Funny thing, I was waiting for you to ask that question. I was playing around with a long strip pulled out of the scourging pad. It's quite curly. To straighten it you work it the same way you work a piece of wire that's curled. Except don't apply to much pressure on the "backwards" curve or it'll curl the other way. I haven't tried to solder it. But I would guess since it is copper coated that it should solder quite well.

Here's how I would solder it. Tack one end down. Wrap around boiler, pull tight and tack other end down. Work band so it's nice and straight and then tack a little more until you have it all soldered down.

Your going to provide a picture of how it's done right? Good.

Bernd

Your going to provide a picture of how it's done right? Good.

Here you go.  Check out the latest post on my Porter blog.

Nice job.

Bernd

What a great idea, Bernd (nice work too Ken)!

I can imagine all sorts of uses for those copper plated scouring sponges...

In other news;

I got shipping confirmation on my motors from eBay and Polou, and about to finalize my Mouser order. 

Going to be in Saskatoon next week to see a Rock concert (yes, I know grow up already) and I am hoping to visit the Sherline dealer I found there.

I love what you've done with the crane.  Are those motors going to fit OK with the roof mods?

I'm interested to see your take on getting power from the chassis to the cab.

Just for Ken. I turned a couple of winch spools tonight. I used 5/16" brass rod and turned up two spools. The little protrusion on the end is about .063" or 1/16" in diameter. They are a press fit in the hole on the motor.

Size comparison with a pencil. Quite small. I didn't follow any dimensions. I just eye balled both. The only thing I measured was the 1/16" shaft that fits in the hole on the motor. The length was eye balled.

Motors and winch drums mounted.

Next I'm going to start on the mounting the boom and running the cables.

Bernd

Kevin,

Glad to hear you're getting your parts together. Hope you can follow what I've done. Time to get a lathe, eh?

Going to be in Saskatoon next week to see a Rock concert (yes, I know grow up already) and I am hoping to visit the Sherline dealer I found there.

Why do I get the feeling your going to be coming home with a lathe. Remember to get the digital readouts. Makes for more precision when turning parts.

I love what you've done with the crane. Are those motors going to fit OK with the roof mods?

Thanks. More details to come. Take a look at the last picture above. Where I mounted the motors seems to work ok. You have to remember that I didn't do any measuring. So when you get to cutting the roof like I did, if that's what your going for, then be careful and measure ten times and cut once.

I'm interested to see your take on getting power from the chassis to the cab.

I've been contemplating that for a while now. I'm not sure I like the idea of wipers. Makes for one more place for a bad connection. Think of it, wipers on the wheels and then wipers to get it to the decoder in the shell. I was thinking of running the wires up through the center and will have to remember not to keep winding the cab in the same direction all the time. When I get to that portion of the project I'll be posting how and why I did it the way I did.

Bernd

Awesome spools!

Kevin,

Glad to hear you're getting your parts together. Hope you can follow what I've done. Time to get a lathe, eh?

Bernd,

You know it!  I probably won't be coming home with the lathe though.  This trip I am hoping to drop in and see the lathe in person, maybe get to fondle it a little bit, lol!

I'll be back in Saskatoon in October and if all goes well, a lathe (with DRO) and some accessories will be coming home with me at that time.  I've got to turn my own spools, I am so jealous!

Where I mounted the motors seems to work ok. You have to remember that I didn't do any measuring. So when you get to cutting the roof like I did, if that's what your going for, then be careful and measure ten times and cut once.

It looks like it will be fine.  I am thinking I would like to add a muffler but not sure about an air tank.  I will be certain to measure things up and will assemble the motors and mount before making any cuts.

I've been thinking about power routing too and besides the ideas presented by Geoff in his article I am trying to come up with other solutions.  One idea might be to use a slip ring but I need to see what that looks like when paired with the cab rotation system.

Kevin

Don't think that'll work. The slip ring needs to be mounted in the center of the rotating cab were the motor is mounted. I've been thinking of mounting a motor under the frame and using a gearing system on the next crane.

As far as cutting out a portion of the roof for just a muffler you could just mount the muffler on the roof.

Bernd

I was talking about an interference problem earlier. Well, I discovered I had one. Not only that I damaged the 4 mounting posts that hold the shell on the swing base. Here are the pictures.

The red line shows how much I'm going to take off.

Job done.

Here's the damage I did trying to screw down the shell. Two pictures of front and back of shell.

Yup, split all four holes in the plastic. Think I'll take a rest from this project for a couple of days and do something else. Need a change of pace.

Perhaps start working on the HOn30 tram line that will carry gravel to a rotary dumper to dump into a bin that loads standard gauge cars. Thinking of using an old plan drawn up by Chuck Yungkurth in Model Railroader April 1966 called the Gum Stump & Snowshoe RR.

Bernd

For those interested in the digression, here's a track plan and some examples.  I tend to favor the ones which include a runaround, to avoid the need for two engines.

Small Layout Scrapbook 38a

Yup, split all four holes in the plastic. Think I'll take a rest from this project for a couple of days and do something else. Need a change of pace.

I feel your frustration, Bernd.  May I suggest gluing in some new styrene tubes before you take your rest?  That way the glue will have plenty of time to cure, and you can come back fresh and new and start over.  An alternative suggestion, since you have a lathe handy, would be to make some brass extensions.  Cut off the damaged portions of the shell (using the mill for consistency) and re-tap the remaining portion.  Then thread the extensions in, and screw the floor to those.

Also, those spools (I love those, by the way! Lacquer them and I'd wear 'em as cuff links).  Have you thought about drilling a hole through the spool, to securely tie the thread on?  Or were you planning on simply gluing it into place to hold it?