# Electric "Engine" Build



## IronHorse (Oct 31, 2009)

Usually I don't do much machining in the summer, but their was a lot of cold and rainy days this summer. So I did manage to build one engine. I saw this MESCO motor somewhere, maybe this site, and I thought it was an interesting design. The single lever controls both direction and speed. Later I found the patent for the original design. I scaled the diagram up to size on a photocopier and took all measurements from that.

MESCO Motor






The Patent





Here is a early mock-up, I could of milled the whole frame out of one chunk but my wife hates that! :-X(noise) So I hacked it out from some 1/4" Ali plate.





Testing and working out the bugs.





In this picture you can see the cam and 2 "brushes". I used some brass for the first ones, but they wore away after a while. The new ones where made from some 0.010" freeler gauge material (Stainless?)





All polished-up and painted, ready for assembly. I used some VHT Caliper Enamel, It is very hard and resistant to most nasty motor stuff.





The finished motor.











And of course the Video, I found out after I filmed this, it will self-reverse if I crank up the voltage a bit.




IronHorse


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## cfellows (Oct 31, 2009)

Great Build! I love these old electric engine designs. What kind of voltage are you powering it with?

Chuck


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## IronHorse (Oct 31, 2009)

I am running 10-12v at 2 Amps. I think I will re-wind the coils with some thinner wire. The original MESCO ran off 1.5v 


IronHorse


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## zeeprogrammer (Oct 31, 2009)

Very nice! Beautiful polish. Thanks for the post.
(I'd self reverse too if my voltage got cranked up. ;D)


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## black85vette (Oct 31, 2009)

I did an electric in a scotch yoke configuration using solenoids.  Was also thinking about doing one as a beam configuration with two solenoids.

Mine was not a model of a real device like yours and no where near as nice of finish as yours has. Nice job!


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## BobWarfield (Oct 31, 2009)

That's very cool!

I hadn't seen one of these solenoid sorta engines before.

Best,

BW


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## ttrikalin (Oct 31, 2009)

beautiful motor. First one i've ever seen.


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## rcplanebuilder (Nov 1, 2009)

Wait til my son see this.... You'll have a new best friend. .... 8)


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## Russel (Nov 1, 2009)

Wow, that is gorgeous! I love the black and gold! The flywheel looks great. Did you sandblast the spokes?

Russ


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## firebird (Nov 1, 2009)

Hi

I really like that. I built one some years ago when I was messing around winding my own coils. Not a good as yours though.

http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/index.php?topic=1824.0

Cheers

Rich


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## gbritnell (Nov 1, 2009)

Very nicely done. The finish on it sure makes it stand out.
gbritnell


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## Deanofid (Nov 1, 2009)

That's very nice! A pretty motor, and quiet too. 
Good job, and looks like an interesting project. 
What voltage is used? Do you know the minimum voltage it will run on?

Dean


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## Bluechip (Nov 6, 2009)

There appear to be some (original) motors on this site.

Look a fair bit more 'used' than the example here

http://www.patented-antiques.com/Backpages/Office/motors.htm

Dave BC


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## Powder keg (Nov 20, 2009)

Great job!!! Thanks for sharing. I've been interested in making one of those.

Wes


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