# arist craft mallet 2882



## MilitaryMike0023 (Oct 9, 2008)

does anyone have a detailed review on this item yet? i want to start my collection with this beat. ! ... does it have sound already installed and etc? thanks in advance


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

No sound. Smooth and powerful. Doesn't pull as heavy a load as the MTH engines 'cause the wheels slip easier. Smokes well. Sometimes has trouble with wheels coming loose on the axels. I can get around 8ft diameter curves, but looks a little silly doing it. Nicely detailed. Can be hard on trackside structures like the prototype. I like mine a lot! 

How's that?


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Visit my web site, go under motive power, then aristo. Read up on the gearbox and the mallet itself. 

Short story: One of the nicest steamers Aristo makes, tracks very well, even over tight curves, keep to 10' diameter if you can, it will live with 8'. Sound is very simple, put the speaker(s) in the boiler and do the power pickup mod at least. 

Regards, Greg


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

I have 8 and 10 ft curves and operates quite well. You can still find great buys on them also. Later RJD


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## MilitaryMike0023 (Oct 9, 2008)

well it looks like she will be my first ... everything is pretty much a plus on the engine ... and i will add the sound myself when i get her ... ha im sure i'll post a question on that too ... now the hunt begins for where i can get the best price


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## TheLordsServant (Jul 7, 2008)

Well, perhaps I got unlucky, but the one I owned (Owned, past tense) went back three times, and never was right. I definitely wouldn't purchase another one, but as I said, I have really lousy luck with just about everything.


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

I have two of them and normally I'm more into diesels but I sure love running the Mallet with the sound and the chuff switch. Also the TA smoke systems work great and are almost in sink with the drivers. Cool. Laterr RJD


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

All the Aristo steamers that have the "prime mover" geartrain are assembled with loktite red used as glue, not as a thread locker. It's a pain to pull apart and fix this, but the basic design will work fine once properly assembled. Both Ray Manley and I have sites detailing various ways to make these completely reliable. 

It's just something you have to go through, sooner or later. But, who else makes the Mallet, Pacific, or Mikado at such a reasonable price? 

Regards, Greg


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## Rayman4449 (Jan 2, 2008)

I own three and have photos and lots of videos posted on my website also. (see the Videos section for videos or Locomotives link for photos ) Like Greg, I have writeups that address certain issues as well in my Mods section exactly as he said, between our two sites we should a good bit of the information you need to get it running reliable.

I would recommend it be on your buy list. 

As far as the speaker, because of the differences in sound quality I prefer to use 3" speakers and prefer to put it in the tender. (It does require a little fabrication tho) There isn't room in the boiler for a speaker that large and the 2" speakers (in my opinion) dont have anywhere near the same sound quality and tone as 3" and larger. Only place in the boiler to mount a speaker is up front and under the smoke unit which is not a good idea as if you overfill the smoke unit or it leaks it will drip down all over the speaker. (Aristocraft smoke units are known for seeping fluid around the interior reservior wall. Use a bead of superglue around the crease on the outer side to seal it. Do this before you put smoke fluid in for the first time.) That said a 2 inch speaker install would be easier and if put in the boiler would give you the sound coming from the engine itself which is more prototypical.

Raymond


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

If you are thinking of the boiler install, check out this page: http://www.elmassian.com/trains-mainmenu-27/motive-power-mods-aamp-tips-mainmenu-35/aristo-motive-power-mainmenu-72/mallet-mainmenu-75/qsi-install-mainmenu-248

I put a 3" oval in the front and one inside further back with some success, I did not make any enclosures.

I also tried the 4 2" speakers, one pointing down, the other up in the very front, and the 2 in the "tube" further back.


I did not get as deep bass as I get from 3.5" speakers in the tender, but the sound coming from the front of the loco really made a difference to me.

Regards, Greg


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## Rayman4449 (Jan 2, 2008)

WOW! I've never seen an oval speaker that size with such a large magnet! Where did you get it? How do they sound compared to the stock Aristocraft oval ones?


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Jonathan at Electric Model Works, the sponser of the Battery/RC forum. I always go looking there first, he seems to find the best compact speakers. I believe he is/was in the audio industry. 

Those speakers sound superior to the Aristo ovals in my opinion. Using the QSI system, the Aristo speakers distort, these do not. Since I did not build enclosures (yet) I could not speak to the deep bass capability, but they are superior in treble. 

The neat thing is that they are not very deep, so fit in tight spaces.


Regards, Greg


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

I have, like Greg installed the speaker in the boiler with the QSI board now talk about good sound and coming from where it should. And the TA smoke unit just cleared the speaker.







Later RJD


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## Guest (Oct 20, 2008)

Posted By aceinspp on 10/20/2008 8:33 AM
I have, like Greg installed the speaker in the boiler with the QSI board now talk about good sound and coming from where it should. And the TA smoke unit just cleared the speaker.







Later RJD

picture please....








Nick


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

See what I can do for ya Nick. I have it hooked up to work with chuff switch almost as good as MTH. Later RJD


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## Guest (Oct 20, 2008)

Thanks RJ..


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