# AccuCraft Climax?



## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

C'mon, guys, _*surely*_ somebody has fired their's up and taken a movie by now? The suspense is killin' me...

tac
www.ovgrs.org


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## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

Jeremiah - many thanks for your kind offer - please see your PM. 

Best 

tac 
www.ovgrs.org 
Supporter of the Cape Meares Lighthouse Restoration Fund


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## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

Great clip there, Sir - many thanks indeed. So are you going to post the YT details here for the rest of them to see a live-steam Climax in action? 

Best 

tac 
www.ovgrs.org 
Supporter of the Cape Meares Lighthouse Restoration Fund


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## iceclimber (Aug 8, 2010)

Sure, here it is. 


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjC5wKiWm-g


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## afinegan (Jan 2, 2008)

Good, at least someone took video when they where at ridge, I was too busy talking, steaming, riding lol (I did get a nice video of that 7.5" gauge K-27 with rolling stock)


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## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

Looks like a Britannia to me. 
Oh right, there is the Climax. 
Another clock that need a push! 
All the best, 
David Leech, Delta, Canada


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## iceclimber (Aug 8, 2010)

Yeah, I had some other video of the climax running, but because I didn't clear my memory the night before I had to delete a lot of the videos so I could retain memory for pictures. That video was one I forgot to delete and when I got home, I am glad I didn't. 

I was mainly filming the Britannia, but heard the climax coming so I got a quick shot of it. 


Andrew, I wish I had some video of your coal fired Ruby.


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## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

Hmmm, 'Britannia' standing still, Climax moving...what's the choice? 

Jeremiah, get a bigger memory card - I have a 16Gb memory stick in my 8Mb Sony pocket camera - does me just fine for everything. All of my 60+ movies on YT were made with it. 

Best 

tac 
www.ovgrs.org 
Supporter of the Cape Meares Lighthouse Restoration Fund


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## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

Posted By David Leech on 03 Mar 2011 09:02 AM 
Looks like a Britannia to me. 
Oh right, there is the Climax. 
Another clock that need a push! 
All the best, 
David Leech, Delta, Canada 

Prolly straight out of the box and needed a bit more steam. Y'know, just like any brand-new loco having its first run. Me, I liked it.

tac
www.ovgrs.org
Supporter of the Cape Meares Lighthouse Restoration Fund


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## iceclimber (Aug 8, 2010)

The climax ran fine the day I took the video as it did today. Once I load up the new videos I took you can see for yourself. Don't judge the engine by a 30 second clip. Trust me, it is a nice looking and moving loco.


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## iceclimber (Aug 8, 2010)

Here is the link to the first of two more videos showing the Climax in action. If you want to see it better you will have to order one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CLPQ61_VF8 

link #2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IG6wBNAcu2U


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## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

Thank YOU, Sir!

It seems to run quite nicely, too. All it needs now is a load of log-cars ahint it.

tac
www.ovgrs.org
Supporter of the Cape Meares Lighthouse Restoration Fund


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## iceclimber (Aug 8, 2010)

BTW, I just took the videos, I don't own an Accucraft Climax, but if I were more into the narrow gauge logging locos, this would be a fine one to own.


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## Bill4373 (Jan 3, 2008)

it surprises me that no one has made a comment about the "boards" on the Climax. The grain of the "wood" run from front to back; however the board lines run from side to side. I guess the Climax had wood tile??? You'd think someone would have caught this before production. 

.


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## iceclimber (Aug 8, 2010)

I would guess those would be easily fixed with some wood grain laminate. Probably look a bit better too. You're right though.


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## Smokey2 (Aug 11, 2010)

Couple of questions. 
I assume the extra hex head screws and nuts are just that- spares. 
My bigger question has to do with all the side play on the axles. Is there any reason for that? It kind of bugs me- think I'm going to add some spacers/shims to tighten it up a little.


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## Kovacjr (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Bill4373 on 08 Mar 2011 06:26 PM 

it surprises me that no one has made a comment about the "boards" on the Climax. The grain of the "wood" run from front to back; however the board lines run from side to side. I guess the Climax had wood tile??? You'd think someone would have caught this before production. 

. 

I commented about it to Cliff after seeing the one at Diamonhead. He said it was too late to change as they were built. I though that was a pretty sad mistake though. Also the brass knobs on the throttle make a wonderful heatsink. 

I wasnt too impressed with the gearing and setup. then again its not my style of Climax anyway so I dont have to worry about it. Best running climax still is Mike Chaney's that Ron Brown put out.


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## David Fletcher (Jan 2, 2008)

The model looks really nice - can someone sometime post some more photos and closeups of the model?
Some interested folks here, also lets see that running board issue - must have been a CAD issue.

Many thanks,
David.


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## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm, laminate is ok on a plastic engine, but nothing beats real wood on a metal one. I've just overlaid the moulded 'planking' on a couple of passenger cars with thin obeche planks - looks like the real thing, now. 

Shame about eh AccuCraft blooper tho'.... 

tac 
www.ovgrs.org 
Supporter of the Cape Meares Lighthouse Restoration Fund


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## Bruce Sherman (Feb 19, 2008)

I bought both versions of the Climax and on both models the rear truck drive shaft was bent, one only slightly, the other was bent so far as to lock up the entire drive train. I was able to remove and straighten the slightly bent shaft but the other can't slip through the bearings due to the bend in the shaft. I'll have to disassemble the entire truck, or better yet go see Cliff and swap one out. If you have a Climax, check the shafts for being true, a slightly bent shaft will operate,but will accelerate bearing wear and vibration.It looks like who ever assembled the models got lazy and bent the shaft to get to the screw that holds the truck to the bolster. Have a nice day.


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## David Fletcher (Jan 2, 2008)

Bill Hendrick sent me some good shots of the Climax this morning. I think this is a really neat model, agreed that something needs to be worked up for the wood planking, mostly on the front deck, the rest is not so noticable, darn pitty, but the rest looks great..mmm we have a Climax running not far from home, always like it...darn these models! 

Here are the close ups from Bill: 














































Might have to start saving..situation $0 after the Mason! Gotta save. 

David.


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## steveciambrone (Jan 2, 2008)

Very nice looking engine, but Accucraft needs to fix the wood grain issue. That part of it looks pretty bad. Retrofit parts to the guy who wants to fix it himself, and a recall for the customers who may not want to or are not capable of replacing the parts. 

Steve


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## Bill4373 (Jan 3, 2008)

I hope this will overcome the hot knobs. The plastic tubing wouldn't fit over the knob. I put it in a shot glass in the microwave and heated up. It was a tight fit while it was hot. I think it should work.


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## steveciambrone (Jan 2, 2008)

Heat shrink used for electronics works well, as an insulator. My Regner Willi regulator handle was too hot to touch and the heatshrink took the pain away. 

Steve


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## Smokey2 (Aug 11, 2010)

Posted By steveciambrone on 13 Mar 2011 04:34 PM 
Very nice looking engine, but Accucraft needs to fix the wood grain issue. That part of it looks pretty bad. Retrofit parts to the guy who wants to fix it himself, and a recall for the customers who may not want to or are not capable of replacing the parts. 

Steve 
I agree- can't help but see it every time I look at the engine. Never should have been shipped as is.


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## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

Posted By steveciambrone on 13 Mar 2011 04:34 PM 
Very nice looking engine, but Accucraft needs to fix the wood grain issue. That part of it looks pretty bad. Retrofit parts to the guy who wants to fix it himself, and a recall for the customers who may not want to or are not capable of replacing the parts. 

Steve 
BUT Steve,
I think that when they built that Climax, they used a 'special' cross grained planking that gave more grip for the logging boots.
Well, it might have happened!
Someone wasn't awake when they checked that one before production.
All the best,
David Leech, Delta, Canada


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## K27_463 (Jan 2, 2008)

AS regards, the wood planking, it would likely be pretty simple to cut and adapt one of my wood flat car deck overlay kits. They were designed to give a real wood look to the deck of the AMS flat car, but since the boards are individual and only a few thousandths thick, they can be laminated on anything. Made of Aircraft plywood, strong but easy to cut .They stain up real well with oil and grease too...

Jonathan/EMW


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## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

Posted By K27_463 on 14 Mar 2011 06:55 PM 
AS regards, the wood planking, it would likely be pretty simple to cut and adapt one of my wood flat car deck overlay kits. They were designed to give a real wood look to the deck of the AMS flat car, but since the boards are individual and only a few thousandths thick, they can be laminated on anything. Made of Aircraft plywood, strong but easy to cut .They stain up real well with oil and grease too...

Jonathan/EMW 


That's the way to go, Jonathan, IMO. It takes some real talent to make etched brass look like wood in the fust place, but getting it so badly wrong on a model where most every horizontal surface is planked is a real bummer. I'd guess you be getting a few customers out of this. Can you post a sample picture for us simple old f&rts?

tac
www.ovgrs.org


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## iceclimber (Aug 8, 2010)

Wouldn't replacing the metal knob with a plastic one be easier?


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## Bill4373 (Jan 3, 2008)

there's the ole saying...

"one brass knob covered with tubing is better than 2 plastic knobs in California" or was that about birds??


yes, I'm going to get plastic but it takes time....and I want to run it now.

.


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## Bill4373 (Jan 3, 2008)

here's a photo of the "planking" I installed on the front porch. and glue spot...


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## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

Hi Bill, 
Looks good. 
You shouldn't have mentioned the glue spot, as no-one would have noticed it! 
I am not too knowledgable about logging locomotives, but the Climaxes that I have photos of, have their planking crosswise, obviously sitting across the frame rails. 
Perhaps you have seen them done the other way as well. 
All the best, 
David Leech, Delta, Canada


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## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

Mr Leech is correct. 

tac 
www.ovgrs.org


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## Bill4373 (Jan 3, 2008)

the Chinese put the side-to-side boards in place. these just cover the Chinese boards. Besides, I like the looks of front-to-back boards.

.


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## steveciambrone (Jan 2, 2008)

I does not look right, would look better accross the loco. Besides everytime you bring it out in public, someone will have a burning need to point it out to you. 

Steve


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## iceclimber (Aug 8, 2010)

Good try, but I would definitely have to go with the way it was done in China over your mod.
Now if you were to paint them the color they were, that would be an entirely different ballgame.


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## gearedsoft (Jun 20, 2009)

Run the Climax last weekend, just put the video on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J14BdmXimx0


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## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

Jeremiah - the point that us nit-pickers are trying to make is that the Chinese HAVE correctly aligned the cross-frame planking, just etched the surface so that the grain goes fore and aft. I looked at four of them at the last weekend show here in UK, and all the four dealers had noticed it - with a great sigh. I'll prolly get one and re-plank it the way the grain SHOULD go. Cliff and Bing the boys must be biting their knuckles over this one, fer sure. 

Imagine buying a model boat, made with wood planking, where the planks ran from top to bottom instead of along the length of the hull, and you'll see how odd it really looks. Apart from that, it's a great model at a reasonable price - presently not even half a kidney. 

tac 
www.ovgrs.org 
Supporter of the Cape meares Lighthouse Restoration Fund


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## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

Dear Mr Gearedsoft - what a beautiful track you have there! In such a fine setting, too, with children able to walk alongside the trains whil they are running. The loco looks very good, too, and it is a great vid that I've filed away. Thanks for posting!

tac
www.ovgrs.org
Supporter of the Cape Meares Lighthouse Restoration Fund


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## gearedsoft (Jun 20, 2009)

@tacfoley 
I don't know why, but I can't reply to your message at youtube, so I will do this here. It's a reply from your comment at Castle class op stormpolder.

This track is at Krimpen a/d IJsel in the Netherlands. It is semi-portable. We have to rebuild the layout every time and remove it at the end of the day. The site of our club is www.stormpolderrail.nl 

You can find it with google maps at: 51.905086, 4.575287


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## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

Nico - many thanks for that information. A v. fine track indeed, made even more useful by being portable.

tac
www.ovgrs.org


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