The Unofficial Mamod and Other Steam Forum

stevemc68au · Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 9:22 am Post subject: Models I've built lately...

Here are links to some small meccano models I've built over the last month or two. Most are from various manuals from 2-5 (pre 70s 1-4). Two of the others are from various meccano mechanisms manuals, the cable car is a simple design I used to build when I was young and the record player/tonearm stuff is a cross over to my other more established interest of playing music and analogue audio gear.

For those of you interested in turntables etc I made a combo meccano balsa wood tonearm recently using meccano electrikit pivot bolts and it will track at under 1.0. gram... for most people it's probably very boring compared to steam models

I'll probably re-built the little drop hammer when I get my steam engine. It was very simple to build and runs beautifully.

I couldn't work out how to post pictures here so I've put them up at the link below.

http://stevemc68au.myphotoalbum.c...w_album.php?set_albumName=album01

Steve

Wallace · Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 9:35 am Post subject:

Hi Steve, great models there

Really like the turntable

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tmuir · Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 10:08 am Post subject:

I like that Roadster, I love the old car models in the Meccano books and that gearbox looks interesting.
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A nice example of an Australian made Scorpion Donkey Engine

Les · Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 10:34 am Post subject:

Very interesting.
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stevemc68au · Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 4:14 am Post subject:

Yea, the roadster was a nice suprise, it turned out very nicely. The gearbox is a simple crane winding drum from the mechanisms manual. I substitued the 57tooth gear for a 60 tooth one and it then worked perfectly.

I'm not sure how far I'll go with the record player, it's interesting but was thinking if I'm going to spend a lot of time I'd rather build a model clock or crane. In the last week I've built a set4 (70s 5) cement mixer and the old 1929 super model scales using 90 year old nickel plated meccano... I'll put some pictures up after I've built a few more models.

Nick · Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 4:37 am Post subject:

Great models Steve, I liked the roadster and sewing machine.

Cedge · Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 4:41 am Post subject:

Steve
I once met a fellow you'd have loved to meet. Lou was the official model builder for Meccano exhibition models. His job was to build huge complex constructs with full functionality from an unlimited supply of Meccano parts they made available to him. These were then displayed at various toy shows around the world.

His last build, before the company lhad problems and et him go, was a huge highly detailed Carousel complete with all the flourishes and such. It sold on Ebay for about $2500.00 and had to be partially disassembled shipped in three separate wooden crates. The reassembly instructions were said to run to about 45 pages of step by step directions.

Lou no longer has any connections with company, after they reorganized and sold off part of their operations. I think it took a bit of the pleasure away from his life when they let him go. Sadly, as these things go, the new management doesn't even know who Lou was.... and that is probably the cruelest wound. He was, for many years, a true artist in his own right.

Steve
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Nick · Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 4:44 am Post subject:

I never heard of Meccano much before the forum, but there are about 5 erecter sets in every antique shop near me.

johnreid · Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 1:04 pm Post subject:

Although not the same, AC Guilbert bought the rights to manufacture and sell Meccano in the US, thus making another variable which was American Meccano which in fact was a merge of Meccano and Erector. Then Meccano Morecraft entered the picture. I think it is a bit more complicated this side of the Pond.
I never had an Erector set as a child, and to this day I see the Meccano creations here and deep down still have the desire. Maybe some day, but not for now at least.
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Minor1PJG · Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 8:29 pm Post subject:

I had two Meccanno sets and used them to try to make my Minor 1 mobile - with only limited success

I managed to build most of the models in the instruction books that came with the sets though. Great fun

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