Making/adjusting Flex cables for steam-engine

[legodjw]

Hi there,

Recently i've build a BR 23 Reinhard Ben Beneke steam-enigine. I did not used the Ben Fleskes flanged wheels but got some wheels from brincklink. The problem i'd like to solve is that there arent'n any flexcables of the proper seize. I somebody familiar with a technique of making flex cables from another material and want to share that with me? I tried to make flex cables from thick monofilament used by sportfishermen. I just cut the monofilament to lenght and melted the outsides into a flame to make a thick round outside that fits into the cable connector. Iám not satisfied. I couldn't find anything about adjusting or making flex cables on the internet.

Besides there is a small rim on the outside of the wheels so the cable connectors hits that rim. It makes this beautiful engine not running smooth in curves.

Maybe someone giving me a helping hand?

legodjw

[DLuders]

About 4/5ths of the way down the Big Ben Bricks Gallery, there is a picture of a "BR23 Steam Engine by Jose Carlos....Jose has built a nice copy of Ben Beneke's BR23. I like this picture for it highlight the use of Technic flex system connectors for the connecting rods with short sections of rigid tubing around the flex cable. Reference part numbers 6642 6643 and bb08c04L on Bricklink.

Note: This design is originally done as a real MOC and in ldraw by Reinhard 'Ben' Beneke as farther down in the Gallery." (See second picture below)

Edited December 26, 2011 by DLuders

[LEGO Train 12 Volts]

You can try to use the nylon spool line of the right section and groove it at the ends with a cutter

[legodjw]

Hi Dluders,

You're right its indeed a nice version. I tried to copie the rigid tubing around the flex cable with coloured scooby doo strings, but it did't satisfy me. Thnks for the reference numbers for the rigid tubing!

Jose has built a nice copy of Ben Beneke's BR23. I like this picture for it highlight the use of Technic flex system connectors for the connecting rods with short sections of rigid tubing around the flex cable. Reference part numbers 6642 6643 and bb08c04L on Bricklink.

[legodjw]

Hi there,

Eureka! Thkns for the tips! I've found a solution. I tried fishing nylon but it was not thick enough. Flex cables are about 1,75 mm thick. Even a guitarstring isn't that thick. So I looked around for other fishing stuff and found something that is used by sea-anglers. Its a sort of plastic adjuster to keep the hooked lines apart from the main fishingline and the called it fishingbooms. The material is thick and flexibel enough. In Holland they sell the stuff as `bezemdraad afhouders`(broomwire adjusters) just for EUR 1,95 for 25 pieces with a lenght of 18 to 30 cm and in several colours (black, red, yellow, clear and even green)

I cut some nutches in it to fit the cableconnectors and it works great.

Still there is some ticking sound of the cableconnectors and the driverswheels in curves, but I'am satisfied with this result.

[LEGO Train 12 Volts]

Hi there,

Eureka! Thkns for the tips! I've found a solution. I tried fishing nylon but it was not thick enough. Flex cables are about 1,75 mm thick. Even a guitarstring isn't that thick. So I looked around for other fishing stuff and found something that is used by sea-anglers. Its a sort of plastic adjuster to keep the hooked lines apart from the main fishingline and the called it fishingbooms. The material is thick and flexibel enough. In Holland they sell the stuff as `bezemdraad afhouders`(broomwire adjusters) just for EUR 1,95 for 25 pieces with a lenght of 18 to 30 cm and in several colours (black, red, yellow, clear and even green)

I cut some nutches in it to fit the cableconnectors and it works great.

Still there is some ticking sound of the cableconnectors and the driverswheels in curves, but I'am satisfied with this result.

This sounds really good!

I want to give it a try

[bricks n bolts]

Hi legodjw, I'm also in the process of building a copy of Ben Beneke's BR23, very nice engine

I also wish to thank Dluders for those Bricklink references!

I did not used the Ben Fleskes flanged wheels but got some wheels from brincklink.

Wondering what wheels are you using if not the BBB XL ones?

The red flex cable doesn't seem to generally available so I've ordered some custom Flex cable from Blockbricks.nl, that's yet to arrive.

Not sure whether I'll then experience the same problem you are having with the flex cable rubbing on the side of the wheels.

Also wondering, do you have a link you could share for your `bezemdraad afhouders`?

Happy New Year!

BnB

[tr1820]

i'm also on the way of building a copy of Ben Beneke's BR23. at the moment i try to compose the list of parts and didn't build anything yet.

i have found pdf building instruction, mlcad file and part list as well on Ben's brickshelf page (www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=143248).

however there are some difficulties to me.

maybe we can prepare Brickstore XML file together like one user did in Barman's Lego Power Functions-Controlled Train Switch (www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=62344&st=15) topic.

> Wondering what wheels are you using if not the BBB XL ones?

after learning the information from br23.pdf (p. 65) and mlcad file it seems to me that BBB (large not XL of course) wheels can be replaced by:

85489b Red Train Wheel RC Train (Flanged)

85489a Red Train Wheel RC Train (Blind)

moreover those parts can be easy equipted by x37 Rubber Belt.

ps. i have suggestion to moderators to combine this topic with MOD+ARTICLE: Motorizing Ben Beneke’s BR23 (http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=48532).

[bricks n bolts]

i'm also on the way of building a copy of Ben Beneke's BR23. at the moment i try to compose the list of parts and didn't build anything yet.

Welcome to the club tr1820

i have found pdf building instruction, mlcad file and part list as well on Ben's brickshelf page (www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=143248).

I've only just composed a list of parts in the pdf instructions but not in the parts list, may be as yet incomplete but better knowing before ordering so you don't experience the same pain :

1 black 2706 Technic, Figure Foot (thanks go to LT12V to finding the part number)

14 black 50950 slopes

4 light grey 33299 Technic lift arms

2 dark grey 6642 Technic, Flex Cable End

4 dark grey 6643 Technic, Flex Cable End

2 dark grey 2900 Technic, Flex Cable End, Pin Connection (Old)

4 bb08c05L Technic, Flex Cable 5L

2 light grey bb08c12L Technic, Flex Cable 12L

2 black 4477 1x10 plate

2 black 43857 Technic, Liftarm 1 x 2 Thick

Plus you need Flex tube in black, dark grey and red

Haven't looked at the XML file format yet.

> Wondering what wheels are you using if not the BBB XL ones?

after learning the information from br23.pdf (p. 65) and mlcad file it seems to me that BBB (large not XL of course) wheels can be replaced by:

85489b Red Train Wheel RC Train (Flanged)

85489a Red Train Wheel RC Train (Blind)

moreover those parts can be easy equipted by x37 Rubber Belt.

Those would the same as BBB Large wheels and not XL, the point for me is I want to use XL wheels as that is both part of the appeal and related to how I want to motorise it (see here ). If I don't get enough friction I would have to add my own o-rings, there is a tutorial by Toastie here for doing that.The only thing I'm not sure about there is whether there is a Lego made rubber band in red that would fit the BBB XL wheels and if so what's the part number..

EDIT : Added two more items to the missing list

EDIT EDIT : Only need 14 slopes, not 18 and removed Blokbricks reference as you can actually get 3mm tube in red

Edited January 7, 2012 by bricks n bolts

[legodjw]

Hi and Happy New Year too

The link is a Dutch internetsellingstore for sea angling (www.zeevisshop.com/N_frame.html?http://www.zeevisshop.com/Bezemdraad_afhouders_1_75mm_per_25_stuks_N_art_145.html)

But some well sorted fishingshops near the Dutch coast sell the too.

Legodjw

Hi legodjw, I'm also in the process of building a copy of Ben Beneke's BR23, very nice engine

I also wish to thank Dluders for those Bricklink references!

Wondering what wheels are you using if not the BBB XL ones?

The red flex cable doesn't seem to generally available so I've ordered some custom Flex cable from Blockbricks.nl, that's yet to arrive.

Not sure whether I'll then experience the same problem you are having with the flex cable rubbing on the side of the wheels.

Also wondering, do you have a link you could share for your `bezemdraad afhouders`?

Happy New Year!

BnB

I've used the BL parts you mentioned, but not the blind drivers. I used the PDF file and experimented with a piece of sponge in the middle.

Legodjw

i'm also on the way of building a copy of Ben Beneke's BR23. at the moment i try to compose the list of parts and didn't build anything yet.

i have found pdf building instruction, mlcad file and part list as well on Ben's brickshelf page (www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=143248).

however there are some difficulties to me.

maybe we can prepare Brickstore XML file together like one user did in Barman's Lego Power Functions-Controlled Train Switch (www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=62344&st=15) topic.

> Wondering what wheels are you using if not the BBB XL ones?

after learning the information from br23.pdf (p. 65) and mlcad file it seems to me that BBB (large not XL of course) wheels can be replaced by:

85489b Red Train Wheel RC Train (Flanged)

85489a Red Train Wheel RC Train (Blind)

moreover those parts can be easy equipted by x37 Rubber Belt.

ps. i have suggestion to moderators to combine this topic with MOD+ARTICLE: Motorizing Ben Beneke’s BR23 (http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=48532).

[bricks n bolts]

Hi and Happy New Year too

The link is a Dutch internetsellingstore for sea angling (www.zeevisshop.com/N_frame.html?http://www.zeevisshop.com/Bezemdraad_afhouders_1_75mm_per_25_stuks_N_art_145.html)

But some well sorted fishingshops near the Dutch coast sell the too.

Legodjw

Hi Legodjw, thanks for the link, I've added 3mm tubes for now, if I get issues when it runs I'll give the tubes a try.

BnB