I am making a rather heavy loco , it has got to the stage where , because I am disabled , I am finding it very difficult to handle . Picking it up is difficult and rolling it over to get at bits to be fitted I have a problem .
So , any more physically disabled modellers on here with any ideas ?
Or anyone who can suggest a solution ?
Mike
There are some tilting locomotive stands that might do. Made from wood and felt lined.
I’ve changed computers and the bookmarks for them are not available so you’ll have to search. A ramp leading up to the stand bed would help with avoiding picking the loco up.
Don , your reply got us thinking a bit differently about how to overcome the problem .
We got a bridge/ramp from the main assembly bench onto a separate table .
On the table , we ran some track into a trough of foam rubber ; selecting the rubber was the tricky bit because it has to be hard enough to provide support , but soft enough to allow the loco to be rolled on its side without little details getting squashed , and not so soft as to allow the rubber to grab bits and ping them off . Little blocks of foam rubber are used to alter the angle the loco sits at .
It works OK so far , and when we know it’s going to be alright we can do a more tidy job .
The idea would work for able bodied people too , doing away with the risk of knocking bits off when lifting the loco , and banging the thing into doors and so on . I know a lot of you use loco carry boxes , but you cannot service the loco in them if you need access underneath .
Mike Brit
Mike,
One of my home made loco carry cases also serves as a holder for working on the underside. It uses foam that grips the loco securely, but does not harm the details. Here is the link to the article on my web site:
Bob , that looks brilliant . I like the good workmanship that’s gone into it .
Mike Brit
Bob,
Nice cabinet work.
What does your case weigh, empty and loaded?
I’ve got a case for one of my ten wheelers, much like that, but certainly not to the quality of what you’ve created. Its heavy.
Ric,
The completed K-27 case weighs 28 pounds when empty and 51 pounds with the locomotive and tender on-board. I built a lighter weight case for my C-19 and and another one for my 3-truck shay. Neither of the lighter cases can be used for maintenance cradles. Here is the link to the post describing the lighter cases. Detailed construction plans are included.
That is some very nice work Bob.
Since I lack fine dexterity in my left arm and am legally blind i have stayed with small engines but even those have their challenges. I built a small simple holder for mine and have been able to use my magnifiers with mine. I do wish I had been able to build my shop where I could leave my engines on the tracks but it didn’t work out that way.
Why do you have the bottom piece Bob? I read the K-27 plans also and I see it is to make it stronger to carry around.
Jerry,
On the C-19 case the bottom is for added strength when carrying. Plus, it helps keep debris out of the case and protects the undercarriage when the loaded case is sitting on the ground, being transported, or slid into or out of a vehicle. On the K-27 case the bottom is only removed for maintenance on the undercarriage when the case is upside down.
Bob Hyman said:
Jerry,
On the C-19 case the bottom is for added strength when carrying. Plus, it helps keep debris out of the case and protects the undercarriage when the loaded case is sitting on the ground, being transported, or slid into or out of a vehicle. On the K-27 case the bottom is only removed for maintenance on the undercarriage when the case is upside down.
Bob,
This is what I call clever design, well thought through and sturdy construction. OTOH the 51 lbs is quite some weight, whoa!
I think we have gotten away from Mike’s original problem and request. I guess Bob’s design, well padded, would be a way that any unit could be rolled over and opened on any side.
Mike, could you get the leverage to roll a 50 lb. box?
Ric Golding said:
I think we have gotten away from Mike’s original problem and request. I guess Bob’s design, well padded, would be a way that any unit could be rolled over and opened on any side.
Mike, could you get the leverage to roll a 50 lb. box?
Ric , the loco in question weighs 21pounds and I can’t lift it . I can roll it across the foam rubber , that is within my current ability .
The problem is having to almost snatch the weight back as it rolls . But I could give it a go .
For those of you wondering what the heck is wrong , I broke my back . It is painful to stand and any extra exertion causes the pain to increase , Ric and a few others of you on here already know this , but have probably not mentioned it in order to save me embarrassment , which is very kind of them . I’m getting too old to be embarrassed , so now you know the basis of the problem .
Because my best mate and son Martyn has been very ill for the last eighteen months , I have been stuck completely in trying to move some of the heavy stuff–he did all the brawny stuff , and is now back in a position to put the locos somewhere where I can move them .
So , back to the 50pound box , I will try and simulate it somehow and report back . I take it this 50pounds is the box plus loco ?
By the way , Ric mentions getting away from the problem ; actually , some of the answers have caused a change in approach , so they were useful . I had not considered a rigid padded box because I just did not imagine rolling one upside down with a carrying handle in the way . One track mind , you see . Obviously the handle could be made removable to allow access by rolling .
So thank you all for taking an interest , I do appreciate it and contrary to some peoples’ opinions , I am not looking for sympathy but just a way to keep my trains in order .
Mike Brit
Mike,
Could you roll a concrete block?
Man I wish I was closer so I could just come over and get it on the side you wanted to work on.
Ric , I shall have to try , We have some breeze blocks which I remember are quite heavy , so
I shall arrange for one to be put on the table . I shall of course blame you for the mess
left by the block . ( It wasn’t my fault , honest , a bloke in America asked me to do it )
Mike
I’ll take the blame, for the mess. I have to do it around here all the time.
If you want, just leave the mess sit until I get there to clean it up. Better make it an out of the way place, no plans to travel across the pond in the near future.
Gladly taking blame where it helps.
How very kind , as usual Ric .
Mike Brit
Ric has to clean it up!
Mike, are breeze blocks really made of breeze (fly ash), or is that the common term for hollow blocks made of concrete?
We often call them cinder blocks, although normally they are not made of cinders (ash) but concrete.
Greg
Mike, are breeze blocks really made of breeze (fly ash), or is that the common term for hollow blocks made of concrete?
We often call them cinder blocks, although normally they are not made of cinders (ash) but concrete.
Greg