What's New on the PRR Panhandle 2.0?

[robert.]

Today's gas can are one of the worst engineering designs ever. Alright the can is not bad but the pour spout suxs. Spill proof my arse.

[Tom Dempsey]

I find them somewhat spill inducing.

[G3750]

I find them somewhat spill inducing.

I wish I had my father's old metal can & spout. Worked perfectly. Made by a company in Wellsburg, WV.

George

[Rufus T. Firefly]

I find them somewhat spill inducing.

I wish I had my father's old metal can & spout. Worked perfectly. Made by a company in Wellsburg, WV.

I do have my grandfather's two 5 gallon cans and a 2 gallon one that I use for mixed gas for the chain saw. I'd love to get another of either size!

[robert.]

Those cans hold more value then bitcoin. A local box lot auction gets them from time to time. Old farmer/hoarder guys jump them up to $30.00+ for the 2.5 gal.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Those cans hold more value then bitcoin. A local box lot auction gets them from time to time. Old farmer/hoarder guys jump them up to $30.00+ for the 2.5 gal.

I'm well aware of the desirability of that can! Have not seen one for quite some time out where I am in Pa, but patience and preparedness......

[G3750]

Updated 12/28/2017:

Most work on the layout has been pushed to the back burner by Christmas, family visits, and the holiday rush.


• For work with styrene and ABS, I purchased an 80 tooth saw for the Proxxon hobby table saw. Changing the blade was an ordeal, mostly due to the badly designed documentation and difficulty keeping the blade from rotating (there's a hole for inserting an allen wrench, but no way to see what you're doing). I'm very impressed with the saw's construction and workmanship, but the directions (figures, size of figures, placement, organization) leave a lot to be desired. Anyway, I managed to get the blade changed.
  
• My Plastruct order for the Open Hearth arrived. I inventoried it and have begun construction of the jigs needed.
  
• I spoke with an electrician friend and got his recommendation for a crimping tool. My old one disappeared in the move (maybe I gave it to my son). I have made some bad crimps in the past and I think they contributed to spotty electrical performance on Panhandle 1.0. So I am looking for a crimping tool that gives me a mechanical advantage and is easier on my weaker, arthritic hands.

George

[webenda]

So I am looking for a crimping tool that gives me a mechanical advantage and is easier on my weaker, arthritic hands.[/list]

George

I think we covered crimp connections before. They work very well. People that do not understand how they work don't like them because their crimps fail to be good electrical connections or just plain fall apart.

An electrician knows from experience which tools work best. Make sure you get the right jaws for your crimp connectors.

Do not buy any crimp tools or crimp connectors from Harbor Freight, even if they look exactly like the expensive stuff, they all make loose crimps.

All the manual crimpers I have used take a lot of hand strength. There are pneumatic and electric crimpers for saving your hands when you have a lot of crimps to do.

[G3750]

Thanks Wayne!

George

[rogruth]

That is probably a great machine.
My problem with it is that it costs
almost twice as much as anything
I have on my layout.

[Tom Dempsey]

I purchased a quality crimper from Graystone Electric years ago, it has a ratchet action and stops at the correct amount of crimp. When my hand gets tired, I call one of my grandson's, that, after all, is what they're for, right.

[Roy]

I would think if you could get a straight electric crimper, that doesn't need rechargeable batteries and a recharger, it should be less expensive. After all, if this is for a layout, you'll always have a 110V outlet nearby.

[G3750]

I purchased a quality crimper from Graystone Electric years ago, it has a ratchet action and stops at the correct amount of crimp. When my hand gets tired, I call one of my grandson's, that, after all, is what they're for, right.

Unfortunately, my grandchildren are all under 5.

And my hands don't get tired, they're weak and arthritic.

George

[Tom Dempsey]

[quote="G3750"]Unfortunately, my grandchildren are all under 5.

Then you could use the task as a character building exercise

[Roy]

These powered crimpers are ridiculously expensive. Could you put some extension handles on a manual crimper, and use it like a big bolt or chain cutter?