gregh
electronics, computers and scratchbuilding
My last loco build was an 0-6-0 for my granddaughter. see
http://www.gscalecentral.net/m93755
Now I?ve built a small Bo diesel for a grandson. It?s vaguely based on a sugar cane type loco.
I used an Aristo block (ART29351) as used in their L?il Critter and RS3 locos. I removed the nice Aristo side frames for future use (I?ll use them on a dummy bogie for a future diesel using another motor block I just purchased ? can?t resist the low US dollar prices).
I then made up some side frames from bits and pieces, mainly to hide the motor block and the eight, AA, NiMH cells ? I put 4 cells at each end of the motor block. That leaves the hood for the RC and sound.
The original frames were attached to lugs on the motor sides, so I used these lugs to attach the whole new base plate to the motor block. I cut the baseplate from 1.5mm styrene and contact glued 8mm ?sleeper? timber under it to allow a screw to go through the lug and into the wood. Here?s the underside without the motor block. It?s 230mm long.
The hood is cut from 1.5mm styrene with 0.5mm for doors and some cutouts for louvres. (Luckily I have a supply of ?tropical? insect screen used in northern Australia, which is just right for louvres!) The cross section size of the hood was determined by the 50mm dia speaker I mounted at the front. It?s contact glued in place over a 40mm hole and covered with 2 layers of (normal) flyscreen offset from each other. The hood top is 1.5mm styrene slightly chamfered around edges. Two 0.5mm pieces glued to hood for effect. It?s held on by 2 small magnets. The muffler is made from a ball-point pen casing and some wire. There?s no more ?detail? as it will be handled by kids.
Cab sides and ends from 1.5mm styrene with windows cut out and some small ?frames? of 0.5mm styrene glued on around windows. I painted the whole thing and then scraped the paint off the raised frames to show the white styrene. ?Glass? is overhead transparency sheet glued inside.
While still in pieces, all styrene was washed in soapy water and allowed to dry for a day. Then undercoated with spray Primer and allowed to dry for 2 days before final coats.
The diagonal stripes on the ?pilots? were done by using masking tape cut out and painting red. Be sure to remove tape within a day of painting!
I had a spare 433 MHz RC unit so used it with a Picaxe for motor PWM control and 2nd Picaxe for sound, to fit in the hood. The on/off switch and charging studs are located under the running board.
Watch a 1 minute video here?.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ifc5Yu98yvw
http://www.gscalecentral.net/m93755
Now I?ve built a small Bo diesel for a grandson. It?s vaguely based on a sugar cane type loco.
I used an Aristo block (ART29351) as used in their L?il Critter and RS3 locos. I removed the nice Aristo side frames for future use (I?ll use them on a dummy bogie for a future diesel using another motor block I just purchased ? can?t resist the low US dollar prices).
I then made up some side frames from bits and pieces, mainly to hide the motor block and the eight, AA, NiMH cells ? I put 4 cells at each end of the motor block. That leaves the hood for the RC and sound.
The original frames were attached to lugs on the motor sides, so I used these lugs to attach the whole new base plate to the motor block. I cut the baseplate from 1.5mm styrene and contact glued 8mm ?sleeper? timber under it to allow a screw to go through the lug and into the wood. Here?s the underside without the motor block. It?s 230mm long.
The hood is cut from 1.5mm styrene with 0.5mm for doors and some cutouts for louvres. (Luckily I have a supply of ?tropical? insect screen used in northern Australia, which is just right for louvres!) The cross section size of the hood was determined by the 50mm dia speaker I mounted at the front. It?s contact glued in place over a 40mm hole and covered with 2 layers of (normal) flyscreen offset from each other. The hood top is 1.5mm styrene slightly chamfered around edges. Two 0.5mm pieces glued to hood for effect. It?s held on by 2 small magnets. The muffler is made from a ball-point pen casing and some wire. There?s no more ?detail? as it will be handled by kids.
Cab sides and ends from 1.5mm styrene with windows cut out and some small ?frames? of 0.5mm styrene glued on around windows. I painted the whole thing and then scraped the paint off the raised frames to show the white styrene. ?Glass? is overhead transparency sheet glued inside.
While still in pieces, all styrene was washed in soapy water and allowed to dry for a day. Then undercoated with spray Primer and allowed to dry for 2 days before final coats.
The diagonal stripes on the ?pilots? were done by using masking tape cut out and painting red. Be sure to remove tape within a day of painting!
I had a spare 433 MHz RC unit so used it with a Picaxe for motor PWM control and 2nd Picaxe for sound, to fit in the hood. The on/off switch and charging studs are located under the running board.
Watch a 1 minute video here?.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ifc5Yu98yvw
