Sunday 4 June 2017

DB Loco Hollywood Foundry Underframe Assembly Tips

Hollywood Foundry Drive Components


It is up to the modeller's individual preference whether to fit two drive bogies or a single drive bogie plus a dummy bogie.

Drive bogie specifications: G16.5/B29.8+29.8/W15.7-110/22:1DUALBELT/NOBOL
Dummy bogie specifications: G16.5/B29.8+29.8/W15.7-110/NOBOL

To order the above bogie configurations, please use the special order page on the Hollywood Foundry web site and copy and paste the above codes into the Product Description field.  

The modeller should purchase the wheels, 15.7 mm diameter, from Northyard in New Zealand and send them to Hollywood Foundry in conjunction with each order.  Marbelup Models has a limited quantity of Northyard wheels available for purchase for $35 per set of 12 wheels.



Contact Northyard direct via email: northyard@xtra.co.nz for a quote for the wheels.  The current (September 2016) catalogue price is NZ$1.95 per wheel (not including postage).

Each loco requires 12 x 401N wheels, as illustrated in the following extract from the Northyard Catalogue:



The current (February 2016) pricing for the required Hollywood Foundry parts is:

Drive bogie - $91.30 (same price as Bullant In-Line 3-Axle)

Dummy bogie - $52.80 (same price as Bullant 3-axle Dummy)

Motor: Mashima M1833D - $31.35

Universal Joint Set for 1.5 mm shafts (set contains parts for 4 joints.  1 joint is required per drive bogie, but it is recommended to purchase 1 set per loco to allow for some "spares".) - $4.19 per set

Silicone Tubing - used for flexible coupling between motor and drive shaft(s).  Supplied free by Hollywood Foundry if requested when ordering other parts.  Tubing will fit both 2 mm motor shaft and 1.5 mm drive shaft.

Total price for two drive bogie configuration is $218.14 (plus approx $10 postage)
Total price for single drive bogie configuration is $171.94 (plus approx $10 postage)

Please not that the above prices set by Hollywood Foundry and are subject to change.

As of late 2016, Mashima Motors are no longer in production.  Marbelup Models has designed the chassis to accommodate other motors including Canon, which are available from some hobby shops in the same size as the Mashima M1833D.  Marbelup Models also has limited stock of another alternate motor which will fit in the space available.


Bogie Pivot Assembly (Hollywood Foundry)


Note:  Prior to assembling the Hollywood Foundry bogies to the underframe, place each bogie on a flat surface (glass is ideal) and check that the bogie doesn't rock from end to end.  Some bogies have been found to have the centre axle set a fraction of a millimetre too low, which means the outer axles don't properly contact the rails and could cause derailments.  If you are unlucky enough to experience this problem, contact Hollywood Foundry for repair or replacement under their Lifetime Warranty.

The underframe is designed for a nominal thickness of washers/packing of 1 mm between the top of the bogies and the mounting surface on the underframe.

The Hollywood Foundry bogies are supplied with two plastic shouldered washers, a formed phosphor bronze spring, a flat steel washer and an M1.4 machine screw. 

For assembly to the 3D-printed underframe, it is recommended to discard the flat steel washer and upper plastic shouldered washer.  This should result in the correct loco height from the rails and the phosphor bronze springs (at both ends) should minimise side-to-side rocking of the loco while allowing some movement to cope with uneven track.

Secure the bogie with the M1.4 screw provided, but don't tighten it fully so as to allow some for and aft rocking movement of the bogie as well.

To check the loco height, fit the underframe and body together, with couplers attached, and check the coupler height against a Kadee HO coupler height gauge.  Be aware that the 3D-printed underframe is somewhat flexible on its own, and relies on the rigidity of the body to keep it straight and level.  The top surface of the footplate should be 26 mm above rail level.

If the loco sits too low, a spacer should be cut from styrene and added above the phosphor bronze spring (or glued to the bogie pivot on the underframe).  The spacer needs to be large enough, e.g. 8 mm square, so that the phosphor bronze spring is effective in minimise rocking.

If side-to-side rocking is still a problem, Marbelup Models can provide details to fabricate a mounting plate from brass sheet and wire which can be fitted to the top of the rear bogie, to provide a "3-point" suspension.  Marbelup Models has also produced a 3D-printed version of this mounting plate which is printed in high-detailed stainless steel at a cost of approx. $16.

Drive Shaft Assembly (Hollywood Foundry)


Brass rod 1.5 mm diameter is suitable for the drive shaft(s).  The required length is approx xx mm.  Check the exact length required from your model.  Allow some "end play" in the universal joint at the bogie end to accommodate movement of the bogie on curves or uneven track.

Hollywood Foundry have published an instruction sheet on the basic assembly. One end of each shaft requires a "flat" to be ground or filed to accommodate the male end of the plastic universal joint.  Grind or file a flat on the shaft with a minimum length of about 2 mm.  The depth of the flat should be 0.3 mm, so that the measurement over the remaining shaft is 1.2 mm.  Don't force the joint onto the shaft if it is very tight, as it may split later.

Hollywood Foundry can supply silicone tubing (free on request with each order) for the motor end of each drive shaft.  The tubing is sufficiently flexible to fit both the 1.5 mm drive shafts and 2 mm motor shaft.

The drive shaft for the front bogie of a loco with both bogies driven must pass through the "tunnel" in the speaker housing.  One technique is to attach the drive shaft to the motor before installing the motor, then pass the drive shaft through the "tunnel" to engage with the universal joint on the bogie and, finally, fix the motor in position with the short M2 screws provided with the motor.  The rear drive shaft can be attached to the motor last, as there is no "tunnel" to get in the way.

For a loco with one powered bogie, it is suggested to install the powered bogie at the rear to avoid the "tunnel" and leave the cab free for interior detailing, if desired.