DalaGStanator's Customs, Mods and Experiments

After I took apart the Dübs crane tank experiment, I kept the motor glued to the gearbox and had another go at a motorised Plarail-compatible transfer table. The old base and straight track I made for it still exist, so all I had to do was add a new track in the middle and extend the base to make the platform reach the edges. While my first try had a good, practical setup that nearly worked, one thing I did wrong was putting a single gear (later a cardboard wheel) on the axle thinking it would mesh with a rack that had an incorrect tooth size/spacing. No wonder why it often slipped, disengaged or stalled altogether. For this version, I made better wheels with balloon rubber traction tyres and put the unit on the new middle track. No more wheelslip, though the platform wasn't fully balanced and should've had a rear counterweight. I thought about using one of my Thomas type DUs to move it, but I only have two spare ones and one has an annoyingly stiff switch.



Rather than two four-wheeled dollies on their own tracks, it now rests on rectangular runners (skids) that slide along cling film cutter rails. I previously tried this technique when I wasn't sure how I could motorise it, hence why they were glued to the base before I took it out again. One might think the pieces of paper at the bottom would increase friction, but they were mainly added to extend the runners and make the platform a little more stable. Unlike the previous runners, they have triangular supports to keep them from falling off/bending too easily.



Once I could tell where the platform should stop when it got to the other edge, a bumper was added so it couldn't move further and derail. Could've also put one at the back, though I relied more on the long wires for the motor and thought it wouldn't be needed.



Since I (initially) wanted to power and control the unit from the base, the extension was sized to fit a 2x AA pack. Holes were added to guide the wires under the track and out the other side so it wouldn't run over them, and also to keep them out of view. My only three-way switch had three prongs with unused holes on the other side, and I had no good way to make new ones to achieve this circuit. After trying to find a convenient spot to operate it from, the power wires were connected to the same "poor man's" polarity reverser I originally used: a dial with two live rods that make contact with three nails wired to each other and the motor. Main problem with this method was the long wires couldn't be hidden or anchored since they had to move with the platform without getting stuck. A top view of the transfer table with the controller wired to it:



These blue and brown wires were replaced with a polarised two-wire cord (below) from an existing wired controller; they were only there to show how the design worked and aren't even connected in this photo. I briefly tried guiding them through a hole in the side near the dial, though it gave a bad range of motion and they often got too close to the wheels. Nearly asked for advice on wiring it in a cleaner (yet still functional) way, until I decided the batteries and switch should be on the platform itself in a later revision. Even if the dial were directly behind the unit, the wires would likely have to move sideways when it returns to the other track. How the table would look on a layout:



It happens to be (just about) level with Plarail track on two quarter risers, though it wasn't measured to a particular riser height. Since the platform is R-01 length, it can fit an engine +one car or a tender engine but not a consist. Plarail track doesn't have both connectors at both ends, so having the female ends facing each other may require TrainLab or similar adapters at certain points on each line. To rectify this, I might try giving it dedicated connectors like official destinations have. Speaking of which, a real one would also have a stop/go tab so engines won't have to be turned off on it.



Like the motorised engines I've built for the UE track with this gearbox, it could also run on a piece of normal track (which might help it grip better thanks to the teeth in its rails). If I had the unique DU from the Forward/Reverse Thomas, it would've surely been one of the best ways to power it; apart from its torque, it could also be wired with the battery(ies) next to it and the track in front unlike a Flat or Chassis Based DU. I should hopefully be able to get a proper six prong three-way switch so I could rebuild it with on board power and other improvements.

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Last month, I watched many video tutorials for homemade rotary tools/"mini drills" made with plain DC motors at high voltages (ranging from 3.7V to 9V) and no gearing to try building one myself; I learnt about the existence of very small chucks that can fit on the shafts of such motors and be tightened with hex keys. My dad offered to see whether he could find such chucks for the idea, only to decide it would make more sense to order a whole tool with its own attachments; he did, and this is what I received. It's actually fairly well made and intuitive once I learnt how to use it, and it came with a good selection of bits that'll help with higher quality materials; mainly wood, plastic, PVC and various thin metals. In fact, the drill bits are tiny enough to penetrate something as thin as a 'matchstick' without cracking it. Apart from the usual sanding, cutting, smoothing, reshaping, etc., it could also be used like a mini lathe to remove/prevent imperfections in round parts. Only the shaft for the saw blade was found to have mild damage and needed a custom alternative, though it's otherwise brilliant. Definitely more practical in cases where my power screwdriver wouldn't do.