C-WW I'm planning on remotoring an AHM steam loco with a small can motor. The distance between the end of the gearbox shaft and the end of the motor is only 5/8inch (if I want to keep the motor reasonably out of sight) Has anyone had any experience with vinyl or surgical tubing being used as a driveline coupling? Thanks! [ March 28, 2006, 03:05 PM: Message edited by: watash ]
Yes. We used to use surgical rubber tubing, and have tried Tygon brand plastic tubing. (Best is thin walled.) Short gaps (.125" to .188") seem to work best for a "U" joint between shafts that are not required to swivel (as trucks under an engine would). You probably could bridge the entire 5/8" gap OK with Tygon on this engine. We found that if a long gap had to be bridged, it worked well to insert a short section of shaft down the tubing as a support to prevent a sag that would have set up a vibration at speed. The tubing will have to be replaced after a few years, or if any oil gets on it.
Throttleman, Try going to a model airplane hobby shop and pick up some tubing used for fuel lines. I've used this tubing as driveline couplers between motor and gearbox. bring both motor and gearbox to the hobby shop and get the tightest fit to each as you can. If you've got space try and add a flywheel. Makes a lot of difference on smoothness. LOL.
Excuse me, Watash, did I ask for the propriatary name of the tubing, No, all I did was suggest a place to get it. I realize that you are the resident expert, and I cannot count the number of times you have baled me out. Now this poor guy is going to go around and ask for Tygon tubing, and the clerk is going to give him a "less than a full deck" look... Another thing, what the h--- are you doing with a Harley. I dropped one about 30 yrs ago and I'm still getting pains from lifting it back up.
Gee Whizz Chris, I was just making a funny! I thought everyone today knew that Polyvinylchloride tubing, sometimes called just Tygon was the same. Its like people ask," Hey want a Coke?" when they really mean soda pop! Like when you make a xerographic reproduction on a Cannon copier and say, "Here is your Xerox copy!." Most hardware stores carry the soft vinyl tube in the glass clear formulation #3603 used for water, milk, etc. Hobby stores, Auto Supply, Lawn Mower repair shops carry the fuel grade clear yellowish vinyl tube formulated #4040 used for gasoline (petrol), pesticides, and Harley & Davidson fix it quick for cheapers. The (best to me) source for both hard and soft vinyls as well as most other plastics is Cadillac Plastics,(1-800-CPG-1000). I'm sorry you dropped your Harley, Chris, did you hurt it? That's no way to treat a Harley! (End of joke, laugh here!) My old '39 Knucklehead dropped me! Now is that respect or what! Here I fed her the best gas, kept her full of genuine HD 90wt. and even spruced her up with 26" Ape Hangers, and laid her out to an 8'-2" wheel base with a country springer running 21" with 16 pushing. Little kids wet their pants when I wound the wick at a stop light! She was a good ride until one day when I was just holding my line on the outside; we were cruising a 30mph curve at about 50 and she didn't see a little patch of sand lurking in our path! She took me straight out huntin' Jack rabbits, bustin' through a 3 strand barbed wire fence quicker then you could spit out your front teeth! You talk about PAIN! Man I plowed a furrow with my last two lower teeth and I'm still spitin' out dirt! It must have been a funny sight, the rest of the gang was all rolling on the ground when I staggered back to the road. Bunch of bums!
Wayne, you are an inspiration That Harley story is brilliant You have a perfect blend of knowledge and comedy Thanks!
Watash, I be that left a mark! anyway, been there, done that, and they gave me a trophy instead of a tee shirt.
Thanks Alan, I try. Chris, If I didn't wear a beard I wouldn't have any face at all! How many more times you wanta been there & done that? I done that all I want to. Didn't want to then!
Watach .. I have a Harley too, and have met the pavement a few times myself. As you know, the older we get, the longer it takes to heal up But I wouldn't consider giving up riding any more than I would consider giving up model railroadin! "Live to ride .. Ride to live!"
Ain't nuttin' fair about it!! You remember when cars had fenders? Chris can probably tell you we used to ride up on the front fender while someone drove out across the fields spotlighting rabbits at night. (Three west Texas Jack rabbits can eat as much as one full grown cow in a night). It got so exciting one night, trying to stop so we could get off a shot, that when the driver found a rabbit sitting, the driver hit the brakes hard! I went shooting off that fender at 25mph, run up there and kicked that rabbit to death!! Shortly we discovered it was the only albino skunk I ever got personally acquainted with! Chris, how did we get on this from tygo tires and fuel line U joints anyway? I guess it aint no step for a stepper!Hugh?
