Ok , first tests for me . I had converted a MP 2-8-2 to OEM traction tires which brought up the grams pull from about 5 to 42 , which is very very high , just below the Athearn 4-6-6-4 which is 55 grams . I haven't tested my Big Boy yet . I have another MP 2-8-2 without traction tires , which I put Bullfrog Snot on , One wheel a bit thicker than the other , which I will redo when I have a moment . Went from 5 grams pull to 15 , and my coats may need to be thicker . So on first tests that equals a Kato F-3 , ER Shark , Con-Cor 2-10-2 , PCM E-7 , IMRC FT , or Atlas RSD-12 . All without the hell that is the MP driver swap . I need to practice the application , and I used a hot lamp to speed up the drying time while the wheels were in a slow rotisserie spin for an hour . Actually my very first attempt failed , NOT DUE to the Snot , but a tried to apply this without snipping off the brake shoes fore and aft of the rear driver set . The shoes grabbed the Snot and made a mess . I let it dry a bit and tried to get it off by turning the loco into a lathe , and applying a small chisel xacto type thingy to the drivers . It was working , till the wheels came off the axles , and quartering was lost on 3 axles , which means all 4 were all over the place . I aligned the quartering , checked gauge an ACC'ed the ends of the axles . Then picked the Snot of the rods , and lathed the drivers clean as I described before . This Snot really adheres well to the drivers . So , in a word . IT WORKS . I just need to develop my application skills . I know now that I can triple the pulling power of a non traction tired loco , if I can afford the reduced continuity . That makes me feel a lot better about the anemic ones I have . Bet that Walthers 0-8-0 can be improved . Thanks Bill , we have a new option .
Taking BULLFROG SNOT beyond it's natural Mojavinal temp range prior to curing messes with it's proprietary polyamphibianalferroequine molecular structure. Freeze it and you get a $24.95 superball slug in a jar. Heating it, well just don't. You don't want to know. Neither does it any good, something it the DNA. Don't rush it, let BULLFROG SNOT do it's thing. Patience has it's reward. Bill
"proprietary polyamphibianalferroequine molecular structure" I'm glad you have a good sense of humor! I've enjoyed this thread. Good luck with the product. BTW it's possible to wear out an engine. I wore out one of my 2-8-8-2 LL mallets on the test track.
Hmmmmmm. I just looked on the bottom of this jar of "Snot' I got...what does this strange symbol mean?
(With respect to all you steam folks who desire better traction tires, how many more days do I have to put up with encountering the words "Bullfrog Snot" every time I visit this forum? )
Hey, I'm thinking of using it on diesels too, most recent U.S. diesels I've got except Kato and IM F units could use more tractive effort. He could have made it harder for us and called it something worse. I've been thinking if I decide to shell out $72 to get some what the quarantine strict Australian Customs inspectors will do to a jar of green goo labeled 'Bullfrog Snot'.:tb-biggrin:
So what name do you perfer , Yippy Grippy ? Have at it folks , if you have had a chance to name it , what name would you have chosen ?
Don't click!! Just don't click on it! There seem to be many of us who are interested in reading about the results of different users.
I am pretty sure that jagged ben's message was in jest. I have to admit that it is rather funny every time my wife looks over my shoulder and see "Bullfrog Snot" on the computer screen and says something about how if I am looking for that kind of thing we've got plenty from our two five-year-olds.
A little update here. I didn't give up on my little 0-6-0 Bachmann after all it was my first N Scale train set given to me by wife for my 65th birthday. This is the train that startled all this mess in getting me hooked on N Scale and I am quite attached to the little bugger. My last report stated I had a loss of electrical contact due to the "Snot". Well yes, that was true; however, persistence pays off. Upon closer inspection, I found that the "Snot" curled upon the wheel flanges. So , I remove the "Snot" from the wheels completely and tried several more time hoping that I could keep the "Snot" off the flanges but without success. So, when I put on the regular traction tires and "Snoted" again, the flanges were also coated. When I placed the engine on the track I noticed not only loss of electrical contact, the engine appeared to be wobbling or hopping and it ran sort of erratic. So, I took out my trusty OptiVisors and gave a closer look. I decided to cut away all the "Snot" on the flanges and scrape it away off the outside metal rim of the wheel leaving the "Snot" only on the original traction tires. I did this very carefully with a #11 exacto blade and a toothpick. Yep, you guessed it. It runs like it did before and will go down to 2 1/2 volts before it stops running on the track. Pretty remarkable for this little Bachmann with not so good wheel pickups. Oh, and there is no more wobbling or hopping. It has been running none stop for the last three hours and I can see no wear on the "Snot". My GS4 Traction Wheel is the he process of healing for the next 24hrs with the high strength loctite. After I get it up and running, I will "Resnot" the wheels. Cutting the excess "Snot" from those drivers is going to be a little more difficult and time consuming because they don't just pop out like the 0-6-0 drivers. I believe that I will get the durability I am seeking from "Snot". Will post more later when I have additional results.
Bob? I found that if after a few hours drying time...if you have the loco upside down...apply power to it...and while the drivers are spinning...you take a #11 exacto...point first straight down to the driver...with the sharp edge of the blade faceing the flange...it will remove that excess. The trick is to do it *S*L*O*W*L*Y* so the snot doesnt get boogered (pun intended). The blade will make the flange all shiney an new again and let it conduct power again...but leave the traction portion of the snot in the middle of the wheel :tb-wink: I am sure this little trick will also work on the BIGGER steamer wheels. .
Well, they'd be easier to catch. But have very potective mommies. Know how to work a snot sucker? One of those baby care essentials. Bill
I received my jar of BFS yesterday and tried my hand at at applying it to a LL SW12 this morning. The reason I used the SW12 is because I have another one that I can use for comparison before modification. The application is quite straight forward and went very well without issues of keeping it off the flanges. A little snot does go a long way (Uh...gotta say, that's the first time I've ever used THAT phrase). After the material dried, I was quite pleased to see how thin and smooth it became. I ran the engine while still in the cradle and just by watching the wheels, it looks like there won't be any wobble at all. Very cool. I'm really looking forward to taking this lokie to the club layout to run it. Unfortunately, the layout is about 25 miles from here and the weather today is markedly less than favorable for travel. Will post results though when I get a chance to run the engine. BTW, My 12 year old daughter has been having a riot with this too. She went with me to our company Christmas dinner last night and was standing next to me while I was talking to the boss. She said "Go ahead ...tell him what you got in the mail today. Yeah, really, he got a bottle of Bullfrog Snot!". Said employee then proceeds to try and explain the advantages of being able to apply liquid traction tires to small locomotives while boss listens and politely nods head as if he has the slightest idea of what I'm talking about. Yes..Uh... Bullfrogs eh?.. I see....
Funny. So it did arrive unfrozen, good. In it's uncured state it does not like to be frozen, quite unforgiving actually. Bill
Hmmmm, thanks for the hot tip George. I will definitely try this on my GS4 when I get it back together. God, I love this forum!
thanks for the sample.i got the same engine,got the same results.pulling about 30 cars no problem.as i get my layout back together i'm going to snot a sd45 and hit the ramps
