Waltzer Build

[Dwayne]

So I guess I better get this started .
Nothing is finalised yet for this model (for one thing the wheels for the platform are giving me trouble) but here is the progress so far:
I have had the motor I intend to use one this model for a while but am a little concerned it might be a touch slow, I worked out the required speed by watching videos of full sized waltzers and working out they where doing about 12 to 15rpm so ordered slightly faster with the intention of controlling the speed.

drew up some required gears using freecad along with a mount for them all and have this

also pictured is my first attempts at the wheels but I am not really happy with them and would prefer something smoother running.
I have even test printed a car which I am quite pleased with seeing as the bumper around the top is my first time trying the sweep tool in freecad.

 

[Jon Heptonstall]

I feel sick already.
Jon.

 

[Deleted member 7181]

Interesting, I'll follow along if I may.

I'm in the early stages of converting a 1/50 trailer for a mate, into a fold out dodgem ride, to go with some other fairground stuff he has.

I'd got no intentions of making it working, but now you've got me thinking!

 

[Dwayne]

Interesting, I'll follow along if I may.

I'm in the early stages of converting a 1/50 trailer for a mate, into a fold out dodgem ride, to go with some other fairground stuff he has.

I'd got no intentions of making it working, but now you've got me thinking!

Feel free but its going to be a long build. Love the fold out trailer idea btw I did think of it for this waltzer but I think that is adding too much work to it.

 

[Tim Marlow]

I’ll follow as well. I loved the waltzers as a kid, could have stayed on them all day..... This looks like it will bring back those memories.

 

[boatman]

Same here im following
chris

 

[Dwayne]

Amazing I took a picture of my latest attempts at wheels for the platform and noticed how bad the printing was. I knew that these filaments can absorb moisture but never suspected it could happen this quickly, the filament in question has not be on the printer that long. So I opened up a new reel and the difference is amazing

and now one with the tyre on (actually an O ring)

So tomorrow I will go to B&Q and search for some spindles for them to run on (nails ) and the holders are printing as I type this.

 

[dave]

Pulled up a seat for this one, looking interesting

 

[boatman]

SAME here Dave we will be at the front an get the best seats before the rest of the rabble get here lol
chris

 

[Mini Me]

I've ever seen one...........big or small, I'm in. Rick H.

 

[Dwayne]

For want of a correct term I will call these next bits platform carriers. These are printed with voids to take the brass bit out of terminal blocks which are simply liberated from their origional packaging

I am using tiny eyelets for the linkages though I had to spread these open a little to fit the pins through as they where a bit tight.
I have only printed 2 for now to get a feel of how they work together and theres a tiny problem with the movement, I imagine on the full sized waltzers there will be a gimble of some kind that allows free movement in the required axis's. I think that opening out the holes may give enough free movement but if not I am imagining something involving a round bead might solve the problem.

 

[Mini Me]

Very intriguing. Rick H.

 

[Dwayne]

I have had a bit of a rethink with this project, Most full sized waltzers have 9 or so cars but when I started planning for my project I origionally thought the cars would be too tiny to spin at the size to keep them on the platform wedge so opted for 6 cars instead. However after doing a bit more research I realised that as long as the angles involved are not excessive they can overlap the neighbouring wedges by almost half and that just means making them high enough to miss.
So I am now going to make it with 9 cars which will make it much more true to life and so here is the new pinwheel hot off the printer

I hope to be able to start printing the platform holders by tomorrow.

 

[adt70hk]

Dwayne

I am thoroughly impressed by what you're looking to achieve with this. Far more ambitious than my meagre attempts.

Keep up the great work.

ATB

Andrew

 

[Tim Marlow]

I seriously wouldn’t know where to start on this, so am thoroughly engrossed by your progress.

 

[Dwayne]

So just for an update I have managed to print a few of the sections although the cold is playing havoc on bed adhesion, I may bring the printer into the house for the rest.

I have removed the motor to help me get this all lined up. As you can see I did not bother to make different pieces for the sections without a car as there will be wooden platforms on top of each of these which will cover the bearing hole anayway. Some of you may think I have placed the terminal block there for scale but no these are what I am using to fix the wheels in place. The sections are printed with a space for the brass bit of the blocks so I am just stripping the brass from the origional plastic. The metal rods are cleaned up bit of fencing wires which will be painted.

 

[Mini Me]

Hi Dwayne, so if I am looking at this correctly, it appears that the pinwheel was revised and also the platform carriers as well.....a much simpler design although the car bearings seem a tad large for the relative size if the model......how large or what scale is this, by the way? Looking forward to your next installment. Rick H.

 

[Dwayne]

Hi Dwayne, so if I am looking at this correctly, it appears that the pinwheel was revised and also the platform carriers as well.....a much simpler design although the car bearings seem a tad large for the relative size if the model......how large or what scale is this, by the way? Looking forward to your next installment. Rick H.

The bearing are 4mm id and I have drawn up the cars with a void in order to put some weight into them although early tests with the prototype car above are promising it revolves round in the bearings quite easily even without any added weight, I am expecting the weight to be a matter of fine tuning to get the right amount of spin. As with the carousel I built before I am not working to any specific plans just making it up as I go along which means I cant be sure of scale but the finished size I am expecting is 350mm with the rotating platform being 270mm each of the cars have around a 60mm swing.

 

[Mini Me]

Amazing.........I'm really enjoying this. Hope to see more in the near future. Rick H.

 

[stillp]

This makes me think of the plate inside a microwave oven.
Pete