Critter time?

[biker_ray_pa]

Has anyone tried these and, if so, how well do they work?

http://tinyurl.com/2ld47m

[Chris333]

I doubt you could do any real switching, but they do run like in the videos.

They even have working direction headlights.

[randgust]

   Well, I'll have to try one.  $28.50 puts it in the range of practicality for projects for me.  Jun's a great supplier, by the way.  Highly recommend.

After all, I had zero expectations with both the 11-105 and the first Tomytec, and as they say, the rest was history.

It looks like it might have end-axle pickups, one axle drive.  Sorta like my 25-tonner without the surgery, or the EMC40 idea.  Who knows.....?  With the motor INBOARD of the axle, instead of OUTBOARD, it won't easily work for a 25-tonner.

All depends on how good the electrical contact is.

[up1950s]

Thanks biker_ray_pa for the heads up . I put my name on that makers waiting list , but heard nothing from them so far . I ordered 2 in hopes Randy will come up with a hat trick .

[daniel_leavitt2000]

I wonder how hard it would be to make the motor outboard. If you get rid of the LEDs on top, it may fit in a 25 tonner.

[randgust]

It 'really' looks like one-axle drive.  I did that on the EMC40 and it ran great, picked up great, and wouldn't pull much more than 3 cars.  Four-wheel drive on the 25-tonner pulled much better, but that vertical motor mount screwed up the electrical contact under load (lifted the axle).

But I'm SUCH A SUCKER for this stuff, well, who knows.  I really wish somebody would come up with a good inboard-axle design for Plymouths, Brills, Whitcomb little guys, etc.  You could do siderods...  Yeah, that's it.  Power the front axle with siderods!

I gotta go.  The nice men in the white coats say its breakfast time.

[Mark5]

I'm the house cynic - if a critter runs, then it has to creep.

(however the slot car racer in me thinks it's cool )

[randgust]

My latest expiriment is to take one of these and fit it with the Kato 11-105 motor universal.   I've got it working, I just haven't mounted it in anything yet:



It's really a good planetary gear reduction despite the 3.5v pager motor.  You can throttle it down to about 60rpm, so pair that with a worm and it should be a winner.

[Matthew Roberts]

randgust, my first though was: power a M&M!!!!  ??? Then I realized it was only there for size comparison.  Or food.  ;D

[randgust]

That thing is so much smaller than anything else I've ever worked with with a 'real' gearhead it's not even funny.  There is NO SHAFT in that gray plastic pulley thing, it's an integral part of the interior gear.  But you can drill it .035 to match it up with a pin, and then mount the Kato universal on the pin.  The universal doesn't care if it wobbles a hair.  It's longer than the stock Kato motor, but much lower and slower.

I'd really like to see if I can get one of the Climaxes equipped with this, just really busy right now on the pre-Christmas order rush.

Update:  OK, I broke down and ordered one of the four-wheelers.  I have no idea if it will work or not.   I suspect it will be one-axle drive, don't know about pickup, motor voltage, height, or wheelbase.   When I get one it I'll let you know.

I've got a lot of critter data assembled, and we'll see what, if anything, works here.

[wm3798]

This might be just the thing to re-power that little brass doodlebug that I got from Bufkin...

It's the same basic configuration as the existing drive truck.  I'd just have to do some cut and past to get it installed.... The trick will be getting the truck to pivot...  Mmmmm.

Lee

[biker_ray_pa]

Well, I started this thread sort of hoping I'd get talked into buying one of these. That much has worked so far.   ;D

[SquirrelHollow]

Lee, try to get your hands on an NW2 truck to size it up.  It might be a better choice, if you want low profile.  Plus, it uses standard Kato universals, shafts, etc..  the motor can be mounted just about anywhere.

You'd still have to figure out how to make it swing, but it's another option.

I'll try to pull mine out after this post to see if side frames are interchangeable, as well.

You did say 'little brass'; so if I'm thinking too big, just let me know.

Here are a few old pics. Sorry about the quality.

[randgust]

I agree that the Kato NW2 parts are really, really good.  I was hoping that they'd break the parts up a little better when they put them on the Kato parts website.  You can get the entire mechanism as one part, and ONE of the trucks as another part ($$#@!), so if you want that nifty offset gearbox and two trucks you're into as much $$$ as almost buying an entire NW2.  I figured if I could get that gearbox separately I'd beaten the Heisler concept, using 11-105 trucks the way Waldbahner did.  I mean $67 from BLW gets you the whole NW2, so ordering parts from Kato rapidly gets uncompetitive.  I REALLY only wanted that gearbox!

It's still hard to beat the Kato 11-105/6/7 for $18 from Plazajapan, and the Tomytec TM-XX for $25-28.   There's a lot you could do if you could get cheaper chassis from sources.

The 11-105/6/7 has 27" wheels with a 5'6" wheelbase and new ones have low-profile wheels, and you can make the truck centers about anything you want.  The Tomytec has 33" wheels with 7'6" wheelbase, pizza cutters, and you can also set the truck centers all over the map by splicing the driveshafts.  The Kato NW2 has 42" wheels on an 8' wheelbase and I have no idea how you would change the truck centers.

The Tomytec also has an offset gear tower with the universal pivot right over the truck center, which helps preserve precious space.  The Tomytec has split axles like a Kato, so you could turn the flanges.  You can see my wheels turning here if you look at this photo on what I thought might be possible for a four wheeler, but also note that the Tomytec essentially fits in a 3/8" hole with a cutout.

[Bob Bufkin]

There's actually lots of room under that doodlebug.  Problem was it had 2 speeds.  Stop and warp 8.  Flew off the layout first time I ran it and never ran since.  Knowing Lee, it'll be up and running in no time. 
Bob