On my Mantua 0-4-0 Shifter project I managed to get the original open frame motor and gears cleaned and when I attach test leads, it seems to run OK at low speed and a bit noisier but smooth at high speed. Now I notice that some modelers advocate replacing the original block magnet with new neodium magnets (K&J Magnetics) but should I fiddle with what already works? This Loco will see light duty- it's not going to be run daily.
Also, should I improve the wire leading from the top of the motor to the tender frame? It looks very thin and I was thinking a bit heavier gauge wire with more secure soldering might help in terms of connection strength. I also used 400 grit wet-dry garnet paper to clean and polish the Loco tires and the motor commutator.
I took the poorly painted plastic tender body (the rivets were "blurry" under the hand paint initially on there) back to bare plastic using Super Clean and will repaint it properly with a primer coat and a light black paint coat. I cut away the molded coal load in the tender box and glued a styrene floor in the opening. I'm thinking of a piece of balsa wood shaped to a contour as a base for the coal load particles. Has anyone used old-fashioned rubber cement for building coal loads? Or should I stick with white glue or clear glue? The coal particles are a coarse black sand I got at Michaels which looks pretty good for a cheap price.
Doing this project on the simple 0-4-0 steamer gives me more confidence to tackle my Rivarossi 0-8-0 next.
Any feedback on the above would be appreciated.
Cedarwoodron
I used rare earth magnets to upgrade this brass switcher's motor (also added all-wheel pick-up and quite a bit of weight)...
It starts moving at a lower throttle setting (DC operation), and its top speed is lower, too. The previous owner gave it to me because it wouldn't pull enough cars for his needs, but it'll handle 20 quite easily now.
Wayne
For more info on magnet replacement, see my reply in "Need new motor for Mantua 4-6-0" Dan
I'll also suggest that you replace the magnets. It does improve the performance and pulling power.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
cedarwoodron Has anyone used old-fashioned rubber cement for building coal loads? Or should I stick with white glue or clear glue? The coal particles are a coarse black sand I got at Michaels which looks pretty good for a cheap price.
Has anyone used old-fashioned rubber cement for building coal loads? Or should I stick with white glue or clear glue? The coal particles are a coarse black sand I got at Michaels which looks pretty good for a cheap price.
I have no experience with rubber cement for securing a coal load, but white glue worked good for me when I put a coal load on an MDC two-truck Shay awhile back. For the record, it was Elmer's Glue-All multi-purpose glue in a 50/50 ratio with water.
cedarwoodron....I cut away the molded coal load in the tender box and glued a styrene floor in the opening. I'm thinking of a piece of balsa wood shaped to a contour as a base for the coal load particles. Has anyone used old-fashioned rubber cement for building coal loads? Or should I stick with white glue or clear glue?....
I use "live" (loose) coal loads in all of my steamers' tenders, creating coal bunkers where necessary....
The ones on these shortened Bachmann tenders aren't all that deep, as I needed to leave room for a good-size weight, plus accommodate the tender wiring...
I also detail and paint a lot of brass locomotives for friends, and while some brass tenders have fully-modelled coal bunkers, others have only a shallow tray (like many diecast tenders) representing the bunker.For both types, the owners don't want the hassle of live loads, so for fully-modelled bunkers, I use a piece of extruded foam (the blue or pink stuff) to create a coal-pile shape. It can be the full depth of the bunker or, in some cases, rest atop protrusions inside the bunker. I use a water-based black paint to brush-paint the top of the pile, and once the paint has dried, place some Saran wrap into the bunker and push the foam into place.I use a brush to apply a thin coat of white glued on the pile-shape, then sprinkle on some "coal", spray it with "wet" water, then apply some diluted white glue. Let it fully dry (at least overnight), then lift the Saran and coal pile from the bunker, remove the Saran and re-install the coal load.For tenders where there's no fully-modelled bunker, I simply place the Saran, then fill the shallow area with loose "coal". The load is then spray with "wet" water and diluted white glue added. Allow to fully dry before removing the Saran.
In both scenarios, the piece of Saran is large enough to cover the entire tender, and there are at least two reasons for that. Number one is that it protects the entire tender from the wet water and the glue (so you can add coal to even already-painted tenders), and reason number two is that I learned (the hard way, of course) that some tenders, especially, but not limited to, brass, are not always water-tight. When wet water and diluted glue seep out of previously unseen openings in a painted and lettered tender, it can create a bit of a mess.
EDIT: I forgot about your question regarding the rubber cement. I think that because you'd need to apply a coating of it to the balsa, only the "coal" which actually contacts the cement will stick. Pieces of coal that land atop that layer, but don't quite touch the cement will remain loose, and when you turn over the tender to shake off the loose stuff (or even worse, don't, then have a major derailment where the tender flips over), the coal pile may look somewhat sparse. A non-modelled bunker won't use-up much coal, even when filled as I described above, so I think that the wet-water/dilute white glue method will give you better-looking results.
I did a test (not on the tender) with the rubber cement but was not pleased with the result. I was just curious as I had a small bottle of it on my shop. I guess the 50/50 white glue and water route is best.
I found 1/2 inch neodymium nickel plated magnets in a 6 pack at Home Depot for $3.99 and installed 4 in place of the old solid original magnet. (Check this item for store availability in metro areas with several HD stores) I found them on a wall display in the fasteners aisle. This is a decent price to get them locally without having to order online. Very powerful each- I had to pry them apart with a non-metal tool!
Have you ran it yet to see thre difference? I'm guessing the magnets you got are 1/8 in thick?
Approximately- they are described as .472 diameter with .118 thickness. The product name is "Magnet Source" and the manufacturer is Master Magnetics. Of course, like everything else they are made in China.
If you'r happy with the tractive effort and the low speed (aka switching) performance don't bother with the super magnets. If you're slipping excessively at light loadings then SMs make sense...but you'll have to weight the locomotive significantly to get much better tractive effort. The SM volume should be at least the same, if not greater, than the alnico magnet volume.
Now that I replaced the magnet in the old open frame motor, I saw improved slow speed movement at low throttle. However, after hooking up the tender for testing (to complete electrical circuit) I am waiting to get better all metal trucks this weekend. In testing, despite the weight of the tender, the connecting strap which screws in to the tender underframe and below the locomotive cab is a straight piece of metal which tends to lift the tender's front truck. If anyone has an image of a bent connecting strap they either purchased or made that would provide a sort of S curve to make the tender sit on the rails better? It's not a straight level from under the cab to the tender front truck screw hole.
I figure I can do this while waiting for the tender's new metal wheels/trucks.
If the drawbar between loco and tender is metal, you should be able to bend it quite easily if you have a vise and a small hammer. All that's required is two bends, forming a shallow "S". Where you make the bends will depend on the mounting points on both the loco and tender. Naturally, the bends will have the effect of shortening the drawbar, so you may need to fabricate a completely new one.Another option, depending on the mounting point on the locomotive, is to add spacers between the mounting point and the top of the drawbar. This may, however, necessitate a longer mounting screw.
It took me a while to find the picture below, which illustrates a too-low drawbar mounting point on the locomotive. It's coupled to a scratchbuilt tender. The drawbar is cut from a piece of sheet brass...
Loco and tender in service (currently torn-down completely)...
After some thought, I think I will first find a suitable piece of metal as a backup. With the original drawbar I'm going to measure the location heights of the screw holes on both tender and engine, using the top of the rail on my test track. Then I will measure the drawbar length, hole to hole. I do a lot of work in Autocad (retired Arch. Teacher) so by recreating the data and the drawbar on the screen, I can easily determine the proper length of a new piece (if needed) that preserves the same distance hole to hole. A side view of the mounting screw heights with the slightly longer drawbar will then allow me to determine where the bend points are exactly. I have a full model workbench shop so making a new one is not a big issue. Any final height adjustment can be made with one or two 2-56 washers at either screw hole point.
Cedarwoodrin
For the classic Mantua/Tyco steam locomotives, the drawbar should be plastic, not metal. The locomotive and tender bodies are of opposite polarity.
That is why there is a wire from a motor brush to the tender. And the other motor brush is grounded to the motor frame, and thus to the locomotive body.
Of course, the locomotive under discussion may be built differently.
Ed