Chassis

Post by GTB » Fri Apr 27, 2018 4:16 pm

ge_rik wrote: ↑Mon Apr 23, 2018 6:47 pm I think I will have to invest in a pillar drill / drill press though to keep things square.
Even a small chinese made bench drill can give you better results than trying to drill sideframes and coupling rods by hand.

When buying a bench drill do this quick check. Use the handle to extend the quill and see if you can rattle the chuck around using the other hand. A good one won't have any slop when you do this, avoid the ones that do...... I didn't know this when I bought mine years ago and there's no way to adjust it, so I only use it for drilling holes in wood.

Also get a suitable drill vice and clamp it to the drill table, as holding metal parts by hand when drilling is not a good idea. I've seen someone end up with six stitches in the palm of his hand when he tried drilling a 6mm hole in a strip of 1mm thick steel.

Regards,
Graeme

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Re: Electric Chassis

Post by Tony Bird » Sat Apr 28, 2018 9:35 am

Hi,

I am fortunate in having a fairly well equipped workshop. However it wasn't always so, so I thought I would have a go at making a chassis using just hand tools as I did in days gone bye. I did use a mains powered electric drill, but all the other tools used were hand tools. The bit you might be interested is the drilling of accurate holes and for this I bought a vertical drill holder with vice for Β£15.
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My drill is old and has a speed controller on the trigger which is useful at is allows the speed to be set before the trigger is locked for drilling.

This is a jig I made for increasing the hole size of gears wheels. wheels and pulleys.
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The finished chassis, all holes were drill with the drill which when held in a vice was used to dress the ends of the axles after they were cut to length, even the aluminium channel was folded by hand, well with the help of a hammer.

The finished chassis photographs were too large so I will resize them and post them later.

Regards Tony.
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Re: Electric Chassis

Post by Tony Bird » Sat Apr 28, 2018 9:46 am

Hi,

The three chassis made by hand?

The same folded channel was used for each.

L to R axle mounted motor, channel chassis and a motor unit that can be screwed to the underside of a model.
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Other than the half hour or so it took to fold the channel it wasn't much slower than my usual way of making chassis. It did take a bit out of my hands and wrists, out of practice or just older, probably both?

Regards Tony.

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Re: Electric Chassis

Post by FWLR » Sat Apr 28, 2018 9:58 am

Thats great Tony thank you. Thats a really cheaper way of having a bench drill, although like you say, it may take it out of our hands and fingers with the old arthritic joints….

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Re: Electric Chassis

Post by tom_tom_go » Sat Apr 28, 2018 11:22 am

I picked up an old bench drill for Β£20 at a market day.

You just need to check for play in the chuck so you know it will drill straight although I doubt it would be good enough for critical hole drilling for a live steamer.

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Re: Electric Chassis

Post by FWLR » Sun Apr 29, 2018 7:09 am

tom_tom_go wrote: ↑Sat Apr 28, 2018 11:22 am I picked up an old bench drill for Β£20 at a market day.
Flipping heck Tom, when did you get that and can you get me one please. :lol: :lol: :lol:

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Re: Electric Chassis

Post by Tony Bird » Sun Apr 29, 2018 9:08 am

Hi,

You just need to check for play in the chuck so you know it will drill straight although I doubt it would be good enough for critical hole drilling for a live steamer.

If the drill bit runs reasonable concentric there is no reason it shouldn't be used for any job within its capacity.

Regards Tony.

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