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Taking the Igarashi "Hemi" farther


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#1 havlicek

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Posted 25 May 2019 - 10:00 AM

Pablo works just up the hall from me over here in Cheater's sweat shop.  So when I got an interoffice memo from him about doing-up an Igarashi "Hemi", I got busy.  Oh and, it looked as though I *might* be able to actually install a 5mm bearing in the end bell, but I was worried about both clearance and even more about reaming-out the existing hole in the hard-but-brittle end bell's phenolic-like material...whatever it is.  The build involved installing C can motor magnets (*strong and well-matched ones courtesy of Cheater), as well as bearings on both ends and a new H-Power can drive arm.

For the can shim, what's needed is a can that has the welds and cross pieces in the right place so it all doesn't fall apart after cutting-away the stuff you don't need/want.  Here is one that works, there are others too, but many of the modern C cans have so little material they won't work at all.  I do the thinning of the top, bottom and curved sides before cutting so the man-handling is less likely to ruin everything.  The top and bottom flats are done on a small bench top belt/disc sander, the curved sides are done on the lathe.  The sharp corners of the can-shim after thinning need to be radiused to fit the inside rounded corners of the larger D can.  After I'm pretty sure by testing then fit that the can will slide into the larger D can, I cut away the extra material and de-bur everything because little bits around the edges can make the whole thing not work, and you don't want to find that out while trying to insert it...and only getting half-way in! (*I found that out the hard way 
:) ).  When sure or pretty sure it will work, I epoxy the mags into the new can-shim, so that whole deal can later be installed in one shot.

For the end bell, my biggest concern was that the hard brittle material would crack...and there's not a heckuva lot of room to work in there.  I used a tapered hand ream SLOWLY until I got fairly close and then finished it off with a 5mm chucking reamer.  Also, as the end bell was...it had a recess for the old bushing that was too small for the 5mm bearing flange.  I inserted a temporary 5mm oilite on the outside as a centering device and then used and end cutter on the inside to cut a new larger recess...again SLOWLY.  After all that I epoxied-in the new bearing and the Hemi's end bell material should make for a good bond.

Now I can install the magnet/shim assembly so it's centered in the existing can holes so it all looks like it's supposed to be there, and proceed to press a stack and space it for the hemi's new strong magnets.  BTW, these magnets you sent are nice and strong and really well-matched.  This all should make for a very smooth and fast, as well as definitely unique Igarashi that looks fairly stock on the outside.

 

msg-688-0-55180500-1558783239.jpgmsg-688-0-77047900-1558783244.jpg

 

 


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John Havlicek




#2 havlicek

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Posted 25 May 2019 - 10:00 AM

Time for the magnet/shim installation.  As usual...it goes in with some effort, and here you have to be extra careful not to screw up the thin can metal on these things, but in it went.  That thin can metal also meant that the can shape was slightly changed, making the sides a little tight.  A little bevelling of the inside of the curved sides of the Hemi and the outside of the end bell's edges on the curved sides made it all work.  Centering the shim on the can cutouts adds to the appearance that it all was some aftermarket hop-up kit meant for the Hemi...I think.  It all fits so tight, all that's needed to keep the magnet/shim assembly in place is some CA glue...IT AIN'T GOING NOWHERE!  It will also roughly center the arm in the Hemi's cutouts.  Now here's a motor that will hopefully live-up to one of Pablo's super nifty chassis builds.   :)

 

msg-688-0-46051300-1558786610.jpgmsg-688-0-71005000-1558786625.jpg

 

Without question, this is far more work than I've ever done to one of these things.

PS:  I also honed the magnets after installation to .530", just to be sure everything is well-centered.  I get "performance anxiety when I do stuff for the bigtime builders, and Pablo is one of those!  Besides, on the rare occasions when Cheater lets us out of our cubicles for a coffee break, I don't wanna have to make excuses for taking short cuts!


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#3 Pablo

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Posted 25 May 2019 - 11:30 AM

Looks super; have your secretary hand deliver me the invoice  :laugh2:  :dance3:  :heart:


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#4 havlicek

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Posted 25 May 2019 - 11:34 AM

Looks super; have your secretary hand deliver me the invoice  :laugh2:  :dance3:  :heart:

 

 

Wait...what?  Cheater gave you a secretary!?  I'm gonna have to renegotiate my contract!


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#5 Racer36

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Posted 25 May 2019 - 04:34 PM

Cheater IS the secretary! Think on that one a while!
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#6 Kim Lander

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Posted 25 May 2019 - 07:42 PM

that hemi looks great.


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#7 James Wendel

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Posted 26 May 2019 - 02:25 AM

Do you have a source of motor brushes for that?


You can't always get what you want...

#8 havlicek

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Posted 26 May 2019 - 05:13 AM

Do you have a source of motor brushes for that?

 

I don't personally, but I have seen them around occasionally on eBay, and I'm sure some folks have them stashed-away also.  The springs on these are fragile as well, and the cross-bent end that locates in the slots on the brush tubes tends to break-off easily.

These were very cool motors.  The cans were very thin and light, and still strong enough because of their one-piece design, although screw-mounting at the tail end would be best used only for locating the motor and reinforced with solder afterwards.  The magnets in these motors are better than the stock Mabuchi magnets...although certainly not "Arco" strength.  It is the end bell material where Igarashi way-outpaced Mabuchi.  It's hard and durable, but best of all more heat-tolerant.  To my way of thinking, the small rod-shaped brushes and very light brush springs limit this motor to no more than a #29awg wind.  The small and relatively sloppy oilites at both ends of the motor are no better than the Mabuchi ones, although the Igarashi one is a bit longer which should mean a little more service life.  That the end bell oilite is a spline-fit to the better end bell material should also make it more secure and better running...but either can be replaced...even the end bell one, unlike the Mabuchi.  In short, Igarashi mase a lovely little motor here for the time, and there are several weird variants out there.  I have one that's a perfect rectangle, instead of having the usual curved sides.


John Havlicek

#9 havlicek

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Posted 26 May 2019 - 06:10 AM

The arm is done, and should make for some fast and fun driving.  I did a 50/29, with around 20 degrees advance on a .460" long stack.  This one is wound the "normal" way...from the com towards the crowns.  I pressed the stack so it could go either can or end bell drive, although I think Pablo is pretty definitely doing can-drive.

IMG_3694.JPG IMG_3695.JPG

 


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John Havlicek

#10 Pablo

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Posted 26 May 2019 - 07:56 AM

Good idea on soldering the can in, I'll do that  :good:


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#11 Dave Crevie

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Posted 26 May 2019 - 09:16 AM

I am using a Mabuchi endbell in a 36D Strombecker that I am doing now. Have you tried fitting the 16D Mabuchi in that

can? Those cylindrical brushes are a nightmare.

 

 

IMG_0435.JPG

 

 


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#12 havlicek

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Posted 26 May 2019 - 09:34 AM

I am using a Mabuchi endbell in a 36D Strombecker that I am doing now. Have you tried fitting the 16D Mabuchi in that

can? Those cylindrical brushes are a nightmare.

 

 

attachicon.gifIMG_0435.JPG

 

 

 

Yes I have.  Honestly, the Igarashi end bell material is so much better than the Mabuchi stuff, I don't worry about the brushes much.

 

Good idea on soldering the can in, I'll do that  :good:

 

For sure...and only a couple of solder "tacks" should do the trick, but there are other ways to go Pablo, for one you could just cut-up a bracket and use it at the front for a second way of locating the can.  Also, I can epoxy a couple of backing plates behind the can mounting holes and then drill/tap them for 2-56...or just drill them for sheet metal screw mounting per usual.  Either way would make soldering the can unnecessary.


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#13 Pablo

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Posted 26 May 2019 - 10:31 AM

Backing plates tapped 2-56 please  :ph34r:


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#14 havlicek

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Posted 26 May 2019 - 11:27 AM

Backing plates tapped 2-56 please  :ph34r:

 

 

OK...I'll have at it.


John Havlicek

#15 Dave Crevie

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Posted 26 May 2019 - 01:42 PM

John; Interesting you said that. I had trouble with the stock red endbell, mostly with the brush holders coming loose

and not being able to get the grub screws out. The little grooves just didn't hold once the metal holders were overheated.

Plus I thought, but don't actually have any physical proof, that the Mabuchi endbells ran cooler. I bow to your greater

experience, and I think I will build one all stock as well just for s**ts and giggles. The motor I am doing now goes in a

drag car with a pretty hot wind, and a much larger, newer style com. Maybe I'll take pictures as I go, just for posterity,

of course. 


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#16 slotbaker

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Posted 26 May 2019 - 03:09 PM

EJ's may have the brushes. Scroll down a bit.

Strombecker-Hemi-400-brushes-ejs.jpg

 

I bought some from Ed a couple of years ago.


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#17 havlicek

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Posted 26 May 2019 - 03:37 PM

Dave...this is all a matter of personal preference.  I've just gotten really tired of the Mabuchi end bells...so tired of them (*except for the much better Hong Kong produced ones), the Igarashi ones seem like a breath of fresh air.  :)

Anyway, and per Pablo's request, I backed-up the can mounting holes with some brass, epoxied them in and tapped them 2-56.  Getting the backup plates in there with the magnets and shim installed was like an arcade game where you get a Teddy Bear for accomplishing something...without the teddy bear!

IMG_3699.JPG


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#18 brucefl

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Posted 27 May 2019 - 05:08 AM

You guys actually have offices,I thought everybody did things virtually,from your homes and uploaded photos,contracts too,I thought you guys were just nice guys with the passion and volunteered,like we all did in the day.

I thought this blog were a bunch of my peers,the magics gone,it's so commercialized,I thought that was what was so special about slots,a bunch of amateurs innovating for pure fun,not everyone on the payroll,that's what we amateurs hated the most or should I say envied,the pros on salary with endless resources that we could never compete against,even though there was much genius coming out of the amateur ranks,but the playing field wasn't even,so is this true or are you guys talking tongue in cheek,and you haven't blown the fantasy (and you guys are not on contract in a pampas titled position,if the fantasies blown then one must startup a sole volunteer version of a blog and keep it pure to those children we were 50 odd years ago,let me get an AMEN to that if cheater let's you see this,and let's not give up our day jobs.).This is just a hobby afterall.
Bruce Schwartz

#19 havlicek

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Posted 27 May 2019 - 05:32 AM

Hi Bruce,

     How likely do you think it is that anyone doing this stuff might generate enough profit to pay for things like offices, secretaries, websites...or even just the light bill?  Oh and...I've shown pictures of my "work space" here before (above the objections of the resident spiders I might add).  If you've seen them, the answer to your question lies within those images.  :D


John Havlicek

#20 brucefl

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Posted 27 May 2019 - 05:46 AM

So John your a purist,then my childhood expectations remain intact,AMEN.

You're just one of the MA and pas of the world,thank goodness the Walmart of slot cars haven't infiltrated.

So John you wouldn't be tempted if someone offered you a big contract?

Yes or no you can't corrupt the child in us,he doesn't take bribes,he's either there or not.
Bruce Schwartz

#21 havlicek

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Posted 27 May 2019 - 07:27 AM

So, this bad boy is done.  Pablo gave me the option of doing a static balance, or sending it out for grinding and dynamic balance.  Since this is a kind of "landmark" build for me of one of these motors, it really needs to go out.  The motor deserves whatever extra bit of performance and smoothness it can get.


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John Havlicek

#22 Pablo

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Posted 27 May 2019 - 07:37 AM

John, did you actually "see" the TPS inter-office memo?  :laugh2:

 


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#23 boxerdog

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Posted 27 May 2019 - 08:41 AM

That clip brought back many memories and repressed hostility on my part. 


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#24 Alchemist

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Posted 29 May 2019 - 11:08 PM

What a "Pulchritudinous" motor John - if I may apply the word to this motor!

 

My most favorite motor from my early days of slot cars.

 

Thank you for sharing.

 

Ernie


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Ernie Layacan

#25 havlicek

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Posted 30 May 2019 - 06:52 AM

Thanks Ernie,

     While some of what I did here was not routinely done "in the day", replacing the end bell with a different one that would still fit the can would have made for something other than an Igarashi "Hemi".  Here, the significant limiting factor isn't the end bell material as in the Mabuchis, but the small round brushes.  The brushes will seat themselves, forming an arc where they meet the commutator, but that arc is also what keeps them aligned.  The Igarashi brush springs are also VERY fragile and weak, which would also be a limiting factor.  What the slot racing world needed back then was an "Igabuchi"...the same end bell material but with square/rectangular brushes and better springs.  Of course, none of the above mattered "two minutes later" as soon as Mura answered all the end bell issues.  Then it was on to stronger magnets, hotter winds and finding the next weak link.  In other words...making hand grenades, pulling the pin but still trying to stop them from blowing up!  :)


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John Havlicek





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