Work in progress: Westinghouse boxcab electric

[RoughboyModelworks]

There's an English firm I worked with about ten years ago or so (and for the moment I can't remember their name, but I'll dig it up out of the archive).
Paul

Found... I knew I'd turn it up sooner or later. All I had to do was look for something else!
The firm's name is Photo Etch Consultants in Walsall, UK. Fellow I worked with was Chris Stockton. Photo below is of a nickel-silver sample he sent me several years ago. I have the complete package on this piece from original artwork through films, etching stages and final piece which is pictured below. If you notice, the artwork for this was copyrighted in 1989. What impressed me was the precision and the multi-level etching. High-quality work considering this particular sample was produced from hand-drawn artwork which makes it even more impressive. At the time I was in contact with them they were just beginning to use CAD files. With the advances in CAD technology over the past decade I expect their work is even better today. The photo was just a quick snap, so the lighting doesn't really do the piece justice. I should have put in a size reference in the photo, but the piece is 3.75" L. x 2.75" W.



Paul

[Hauk]

Time to awake this thread from the semi-dead, some red text claim that "this topic has not been posted in for at least 120 days".

There was a time when I tought it was a very clever idea to pick a prototype with only electric engines, since I believed it would be a real timesaver not to have to worry about the running gear on steam engines.

Well, the time used to build a working pantograph have definitely eaten all that saved time and then some. But at last I have a pantograph that is at least half decent when it comes to operating:





I am actually starting to think that this engine will be finished one day!

-Håvard

[JohnP]

Gosh, what a beautiful pantograph! Perfect size materials and details. And it looks sprung. But how? Please explain it to us.

I like electrics. I like to watch the many vids on You-Tubers of the TGV swooshing by with the pantographs singing. I like how they spark at night.

Did I say what a beautiful pantograph?

John

[Hauk]

Gosh, what a beautiful pantograph! Perfect size materials and details. And it looks sprung. But how? Please explain it to us.

Thanks for the thumbs up!
Rather than to try to explain the workings  in semi-broken english, I  have uploaded a simple video for you who really wants to know!
Its a bit big ( around 26mb) due to the lack of any video editing software.

http://www.folk-rovere.org/mj/bilder/MVI_3118.mov

Regards, Haavard

[lab-dad]

I hope this translates correctly'
FRIGGIN AWESOME!!!!!!
That is one amazing piece of engineering!
--Marty

[Hauk]

I hope this translates correctly'
FRIGGIN AWESOME!!!!!!
That is one amazing piece of engineering!
--Marty

Glad you enjoyed it!
To semiquote Edison,what it boils down to is one per cent inspiration and ninety-nine per cent perspiration. If you want it hard enough, you can learn to build it.

Regarding engineering, the design is pretty strictly prototypical. In 0-scale it is  possible to make almost everything exactly to scale.

What I still havent been able to figure out is if it is actually possible to have a pantograph like this move up and down in an entirely symmetrical fashion. I dont know if you can see it in the video, but the pantograph is exactly symmetrical only when slightly depressed (no strange pun intended). Fully erected, it leans slightly to one side. Same when it is pressed all the way down.

The challenge is to get the two connected axles to rotate with the exact same speed but in the opposite directions.

It is easy to do when the axles travel in the same direction, like steam engine drivers connected with a side rod, but the trouble starts when you place this rod in a diagonal fashion to make the axles move in opposite directions.

This might very well be the most marginal problem ever posted on this forum, but if anyone understand what I am rambling about and can offer a solution, I would love to hear it!

[DaKra]

Beautiful work, not sure how I missed this before.   Besides your awesome display of craftsmanship in brass,  what I like about this level of detail in this scale, is the model becomes more "readable" as a documentation of the prototype.   I can make out the individual parts and their functions, where in HO much of the detail would be only suggested, and/or difficult to see and correctly interpret.   

Dave   

[Hauk]

Beautiful work, not sure how I missed this before.   Besides your awesome display of craftsmanship in brass,  what I like about this level of detail in this scale, is the model becomes more "readable" as a documentation of the prototype.   I can make out the individual parts and their functions, where in HO much of the detail would be only suggested, and/or difficult to see and correctly interpret.   

Dave   

That is a very good summary of my modelling philosophy!
I have selected a prototype so obscure that most people will only know it through my models (abroad at least).
So the models have to tell the whole story. The viewer has no "a priori"  knowledge to fill in if I cut corners.

-Haavard

[narrowgauger]

havaard

a beautiful piece of craftmanship.   It thrills me to know that there are still model builders in the world who regard working metals as the basis for equisite models.

through work of this standard it is hoped that others will follow suit.

Keep showing your work to inspire us all.

regards
Bernard

[finescalerr]

That is a compliment worth preserving. -- Russ

[Chuck Doan]

I agree with all posted comments. True definition of craftsmanship for sure.

[Ray Dunakin]

Wow, that is an amazing piece of work! Beautiful!

[RoughboyModelworks]

Wow, that's beautiful work Havard... well done. As to the symmetrical issue raising and lowering, it appears that all components are straight and true, but perhaps the horizontal shafts are very slightly out of alignment. It wouldn't take much at this scale to cause a slight bind, a little more resistance on one side versus the other to cause drag. Just the heat from soldering might cause a slight distortion. Just a thought...

Paul

[Hauk]

That is a compliment worth preserving. -- Russ

I know...
Praise is always nice, but what direction it come from is not entirely irrelevant.

-H

[Hauk]

No great progress, just a little note on making operating joints/links/hinges.

I tried the blackening method on a "real" hinge on a new pantograph today, with two small refinements.
To lessen the risk of solder locking up the joint further, I used another trick I have picked up from MRJ. I inserted a piece of cigarette paper as a  spacer between the little pice of tubing beeing soldered and the part that should remain unsoldered.

I also used a nice product from Carrs that I can warmly reccomend, heat resistant tape. Great for holding parts in place while soldering.



But boy, do I have a love/hate feeling towards this kind of micro work!

Regards, Haaavard