tractor animation help needed

Brother Dave, Dad on his Case D & me on the 800

I hope someone has a good idea, but with a H or M, which is what I remember.

Fred

The classic "method" for this animation is a pin pulling the front tire dragging the tractor in a slot cut into the field.  A geared motorized mechanism (an HO engine on an oval track, a chain-driven pulley, etc.) is under the field.  the assumption being it's too hard/expensive to install the drive mechanism in the tractor itself.

More recently, with the ready availability of high-strength Neodymium (Nd) magnets, it has become practical to eliminate the slot replaced the direct-mechanical contact with a magnetic field.  So the under-ground motion drags a magnet below the surface.  A magnet placed under the front of the tractor then follows the under-ground magnet.  This does require a smoothly moving tractor or else you get jerky, hiccup'ing motion.

My first thought was a slot cut into some cabinet grade 3/4" plywood, with a driver on one end pulling ball chain through the slot. I would then tie the tractor to the ball chain via fishing line.

Above ideas to provide motion, and use furrows in the field to help guide the tractor and whatever it is pulling.   

This book is a bit dated (about 10 years) so I don't recommended buying it outright but it has good coverage and lots of pictures of various electro-mechanical animation techniques.

http://www.amazon.com/Beginner...n*=1&*entries*=0

Here's the relevant portion of the contents:

I think it comes down to what's in your comfort zone, tool chest, and parts stash (sprockets, chains, pulleys, belts, gears, etc.). 

And what's an animation without sound?!  Since you apparently have an operating prototype tractor why not record the actual engine sounds and play that while the animation is running! 

I look forward to pictures of your progress!

The moving magnet under the surface of the field sounds like the easiest method of moving the tractor. Pulleys and a belt drive could be set up to move the magnet around in an oval or rectangle and the tractor would have a steel contact that would be attracted to the magnet.

Maybe static animation??  Figure a way to turn the wheels on the tractor, (in place), and may be the reel on the combine, add some sound. 

Much larger scale  model  Case DC.  I spent a lot of time on these tractors as a very, very young man (high school and college).   

Farmall C.  I believe these are 1/25 scale models.

Some of my 1/43 Ertl models.  The green Ford truck is 1/48 and the Green John Deere, model 50, tractor is 1/50. There is a Farmall 300 and front is a Farmall M/TA, late model M with a Torque Amplifier which increase the number of forward gears from (5) to (10)   Opps   Farmall Super M/TA, early 1950's, we are already into the "More Power" on the farm movement.

BTW...  The book mentioned above by Stan....Creative Effects for your Model Railroad...is yet available through Walthers....$19.95.

Book Link

...and retailers thereof. 

This sort of project intrigues me, so I've ordered the book for myself.

Also, your Ertl model of the Case tractor and bailer....how old is it?  How long ago did you acquire it?  Reason I ask is I just searched Diecast Direct's website....if you load in 'Case 800' in the Ertl category, the tractor that pops up is quite different.  I'm no tractor expert as are you and your dad, so I'll assume it's Ertl's error????

Finally....just to have something of substance to doodle with....    What sort/size of display are you evisioning for your project?  Any idea what the tractor model's turning radius might be ('swivel-ability' of the front wheels, if you will)?? 

Also, a nice touch to such an animated display would be to have a soundtrack to accompany.  George, at ITT Products...

ITTProducts Link

...would certainly work with you to put actual Case 800 working sounds on a chip for you.  In fact, he could add some actual conversation between you and your dad just to put an extra big smile on the faces!!!  George is one of the most accommodating suppliers I've ever dealt with!!

Just some thoughts for rumination and conversation...

Keep us posted!

KD

I think Stan is on to it with the magnets. The field or farm area will have to thin material. Lee Willis has run his boat on his lake for some time with a belt system and magnets.

I was thinking of something like a system of gears and chain that are used in scale scratch built engine drives.  I believe the small gears and chain would be easy to work with as you can get the mounting hardware and bushings and such. You could get a few passes up and down a field then across at the end. There are different ratings for the ceramic magnets as well as the neodymium, so finding the right strength will be key.

Check out P & D Hobbies

There are numerous 12 volt motors on eBay with low revolutions to keep the speed slow.

Great thread.  Thanks for posting the pics and the info.  The BALER would be better than the picker perhaps.  I still have my collection of 60 series JDs stuff that I acquired in the 50s. 

I think the magnet would be a better option if the tractor was a wide front end, but this one is a tricycle. 

The Ertl model is from the early 90's that I have.

I am looking to go about 36", make a turn & come back. I have numerous gear head motors for the power, even have a good quality gear motor with a flat pulley already installed which would drive a belt similar to a dryer.

I agree, I would rather have the square baler, pulling a wagon like we do in real life, but I need to work with what I have.

We also farm with multiple SC tractors, and a couple D's, but no DC's. The SC's would go through anything, the DC would plant that front tricycle in the bottom of the mud very efficiently.

I'm going to use plastic roller chain. It will be plunge cut into a trench in the .75" plywood, essentially making a slot car track. The chain will slide in the slot. Found the components online last night, similar to the K'nex roller coaster stuff you can buy at Walmart in the toy section.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/2651...09799712&veh=sem

Consider small timing belts, 1/8" and 1/4" wide, such as MXL series. These, and the matching pulleys, are rather inexpensive. McMaster-Carr is a good source for these, and also try Pololu Robotics for small gear motors and all sorts of things. Then look at ebay for the same items, but usually cheaper.

Alex

My thought with the flat belts was that a certain tension will need maintained requiring the use of tensioner pulleys. My thought with the plastic roller chain was the tension would not need to be as specific, leading to less friction- Just enough to keep it from jumping teeth.

Can you share exactly which plastic roller chain you found (and presumably a mating sprocket)?  Or maybe you don't want to recommend anything until you see that it works (I get that).  I assume it's something like this:

Roughly how long is the oval (or whatever shape you are trenching?  I was thinking if it's plywood the "granular" side-walls might present a bit of friction to the sliding chain and was trying to imagine a simple finishing method to smooth the walls?

What's neat about your idea (as I understand it) is that one link-pin can be replaced with a longer one that extends above the surface to pull the tractor nose.  Bonus of the chain method!

The pin/link was where I was heading with this idea, and I thought about just filling the cut trench/slot with graphite. In reality, this could be used for a parade on main street as well.

dkdkrd posted:

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Also, your Ertl model of the Case tractor and bailer....how old is it?   The machine is a combine, (Combination of a reaper, used to cut grain and thresher, used to separate the grain from the straw.   The paddle wheel at the front, along with a cutter bar cuts the grain, delivered up the silver chute to a high speed rolling mill that loosen, or removes most of the grain from the straw.  The rest of the machine has a shaker bed  that is suppose to remove the rest of the grain.  Eventually the grain is delivered to a holding tank, middle of the machine front in this pictured.   This is a very good small model of a Case pull behind combine.

 

KD

rogerpete posted:

The pin/link was where I was heading with this idea, and I thought about just filling the cut trench/slot with graphite. In reality, this could be used for a parade on main street as well.

Here is a video of the Milton Train Museum in Milton Pa.  The bicycle chain drives the cars on main street.  You can see the street at about 6.15 and 7.45 on the video clip. 

if you wanted to add,  stationary ones,  use a dyno set up,  rollers with a motor front and rear,  4 rollers,  the wheels sit in a cradle,  something like those loco test stands, 

but rollers are in the ground

If you are ambitious, you can pursue the Faller-Car-System as used in Hamburg's Miniatur Wunderland exhibition. The Miniatur Wunderland video, as has been posted here many times.

Alex

ahhhhhhh

not that ambitious. 

rogerpete,

I made a short video to show you how John was able to accomplish the animation. Similar to your strategy, he used a roller chain and a slow motion motor to make the machinery move along a designated path and hid it all with two types of indoor/outdoor carpet from Menards.

-Mark the Menards Train Guy

Mark- That's exactly what I am looking to replicate. Any chance of getting an over head view?

Thanks

Roger

Hi Roger,

When I get a chance to visit the layout, I will snap a couple pictures for you. However, I'm not sure how much you will be able to see because it's just an oval track and the chain is hidden under the carpet.

-Mark the Menards Train Guy

I just wanted to know about the path of the track, oval or complex. Thanks!