I recently picked up two Climax locos rather cheap. One in running order the other needs a fair amount of repair (hasnt been delivered yet).
Anyway i plan to doccument my work on these two locos here.
The first was in excelent condition as far as paint.
I removed it from the box and all looked well. Placed it on my test track connected it to the power and wow it was a nasty Noise. Had more of a look at it and the paint job although looking very nice looks as though it had just been sprayed as one whole model. Not taken apart painted bit by bit.
The result of this style of painting.... paint through all the many gears worms and also in the open frame motor. it looked like the origional oil was still on the trucks and everything.
Lastnight i started my rebuild taking pictures along the way and hopefully tonight i will get a chance to share them with you.
unfotunantly for me ive managed to miss place my camera charger.
I took delivery of the second climax this weekend and found that half the drive line and universals are missing so its only driven by the front. I think it will be hard to get replacement parts to get the drive line back up and running but i might come up with something.
Im going to replace the open frames with CAN motors anyway. I will have to hunt out this camera charger so i can document it.
I have finally ahd a chance to upload some pictures.
Pain on this loco was ok but as i said it was not pulled apart before it was painted nor was it masked properly.
This shows both of them stripped apart. One of the under frames has been stripped.
Close up of one of the power trucks showing the paint and gunk build up.
Another photo showing one after being cleaned.
So thats where my rebuild is at right now.
Im selling some N scale stuff so i have money for the motors.
I think i will be using a Mashima 1020 motor and a motor mount from hollywood foundry.
Ok so i finally got a bit of an update on one of these. Its been sitting on the shelf for a few months and not yet completed but is running.
Mashiama 1020 motor fits on its side in the boiler with a very tiny bit of room to make a motor mount.
I use some brass sheet and made a C chanel for it.
I find it noisy unfortunantly but it does look nice and will be better after more details added.
The link to Hollywood foundries is much appreciated.
My poainting process goes like this.
2. I dry it by baking it in the oven at a low temp. (sorry can't remember what temp but be very careful or you will melt the solder and end up with a bunch of bits, thats speaking from experience).
5. another coat of primer and bake it again.
7. last thig to do is a few very thin coats of a clear gloss or flat gloss depending on the finish you want.
Thanks for the painting tips.
In the past I've used a 150 degree oven to harden paint. Here is a painting tip. Never leave your train unattended in the oven. There is a really really good chance that your wife or significant other might decide to preheat "her" oven to 350 for dinner and .. well you can figure out the rest.
Digging up an old thread hear as i have been going through some old boxes and came across the box for these little locos.
I'm looking into making them run better. The have a bog open brass gearbox thats sooooo noisy and i cant seem to get it to run nicely. I manage to replace the old motor a while ago with a mashiama 1020 motor that fit inside without much trouble.
Now i want to re think the whole lot. Im wondering if the mashiama can be replace with NWSL 10,12,15mm can motor. I may be able to squeeze a fly wheel onto it.
Then following this connect it to a NSWL transfer gearbox using a universal joint or plastic tube and then new universal connections to the trucks.
Its going to be a trial and error to give it a go but i can keep my fingers crossed that i may end up with a reasonable runner out of these old harsh running locos that are relatively cheap on the brass market.
Fingers Crossed and Crossed again.
Spent an hour working on it lastnight. The origional gearbox is made up of a number of spur gears on 2 shafts and a drive gear that rests on top.
I believe the transfer gearbox will fit so i will order one later this week. The Mashiama 1020 and 1015 motor fit inside the T boiler no problem and may be able to squeeze on a fly wheel as it will benifit greatly from it. Anyway back to the bench and thinking about this conversion.