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Other Vintage Household Electrical or Electromechanical Items For discussions about other vintage (over 25 years old) electrical and electromechanical household items. See the sticky thread for details. |
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5th Feb 2018, 10:52 pm | #21 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Leominster, Herefordshire, UK.
Posts: 16,535
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Re: Hornby O-gauge track
Would the "fishy" connection have anything to do with Tufnol, I wonder?
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6th Feb 2018, 1:36 am | #22 |
Hexode
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Lancing, West Sussex, UK.
Posts: 285
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Re: Hornby O-gauge track
Hi
Elephanthide was the normal material used on Hornby 3 rail O Gauge Track. I have taken both the 3 rail electric and 2 rail clockwork track apart and had it replated and then assembled the 3 rail track with new Elephanthode strips. This has been very successful and the insulation held up at 240v when running my Hornby High Voltage Metropolitan Locomotive with its resistance controller and 60w light bulb!!! Trevor. |
6th Feb 2018, 2:07 am | #23 |
Rest in Peace
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Cottesmore, East Midlands, UK.
Posts: 858
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Re: Hornby O-gauge track
This paper? Elephanthide
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6th Feb 2018, 9:51 am | #24 | |
Heptode
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Duffort, Gers, France
Posts: 714
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Re: Hornby O-gauge track
Quote:
So Elephanthide paper looks like another possibility. I'll give it a try, thanks.
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Stuart The golden age is always yesterday - Asa Briggs |
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6th Feb 2018, 10:34 am | #25 |
Hexode
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Lancing, West Sussex, UK.
Posts: 285
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Re: Hornby O-gauge track
Hi,
This is the product I meant. Regards Trevor. http://www.ukinsulations.co.uk/flexi...on/elephantide Last edited by Trifocaltrev; 6th Feb 2018 at 10:43 am. Reason: Spelling Mistake |
6th Feb 2018, 10:36 am | #26 |
Heptode
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Tonbridge, Kent, UK.
Posts: 686
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Re: Hornby O-gauge track
Elephanthide was the original material used for Landrover seats. On that basis any old vinyl or rexine seat cover material would do the job.
Gordon |
6th Feb 2018, 10:40 am | #27 |
Hexode
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Lancing, West Sussex, UK.
Posts: 285
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Re: Hornby O-gauge track
Hi,
Elephanthide insulation is an impregnated paper material, and plastic was not around in the 1920s and 30s when Hornby produced this track. For originality, the insulation should be of the paper/thin card type. Regards Trevor. |
6th Feb 2018, 11:56 am | #28 |
Heptode
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Duffort, Gers, France
Posts: 714
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Re: Hornby O-gauge track
For originality it needs to be a bit more than 0.5mm thick which I assume was 0.02" at the time. A lot of this stuff looks too thin although it's difficult to tell when thickness is specified in g/m2
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Stuart The golden age is always yesterday - Asa Briggs |
6th Feb 2018, 12:19 pm | #29 |
Hexode
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Lancing, West Sussex, UK.
Posts: 285
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Re: Hornby O-gauge track
Electrical Strength Unit In Air In Oil
0.127mm ±10% kV/mm 14 74 - 78 0.18mm ± 10% kV/mm 14.5 70 - 88 0.25mm ±10% kV/mm 13.5 68 - 77 0.30mm 10% kV/mm 12 60 - 74 0.40mm ± 10% kV/mm 10.5 52 - 63 0.50mm ±10% kV/mm 10.5 50 - 53 0.80mm* ±10% kV/mm / / 1.00mm* ±10% kV/mm / / Looking at the data sheet for Elephanthide 4, it comes in the above thickness ranges, if you mic it up with a metric micrometer you should be able to get the nearest thickness to the original. Regards Trevor. |
6th Feb 2018, 12:41 pm | #30 |
Heptode
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Duffort, Gers, France
Posts: 714
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Re: Hornby O-gauge track
Thanks Trevor, I missed that bit. I saw the heading "electrical strength" and didn't look at the details. The original is 0.53mm +/- a bit, so I assume 0.5mm will do nicely
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Stuart The golden age is always yesterday - Asa Briggs |
6th Feb 2018, 2:00 pm | #31 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Brentwood, Essex, UK.
Posts: 5,339
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Re: Hornby O-gauge track
I rather like the wording of the Meccano Mag ad for the high voltage train [#22]: "The latest Hornby thrill"!
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6th Feb 2018, 2:07 pm | #32 |
Heptode
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Duffort, Gers, France
Posts: 714
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Re: Hornby O-gauge track
Comfortingly the article assures us that there are "no difficulties or dangers" despite it apparently being plugged into a light socket by means of adapter 2.
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Stuart The golden age is always yesterday - Asa Briggs |
6th Feb 2018, 2:31 pm | #33 |
Hexode
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Lancing, West Sussex, UK.
Posts: 285
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Re: Hornby O-gauge track
Hi,
The locomotive works at 90v to 110v the dropping being obtained by the controller and the 60w lamp. I tend to use a fireglow bulb as it looks good. If the locomotive is removed from the track then the full 240v is present so care is needed! When used with track that had got oily insulation from over oiled clockwork locomotives being run on it, smoke was rising from the insulation when at 240v. Last edited by Trifocaltrev; 6th Feb 2018 at 2:40 pm. |
7th Feb 2018, 12:51 am | #34 |
Octode
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Manchester, UK.
Posts: 1,874
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Re: Hornby O-gauge track
Off-topic regarding insulators, but on-topic regarding cleaning complex-shaped light-gauge rusty steel work in electrical installations: looking at your picture in post #16, I'd suggest having a go at electrolytic rust removal:
https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...d.php?p=983016 It won't damage what you have, and it'll be a lot easier to clean up than attempting to do it by abrasion. Don't do it with any alloy, or anything painted where you hope to save the paint. If you use a galv anode, you'll lightly zinc-plate the work piece - not sure if you'll get enough on to make it less inclined to rust! Probably best done outside wrt fumes, splashes etc. |
7th Feb 2018, 9:45 am | #35 |
Heptode
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Duffort, Gers, France
Posts: 714
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Re: Hornby O-gauge track
That's more or less what I do although I use sodium carbonate. NaOH as a way of getting rid of paint at the same time is an interesting variation though. I'll have to look into that.
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Stuart The golden age is always yesterday - Asa Briggs |
7th Feb 2018, 10:59 am | #36 |
Hexode
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Buderim, Queensland, Australia.
Posts: 428
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Re: Hornby O-gauge track
Sorry, but I think you mean Sodium Hydroxide, Caustic Soda, NaOH.
Make sure you rinse it off well. Caution when mixing with water; do it slowly, dribble the soda into the water. Wear some form of safety glasses. Caution if the water is hot, the mix can spatter or erupt violently. This is often a main ingredient of dish washing detergent, and, in this manner, can be good for cleaning aluminium components, even tuning capacitors. Our USA friends sometimes call this material Lye. Use dilute Sodium Carbonate NaCo3 on its own (Washing Soda in AUS), for electrolytic cleaning, not NaOH. One tablespoon per litre water is OK. Use the caustic soda bath before the electrolytic cleaning for best and most efficient results. Use with caution on aluminium, zinc, magnesium, stainless steel, and ventilate the processes. Good luck, mike Last edited by Radio1950; 7th Feb 2018 at 11:09 am. |
7th Feb 2018, 9:01 pm | #37 |
Octode
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Manchester, UK.
Posts: 1,874
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Re: Hornby O-gauge track
I'll have to try washing soda - all my electrolytic cleaning has been with NaOH - caustic. On-line sources suggest the latter is more aggressive than the former - even with the latter, I still cook things for 24 hours or so. The simultaneous paint removal aspect can be quite useful.
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