stu357 Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 I've been considering buying a Dapol track cleaner for a while, while I'm happy with the piece of hardboard dipped in isoproponol for actual cleaning , the vacuum cleaner part really appeals. I have a long tunnel with a set of points in and sometimes a bit of ballast in there can cause havoc! It's a lot of money for that though, especially when you can get a USB keyboard vac for £1 I had an old lima coach that I last worked on 33 years ago! so that was ripe for cutting up. the vacuum was over loading gauge, so that needed a lot cutting off, but it still seems to suck well as long as you only cut bits off the motor side. it sucks whichever direction the motor is running so with a resistor across its contacts it seems to run at the right speed. the nozzel is just a piece of heat shrink, so that was easy to extend Well, It works suprisingly well when shunted around by a Hornby SD 08, that's just the right speed. I wasnt sure it would work, that's why I did such a quick hack job. I might make a better one next. Here it is vacuuming the station! Hope thats of some use to someone. Stu. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Nile Posted November 24, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 24, 2014 Brilliant idea. But how do you empty it? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium ELTEL Posted November 24, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 24, 2014 Leave it the carriage sidings overnight for the cleaners Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffP Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 Very good idea. And here's me thinking a "Hoover" was a class 50.......... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stu357 Posted November 25, 2014 Author Share Posted November 25, 2014 Seems I forgot the emptying shots! I kept the vac as a working unit and just shaved bits off to fit the coach. the coach is just a carrier and power pick up. So I just remove the roof, pull out the vac twist off the bayonet dust collector end and empty, and here are todays hooverings! suprised me how much was in there too! It goes back together just as easy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David68 Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 There is only one word for that - Genius! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium TheQ Posted November 25, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 25, 2014 forgive me for going off topic but I notice the support brackets in the vacuuming the station are very like the brackets on the station I wish to model, could you tell me the make please. Oh and I like very much your usb vacuum I'll definitely be building one, another use for a one of those very cheap carriages many people bought! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stu357 Posted November 25, 2014 Author Share Posted November 25, 2014 forgive me for going off topic but I notice the support brackets in the vacuuming the station are very like the brackets on the station I wish to model, could you tell me the make please. Oh and I like very much your usb vacuum I'll definitely be building one, another use for a one of those very cheap carriages many people bought! Thanks, They are the newer Hornby ones, Actually the entire platforms are, they are just covered in printed paper! Imagine them in gloss green, these ones in fact, http://www.ehattons.com/7247/Hornby_R514_Platform_Canopy_x_2/StockDetail.aspx Stu Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium TheQ Posted November 26, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 26, 2014 Thanks, They are the newer Hornby ones, Actually the entire platforms are, they are just covered in printed paper! Imagine them in gloss green, these ones in fact, http://www.ehattons.com/7247/Hornby_R514_Platform_Canopy_x_2/StockDetail.aspx Stu I hadn't looked at the complete canopies as I only need the brackets and they are the nearest I've seen to what I need, Unfortunately this looks like I'll have to buy a pack and consign the rest of the bits to the parts bin for future uses. Thanks for your help. Q Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avionyx Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 That vacuum is absolutely brilliant. A "stu-vac" is now on the to do list! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Intercity125 Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 Wow. That really sucks Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium JDW Posted December 3, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 3, 2014 Excellent idea! All it needs now is a coat of yellow paint and some Network Rail logos... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
royaloak Posted December 4, 2014 Share Posted December 4, 2014 Excellent idea! All it needs now is a coat of yellow paint and some Network Rail logos... and you could put in on Ebay for £150! Finished that for you! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
69843 Posted December 5, 2014 Share Posted December 5, 2014 I'm thinking I may have to nick this idea! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xerces Fobe2 Posted December 5, 2014 Share Posted December 5, 2014 I think I fitting one of the into an old Lima Hoover would save the need for a sound chip too! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
crompton 33 Posted December 7, 2014 Share Posted December 7, 2014 Your local poundland have the usb vacuum cleaner's in stock. Mine only had white or pink in stock. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNERGE Posted December 8, 2014 Share Posted December 8, 2014 Your local poundland have the usb vacuum cleaner's in stock. Mine only had white or pink in stock. Cor how much are they? <g> Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grovenor Posted December 8, 2014 Share Posted December 8, 2014 Cor how much are they? <g> That vital info was in the very first post! <g> Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongRail Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 Stu, Hope you don’t mind but I have copied your idea and made one of these myself, finished photo. To get the vacuum to sit better into the coach I lined the dust collection part with “Milliput” so that I could file this down to reduced its width so that it fitted between the coach sides and allowed the roof to fit properly. If you would like to see a few more photos they can be found on this link. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/94392-track-maintenance-vehicles/?p=1734791 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DenbyModeller Posted April 14, 2017 Share Posted April 14, 2017 I'm definitely going to make one of these for my layout! I wonder if it could be ran off of battery power? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
crompton 33 Posted April 14, 2017 Share Posted April 14, 2017 You can use a PP3 battery as they are 9 volt. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.