Increase smoke volume on old Hornby 57XX

Even older tom · Increase smoke volume on old Hornby 57XX

My workroom was full of the lovely aroma of hot solder and burnt flesh today.

I thought to have a go at putting a resistor in the 57XX circuit to see if I could get the smoke volume to increase but keep the speed down.
It sorta worked.

Wired her (Pam to her mates) without too much pain...

But the problem is that the 'puffer' mechanism is so old and worn that it leaks like a sieve and only a fraction comes out of the chimney. All the rest disperses inside the body.

Anyone got any bright ideas for sealing a small, old piston?

I'll keep on working on her and post a vid if the results are any good.

poliss

How hot does it get? Milliput is heat resistant to 130ºC.
http://www.frontiermodels.co.uk/M...poxy-Modelling-Putty-p-17458.html Or there's Loctite Repair Express Power Putty, Heat resistant to 150°C.
http://www.choiceful.com/choicefu...pair-Express-Power-Putty-75g.html

Even older tom

Thanks Pol but it's the actual piston that's worn. I need something equivalent to a piston ring. Oiling the cylinder works for a while (can't use grease, it's too gummy) but soon wears off.

I might have to find a new(er) piston.

poliss

Like one of these Tom?

http://tinyurl.com/c73f6d

Joe

Urm, ask RetorGoth, He may have some old spares, if that fails ask TNT.

Even older tom

Thanks Pol and Joe, That's exactly what I thought I needed but seeing the picture made me realise that mine is in THE SAME CONDITION so there must be something else wrong!!!?

I took it apart again and found that the exit hole had a lump of wick partially blocking it.

I cleaned it up and it's performing a lot better.

I'll see how it gets on..

Thanks again

poliss

You could still buy it as a spare.

Joe

A bit of wick? Ive always wondered how you start a Smoke effect locomotive... how do you?

Even older tom

The Hornby 'Syncrosmoke' locos had a heating element sitting on top of a wick (or wad) of what looks like horse hair, Joe! The wick absorbed the smoke oil, got warmed by the element and smoke was generated.
The Seuthe units just have a reservoir of oil with a submerged heating element. They both work on the same principle - power to the track heats the oil as well as runs the motor.

Now to today's fun and games...

I found that the Tri-ang motor (unlike the modern 'can' motors) has NO power when a resistor is used - it could hardly move the loco, let alone pull any wagons

! I'll need a smaller resistor to make her run properly - any ideas what rating I should try Pete? The one I used was a 0.6 watt.

Joe

Thanks for that Tom, is synchrosmoke still available to buy new? i Love the effect pam and Dave give btw, its very smokey (good look pam on the operation)

Teleman

Fit two

if you connect them in parallel it will half the value and double the current that can go through

Even older tom

Teleman

Even older tom

"Thats right

its all down to Ohms Law

ie 2 divided by 2 = 1"

Doh! I knew I should have stayed awake during Physics lectures!

poliss

Think of a tap letting a small amount of water through. If you add another tap in parallel you get twice as much water. It's all to do with Xmas tree lights and whether they stay on or go off when a bulb blows. I think.

Teleman

Thats series Pol , Thats why the bulbs are 12 volt ones , 20 x 12 = 240 , the voltage of the mains

Even older tom

Cheers, lads. I've just re-wired her and she's running and looking wonderful!

Vid to follow (Yawn

)

Teleman

Youtube on stand by

Even older tom

Well, it's uploaded and I was just about to tell you all when I noticed that 10 have already seen it and there's already a comment.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=FwMeKaLhHfc

And Pete and the Forum are mentioned in the notes!

Teleman

I was waiting for it ( had a tab open on your youtube channel )

I gave it a 5 star rating

But wheres Dave !

Even older tom

Thanks Pete. Note the new job description I've given you on the forum 'resident leccy'.
Hope you don't mind!

Teleman

Thats fine Tom

I have been called worst

poliss

*best rapper voice *SMOKIN!!

Even older tom

Thanks everyone, I'm just sooo pleased with the results.

Now that I've severely compromised the workings of this 1971 loco, I'm thinking that I might as well go the whole hog and do a paint/detail job on the body.

Watch this space...