Member postings for Boldminer

Thanks for all the information everyone. It looks like I'm going to have to do some more searching over here. There is a power station located in Krabi (not too far from Phuket) i'll see if I can get to visit. That is a very interesting video posted by Hopper. My coal is also running out but I've located a stock yard in a place called Nakon Si Thammerat which I plan visit so until then I'm using charcoal ( it's like giving a donkey strawberries ) any comments . It so happens that my route to Nakon takes me through Krabi so wish me luck. Regards to all, Colin

Wow Neil, that was quick! thanks for the information

With regards to steam oil, is any oil better than no oil?. Is there an alternative, what would be the best? The problem is I'am fast running out and I just can't source any here in Thailand. Help and advice much appreciated. Kindest regards, Colin.

To all who replied to request for information about 'Ajax' springs, thank you for you time and assistance it is much appreciated. I shall now study form and proceed to purchase a suitable set from one of our suppliers. Many thanks and please excuse the typos in my request for help,it was done early in the morning and the old eyes weren't focusing properly.

Can anyone suggest suitable spring size for an Ajax and possible where I ight buy them. At present the ones being used are too soft and the loco moves like a cross between a camel and a jelly!

To all that were kind enough to respond to my plea for help, I have studied and restudied the information supplied by 4QD and on their web site but find there are a few areas where I still would appreciate a little help if you could be so kind............ My understanding and assumptions are as follows :-

1) If I am using 2 x12v batteries then the lead that connects the two together is broken by the main isolator that is placed conveniently at the rear of the cab.

2) A lead is taken from the negative terminal on the first battery to the terminal B- on the control unit with another lead from the same battery terminal going to the connection marked 4NC on the HRB wiring diagram.

3) The positive terminal on the other battery is wired directly to terminal 4NO on the HRB diagram.

4) A second wire from the positive terminal on the first battery is taken to terminal 3NO on the HRB board via an auxillary fuse.

5) The wiring for the horns is from connections 1NC and 1CO plus 2NC and 2NO respectively on the HRB board. Would I need to fit what I think are the catching diodes to these connections using connector blocks or are they fitted to the terminals on the horns themselves ?

6) Regarding the motors ( I am running 4 ) do I literally join all the 'positve' and all the 'negative' wires together in order to connect them to the single terminals on the DNO control unit, and at what point would they be joined? Am I OK to run the twisted motor wires alongside each other along the chassis to the controller?

7) Included with the noise suppresion kit is a red transient suppressor, do I need to fit this and if so do I simply fit it using a connector block?

8) Batteries.... can you recomend suitable batteries and would a simple trickle charging system be OK to keep the batteries charged?

I look forward to you replies and comments in order that I can complete the loco for my Thai grandson to use on the 5" track that I have constructed.

Appreciatively, Colin

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Hello Jon, what a wonderful offer,and if it were at all possible I would love to take you up on your offer of a visit. However as I live in Phuket,Thailand I cant see you being able to make it back home in time for tea although you would be made more than welcome welcome if you did come. Seriously though Jon I really do appreciate your response to my plea for help and even more so your very kind offer of a home visit. So inbetween domestic duties I intend to once again study the information supplied by 4QD to see if and where I need more guidance in order to be able to ask the relevent questions about the electrical installations.

Regards, Colin

Emgee and Noel, thank you for you promt replies/responses. Noel if you will give me a little time to colate the information I need I will message you with/for the help and information I require.

Rgards, Colin (Boldminer)

I am now ready to wire up my charlatan but not being schooled in electrickery I am completely overwelmed by the the information supplied to me by 4QD who supplied all of the components required for the job. Is there anyone out there that can point me in the right direction or supply a definitive step by step guide to completing the the wiring

Many thanks

First of all I must appologise to all who took the time and trouble to reply to my query, it appears that my first message of thanks is somewhere in the ether. Thank you Trevor for your kind offer of the two motors you have but following Daves link to the class 22 build I found exactly what I was looking for. Looking on the internet I discovered that I could buy them here in Thailand at a ridiculously low price so 4 have been ordered. I built a small dual gauge track here in Phuket for the enjoyment of the local kids ( me being the biggest ) and entertain them most Sunday afternoons. Presently I am down to my last bucketful of coal and am now using barbeque charcoal to fire the engines but have you ever tried feeding strawberries to a donkey, they're insatiable.

I have discovered a source of steam coal not too far away on the mainland but because of covid restrictions we are unable to leave the island hence the need for the Charlatan. So once again thanks to all

Regards, Colin

Edited By Boldminer on 13/10/2021 01:59:14

Edited By Boldminer on 13/10/2021 02:00:36

Sorry about the typo, the title should read....... Charlatan Motors

Can anyone please give a definitive answer as to what motors I should use for this loco and tell me where they can be purchased. I've spent too much time on the internet going around in circles and getting totally confused in the process,many thanks,

Colin

I would like to thank everyone who took the time to respnd to my request for help. I was refered to Simply Bearings of Leigh { Gtr Manchester } and what a fantastic service I recieved. I was emailed back within a couple of hours with the news of what I wanted was in stock. The bearings are now on their way to me in Phuket so once again thanks to all. Colin

My thanks to Brian and Chris for their very quick replies. I will most certainly act on their advice/recomendations. Unfortunately what I failed to mention was that i actually live in Phuket, Thailand, so I'm affraid nipping out to bearing services etc. is out of the question. As I mentioned I've spent 2 days trying to locate something on the internet but I cannot even find a bearing manufacturers product list to help me. I will use the links provided and hopefully secure the parts required in the UK. Mamy thanks, Colin

Is there anyone out there who can tell me where I can purchase thrust bearings for a Tom Senior M1 X Y and Z feed handles, 5 required. I have been trying on the internet to no avail for the last two days. Many thanks

Is there a hard and fast dictate or rule of thumb, to calculate how thick the fire bed should be in relation to lets say the bottom row of fire tubes or the bottom of the fire hole

Help, information and advice always gratefully accepted. Colin

Does anyone know of errors in the dimensions for the charlatan axles. I've just made a set to the specs on the drawings only to find that the wheels are grossly out of gauge!, They don't even fit between the frames. Using the dimension on the drawing in auto-cad the wheels again are shown to be out of gauge. To add to the confusion one machined side of the axle is show as being 1/2" shorter than the other side, leaving no room for the crank to be fitted. Have i missed something some where along the line ?

many thanks, Colin

Can anyone tell me if there is an error with the dimentions for the Charlatan axles as supplied by Blackgates. I've made and fitted the wheels again made to drawings only to find that they won't fit between the axle blocks.

I've copied the drawings onto auto-cad only to find the error is also present there as well. help please !

Thanks to all, I now have a good staring point. Next comes the hard part ( making it ).

Regards Colin

Can any-one advise me on the minimum radius for 5" track. I have just had a plot of land made available to me that is 20 meters x 20 meters and would like to erect a track so as to entertain the local kids here in Phuket. I brought my engines over with me with this in mind, but now I just need a little help to get started. A few locals have seen the engines in steam on rolling roads and were enthralled .For myself I hope to relive the enjoyment I got entertaining the kids back in the UK. The engines are 5 and 31/2"g and I need to know for sure whether this is the exact spacing between the tracks or is there an additional allowance to be included