Pot-Pourri - Odds and Ends Queries and Tips

[Hull Paragon]

I have one or two bits and pieces I wanted to post but I didn't want to clog up my loco build thread, nor any other thread....so I thought I'd try a multi-purpose thread to talk about odds and ends. So, first:

 

Has anyone experienced any problems with Proxxon drills? I bought a FBS 240/E about 4 years ago. Recently it developed a serious problem which after I stripped it down, I discovered was a bearing on the output shaft. The bearing had seized. The drill is used only for modelling purposes....usually drilling and small light milling. I asked an agent in the UK what I could do and they told me they would contact Proxxon. Like me, they thought that even though the drill is/was out of warranty, such a failure was rather unusual and shouldn't be acceptable. Proxxon thought otherwise and responded simply that it was out of warranty. However, they could do a spare shaft at around £30+ on a 5/6 week delivery. Much to my annoyance, I had to buy another one, (I already had the Proxxon drill press). Waiting 6 weeks was out of the question, and the cost was almost 50% of a new one anyway!

 

I wasn't too happy, so I have packaged it up and sent it to Luxembourg to check the bearing failure with their supplier (Surely, the supplier offers better than a 12 month warranty on components such as these?) I don't know what will happen but I remain optimistic...........

 

Ray

Edited May 12, 2019 by Hull Paragon
Typos

[Hull Paragon]

I was looking at  some S7 pointwork and commented to Paul Stokes on the underlay. I quite liked the look and feel of it as an alternative to cork.  It looked like  an exercise mat and Paull thought that it was originally marketed by Exactoscale. He thought that 3mm yoga mat could substitute...but that is relatively expensive.

 

Does anyone have any experience of a product like this please?

 

Ray

Edited May 12, 2019 by Hull Paragon

[mikeg]

Have a look in B&Q at the 5mm foam underlay for timber flooring it comes in 600mm sq interlocking sheets in packs of 10 for about £10 and is easy to cut with a craft knife, I used 50mm double sided carpet tape to fix it down.

 

regards mike 

[Hull Paragon]

I've just bought a new 7mm Class 31 body from Skytrex. He has finally been able to cast a satisfactory product and I picked it up at Reading yesterday. He used to do them some time ago but they went out of production. Suddenly, with Heljan's announcement, the Class 31 is back in business! Mine will complement the Hull based locos I am 'building'.....eventually!!

 

At some stage I will cut the necessary holes to fit my abc special bogies as well as other bits and pieces I have hidden away! So I wondered if anyone had built a Class 31 with the old Skytrex body and what advice they might have?

 

Ray

[Hull Paragon]

1 hour ago, mikeg said:

Have a look in B&Q at the 5mm foam underlay for timber flooring it comes in 600mm sq interlocking sheets in packs of 10 for about £10 and is easy to cut with a craft knife, I used 50mm double sided carpet tape to fix it down.

 

regards mike 

 

Thanks Mike.

 

I have some on my workshop floor but I had not considered them as an underlay solution. They are quite hard wearing........and cheap!

 

Ray

[Hull Paragon]

On 12/05/2019 at 16:13, mikeg said:

Have a look in B&Q at the 5mm foam underlay for timber flooring it comes in 600mm sq interlocking sheets in packs of 10 for about £10 and is easy to cut with a craft knife, I used 50mm double sided carpet tape to fix it down.

 

regards mike 

 

Mike

 

How did you fix your track down? I assume that if you nail or screw the sleepers to the subsurface, there is a chance that the underlay will be squashed causing uneven trackwork.

 

Thanks

 

Ray

Edited May 13, 2019 by Hull Paragon

[mikeg]

Ray, I used 15mm Hornby track pins pushed into the underlay then tapped in with a ‘toffee hammer’ so that they were just touching the sleepers but still allowing the sleepers to move. If you can’t get the Hornby pins then I would use 12mm panel pins but you have to counter sink the sleepers to allow for the head of the pins otherwise they tend to distort the sleepers as underlay will give if you hit the pins to hard.

 

 I use a 3mm machine centre drill to make holes in the sleepers and that makes the countersink as well you just need to be careful, I always use a handheld pin drill for this job as even a hand drill I found to be to heavy to control the depth of the countersink.

 

Hope this makes how I do it clear.

 

regards mike 

Edited May 14, 2019 by mikeg
Missing comma

[Hull Paragon]

On 14/05/2019 at 17:00, mikeg said:

Ray, I used 15mm Hornby track pins pushed into the underlay then tapped in with a ‘toffee hammer’ so that they were just touching the sleepers but still allowing the sleepers to move. If you can’t get the Hornby pins then I would use 12mm panel pins but you have to counter sink the sleepers to allow for the head of the pins otherwise they tend to distort the sleepers as underlay will give if you hit the pins to hard.

 

 I use a 3mm machine centre drill to make holes in the sleepers and that makes the countersink as well you just need to be careful, I always use a handheld pin drill for this job as even a hand drill I found to be to heavy to control the depth of the countersink.

 

Hope this makes how I do it clear.

 

regards mike 

 

Mike

 

Thanks for this information.....It is extremely useful. I like the centre drill tip!

 

Ray

[Hull Paragon]

On 12/05/2019 at 14:55, Hull Paragon said:

I have one or two bits and pieces I wanted to post but I didn't want to clog up my loco build thread, nor any other thread....so I thought I'd try a multi-purpose thread to talk about odds and ends. So, first:

 

Has anyone experienced any problems with Proxxon drills? I bought a FBS 240/E about 4 years ago. Recently it developed a serious problem which after I stripped it down, I discovered was a bearing on the output shaft. The bearing had seized. The drill is used only for modelling purposes....usually drilling and small light milling. I asked an agent in the UK what I could do and they told me they would contact Proxxon. Like me, they thought that even though the drill is/was out of warranty, such a failure was rather unusual and shouldn't be acceptable. Proxxon thought otherwise and responded simply that it was out of warranty. However, they could do a spare shaft at around £30+ on a 5/6 week delivery. Much to my annoyance, I had to buy another one, (I already had the Proxxon drill press). Waiting 6 weeks was out of the question, and the cost was almost 50% of a new one anyway!

 

I wasn't too happy, so I have packaged it up and sent it to Luxembourg to check the bearing failure with their supplier (Surely, the supplier offers better than a 12 month warranty on components such as these?) I don't know what will happen but I remain optimistic...........

 

Ray

 

Well, Luxembourg responded by sending me a brand new shaft with bearing and a letter of apology. I fitted the new shaft and now the drill runs perfectly.

 

Brilliant service from Proxxon Europe.......but not so good from Proxxon UK!

 

Ray