Accurate O Drive

[E7]

On the subject of drives, Henry Bultmann spoke of a new drive he had come up with......I wonder if any examples were among the stuff auctioned off???

[up148]

[quoteThe thing that struck me most. It wasn't that long ago yet it's a virtual trip down Memory Lane.

Jay][/quote]


Yeah, that's why I have every issue of OST and most of the OSN collection as well. Lot's of fun to see where we've been and where we're going in the hobby. Never realized how prolific Bob was building and reviewing new locos. Kudos sir!!!

BH

[Chris Webster]

Gearboxes ready, input shafts, ditto, O Scale axles w/wheels are ready. Only have to mount the gears, thrust washers, ball bearings, and wheels for the P:48 version and I can start assembly

Jay, been meaning to ask about your reason for replacing the wheelsets and gearboxes -- it it just so that you can use ball bearings, or are there other reasons as well?

[Jay Criswell]

Chris,

For the most part, because we're replacing junk.

When it's done, and if I haven't screwed up too badly, the biggest O Scale model will only draw about a third of an amp. When I say this, I'm talking about when I use a Faulhaber gear head. The Pittman will draw more...nature of the beast. The gearboxes are designed for ball bearings.

Ball bearings on the axles isn't really necessary, especially if the journals are made of bronze. Brass or plastic journals won't last any length of time if you actually run the models. Obviously, you do.

Much more rationale but it's really so subjective. If someone wants to go cheaper, I get it. Justification for such things can be an issue.

Jay

[bob turner]

That is true. On the CLW H10 the driving boxes are plastic. We wore a set out at the Museum. Brass is a lousy bearing material, but some Lobaugh steamers have brass driving boxes, and are still rolling. Must be the surface area.

[Jay Criswell]

Bob,

Please keep in mind, and I know you know this, not all brass is the same. Some alloys approach bronze. Bitch to work with and eats up cutters almost as quickly as bronze. Don't really know what Rollin used but surface area probably does play a major role.

Jay

[Jay Criswell]

Let the party begin. This is when the whole thing becomes fun. All the tedious functions are complete for the next round of drives.







Jay

[bob turner]

Jay - early Lobaugh may be a bronze alloy, but it looks yellow. Late Lobaugh, post-war, seems to be yellow free-cutting brass. At any rate, all I have to make bearings is brass, and so far so good. I even have a special collett for the bar.

Raoul and Mort both discovered at about the same time that a brass worm gear would last about an hour in a model steam locomotive. I think I helped on that one. Both now use bronze or Celcon.

[Jay Criswell]

Bob,

Maybe from the lack of knowing any better, I've always credited you with that grand achievement. The calling out of the Alnico magnets in Pittman motors too! Great epitaph, to say the least.

Jay

[bob turner]

I am going to credit Charlie Pittman Jr, who took some time on a Saturday to explain his motors.

When the brass gears started failing, Mort actually called. Credit to my father, who looked up good gear alloys for us.

My father had an interesting career - never finished college, yet was a Martin test pilot, headed up several missile programs including the B-61 effort in Cape Canaveral, ran a division of the Burroughs Corp, and died penniless. I think I may be opposite on all counts - too many degrees, never ran anything, and may actually leave an estate, a very small part of which will be all these trains. I hope to do what Cy did, and find somebody who really appreciates all this ancient stuff.

Jay is correct - brass is not really good bearing material. If carefully lubricated, it can work, as can aluminum. That presupposes a steel shaft/axle.

[Chris Webster]

For the most part, because we're replacing junk.

When it's done, and if I haven't screwed up too badly, the biggest O Scale model will only draw about a third of an amp. When I say this, I'm talking about when I use a Faulhaber gear head. The Pittman will draw more...nature of the beast. The gearboxes are designed for ball bearings.

Ball bearings on the axles isn't really necessary, especially if the journals are made of bronze. Brass or plastic journals won't last any length of time if you actually run the models. Obviously, you do.

Thanks for the explanation. I asked because I am (slowly) building P:48 at home while being surrounded by regular O-scale layouts where I can run my equipment. I have a few OMIs with tank drives that run poorly, so I was thinking about replacing their motors and towers so that I could run them at the club (and save $100/or so per unit by installing an HO-scale decoder instead of an O-scale version.) I would change the wheelsets and gearboxes later, once my P:48 was farther along.

[Jay Criswell]

Chris,

You gotta know, I'll help in any way I can.

Jay

[Jay Criswell]

This one has direct lineage to Jerry's drive. Well call it the illegitimate cousin. Another lazy guy copy & paste. No mo' tank drive for this one. Except for some cleanup, this one is ready for wiring, electronics and fine tuning. Oh yeah, Car Works VO-1000. This one is P:48 but it didn't have to be.

[Tom Dempsey]

How come your builds look so much better than mine?

[Jay Criswell]

Tom

Photoshop...don't tell anybody.

Jay