Model electric motor

's an SEL ref: 3/1262. From t'internet searches I understand SEL were part of Mamod, the famous model steam engine manufacturers.

o understand how electric motors worked. Recently my grandson came across i t in the back of a cupboard, and I want to show him how it works but one of the copper contact strips which rub on the commutator is broken and bent s o I want to make a new one.

cut out a shape approx 7mm x 22mm. Don't know where I could buy such a smal l piece (I've looked at Hobby's Ltd catalogue but no joy) or what other app liance/machine I could cannibalise.

torch innards?

Jim K

Copper pipe cut and flattened.

I'm not sure why the brushes would need to to copper. Tinplate cut steel drinks can?

It used to give me lots of fun when "I were no'but a lad" and helped me to understand how electric motors worked. Recently my grandson came across it in the back of a cupboard, and I want to show him how it works but one of the copper contact strips which rub on the commutator is broken and bent so I want to make a new one.

I need a small piece of flat copper, approx 0.1mm thick from which I can cut out a shape approx 7mm x 22mm. Don't know where I could buy such a small piece (I've looked at Hobby's Ltd catalogue but no joy) or what other appliance/machine I could cannibalise.

Cut up some copper water pipe.

I suspect that you want phosphor bronze. That is springy and will hold itself against the commutator far better than copper. I used to buy it cut to width from Smiths Metal Centres, but in rather larger amounts than you need.

Colin Bignell

Jim K

No he's far thicker

Copper brushes on a copper commutator are not a good idea.

Google say this lot:-

Sell phosphor bronze shim, but you may fall foul of a minimum order value.

Depending on the size, Triang X04 (Or other similar) motor brushes are made of phosphor bronze with a copper-carbon block bonded to the end, and may give better performance.

I've got some old phosphor-bronze draught-proofing strip that I took off one of my doors. It's about 1" wide, flexible and springy, and I think it's ideal for what you want. If you want, I can chop a bit off and pop it in the post. [I just knew it would come in useful one day.]

Peted, I have any amount of electric motors for models lying around doing sod all.

if yu can tell me what te dimesnions of it are, if possible [ost a picture, and what batteryu voltage it is suppsed to run on, I'll put something in the post to you.

Ive probably got a scrap one with good brushses but blown bearings anyway.

see if it resembles any of these

but I suspect you will find something suitable especially if you try some of the shops.

I'd say it's one of these:-

Oh? sweet! a real 'educational' motor then..

yerss..might have something that would repair that..i'll have a look

this is a 'speed 400' end bell with two phosphor springs that actually have proper carbon brushes on them.

about 20mm diameter

yours if its any use.

Damn good stuff, inherited a roll of it from my father, who may have inherited from my grandfather...

Yep I agree springy and thin (cut and hammered copper pipe, WTF!).

I was goig to offer as well but I don't know where it is ... I know I haven't slung it out, far too useful.

Of course, a similar product is available in plastic - but I doubt if would work very well in this application!

I know exactly where mine is (I went out and checked that it was where I thought it was - in the garden shed). If the OP wants a bit, just email to my corrected address.

Seems to be an echo in here.

Copper is malleable,a hammer will fix it.

He was just asking for a source not advisability.

They aren't but I remember a motor I had back in the sixties with this arrangement. They were crap. He'd be better to get a modern one, far more power and longer lasting.

Or get one out of a car, windscreen wiper, window lift or wing mirror for tiny ones