Cobbling together a flanger/spreader

seigezapf

seigezapf

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Mike's photo of the Accucraft flanger behind his rotary has motivated me to put together a flanger/spreader to complement my rotaries. I am using this one as an inspiration though I do not intend to model it closely.



Progress so far.

I started with an LGB Stainz and an Aristocraft caboose.



First off was to remove the cupola to move it forward.



Then the Stainz drive was removed and modified. The Aristocraft and Stainz chassis were combined with much fiddling and dremeling.



The resulting basic unit.



I added an LGB Mogul snow plow to the chassis.



Some painting and such to this point.



Parts for the wings and weights are on order. More modifications, painting, weathering etc. are planned.

Craig
 
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Excellent!

I begin to see a use for the 'Echo' rolling stock I have..
 
seigezapf said:
Mike's photo of the Accucraft flanger behind his rotary has motivated me to put together a flanger/spreader to complement my rotaries. I am using this one as an inspiration though I do not intend to model it closely.



Progress so far.

I started with an LGB Stainz and an Aristocraft caboose.



First off was to remove the cupola to move it forward.



Then the Stainz drive was removed and modified. The Aristocraft and Stainz chassis were combined with much fiddling and dremeling.



The resulting basic unit.



I added an LGB Mogul snow plow to the chassis.



Some painting and such to this point.



Parts for the wings and weights are on order. More modifications, painting, weathering etc. are planned.

Craig
Click to expand...
A pretty impressive bit of kit, and the model is coming on well, but what does it do? If you can excuse my ignorance?o_O
 
Looking like a great bit of work so far - even if the thread title does sound like something from Rambling Syd Rumpo.....
"Ello me dearios, tonight I shall be a'cobblin' me Flanger....."

:rofl:

Jon.
 
Thanks for the comments. I was never totally clear on the distinctions between a flanger and a spreader. I believe flangers are used to clear snow from the tracks. Spreaders (e.g. Jordan spreader), as Alan says, are used to spread ballast. They are also commonly used to clear snow and in some cases as ditchers (or so I have read). Mine will be used for snow - following the rotary or on its own.

Rambling who? Aha, comedian on the BBC. Yes, I have probably used cobble and its variants too much. I did, however, try speaking what you quoted Jon and I kinda like the sound of it. But I must be careful using it on the internet as one meaning of cobbler is "a person who illegally forges passports and other documents." I wouldn't want to cobble together a prison sentence from a misunderstanding.

Craig
 
seigezapf said:
Mike's photo of the Accucraft flanger behind his rotary has motivated me to put together a flanger/spreader to complement my rotaries. I am using this one as an inspiration though I do not intend to model it closely.



Progress so far.

I started with an LGB Stainz and an Aristocraft caboose.



First off was to remove the cupola to move it forward.



Then the Stainz drive was removed and modified. The Aristocraft and Stainz chassis were combined with much fiddling and dremeling.



The resulting basic unit.



I added an LGB Mogul snow plow to the chassis.



Some painting and such to this point.



Parts for the wings and weights are on order. More modifications, painting, weathering etc. are planned.

Craig
Click to expand...
Great bash:):),I`m assuming that the little beastie will be used for snow clearing?I have an Otto with a custom plow fitted(pics posted on here in electric locos,field loco thread)which weight for weight is about the same size,power weight ratio to the Stainz,if used in anger against the white stuff she can handle about 2ins of fresh snow,thats of course without flanger blades which will cause more resistance if you use them,this is of course if you are using the stainz chassis for power but it may be some extra weight may be needed in the caboose body as the plow blade digs in and the body tilts around the front axle(speaks from experience )and will aid traction too but your plan maybe is to use a pusher loco or two,it may be that I`m preaching to the converted but if not this may be of some use to you,In my case Otto is now redundant as plow made from an old tender is ready and waiting for that snow!!!!
 
Thanks Riograndad. Yes to push snow. Right now my intent is to run it behind a rotary that is itself driven, but only in two wheels. It will be followed by a 2-4-0. I'm hoping 5 sets of drive wheels will work, but I'll have to wait for snow to find out. I have ordered lead weights for the caboose. The wings when attached will offer further resistance, but I'm hoping to work out a system where they can be incrementally extended/retracted.

We don't seem to get too many deep snows here these days. Occasionally a foot or more may drop, but I don't think that anything I have will handle that.

Is you tender plow powered? I have admired your Field Loco conversions. Beautiful work.


Craig
 
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seigezapf said:
Thanks Riograndad. Yes to push snow. Right now my intent is to run it behind a rotary that is itself driven, but only in two wheels. It will be followed by a 2-4-0. I'm hoping 5 sets of drive wheels will work, but I'll have to wait for snow to find out. I have ordered lead weights for the caboose. The wings when attached will offer further resistance, but I'm hoping to work out a system where they can be incrementally extended/retracted.

We don't seem to get too many deep snows here these days. Occasionally a foot or more may drop, but I don't think that anything I have will handle that.

Is you tender plow powered? I have admired your Field Loco conversions. Beautiful work.


Craig
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Your welcome Craig,,and thanks for the comment,,No,plow is a old tender fitted with a blade,sits out on a spur 365 days a year outside and the paint is coming off,coal load is removable to able to load with stone/shingle,then pushed by LGB Alco and Little Mo locos,built 2 years ago and only used it once,only had an inch of snow since but theres always this winter but it worked ok.Problem here in the UK is that we tend to get wet heavy snow and not nice powdery stuff so tends to be stubbon to shift,would be hard for a rotary as would clog but other parts of the country may vary,further north for example,One other point is that my railroad is all elevated so I have no resistance through cuttings etc the plows just throw it off the sides.There are great vids on you tube on snow clearing if you have not seen them are worth a look.I`m interested on seeing those wings operating,,keep us posted on your build.:):););),,,if i can find a pic of plow will post it at some point later.,just a footnote,,,RGS No2 plow flanger was a great chunk of kit,derailed at Lizard Head Pass as I recall and was never recovered,my first plow was based on it and was a total disaster,still have the wreck of it somewhere:cry::cry::cry:!!!!
 
Riograndad said:
Your welcome Craig,,and thanks for the comment,,No,plow is a old tender fitted with a blade,sits out on a spur 365 days a year outside and the paint is coming off,coal load is removable to able to load with stone/shingle,then pushed by LGB Alco and Little Mo locos,built 2 years ago and only used it once,only had an inch of snow since but theres always this winter but it worked ok.Problem here in the UK is that we tend to get wet heavy snow and not nice powdery stuff so tends to be stubbon to shift,would be hard for a rotary as would clog but other parts of the country may vary,further north for example,One other point is that my railroad is all elevated so I have no resistance through cuttings etc the plows just throw it off the sides.There are great vids on you tube on snow clearing if you have not seen them are worth a look.I`m interested on seeing those wings operating,,keep us posted on your build.:):););),,,if i can find a pic of plow will post it at some point later.,just a footnote,,,RGS No2 plow flanger was a great chunk of kit,derailed at Lizard Head Pass as I recall and was never recovered,my first plow was based on it and was a total disaster,still have the wreck of it somewhere:cry::cry::cry:!!!!
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Can`t find any old pics so took this one quickly today complete with spiders webs and flaking paint,its an old fashioned push and shove:)PLOW 001.jpg
 
stockers said:
It spreads freshly tipped ballast
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Thanks for the info. I learn a lot from this forum and probably always will!
A snow plough round these parts is a bit of a luxury, as Riograndad said if we do get more than 1\2" of snow, its too wet to shift. Providing of course you're not stuck in you car for hours because we all know what an inch of snow does to our roads!
 
Thanks for the photo. Did that tender come with a plow or did you add it? I like the plow design as I'm sure the spiders do too.

The snow here (Colorado) Paul can be powdery in the Winter but wetter in the Spring. I have had as much as 24" here, but not recently. That would be a challenge.

Yes there are cool photos on the Internet, Here is a Jordan Spreader addressing a drift.
Pretty fancy how the main blade and wings are hydraulically raised, lowered and retracted. I maybe could replicate some of that with servos and remote control, but for now I'll stick with something simpler.
 
The first snow here Paul is similar. It seems people have forgotten how to drive on slick roads.

Progress on the spreader/flanger. I cannibalized some parts from an R/C chassis to make the wing mechanism. Next step is to attach blades to the mechanism.

 
seigezapf said:
The first snow here Paul is similar. It seems people have forgotten how to drive on slick roads.

Progress on the spreader/flanger. I cannibalized some parts from an R/C chassis to make the wing mechanism. Next step is to attach blades to the mechanism.

Click to expand...

That's very impressive. Looks strong enough to move mountains!:)
 
Good luck with your snow! The plow/flanger certainly has a "don't mess with me!" look about it.
 
MadMax goes G-scale! :giggle::giggle:

Perhaps, a grill over the big 'front' window? - Don't want the snow pushing it in.. :wondering:

Certainly looks 'the business'..
:rock::rock:
 
PhilP said:
MadMax goes G-scale! :giggle::giggle:

Perhaps, a grill over the big 'front' window? - Don't want the snow pushing it in.. :wondering:

Certainly looks 'the business'..
:rock::rock:
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Ditto about that window:D
 
seigezapf said:
Thanks for the photo. Did that tender come with a plow or did you add it? I like the plow design as I'm sure the spiders do too.

The snow here (Colorado) Paul can be powdery in the Winter but wetter in the Spring. I have had as much as 24" here, but not recently. That would be a challenge.

Yes there are cool photos on the Internet, Here is a Jordan Spreader addressing a drift.
Pretty fancy how the main blade and wings are hydraulically raised, lowered and retracted. I maybe could replicate some of that with servos and remote control, but for now I'll stick with something simpler.
Click to expand...
That monster looks the part,great build,,,,just wondering about that 24" inches of snow,scale it up in "G" would be more than a challenge;););)the one in the vid may not be big enough,as for the blade on my plow its laminated/shaped plasticard,custom built,the tender was an old R/C ANNIE item.
 
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