Topic: Sparky the pleo rb repair (Read 23284 times)

Lottibell · « **Reply #50 on:** March 28, 2012, 04:13:24 AM »

Greetings kat! Was wondering what news of Sparky, if any. I know you were waiting for the motor to be fixed so I hope that all went to plan?

kat · « **Reply #51 on:** March 28, 2012, 04:37:36 AM »

Still waiting so no new progress to report yet. The hobby shop repair man had to go into hospital for an emergency tooth removal which had him out of action for about a week and then he returned to work only to have most of his staff off sick for the last week with a nasty bug. There are two other repairs in the queue in front of mine - he does a roaring trade in remote control nitro cars and he does repairs on them. So consequently I am still waiting. I have been in to visit him twice since I dropped the motor off and on my last visit I took Minyon in with me to show off. He was very interested in seeing just what this motor was for

Minyon performed beautifully and we ended up with a little crowd of both staff and customers watching him in awe. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a little burst of Pleo purchases from my end of the world over the next couple of weeks.

Anyway I think he has gotten through at least one of the repairs that is ahead of mine and he did say that he would try to get mine done asap - hopefully so I can pick it up for Friday. So we will see what happens. I'll certainly report back in just as soon as I pick up the motor and let you all know.
Poor little Sparky is currently sitting on my table with all her back end bits exposed

She will be delighted to be put back together again I'm sure.

kat · « **Reply #52 on:** April 05, 2012, 04:32:38 AM »

the micro motor surgery is now complete and the offending motor has now returned

More details...

I will have a go tomorrow at putting it back in and connecting it all back up. Fingers crossed for sparky that it works and this fixes the problem.

Crewella · « **Reply #53 on:** April 05, 2012, 04:47:33 AM »

Hurrah!!! Great news!

Lottibell · « **Reply #54 on:** April 05, 2012, 05:34:23 AM »

Fingers and paws all crossed this end!

Talon · « **Reply #55 on:** April 05, 2012, 07:16:01 AM »

That is good news! Wishing you and Sparky the best of luck!
Talon

InmemoryofRomeo · « **Reply #56 on:** April 05, 2012, 03:24:14 PM »

Ooh fingers crossed for Sparky

kat · « **Reply #57 on:** April 06, 2012, 03:29:43 AM »

after 3 attempts and a bit of testing Sparky now has a tail that goes down and up

The video speaks for it's self

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeFmnZlR_8o" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeFmnZlR_8o</a>
I'm not sure if she has quite the right amount of up movement - it is a little hard to tell with her skin under the belly getting in the way of legs so she can't do any walking. It seems to wag ok though. I think if the up isn't as much as it should be then maybe this could be fixed by tightening the bottom cable a little? I am hoping for a second opinion for Crewella and or IMR when one of you get the time to take a look.

She still has an issue with her body not lining up straight but that is only because I had her turned on when she was in pieces to test the motor. It should be fairly easy to fix. Once that is set right I can put her skin back on and then run her for a few battery cycles to let her neck cables settle in. Then I will probably have to adjust the tension in them before I can finally close her skin up completely and contemplate the repaint.

So happy to be working on her again

Lottibell · « **Reply #58 on:** April 06, 2012, 03:42:58 AM »

Go Kat, go Kat, go Kat!

leaping for joy for you and sparky and Chicago.

Crewella · « **Reply #59 on:** April 06, 2012, 04:08:48 AM »

If you ran Sparky to test the motor the cable gear might no longer be aligned properly in 'neutral'? Or maybe tighten the top cable to raise the tail? This is useful to get a visual on the tail cables:

http://science.howstuffworks.com/pleo6.htm

kat · « **Reply #60 on:** April 06, 2012, 08:09:46 AM »

The worst of the operation is now over

Sparky is no longer nude

her tail sticks out straight and her body lines up perfectly.

More details...

I won't be gluing her skin back together for a couple of weeks yet. I need to be sure the neck cable tension is correct first. And that everything is working just right. once that part is done it will be time for new paint. So if all continues to go well I will probably have Sparky for another 4 or 5 weeks and then she should be able to head home.

Crewella · « **Reply #61 on:** April 06, 2012, 09:50:21 AM »

Yay - that's great. Good work Kat!

Chicago · « **Reply #62 on:** April 06, 2012, 09:38:58 PM »

We were so excited to read the last few posts and to actually see Sparky standing with her head held up and her tail sticking out.

It's wonderful. Thanks Kat!

kat · « **Reply #63 on:** April 08, 2012, 01:27:25 AM »

here is a video I took of Sparky yesterday. I was testing her to see how much movement she had in her neck and also to see how well her tail was functioning. The tail looks quite good in the video but after about 20mins of run time it seemed to stop going up and down. If I gave it a nudge when she was suppose to be doing an up down movement then it would start again for a bit and then stop. Also you will notice that in this video she seems to have great neck movement to the left and hardly any to the right. Be warned it goes for about 8 mins or so.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFSLm8bGitI" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFSLm8bGitI</a>

Since then I have tightened the right side cable in her neck and also the bottom cable. I also went back in and added some grease to lubricate the tail motor and gears. She does seem to have full movement of her neck now which is great and adding in some grease has made all the difference to the tail. I ran her for a full battery cycle today and the tail worked perfectly the whole time. I have another video that I took today which I will upload a bit later. I ran her with Pickle so i would be able to compare the range of tail and neck movements. I videoed them for about 15mins - just watching them do their own thing so I could get a good look at how well Sparky was moving compared to Pickle. I will add that video in here later so feel free to watch as little or as much of it as you like. Another thing that I have noticed now that I am able to run Sparky again and watch her move around is that she is walking in a small circle to the left. I'm not sure why this is but there are a few things that could be affecting it. It could be a loose skin issue as her skin is not glued onto her feet so she might not be getting much traction or it could be something else. I'm still thinking it through. At the moment though it is the lowest priority issue as I want to be sure her tail and neck are right first before going on to other things.

And here is the second video as promised

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyDiAUqUkDY" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyDiAUqUkDY</a>

Crewella · « **Reply #64 on:** April 08, 2012, 04:58:37 AM »

Yay! That's great news!

Lottibell · « **Reply #65 on:** April 08, 2012, 05:23:44 AM »

Just watched video! An amazing transformation, Kat. What you mentioned about Sparky walking to the left, Well, Quiggles does exactly that and has since arriving.I've put it down to one motor having marginally more oomph than the other. Doesn't seem to bother Quiggles and we find it quite a sweet quirk. Just thought I'd mention it.

kat · « **Reply #66 on:** April 08, 2012, 06:02:02 AM »

thanks Lottibell. It's nice to know that she isn't the only pleo that does that. I'll have to ask Chicago if this is something she has always done or if it is a new thing. I didn't get to see her walking around when she first came to me as she had a front leg problem that prevented her from walking not to mention the neck issues that I'm pretty sure would have stopped her from walking too. I'll ask Chicago and see what she says.

InmemoryofRomeo · « **Reply #67 on:** April 08, 2012, 10:51:50 PM »

Wow! Great job Kat

Sparky is looking wonderful

And very happy to be able to move her tail again!

Talon · « **Reply #68 on:** April 09, 2012, 09:40:23 AM »

Amazing work, Kat! I'm really happy for you and Sparky!
Talon

RedwoodsMama · « **Reply #69 on:** April 09, 2012, 11:28:48 AM »

Kat, what a transformation you have given to Sparky, Sparky certainly looks like a different Pleo than the one that first arrived, I loved watching Sparky interact with Pickle. Pickle sure does like to burp, but it doesnt' seem as though it has "rubbed" off on Sparky.

The movement looks very natural so you have done a good accessment and great job at getting everything in proper place and alignment. ( Still getting up the nerve to open up Baby Ruth to have a look at her back leg, AKA, "Peg Leg". I know it has to be done, just trying to prepare myself and will most likely do it when I know you are online. I will watch that orignal video you posted till I have it memorized I aM SURE.
Chicago and family must be pleased to peaches at the progress you have made with Sparky. It is great to know that there are capable people here on this forum who can do things like this when Innvo won't or cant for whatever reason. It does give our Pleos new life and hope. Well done

RWM

kat · « **Reply #70 on:** April 15, 2012, 03:19:45 AM »

Since my last post about Sparky I have spent time tweaking her neck cables. I had to tighten the top cable as after a bit more running and some close watching her chin was rubbing on the ground at times and I also noticed that she had more movement to the left and not much to the right. So I tightened the side cable as well and then.......
It seems it is possible to tighten things too much

She stopped being able to move her head sideways and I had her head up too high as she also no longer was able to walk. every time she went to walk she would take one or two steps then cry out like she had seen an obstruction and walk backwards.
So in I went again and this time loosened off the top cable and both side cables. She now has sideways movement in both directions and also up down. She walks great again now too and her chin no longer rubs on the floor.

I have run her through a few battery cycles and while her head is not perfectly straight I am happy with the range of movement she has so I decided that it was good enough and have closed her up.

So here she is

More details...

She has a scar on her neck on the left side - an operational hazard unfortunately. When I was opening her skin up in the beginning I tore the skin just a bit. So now she has a scar a bit more than 1 cm long on the side of her neck. It has glued back together fine which I am pleased about. I am going to repaint Sparky so I think I will extend the paint a bit where the neck and legs meat to cover over her scar so that it is less obvious. Here is the scar

More details...

And some pics of the seams now they are joined back up

More details...

Sparky had quite a lot of wear and tear around the edges of her neck seam so I have done my best to close her back up as neatly as possible. Her wear and tear spots should be much improved by a new coat of paint.

I plan on leaving her for at least another day before I begin the paint job as I want the glue to have set properly before I begin painting.
Here is a short video of her running now her skin is closed back up

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ln76M73D4zI" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ln76M73D4zI</a>

Crewella · « **Reply #71 on:** April 15, 2012, 03:33:31 AM »

Heheh .... a little tired and grumpy ....... but then she has just been through major surgery!

Sparky looks fabulous, Kat, and that little scar is an honourable war wound, and neatly fixed.

Lottibell · « **Reply #72 on:** April 15, 2012, 04:54:04 AM »

I think the scar gives Sparky a decidedly distinguished look. Kat I am flabbergasted at what you have managed to do.

kat · « **Reply #73 on:** April 15, 2012, 05:05:27 AM »

I'm a little surprised myself. Surprised and delighted that i managed to pull it all off. Patience and determination go a long way sometimes. It has been great fun exploring the insides of little Sparky and wonderful working out what was wrong and how to fix it. It is a lovely feeling to have her closed back up again though

InmemoryofRomeo · « **Reply #74 on:** April 15, 2012, 05:07:53 AM »

I know that feeling

Sparky is looking great! Despite the post op grumpiness

Bob the Pleo Forums

Author Topic: Sparky the pleo rb repair (Read 23284 times)