I guess that I have to go back and read the directions. 
Directions??? we don’t need no steenking directions…(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)
Now, I just have to remember what I did. (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-tongue-out.gif)
I so want this!
Compared to the “scale” what he is plowing is about 1/2 or 1/3 what the “G” scale guys often show.
That’s a nice large gauge, so 12" gauge is 1/3 scale if narrow gauge?
wow…
Greg
Now I haven’t searched yet but i would like to see a merging of these two videos. How easy yould it be to make a snow thrower for a ride on RR? While not a rotary a gas powered snowblower like you use for your drive way mounted to MOW vehicle would make for a killer snow clearer. Basically that guys same piece of equipment with a snowblower attached.
You want to straddle a V-8 or straight 6? How are you going to scale the power?
John
Ah, finally the answer to the round windows on the rotaries! Thanks Steve. Good stuff.
That was pretty interesting! I didn’t know they still used steam in addition to the diesel, even though it’s just to keep things from freezing up. Also didn’t know that they used rotaries so infrequently.
This was a very interesting video that had a good explanation of how these beasts work. Also very good illustration of what the steam was used for in keeping the thing running…and of course that very cool whistle. Probably one of the best rotary vids I have seen. Thank you Steve.
Doc Tom
Rotaries are awesome! Good video Steve.
It makes me want to dig out my RR and get it ready for the additional inches expected today.
My rotary is ready to go. The crew finally found it the other day but they haven’t dug out the engine yet.
Todd,
Nice rotary,
Do you have a build log on here I would like to see how you built it. It is one of those bucket list projects although this winter in N Idaho would see it sitting idle.
Devon Sinsley said:
Todd,
Nice rotary,
Do you have a build log on here I would like to see how you built it. It is one of those bucket list projects although this winter in N Idaho would see it sitting idle.
Doesn’t have to sit idle, Devon. There is a member of our club who lives a few miles north of you who built and uses one. I’ll have to see if I can find the video.
Steve Featherkile said:
Devon Sinsley said:
Todd,
Nice rotary,
Do you have a build log on here I would like to see how you built it. It is one of those bucket list projects although this winter in N Idaho would see it sitting idle.
Doesn’t have to sit idle, Devon. There is a member of our club who lives a few miles north of you who built and uses one. I’ll have to see if I can find the video.
This year there just was so little snow. I would love to see his. I think they are so cool.
Devon,
Should you choose to build one, I recommend finding a straight radial fan blade of some nature. This would be where the blades of the fan are perpendicular to the rotating shaft. This will allow the blade to rotate in either direction and work with equal efficiency. If you study prototype rotaries, although we are simplifying greatly, notice the blade structure is perpendicular for either had rotation.
It Todd’s photo, his rotary will work well in the clockwise rotation with the backward curved fan he chose. The backward inclination of the blades with assist in a non-clogging discharge. However if rotation is to be reversed to counter clockwise the angle of the blade will tend to draw the snow to the center instead of discharging out the chute.
Interesting Bob,
Because the little research I have done on it many used things like vacuum fans which are curved. But I can certainly see what your saying. This is deep in the bucket, very deep. With a great many other pipe dreams stacked on top.
Todd’s is only meant to throw snow one direction. Without a rotating nozzle I cant see why you would reverse the motor. But a fan like you mention added to a top mounted rotating nozzle would be interesting to attempt.
Its not that the fan reverses, the exhaust duct is pointed either left or right. See Jerry’s build log.
I am at the office at the minute and the tube is blocked. Look up the rotaries on the tube, there is a great video on the rotaries where the operation is clearly defined, including the reversal of the discharge chute and ‘fan’.
Thanks Devon. I don’t have a build log but the rotary is pretty simple.
I started with a USAT work car and a cupola off a caboose. The fan blade is a 5" metal vacuum cleaner part I found on Ebay. I went with a 5" in order ot cut a wider path. The 4" is more common, cheaper and easier to use since it will fit into a piece of PVC pipe. Using the 5" forced me to build a custom shroud for it. I cut and bent a precutter out of angle iron, the wing nut wasn’t big enough. This fan assembly is mounted on a bolt which goes through the shroud a bottom of a planter pot to suggest the chute and through the boxcar and into the chuck of a cordless drill which is powered by a 12 volt closed cell battery.
Real rotaries are often square in the front but in our little world where we use up to 20 volts not the thousands of HP and hundreds of thousands of pounds I thought why add any more resistance to the train against the snow pack. That is why my shroud is octagon shape.
I have a DPDT switch on the back of the car that changes the direction of the fan blade rotation and the chute on top can pivot to the left or right. With real rotaries the snow is eaten by the blades, brought behind them and thrown out the chute. In the model world the precutter then the vacuum blade throws the snow and only maybe a third of it actually makes it out of the chute.
It is a fine balance you need the blade to eat a path through the snow but you want it far enough back in the shroud so the snow can exit the chute and look like it should. Using the chuck on the drill I am able to move the blade forward or back.
Here is a video of it in action. You can see that most of the snow is thrown by the precutter but some makes it out the chute. The snow needs to be just right or it clogs up and the rotary pushes it.
The rotary is in just the first few minutes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjBkyWlQ6hI
In this video the snow is a bit heavy and wet and causing problems.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acvEdgdZQSE
Rotaries are a neat piece of equipment, I say do a bit of research and build one.