I think this guy is on to something.
Posted 25 February 2026 - 10:08 PM
Posted 25 February 2026 - 11:42 PM
A regular John Havlicek! ![]()
Mike Katz
Scratchbuilts forever!!
Posted 26 February 2026 - 06:27 AM
Might work on track powered by 10v or less. ![]()
Posted 26 February 2026 - 11:40 AM
Shouldn’t take long for the smoke to leak out.
Posted 26 February 2026 - 02:02 PM
Didn't he wire it one way before, then opposite after?
Posted 26 February 2026 - 02:21 PM
Shouldn’t take long for the smoke to leak out.
Hard to say. It probably would throw the solder off the comm tab connections and just stop running.
Mike Swiss
Inventor of the Low CG guide flag 4/20/18
Former IRRA® Components Committee Chairman
Five-time USRA National Champion (two G7, one G27, two G7 Senior)
Two-time G7 World Champion (1988, 1990), eight G7 main appearances
Eight-time G7 King track single lap world record holder
17B West Ogden Ave., Westmont, IL 60559, (708) 203-8003, mikeswiss86@hotmail.com (also my PayPal address)
Note: Send all USPS packages and mail to: 692 Citadel Drive, Westmont, Illinois 60559
Posted 26 February 2026 - 02:41 PM
Awesome! ![]()
Reminds me of what we did to the Revell SP500 Mabuchis when they came out in the '60s. I still remember my first one catching fire on the front straight. ![]()
Rick Thigpen
Check out Steve Okeefe's great web site at its new home here at Slotblog:
The Independent Scratchbuilder
There's much more to come...
Posted 26 February 2026 - 02:46 PM
If the motor is only running at 5 volts, the rewind job might work for brief intervals, but I anticipate one of three failure modes: melted comm solder, melted brush spring arms, or melted endbell. Done them all at one time or another.
I used to dewind production 16D motors. The recommended limit for that in the '60s was 20 turns, but I got more radical and attempted 35-40 turns – half the wire. The motor would run well for maybe five minutes before the comm solder melted and the motor stopped. I eventually tried some high-temp silver solder which did survive longer.
More recently, I tried a crimped endbell drag motor on circuit track, and that lasted 10 minutes and a brush spring arm melted. Finally, I put a G20 arm in a PS Chinese C-can and melted the endbell.
Posted 26 February 2026 - 02:48 PM
Oh, I forgot about thrown comm segments - that's also a good possibility.
Posted 15 July 2026 - 02:26 AM
i don't think that soft solder will last long