Death Valley Monorail

[marc_reusser]

Paul,

I don't think they could be made active......at least not for more than just a slight manual/partial movement here and there to prove that they turn. The PE is not really meant to be moved, turned, bent etc beyond what is required for initial assembly. Also...because the "shafts/rollers" consist only of a piece of brass rod, there is no real way (short of possibly a ton of fine soldering) to fix the brass pin/rod to the outer link plates in order to keep them from "slipping off" during movement.


If I did my math correctly, this is how much chain one should be able to get out of the set

300 links plates divided by 2 (as each link requires 2 plates) = 150 links x .095" (link length) = 14.25"

This 14.25" then needs to be about halved again, because (as you know) on a chain, links interlock and overlap......so you end up with about a 7-1/8" long chain (plus a bit).




M

[Hauk]

Chains for RC motorbikes in 1/8 or 1/5 might be a source of working chains.
I googled a bit and found this site:
http://2wheelhobbies.com



A spare chain for a Kyosho bike in 1/8 sells for $12.00.

They might do the trick for static models as well, if they are delicate enough.

Regards, Håvard

[marc_reusser]

Great find/idea Havard.

They definitely look more "realistic" than the Servo-link ones.

I have an R/C shop down the street from me...will have to drop in and see if they carry parts for motorcylcles.



M

[Chuck Doan]

Nice find Havard! I'll see about getting a hold of some. it looks good!

Marcs chains might work for the offset crank drive they mounted on the radiator.

[jacq01]

Chuck,

which parts you intend to have 3D printed ? 
When you decide to built it, will it be a sort of pedastal with a small piece of track with the engine sitting on it or a small landscaped diorama?

  Jacq

[Chuck Doan]

Hi Jacq,
I have ordered the drive wheels as a start to see what the quality will be. I should know next week.

If I build it, it will be as you said, a short section of track on a small base with simple scenery. If I somehow stay interested, it would be nice to do one of the cars too.

[Belg]

Chuck, this is some wonderful Cad work. I was wondering do you think you should add some skid plates at the front of the balancing beam sideframe? You know to beat down the weeds and the occasional small critters that run by the tracks or track in your case.  Pat

[Brent]

I recently saw products from a 3D printer at a trade show -- they were impressive. Interlocking parts moved inside each other. Exact copies were made from 3D images of things like human spines. The colors were accurate. I was given a sample and marveled at it until I dropped it and it shattered. Other than being brittle, the finish was grainy, almost like sandstone, so unless one used a higher resolution setting, 3D printing might not be ideal for smaller scales.

[Hauk]

I recently saw products from a 3D printer at a trade show -- they were impressive. Interlocking parts moved inside each other. Exact copies were made from 3D images of things like human spines. The colors were accurate. I was given a sample and marveled at it until I dropped it and it shattered. Other than being brittle, the finish was grainy, almost like sandstone, so unless one used a higher resolution setting, 3D printing might not be ideal for smaller scales.

Sounds like a part made by a Zcorp 3D printer. Even at the printers highest resolution, you will get the grainy finish. This is probably due to the nature of the material used for the parts, wich is a sort of plaster. Thats also why they are so brittle.

But there are many alternatives to the Zcorp printers. For instance, Print-A-Part uses InVision printers that produces parts in a sort of plastic that is said to be durable enough for finished parts.   

Regards, Håvard H

[finescalerr]

Håvard, how do you know all this stuff? Your breadth of knowledge never fails to impress me, let alone the fact that you communicate flawlessly in at least three languages I can think of. -- Russ

[MrBrownstone]

Hey Russ,

I concur...

Hauk you are one very vastly informed modeler... you appear to be well rounded in your skills (I think that is what Russ is saying too)

Mike

[Hauk]

Håvard, how do you know all this stuff? Your breadth of knowledge never fails to impress me, let alone the fact that you communicate flawlessly in at least three languages I can think of. -- Russ

Well, It might not come as a surprise that I search the net a lot...

I have planned for a long time to make some parts by 3D printing, and have done my homework! And thats very typical for me, I research everything to death before actually *doing* something!

As an architect student I spent too much time hanging out with the staff at the model workshop, especiallly when there where demos of new toys.

One of my friends has his own model company, and we discuss production methods and processes a lot.
Bottom line, I am probably to curious for my own good, I should try to spend less time researching and more time modelling. But I just love to research almost any topic, it´s sort of an addiction.

As for communicating in three languages, the only language besides norwegian I master to any useful degree is English.
In all other situations I use Google Translate and large doses of guesswork!

When I just *had* to get some more info on our very talented polish planebuilder friend, I just guessed my way throgh the registration process in Polish and then fired off a PM in English.

I really like that I in some weird way I have come across as a multi langual oracle, but unfortunately that is entirely undeserved.

[Franck Tavernier]

Awesome project Chuck!

[jacq01]

 

I have ordered the drive wheels as a start to see what the quality will be. I should know next week

  I wonder what the quality will be. most probably not suitable for operation purposes.

  For an small car manufacturer we did a small number of lithographic built up dashpanels based on CAD data. 
  One for packaging testing ( how all parts fit) and two for homologation testing. Surface quality was not the best as the layers remained visible.

Jacq

[MrBrownstone]

Hey Chuck,

came accross a couple of 1924 photo's of the monorail your building.

Don't forget the umbrella... 


Mike