Sergio Reano has added new features to his SR 3D Builder CAD program (see our earlier coverage). Version 0.4.58 is able to model complicated linked hinges as the video shows.
The program for Windows can be downloaded freely from the homepage of the author:
http://staff.polito.it/sergio.reano/
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Monday, March 8, 2010
Shelby Cobra with instructions
I like mini cars like this Cobra very much. It is ingenious how every brick fits into its place and even though it is quite small, it perfectly reflects the lines of the original.
Now the builder, lichtblau posted instructions as well.
Now the builder, lichtblau posted instructions as well.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Lego Technic Challenge, round one
Round one of the Technic Challenge is now closed, you are free to vote on the flying machines!
From the perspective of the Lego company it is understandable but for others it was a small surprise that the ten finalists are exclusively from kids. According to the official statement the jury was surprised that they received so many submissions from AFOLs (Adult Fan Of Lego). In any case the copany has reacted quickly and announced that there will be separate voting for the best AFOL creations in September. On the Designer Blog they also show the best creations from adults.
The rules are a bit refined based on experience from the first round (see TechnicBRICKS):
From the perspective of the Lego company it is understandable but for others it was a small surprise that the ten finalists are exclusively from kids. According to the official statement the jury was surprised that they received so many submissions from AFOLs (Adult Fan Of Lego). In any case the copany has reacted quickly and announced that there will be separate voting for the best AFOL creations in September. On the Designer Blog they also show the best creations from adults.
The rules are a bit refined based on experience from the first round (see TechnicBRICKS):
- Submissions with URLs are being moderated out before the judges even see the models
- Submissions with e-mail and other contact information in the description are being moderated out before the judges even see the models
- The format the judges will be judging from is still photo; ie. no videos will be taken into consideration, and the judges will not see them
- Visuals that look like 3D renderings will not be taken into consideration as this is a building competition
Finally a video that was not mentioned on the official pages but is definitely worth attention:
Friday, February 12, 2010
The Old Lady flies again
It was almost a year ago when I completed the airplane with the radial engine. Luckily it is still in one piece and now that the Lego Technic Challenge was looking for flying things I got enthusiastic again and fixed a couple of small things that I have always wanted to fix.
First, the closing mechanism of the canopy was not robust enough, it opened very easily. The new version can be closed properly and stays like that. I have also changed the front part of the vertical fin so that it is more firmly attached to the tail.
The gears are now also attached in a more robust way.
Last but not least I have made new photos and a new video too, here it comes:
First, the closing mechanism of the canopy was not robust enough, it opened very easily. The new version can be closed properly and stays like that. I have also changed the front part of the vertical fin so that it is more firmly attached to the tail.
The gears are now also attached in a more robust way.
Last but not least I have made new photos and a new video too, here it comes:
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Updated: Almost Lead Sled
The Lead Sled project has made progress but I am not entirely happy with the results so far. The packets ordered on Bricklink have arrived one by one each day. The final order was UK, France, the Netherlands and New Zealand - I have ordered them all with a few minutes difference.
The first obvious problem is that some parts arrived in the wrong color. Unfortunately both of them are at visible places, one is the hinge of the doors and the other is part of the rear seat. One of the merchants was very kind to send the piece in the right color in a follow-up mail.
There are other problems too. The most obvious one is that the very front of the car gets detached from the rest very very easily as it is held in place by two studs only. I did not realize this when I designed it in LDD - it will need a redesign and it is far from trivial. The rest of the front is not very strong either but I have managed to get it up to an almost acceptable level by adding more stiffeners.
One more issue is that when opening the hood there is an obvious tension between the hood and the chassis. As I could judge from the photos this is exactly the same on the original model built by Mad Physicist, so I am not sure if that one is any better.
The studs at the upside down pieces near the front wheels make contact with the wheels. This can be only realized once I start pushing the model. I have also not figured out how to attach the chrome parts to the wheel either.
All in all it does not feel as a total success yet, but on the photos it looks good.
Updated: seeing my enthusiasm Mad Physicist has provided me more details about the internal structure of his car here and here. Looking at the photos I quickly started to wonder why I was not able to figure it out by myself :) Anyway the tips should be enough to make the front a bit more rigid, have a proper cover on the wheels and avoid the contact between the front wheels and the body.
The first obvious problem is that some parts arrived in the wrong color. Unfortunately both of them are at visible places, one is the hinge of the doors and the other is part of the rear seat. One of the merchants was very kind to send the piece in the right color in a follow-up mail.
There are other problems too. The most obvious one is that the very front of the car gets detached from the rest very very easily as it is held in place by two studs only. I did not realize this when I designed it in LDD - it will need a redesign and it is far from trivial. The rest of the front is not very strong either but I have managed to get it up to an almost acceptable level by adding more stiffeners.
One more issue is that when opening the hood there is an obvious tension between the hood and the chassis. As I could judge from the photos this is exactly the same on the original model built by Mad Physicist, so I am not sure if that one is any better.
The studs at the upside down pieces near the front wheels make contact with the wheels. This can be only realized once I start pushing the model. I have also not figured out how to attach the chrome parts to the wheel either.
All in all it does not feel as a total success yet, but on the photos it looks good.
Updated: seeing my enthusiasm Mad Physicist has provided me more details about the internal structure of his car here and here. Looking at the photos I quickly started to wonder why I was not able to figure it out by myself :) Anyway the tips should be enough to make the front a bit more rigid, have a proper cover on the wheels and avoid the contact between the front wheels and the body.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Lego Technic Challenge now wide open
In Lego User Groups it is an everyday thing to have competitions in various themes. But now for the first time Lego organizes an official challenge for Technic builders:
The competition is very simple:
1. Build a model out of primarily LEGO Technic elements.
2. Take a picture of the model
3. Press the button below to Enter the competition
4. Enter your contact information
5. Upload your image
What to build?
This month (February) the competition is all about flight and functions - build a model with cool functions in the form of something that flies (plane, helicopter etc.) and make sure that the image shows the part of the model that has a function - as well as describing it!
It does not need to actually be able to fly, but it must be an aerial vehicle.
The Model does not need to be motorized, functions can also be manual.
How does it work?
Right now you can submit models - On the 15th of February - a panel of judges consisting of designers, marketing managers, building instruction artists and more will pick out (of all submissions) 10 finalists that will then be put up for voting here on the site.
The winner will receive a prize and also continue to the Big Finale in October.
Well, that is more than just a challenge. Gentlemen (and women of course), start your engines!
The competition is very simple:
1. Build a model out of primarily LEGO Technic elements.
2. Take a picture of the model
3. Press the button below to Enter the competition
4. Enter your contact information
5. Upload your image
What to build?
This month (February) the competition is all about flight and functions - build a model with cool functions in the form of something that flies (plane, helicopter etc.) and make sure that the image shows the part of the model that has a function - as well as describing it!
It does not need to actually be able to fly, but it must be an aerial vehicle.
The Model does not need to be motorized, functions can also be manual.
How does it work?
Right now you can submit models - On the 15th of February - a panel of judges consisting of designers, marketing managers, building instruction artists and more will pick out (of all submissions) 10 finalists that will then be put up for voting here on the site.
The winner will receive a prize and also continue to the Big Finale in October.
Well, that is more than just a challenge. Gentlemen (and women of course), start your engines!
Monday, January 11, 2010
The Old Lady is ready
I have finally completed it! Not only I have managed to assemble my Christmas present completely, I also have taken photos so there is nothing that stops me blogging about it.
So what is it? The most aged member of the Big Car series, the "Auto Chassis" from 1977. It was missing some parts but the seller was so kind that he sent all of them to me. By the way I am very happy with it. It feels like new, I did not find any broken or yellowish parts. My old Technic playing sets from the 80s are in a much worse shape by now.
After putting it all together I found comparison against the other Big Cars natural. Some numbers to start with:
The power train makes a very massive impression, the four big cylinders after each other would be enough to drive a boat. The gearbox has two gears, in first gear the pistons literally "fly" - I am not sure that this lasts long under heavy playing. In the rear there is no differential. Instead, there is an universal joint keeping the two sides together. I think this can be really easily broken by the torque of the large wheels.
Besides the relatively simple basics there are a couple of interesting details. The first seats can be adjusted forward or rearward with a rack mechanism. The middle part of the rear seat can act as an arm support or can be hidden.
Until I saw it from photos only I did not realize that the engine is shifted one stud right from the centerline - I believe this gave more room to the exhaust and the gearbox. The proportions of the car are also somewhat surprising, it is not wide but very long, probably longer than any of the sportier subsequent models.
One more thing: the assembly instructions come on both sides of a single foldable sheet in 10 main and 27 secondary steps. For comparison, the instructions for the 8448 have more than 150 steps (and pages).
Now if only I would get an 8860... More photos in the album as usual.
So what is it? The most aged member of the Big Car series, the "Auto Chassis" from 1977. It was missing some parts but the seller was so kind that he sent all of them to me. By the way I am very happy with it. It feels like new, I did not find any broken or yellowish parts. My old Technic playing sets from the 80s are in a much worse shape by now.
After putting it all together I found comparison against the other Big Cars natural. Some numbers to start with:
- this is the oldest of all, sold from 1979
- this has the fewest pieces, 610
The power train makes a very massive impression, the four big cylinders after each other would be enough to drive a boat. The gearbox has two gears, in first gear the pistons literally "fly" - I am not sure that this lasts long under heavy playing. In the rear there is no differential. Instead, there is an universal joint keeping the two sides together. I think this can be really easily broken by the torque of the large wheels.
Besides the relatively simple basics there are a couple of interesting details. The first seats can be adjusted forward or rearward with a rack mechanism. The middle part of the rear seat can act as an arm support or can be hidden.
Until I saw it from photos only I did not realize that the engine is shifted one stud right from the centerline - I believe this gave more room to the exhaust and the gearbox. The proportions of the car are also somewhat surprising, it is not wide but very long, probably longer than any of the sportier subsequent models.
One more thing: the assembly instructions come on both sides of a single foldable sheet in 10 main and 27 secondary steps. For comparison, the instructions for the 8448 have more than 150 steps (and pages).
Now if only I would get an 8860... More photos in the album as usual.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Always behind
There is so much happening that I never manage to catch up. First of all, 2010 is now here, Happy New Year to all our readers! I could summarize what happened in 2009 but I am a bit lazy, do not want to make anything appear bigger than it is and it is anyway too late for it. Perhaps in 2011.
Meanwhile some hints about what to expect in 2010 and the near future:
Until I manage to get along with all this I would like to recommend some reading. The first offer is Sariel's summary of his year 2009 creations with baggers, tanks and other vehicles, the pictures speak for themselves. Those interested in even more details should definitely read Sariels' scaling tutorial as well.
Finally for the fans of mini models this Unimog is a real gem. Like a real Unimog it has a lot of ground clearance and on the photo with the internals you can grab all the tricks used to make it happen.
Stay tuned for more.
Meanwhile some hints about what to expect in 2010 and the near future:
- First, I still owe you the review of the 853 Very Old Big Technic Car that I got for Christmas. Of course it is completely done by now, the only reason I have not blogged about it yet is because I did not have time to make photos showing the complete state (photos about the almost complete state are here if you are interested).
- The Lead Sled project has made some progress too, I have ordered the bricks on Bricklink today. I have spent an awful lot of time with loading the list into Bricklink, checking that I have everything and ordering it from shops actually having it. In short: 700 parts from 130 kinds from New Zealand, the UK, the Netherlands and France, for about 80 bucks.
- I also have some spare sets like this excellent old 8422 race bike and an 8435 4WD.
- Meanwhile we got a Tantive IV-es Corelian Corvette at work, that will take some too.
Finally for the fans of mini models this Unimog is a real gem. Like a real Unimog it has a lot of ground clearance and on the photo with the internals you can grab all the tricks used to make it happen.
Stay tuned for more.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Analyzing a masterpiece
Now that I have built the Lead Sled myself I discovered many tricks. This post is about some of them.
The original car is riding very low, the oversized body is as close to the road as possible. To achieve this all the wheels should sit as deeply embedded in the body as possible. This is not simple with Lego bricks. For the front wheels Mad Physicist has used a panel with an L cross-section – built in upside down. There is no hanging version of the piece, only a standing one. The image below shows that this piece with all the other pieces upside down fit perfectly into the contour of the bodywork.
The width of the car is 11 studs without mirrors but it gets narrower towards the rear of the car. The even-width parts (rear bodywork) fit seamlessly with the odd-width parts (front, roof).
One example how to mix even-width with odd-width is the trunk: the cover is 8 studs wide but its holder has an odd width. The closeup below shows the three small plates with a clip that connect to an even-width plate with a handle.
One more detail that I have only recognized while building: the upper row of slope bricks in the rear windshield are half a plate higher than all the other plates in the car. Having these slope bricks halfway between other plates results in a smooth roof line. The small step at the bottom of the curved bricks above disappears as well as the other small step in the sloped bricks.
Yet another tricky part is the windshield. It looks good but I kept thinking about what keeps it in place. Finally the creator himself let me know that at the bottom of the transparent bricks there is a plate with a clip, attached to a tap that is completely hidden inside the bodywork.
The car is made of approximately 700 bricks. This is a lot for its size. For comparison the similarly sized Lego 5867 car has only 278 pieces! The Lead Sled contains only a few classic Lego bricks, most of the pieces are plates or special parts.
Because I travel a lot during Christmas I did not order the parts yet but it will not be long before I do so. Until then, Merry Christmas to everyone!
The original car is riding very low, the oversized body is as close to the road as possible. To achieve this all the wheels should sit as deeply embedded in the body as possible. This is not simple with Lego bricks. For the front wheels Mad Physicist has used a panel with an L cross-section – built in upside down. There is no hanging version of the piece, only a standing one. The image below shows that this piece with all the other pieces upside down fit perfectly into the contour of the bodywork.
The width of the car is 11 studs without mirrors but it gets narrower towards the rear of the car. The even-width parts (rear bodywork) fit seamlessly with the odd-width parts (front, roof).
One example how to mix even-width with odd-width is the trunk: the cover is 8 studs wide but its holder has an odd width. The closeup below shows the three small plates with a clip that connect to an even-width plate with a handle.
One more detail that I have only recognized while building: the upper row of slope bricks in the rear windshield are half a plate higher than all the other plates in the car. Having these slope bricks halfway between other plates results in a smooth roof line. The small step at the bottom of the curved bricks above disappears as well as the other small step in the sloped bricks.
Yet another tricky part is the windshield. It looks good but I kept thinking about what keeps it in place. Finally the creator himself let me know that at the bottom of the transparent bricks there is a plate with a clip, attached to a tap that is completely hidden inside the bodywork.
The car is made of approximately 700 bricks. This is a lot for its size. For comparison the similarly sized Lego 5867 car has only 278 pieces! The Lead Sled contains only a few classic Lego bricks, most of the pieces are plates or special parts.
Because I travel a lot during Christmas I did not order the parts yet but it will not be long before I do so. Until then, Merry Christmas to everyone!
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Yet more Technic sets for 2010
All of you who are not satisfied with the planned new Technic sets for 2010 have now even more choice. Lego has shown information about a planned set named 8041 Race Truck (Google cache) and even the build instructions were the B-model were available.
Apart from this we can expect the following new sets according to TechnicBRICKs:
- 8051 Motorcycle
- 8052 Container truck
- 8053 Mobile crane
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