Using neodymium magnets between the sleepers

[user=450]wogga[/user] wrote:

Secondly i take it coupling mounting height isn't as critical as if you were using the Kadee magnets since i assume you have greater clearance above the magnets.

Pete, maintain the same height as the Kadee gauge so that they will be OK when/if you take your stock to other layouts or mates bring theirs to yours.

I cleaned up my test bits & thought, yes, that siding will do well for a set of PUMS,so I got my first set of 5 magnets off the strip, placed it in between two sleepers & it grabbed & held onto one rail exclam:


DOH, yes - C&L steel rail, not nickel silver, used on parts of my layout as handlaid on PCB so I will have to provide some spacers to keep the magnets central until glue dries. I am not sure how these magnets & associated rails will be magnetically  ( is that a good technical wordquest:) in time.

So anyone using old  track that maybe plated steel, be aware of this small problem.

 

 

PUMS = Perry's Uncoupling Magnet System.

Working well, a  PUMS installed with the tops of the magnets level with sleepers. Tomorrow I will paint them.

Actually I could use them as a sleepers if I had a real good method of making sure they are glued well so they do not try to move to turn around to join up again with their mates.

I use the Ron Solly method of glueing my magnets - PVA.  It works well.  :thumbs

[user=269]MaxSouthOz[/user] wrote:

I use the Ron Solly method of glueing my magnets - PVA.  It works well.  :thumbs

That must be some super-strength PVA you have in Oz! :shock::shock::shock:  I'm using epoxy glue as I didn't think PVA would grip the smooth surface of the magnets. I spread a 'bed' of the epoxy glue onto the baseboard surface between the sleepers and pushed the magnets down into that, holding them in place with a strip of wood pinned in place until the glue set.

Perry

[user=95]Sol[/user] wrote:

[user=450]wogga[/user] wrote:

Secondly i take it coupling mounting height isn't as critical as if you were using the Kadee magnets since i assume you have greater clearance above the magnets.

Pete, maintain the same height as the Kadee gauge so that they will be OK when/if you take your stock to other layouts or mates bring theirs to yours.

You're right the mounting height isn't critical, but Sol's advice is spot on.

Perry

I just had to dig one out as it was in the wrong place, Perry.  It pulled up the cork underlay and I had to carve the old glue off the magnet with a craft knife.  Then I cut the ends off a tie (sleeper), and PVA glued it in where the magnet came from.  You would be hard pressed to pick it.

[user=450]wogga[/user] wrote:

Cheers Perry very good, two more questions if i may:

I will be attempting to do this with Traincontroller, can the length the magnetic field is effective over be extended by adding more magnets?

Secondly i take it coupling mounting height isn't as critical as if you were using the Kadee magnets since i assume you have greater clearance above the magnets.

You could, in theory, put as many rows of magnets in as you want. Three rows give me about 18mm, so that may give you a rough idea of what you might need. Be aware of the attraction of the couplings, wheels and/or axles though. You may find a wagon sits squarely over a long row of magnets and doesn't want to shift either way! My advice would be to set up a test rig on some scrap track first, as Sol and I did.

Perry

[user=269]MaxSouthOz[/user] wrote:

I just had to dig one out as it was in the wrong place, Perry.  It pulled up the cork underlay and I had to carve the old glue off the magnet with a craft knife.  Then I cut the ends off a tie (sleeper), and PVA glued it in where the magnet came from.  You would be hard pressed to pick it.

:shock:

What make of PVA was that, Max?

Perry

Selleys Aquadhere.

Thanks. Presumably an Australian brand.

Perry

Cheers Perry and Ron it's been a cracking thread, i have ordered a good selection of Kadees from Nairnshire Modelling supplies very reasonable prices.

So when i finish my layout this weekend i should be ready for a bit of experimenting.

http://www.selleys.com.au/adhesives/household-adhesive/specialist-adhesive/aquadhere-interior

It also comes in "exterior."  It's the stuff we dilue with water 60 : 40 for ballasting.

I'm sure there would be a Pommie equivalent - Tesco's perhaps?  :hmm

Hi Max,

Now that I''m into automation in RR&Co do you think these magnets would be any good in conjunction with a the normal kadee magnet ?   I've been running loco's backwards and forwards trying to get consistent results from the Kadee shuffle without a great deal of success  - (the Kadee magnet is about  1cm too short !!  even after numerous speed profiling!!

:hmm 

Actually Dave, I did toy with the idea of putting two Kadee magnets one behind the other, but I've gone the DCC uncoupling route so that's become redundant.

Some TC operators have chosen to put infrared detectors along side/under the track to stop the locos.  I thought that this idea was too restrictive, so as I said I have gone another way.

 

[user=540]gdaysydney[/user] wrote:

Hi Max,

Now that I''m into automation in RR&Co do you think these magnets would be any good in conjunction with a the normal kadee magnet ?   I've been running loco's backwards and forwards trying to get consistent results from the Kadee shuffle without a great deal of success  - (the Kadee magnet is about  1cm too short !!  even after numerous speed profiling!!

:hmm 

It may need some 'research and deveolpment', but I don't see why they shouldn't work - they're only different magnets, when all is said and done.

Perry

[user=269]MaxSouthOz[/user] wrote:

Actually Dave, I did toy with the idea of putting two Kadee magnets one behind the other, but I've gone the DCC uncoupling route so that's become redundant.

Some TC operators have chosen to put infrared detectors along side/under the track to stop the locos.  I thought that this idea was too restrictive, so as I said I have gone another way.

 

You'll have to keep us posted on how the DCC uncoupling goes - have the decoders arrived yet ?

[user=17]Perry[/user] wrote:

It may need some 'research and deveolpment', but I don't see why they shouldn't work - they're only different magnets, when all is said and done.

Perry

Hi Perry,
I ordered some so I'll be doing some R&D in a weeks time ( or thereabouts )

Two wagons arrived today (Friday), in the post.  The other two (posted at the sime time), didn't.  How does that work?

It's cheaper to send two wagons in two parcels than to put them all into one.      :hmm

I'm wracking my brain as to how I'm going to make it work.  No light globes coming on as yet.  :pedal

I use ordinary PVA for Kadee magnets but in the test bench for these little slippery blighters, I used super glue but in the correct location, I used contact cement




Had been glued under weights, - just checked them & well & truly stuck - photo later.