Matt Kirichok said:
I don’t have vacuum line
How about drip sprinkler line, or even better, the drip soaker line? I’m using the soaker line for friction material on the pulleys I fabricated and as flexible coupling between the motive power and Endless Wave.
I almost tossed in the towel on the tin plate and do a re-do with wood. I decided to forge ahead and just try to fix my mistakes. Rule #1 - have fun. And that is what I’m doing. With all the mistakes, I’m learning (at least what NOT to do next time :-)).
Learning is part of the challenge Matt. Trying things you haven’t done before. Your build is looking goor\d and I’m waiting to see the action.
@todd: Yeah. I have a soaker hose - in fact, I might have a piece of one. I’ll have to check tomorrow in the shed and bring in a piece, just in case the rubber bands don’t work out.
@Dave: Thanks. I figured for the challenge, i’d do things that were out of my comfort zone - no fun for me doing things I know I can do 
Matt,
I too am on a steep learning curve with many of the techniques I am using. But that’s what is fun for me and I get the idea that it is the same for you. I like where your going with it and Stick with it and keep having fun.
After all those words of encouragement, work progressed well. Here is the completed frame for the ferris wheel:
I used some brass rod to support it and then some screws to secure it all together.
Next, the seats for the ride:
I’ve got all six seats cut, folded, and paint scraped. I just need to solder the seat sides to keep it all together and then paint. Not sure how that is going to get done with temps between 30-45F. I just might go outside, spray, and then bring back inside to dry. Or hope for a warm day between now and Feb. 14th.
Next I need to attach the seats to the brass rods so they swing freely as the wheel turns. Back to that scrape paper to draw up some ideas and then to test them out.
Very well made and sturdy. Very good metal workmanship. Looking forward to seeing more.
Tom
I like the tin work. Very cool and not being done elsewhere here at east not to this extent. Very nice.
Yup, I join this little family of your admirers. I love metal work, and every project by someone else like this gives me ideas to build on for my own future projects. You’re doing absolutely great, Matt!
PS: have you given any thought to baking your paint finishes? Very durable and professional-looking.
I have never done this, but as I understand it, it’s actually very simple. You use enamel paints, and stick the things in the oven at a pretty low temp, say around 175°F for 20 minutes or so. Some Brit modelers are pretty big on baked enamel finishes, especially on their locos. A few years back I read some very helpful info on this which some of them have been good enough to post online.
Just a thought, again, in that good-old tinplate tradition.
I love what you’re doing. Cheers!
Matt Kirichok said:
. I just need to solder the seat sides to keep it all together and then paint. Not sure how that is going to get done with temps between 30-45F. I just might go outside, spray, and then bring back inside to dry. Or hope for a warm day between now and Feb. 14th.
I found my self in the same dilemma the other day. I waited until my wife and son left for the morning, covered the dining room floor with news paper and went at it. By the time she got home a few hours later you could hardly tell I did it. Love the metal work!
Well, I just couldn’t wait till tomorrow. Should be about 50 tomorrow. Today is about 48 - close enough. I cound’t wait (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)I’ve got more details to put on but I need the ferris wheel painted and attached to the flat car so I know where the empty spaces are.
@Randy, I’ve done that in the past, but my wife can smell the fumes hours after I’ve done the painting. I’ve already got in trouble once and promised that I’d do all future painting outdoors. I did warn her that with this challenge coming to a close next weekend, I might have to spary outside, but bring the items inside to let dry. I’ll see how it goes.
That is the way to do it Matt, dash outside with the parts, spray them then dash back in to let them dry.
I did just that the other day in a snow storm with bits from my build.
Keep up the good work
oh, no. I’ve got less than 24 hrs to finish this up. I caught a cold last Sunday, then it hit me with a vengance on Thursday and I was bed bound. I’m getting better now, but my head still gets in a cloud from time to time. Sorry I haven’t posted, just not in the mood to work on it. I did a little last weekend and was not able to post, so where is what it looks like. It is just about done, need to add one or two bits of detail and try to get the mechanics to work - it is just not working out.
While I was recovering, my team of minions have been working hard (well, except for Fred - he’s been blinking his light all this time (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)).
Looks like you’ll pull this off; it’s coming into view very well. I like it.
The question is who will be up later tonight of all of us!
That really sprang to life. Can’t wait to see the more telling shots. Nice job.
Even though the build challenge is done, this build isn’t. As someone pointed out in the voting, that they would have liked to see this working. So would I. So, I’m still trying to figure out how to get the ferris wheel to turn. I’m suspecting that the rubber band that goes from the bottom of the car to the ferris wheel is too elastic and is not strong enough to turn the ferris wheel. As I write this, I’ve got an idea to use some ribbon that my wife has. I’ll let you all know if that works better…if not, then I’ll be asking for some ideas/help.
Fat wheels for the rubber band to grip, axles may not provide enough surface.
I think I smell cotton candy!
John
Matt Kirichok said:
Even though the build challenge is done, this build isn’t. As someone pointed out in the voting, that they would have liked to see this working. So would I. So, I’m still trying to figure out how to get the ferris wheel to turn. I’m suspecting that the rubber band that goes from the bottom of the car to the ferris wheel is too elastic and is not strong enough to turn the ferris wheel. As I write this, I’ve got an idea to use some ribbon that my wife has. I’ll let you all know if that works better…if not, then I’ll be asking for some ideas/help.
While I am not an engineer, I can see that you are having an “engineering problem.” I’ll explain using your pics:
In this first pic, you turn a central shaft using the axles of the rail car. The center shaft has roughly half the diameter of the axles so will turn roughly twice as fast as the axles.
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/GVZ5qZ-pudlviFtKNkYZy6rK90LUSzDOB5-9EKUJvg=s208-p-no)
Then you run a “belt” from this central axle up to run the Ferris wheel. The belt that runs the Ferris wheel travels at twice the speed of the belts to the wheel axles (because the shaft spins roughly twice as fast) and will be quite fast.
The “pullies” on both the central axle and Ferris wheel are relatively the same size so will spin at the same speed. The Ferris wheel must also turn at this speed. So the jist is that the Ferris wheel must turn twice per every rotation of the rail car’s wheels…, and that’s just not going to happen.
If you want to run it in its current configuration, you need to put a big pulley on the Ferris wheel for its belt to ride in to slow it down. Again, the difference in diameter is in direct relation to the difference in speed.
Perhaps if you could run the belt around the Ferris wheel itself you could get a suitable speedmout of it.
Thanks for the tips. I’ll look into them when I get a chance, maybe Friday. At this point it is just getting the Ferris wheel to turn (regardless of speed). The car axles do turn the central axle, but the trouble I’m having is getting the Ferris wheel to turn. I like John’s idea of more surface area. I’m going to try that next.
Good luck, it looks great!
John