What are we looking at here? Is this the split in the floor that clamps the motor?
I would be inclined to avoid glue. As the motor is clamped, perhaps a shim on the side away from the axle will persuade the motor to engage its gears?
Hi,
Owner of Boot Lane Works here.
I’ve had this post brought to my attention.
We did reply to your email -
"Thank you for getting back in touch.
The simple answer is yes, we believe that the E6000 is suitable to use with the PLA printed parts."
I’m not sure why you are having these difficulties. It is not something others have brought to our attention. So I’m at a loss to understand why your kit would be any different.
Regards
Andrew
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Andrew (@AFGadd ),
Sorry, I either missed or the SPAM filter intercepted your email. I appreciate your taking the time to repost here.
The kit is wonderful, and we’ve had a lot of fun. I strongly suspect that we are making a very simple mistake, that, on account of inexperience, I cannot identify.
I could back the wheels of the axles to get at the motor mount screw and make it tighter (for the benefit of others, the here are the chassis instructions: No. 5 Chassis Kit). I removed the wheels before when I originally spaced them for 32mm track. That was no easy task, as those wheels are snug! If that is what it takes, then we’re game.
Again, thanks for taking the time to reach out via this forum.
Sincerely,
Eric
Yes, that is the split. There is a screw just out of sight that snugs the split together to hold the motor in place.
Eric
Update:
I took Fudge to the tracks to try and observe what happens. Effectively, the vertically mounted motor lifts itself out of its socket when it hits a corner.
I did make a lame effort to glue the motor in place using canopy glue.
I figured it would be strong enough to hold the motor in place without being so strong as to prevent removing the motor. Maybe I should have let it cure longer, as it didn’t work.
This does leave two options:
- Use @Rooster 's idea of making some sort of physical brace.
- Remove the drive wheels, gronk down on the retaining bolt, replace the wheel, and try again.
I am not sure why I cannot get this thing work.
Eric
Boot Lane said E6000 was perfectly adequate! It will glue anything - we ue it on boats.
You could certainly glue it down with a solid (good) contact cement or an epoxy. However I believe it was supposed to work properly the way it was designed. So the question is how do you want to approach the issue?
Me personally I would probably remove the drive wheels and figure out why the motor is lifting up to begin with. If it becomes a problem or there is no way to repair the problem you could always revert to the glue.
If that does not work you could start swearing and slamming things around.
If that does not work then give yourself a timeout for your pouty fit and head to the fridge for a juice box (which I bet you have in stock).
If that does not work then go back to the model and start cursing again this time loudly like
“I’m gonna taking this %^&**(*(&&) thing and snap it in half over my knee” !
That will work because one of two things will happen. Either the wife comes out and tells you to go to bed OR you succeed in snapping it in half over your knee!
Which brings me back to… “How do you want to approach the issue” ?
Yeah, I’m not sure. I have to find a way to get those wheels off. I think I have to order a gear puller, as I misplaced mine.
Eric
Update:
We decided to split the baby. After a good “think,” it dawned on me that, rather than making the mounting column narrower, we could make the motor wider. In model rocketry, masking tape is sufficient to hold motors in place, so why not for model trains, I grabbed the masking tape, and we experimented with it until we got a good fit.
One wrap around the engine seemed to do the trick. More, and it just bunched up and rolled upward along the motor.
It was time to take Fudge to the tracks. The ride was bumpy to the point of being endearing, and if Fudge hit an obstacle, the motor disengaged, but, for the first time, Fudge looped the Triple O! Kid-zilla asked to proceed with the project, and I consented. This buys me time to get a gear puller - and, per @PeterT 's suggestion - perhaps some proper metal wheels, to see if we can make this fix more permanent.
Eric
I told you that over a month ago. However now that I’m understanding how the motor is secured I don’t think the pinch screw is tight enough as you popped the motor out by hand.
One other thought is to check the wheel back to back spacing. You said as soon as it comes to a curve the motor pushes out.
So perhaps the flanges are to wide causing it to put extra pressure on the axle and making the motor walk upward and out? Also in theory if you reversed polarity on the motor it should push downward. However I am not looking at the model only some of your pictures and description.
With the motor out once why not lightly push it around the railroad curves by hand and see if you feel resistance or binding. Once again perhaps check the wheel spacing which you should do anyway. Also note that that this model is not robust like an LGB or USA trains set up and will not drive over a rhinoceros!
A good solution, but try not to block those air ducts along the sides of the motor?
Whoops…Yes, you did. I guess it took a month to pass from eyeball to brain!
Thanks! I never thought of that! When we assembled Fudge, we used a ruler and a piece of straight track to test the back-to-back spacing. A few moments ago, I grabbed a spare wheel set to make a comparison.
Whoa. Then I remembered @David_Marconi_FOGCH had forwarded along the 45mm gauge equivlaent of a multi-tool that we have been using to trouble shoot bumpy uneven runs of track. I knew it had stuff for hand laying track, so I guessed it might have something for back-to-back spacing.
Yep. It does (right hand side of the multi-tool).
As you suspected, Fudge’s wheels are set too wide
I would have never thought that this was an issue. Pressing the wheels together is a LOT easier than prying them off to access the pinch screw (new word). We’ll do that, then, if that fails, then we’ll get at that pinch screw.
I guess this is one more lesson to take in as we move up the complexity scale from rummaging through junk to make things that only have to look right to restoring derelicts using stock parts to building models from kits.
Eric
P.S. @David_Jr Your Dad’s guiding spirit is still strong!
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In theory “Fudge” could run in a straight line all day long only wearing down the motor and wheel flanges.
In the auto industry with tire grip the difference between a live axle verses and an open differential ( limited slip is a whole other ball of wax). In the curves the differential will allow for the power transfer to the free wheel. With a live axle the force/drag needs to expel it’s torque somewhere and if the axle is stuck in the curves the only answer is to go to the point of least resistance. Meaning with cars it will usually be the tires that break loose and cause a spin. However with something on rails with flanges that can jamb, the motor will either work itself loose or if you glued it in then something will eventually break.
Not saying that is the problem but I have learned to never overlook the basics first! Tape and glue are mainly temporary fixes for the real issue.
Hope that makes sense.
Eric, Kidzilla,
The only lesson here is basics first ALWAYS which even seasoned modelers ( including me) forget about sometimes.
Remember the older one gets the wiser and gassier one becomes. Before you know it your standing in line outside a diner jingling your pocket change waiting to get in for breakfast!
So take your time, focus on the basics and the rest will come with an end result of a solid running model!
Update:
Work proceeded the last several days bring Fudge to completion.
As we waited to see what Hurricane Lowell would do, the backhead detail parts and paint, kebab skewers became handrails…
…and the smokebox door got installed…
…and the nameplates got painted.
He painted the latter black and then drybrushed on the metal paint.
Today, he fashioned chain-and-pin couplers out of jewelry links and tiny cotter pins.
That was his idea. I thought it was a nice touch!
Then, as is tradition, we posed his new loco with the 1:24 crew for its acceptance shot.
Kid-zilla offers the following additional shots:
Unfortunately, we still had problems with the drive gear working the motor up and out of the socket when the little loco was in forward motion. This time, we decided to E6000 the thing in place and see what happens. If that works, even for a lap or two, we will call this project "Pau!" Even if we get a partial success out of this, Kid-zill is over the moon with how this loco looks and the fun he had bringing Fudge to life, even if ultimately as a static display, from a box of bits.
As for me, this is my second foray into these British kits, albeit from separate manufacturers. The first was an attempt to do more with a chassis than either its design or my skills permit. I had thought my skills had improved in the interim to make this little kit a slam dunk. Nope. Opportunities to learn aside, I am beginning to wonder if our rough and ready railroad is a bit too rough from these lighter models? Or are we simply too far off the beaten path to benefit from what this source of 45mm gauge models have to offer? I have to have a hard think before we try again.
Why try again? Historically, prior to annexation Fowler had a major presence in the Kingdom of Hawaii and numerous other European manufacturers had their own mechanical toeholds across the islands. If I can crack the code on getting Fudge to work properly, it opens a pathway towards representing this diversity of motive power that came to Hawaii in the 19th century in a manner that would we found enjoyable and in a kit that was perfect for the space, time, and tools we can bring to bear on a project.
With luck, we’ll have a video of Fudge in service. If not, know that we enjoyed the process, learned a lot, and that the owner, Kid-zilla, is very, very happy.
Eric
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Update:
And this is what success looks like:
- Video: Fudge Takes the Rails
E6000, the second best glue for everything, did the trick.
Thanks for following our build and for all the help along the way!
On Behalf of Kid-zilla,
Eric
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Might need a skinny driver?
The attention to detail “Young Mueller” currently has will be { totally sick } in about 10yrs.
Think I got the lingo correct.