Toylander 1 project

[andy74]

Hello all, thought it was about time I introduced myself as i have been reading through the posts for a while now. My name is Andy and I received my plans for TL 1 just before Christmas. My intention is for this to be a one year project to be finished for my son Alex's 2nd birthday in Feb 2011. I have read through the build manual a couple of times and feel fairly confident that I can achieve my target.
I have decided not to use the paper patterns that came with the manual as I have an engineering background, and so I am going to work from the drawings as I feel more confident this way. Over the last couple of days I have transferred the drawing of the main side panel and the front onto some 6mm ply, cut and shaped them until until they overlay the patterns and look right, these are going to be used as templates for the MDF which i am going to cut with my router and guide bearing.
Incidentally does anyone know a good supplier of the moisture resistant MDF in the derby area who will deliver?
regards,
Andy.

[nick w]

got mine from travis perkins and the 19x19 battens they even wrapped it for me so i did not get too wet

[Tufty]

I picked mine up from Jewsons, I guess they deliver aswell but nobody would have been here to receive it.

[paulr]

  Ours was marked straight onto the mdf and we used normal mdf several coats of pva glue diluted, several layers of primer and then a couple of tops coats. So far it seems to have been ok.Enjoy the build and ask anything that you feel unsure about, the forums has helped us out with things on our build.
PaulR and Mrs Paul

[andy74]

Thanks for the advice, was thinking of trying Travis perkins as they are not too far from me, think I will give them a ring. I am looking forward to getting started on this, and will post some pics once everything is under way.

cheers
Andy

[andy74]

Just a quick update on progress so far, still haven't ordered the mdf yet although this will be done very soon. Just as I suspected I would things have been modified already, I was initially intending to build a standard toylander using RLT motors but I have just acquired a mobility scooter for a silly price and so will therefore be trawling through the forum to find every piece of information I can.
The scooter is a shoprider sovereign in fully working order, if anyone has any experience of this particular scooter then any advice would be appreciated.
cheers
Andy

[markh15]

Hi Andy,
Check out multisync's build thread in the 'Toylander 2' section. I'm pretty sure Walter used a 'Shoprider Sovereign' for his build.

Anything else, just ask and someone will help out with advice.

Best Regards,
Mark.

[multisync]

Hi Andy
Mark is nearly right
I used a shoprider 4, which may be the same thing.
http://www.toylanderownersclub.com/forum/index.php/topic,12.msg651.html#msg651
should take you to a picture of it.
regards
Walter

[andy74]

Hi Walter, I have been reading through your thread and your scooter looks almost identical to mine, only the colour appears to be different.
There are a lot of photos on your thread that seem to have dissappeared, I can remember seeing them before the system was rebooted last and thought that they might be useful. I am particularly interested in your method of transferring drive from transaxle to rear wheels. Did you use Richard's drive sprockets or somebody Else's?
Andy 

[Anthony]

I have a problem with the photos - I backed them up but the forum software encoded them when they were saved. When I downloaded the photos to my hard drive unknown to me they were corrupted by the FTP software. I have been trying to get them back but I am afraid that they are lost.

[multisync]

No Problem Anthony
They are all on photobucket so I'll pick the ones that may be useful and re post them at the end of my blog when I've got a minute
Walter

[andy74]

Hi all probably a silly question, but does anybody have an opinion on whether a separate braking system is required when using a mobility scooter that has a quite effective electromagnetic brake. Does this brake work as effectively when used with sprockets and chains or is it worth fitting the RLT brake as well?
Andy

[Tore]

Does this brake work as effectively when used with sprockets and chains or is it worth fitting the RLT brake as well?

Andy,

I do not know the mobility scooter brakes, but if these are the kind that regenerate power into the battery when you let go of the throttle, they will probably work fine on the Toylander too.  But, they will operate through chains, and there is a possibility those will break.  Or you could have an electrical fault.  I have never heard of that happening, and I believe neither has Richard, but a second set of mechanical brakes that operates directly on the wheels should be installed nevertheless.

Someday, I'll even get around to installing brakes on my own Toylander. I promise.

-Tore

[markh15]

Hi Andy,

I use exactly the same system as you describe, a scooter motor driving via chains and sprockets (3/8th's pitch).

The system is all as it came from the scooter, with no mod's to the electronic brake, and it has functioned fine for 18 months now without a hitch.

I have made provision for a separate brake system using 'mini-moto' calipers and cables, but haven't fitted it as yet. I'm going to wait until Harvey (the grandson) gets a little older, and can grasp the concept of a two pedal system.
Until then, the electric brake is more than adequate, stopping the car in it's own length from full speed (6 mph).

Full details are on my build website (click the 'globe' icon under my username), or my build thread 'Hi To All' in the 'Toylander 2' section.

I wouldn't worry too much at present, just get it finished, and modify it later, that's what winter is for!

Regards,
Mark.

[andy74]

Thanks Mark, That is what I was thinking myself, but was curious as to what others have done. I can't see a broken chain as a problem, as it is very unlikely that both chains will break (not impossible I know), and the speeds involved are so low that one chain should bring it to a stop. I might think about a secondary braking system later on but I don't think that is a priority like you say, that is what winter is for.
Andy