Critter time?

[SquirrelHollow]

Turns out the NW2 truck assembly is a completely different design.  Even if the 105/6/7s had the same axle spacing, the side frames are completely incompatible.

Hmmm, the Tomytec trucks look like they might be easier to work with in some situations.
I know at least one person that has a 'casualty' chassis from a failed modification.  I'll see if I can get my hands on it to see if the trucks are a better choice for the RS-0.3 I've been wrestling with.

As you can see, I'm a fan of the 11-105/6/7s, as well.

And now that you point out the axle spacing on the NW2, it looks like a much better fit for this...




Note the old 6v motor I used for the initial expirement.  The worm was pretty much welded to the shaft.  The newer motors lend themselves to worm removal much better.  If I proceed with the 106 truck, I have a few of the new 12v motors to use.

[randgust]

Oh, that is just a HOOT.  If the EMC Model 40 (that looks like a wool SW1 left in the washer on a hot load) had been a success, this looks like the Alco response!  ROTFLAMO!

[bsoplinger]

Sheesh, when I mention those little motor towers nada, then someone else goes and mentions them and its all gaga

Anyway...

My most used e-tailer from Japan has a pre-order page up for the 12m TomyTech TM-03, due February of next year:
http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10065612

Price is 18.30 (as of today's exchange rate, who know's what it'll be in February) + shipping.

[up1950s]

Thats cute SquirrelHollow , if Randy doesn't come up with a hat for the new drive , I just may use a bit of your lead there .

[randgust]

Brian - was that including the shell or just the raw drive?  The dealer link I saw before was only in yen, included the shell, and came out to $42 when I started a PayPal transaction (that I cancelled!).  I don't know what I was doing wrong....   This is the first time I've seen just the drive....and Plazajapan is a VERY reputable dealer in my eyes with excellent pricing, shipping, etc.  Jun is as good as any US dealer and has helped me immensely with planning my resin kits around available mechanisms and corresponding with me on future availability.   He's realized the US market and has made it about as easy as anybody to buy from Japan direct.  If it hadn't been for him, I never would have started my current project.  And I let him know what I'm developing so he can plan his online sales.

Like Richie, I'd already put myself on an announcement list for these and haven't heard a thing.   So yeah, you put me on alert - but it takes Plazajapan to get me to empty my wallet with some confidence here.

My current project is the 70-tonner, its coming well.  I think I can break the news here first.  The 'new thing' on this project is that 'a man has to know his limitations' and I enlisted the help of Chris Schmuck to help develop photoengraved brass details for this one.  We're working on it together, I don't have a timeline (yet) but what you see here is Chris' parts on my resin master as a test:



Chris is the one that got me started in resin casting, too, so he's da man.

[wm3798]

So when do you guys fly to China to set up some factory time?
Lee

[bsoplinger]

Brian - was that including the shell or just the raw drive?

Here's the 3 links from before, in case any else is intereseted:

Drive:
http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10060778

Both of these items below are sold out, but they do get restock and you can simply sign up for an email to let you know they have more, but react quickly, sometimes things will sell out in a day on restocks (they must not get many)...

Motor:
http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10060779

Engine (the whole thing):
http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10060780

They do have a link on every item to a currency converter, so you can figure out what the ¥ price shown converts into for you currency. Yen is the first item on the list below the bottom of the currencies shown on the converter, so just a little click on the down arrow will let you pick Yen and dollar is the convert to default so its easy to use.

You don't know what EMS shipping will add, they don't tell you and it isn't cheap, figure about 10 to 15 bucks. So its a bit expensive to get just 1 item, but I've gotten multiple items from them and it was cheaper, sometimes significantly cheaper than getting the same item from the eBay Plaza Japan seller. And they carry many more items that aren't available thru Plaza Japan.

If you're thinking of getting some of the Tomix fine track or a Kato or Tomix Shinkansen (bullet train) you probably can't find a better price than with these guys. You can even get the Japan release of American Kato releases, in case something has sold out here and you need one, you can get it when its released later in Japan. It will be more expensive than if you would have bought it here though. For example, if you missed the summer release of the SD 80/90 MACs you could have paid around 100 bucks + shipping for one from Japan at the beginning of the month. (They're all sold out now)

[up1950s]

2 led directional lights look light yellow , but light a blueish white . This thing starts very very fast , but I think the copper from the truck can be cut and a diode assemble spliced in will reduce the 8G acceleration to something ok . Even without the weight lumps supplied it went through a Kato double crossover ok , Pickup is via axle cups . Don't even think about tractive effort , but I bet with weight it will move more than itself . Now some sort of itsy bitsy teeny weeny self propelled gnat sized critter is doable .

[SquirrelHollow]

Good to know, thanks Richie.

[bsoplinger]

In case anyone else really wanted to spend $50+ (including shipping) on one of these tiny critters, here's a search listing of 5 new 'colors' of the little engine:
http://www.1999.co.jp/search_e.asp?It_c=&Typ1_c=104&sortID=0&SPage=1&ItKey=PRO-HOBBY&scope=0&urikire=1&AndOr=0&scope2=0

These are for a February release, reserve now if you want one. Colors are red stripe, brown, yellow stripe, orange and clear (not sure if clear is a color

The link is for the whole engine, not just the drive. I've had excellent results both in terms of price and shipping time when I've ordered things from this place.

[Pomperaugrr]

I just noticed the irony, as I reserved one of these critters, that I decided to send money to Japan, on December 7.  Times have changed.   :-\ 

[Mark5]

I just noticed the irony, as I reserved one of these critters, that I decided to send money to Japan, on December 7.  Times have changed.   :-\ 

hehe. Hey, and this was my dad's birthday. In 1941 it was his 19th.

[Iain]

I just noticed the irony, as I reserved one of these critters, that I decided to send money to Japan, on December 7.  Times have changed.   :-\ 

hehe. Hey, and this was my dad's birthday. In 1941 it was his 19th.

There's a Jerry Garcia song I rather enjoy:  Old and in the Way.

[randgust]

Got mine, and here's the observations.

Wheels are really narrow in gauge, the sideways twist is almost funny.  It piled up on all my MT magnets.

The motor mount/gear interface is quite solid and good.

Electrical pickup is at least fair, would be better with better gauging.

It barely has enough traction to push itself around, and speed control is nonexistent.  I thought my EMC40 was bad!

If you could figure out a way to 4-wheel drive it, it would be better than what I came up with.  But right now the best 'ultracritter' is the Tomytec truck.  I just got another TM03 to tinker with here.

Out of the box, it's way better than Nigels, and making a four=wheeler just got a lot easier.  But don't expect it to pull anything.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

FYI PlazaJapan has all Kato, Tomix and the new Pro-Model chassis in stock. The Kato 105 features low profile wheels. I just purchased two 105s and the Pro-Model power truck.