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Have any of you experimented with wind-up motors on Technic models. I like to use Power Functions on some models, but some vehicles are too small for Power Functions, and as CrowKillers said about his new Vampire GT, it can take up space that can be used for other things. I want to know if wind-up motors are good for these uses. I have an old wind-up motor from a Lego sports set, which isn't nearly strong enough, but I don't have any newer ones like element 61100c01. I just want to test Technic vehicles with an internal force, and in some cases there isn't much space. Has anyone experimented with wind-up motors in Technic models? If so, how well does it work?

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Have any of you experimented with wind-up motors on Technic models. I like to use Power Functions on some models, but some vehicles are too small for Power Functions, and as CrowKillers said about his new Vampire GT, it can take up space that can be used for other things. I want to know if wind-up motors are good for these uses. I have an old wind-up motor from a Lego sports set, which isn't nearly strong enough, but I don't have any newer ones like element 61100c01. I just want to test Technic vehicles with an internal force, and in some cases there isn't much space. Has anyone experimented with wind-up motors in Technic models? If so, how well does it work?

I have tried to use it in a winch. it didnt have enough force though...

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We definitely need a new small PF motor like the old 9V 2x2 red motor.

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Hi LiamM32, I recently tried to use that wind-up motor (61100c01 - Windup Motor 2 x 4 x 2 1/3 with Orange Release Button) in a MOC, but it didn't have enough torque or speed to move much weight, and it only has about eight (8) turns when fully wound up.

61100c01.jpg

I got mine in the 5893 - Offroad Power set, and in that set it is only just strong enough to act as a winch.

You might have better luck with some of the other larger non-electric motors, such as the 47715 - Pullback Motor 9 x 4 x 2 2/3 which came in 29 sets.

47715.gif

I don't have this motor, so I'm not sure how well it works, but given that most of the sets that it came in only had a maximum of about 200 pieces, I doubt that it can move much weight either. Keep in mind that Crowkiller's Vampire GT has 1925 pieces, so it is a lot heavier than those smaller sets.

Rather than using them for 'drive', they might be useful for other mechanisms where you just need to release short burst of energy, such as a Rube Goldberg machine.

Edited by Splat

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both PhiloYT

and neomomonga

have powered timepieces with wind-up motors.

yeah, i've got a one-track mind.

KEvron

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Thanks Splat and Kevron. I have that pull-back motor from my brothers Racers set. It wasn't much, just enough to make 8256 move a short distance. How many and what motors were in the clocks that Kevron showed?

I read on Wikipedia that these are called clockwork motors. So if there are any clockwork experts reading this, I want to ask you something; Can clockwork motors potentially be very powerful for their size? Could a clockwork motor the size of a PF XL motor potentially have enough speed, strength, and range to move a $80 CAD Technic truck 3 meters?

If they can be made very powerful for their size, than I think it would be good if Lego released a high-performance wind-up motor mainly for Technic models. Mostly the fairly small ones, and the large ones where they don't have much space for Power Functions. I think that the reason that Lego doesn't often use Power Functions to make Technic vehicles move is that they will drive until they hit a wall, and the motors will try to keep moving. That wouldn't happen with clockwork. I like to test suspensions and transmissions with internal forces. A flywheel might be another good option for smaller models.

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How many and what motors were in the clocks that Kevron showed?

dunno. you'd have to ask the designers, themselves.

Can clockwork motors potentially be very powerful for their size?

a clockwork motor (so called because they were initally applied to watches and clocks) is essentially just a spiral spring. when wound, that spring stores potential energy. while wound, the housing must be durable enough to contain that potential energy. to release a clockwork motor capable of powering the kinds of models you mention would require a much larger motor than currently offered; such an element could put lego in a position of liablity were the housing to tragically fail.

you could try multiple motors working together simultaneously for more power, or have each fire independently in sequence for greater duration, or even a combination of both.

KEvron

Edited by KEvron

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Sorry to dredge up this old topic, but since the pullback racers appear to be sticking around for 2014, I thought I'd share a little proof-of-principle "robot" I built using the new pullback motor and the rack gear programming featured in the old idea book 8888 yellow crane.

winduprobot1.jpg

This simple model uses the rack gears to control power to the left and right wheel independently, allowing one to "program" the robot to follow a prescribed path.

The concept works, but needs further refinement.

winduprobot.gif

Edited by majorna

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Excellent, love the "punch tape" style programming!

20090923%20-%20Paper%20Tape%20Reader%20Punch%20003%20-%20Left%20Side.jpg

Edited by Philo

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Agreed! That's a very nice proof of concept!

Too bad the punch tape needs to be long for elaborate functions. But this might be improved with a different style tape.

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Actually, I found a good use for the new pullback motors in the 2013 sets:

I think that he lego rc cars from 2002-2003 didn't accelerate fast, so I putted a pullback motor between the 2.

The rc motors are just powerful enough to wind them all up. so if you start, you get the extra power from the pullbacks.

It acts like nitro, except that every time you drive backwards, you get a boost when you go forwards again.

It works really good.

Tibivi

PS: I couldn't post pics or a link, so pics can be found on my Flickr, By lego ideas

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Actually, I found a good use for the new pullback motors in the 2013 sets:

I think that he lego rc cars from 2002-2003 didn't accelerate fast, so I putted a pullback motor between the 2.

The rc motors are just powerful enough to wind them all up. so if you start, you get the extra power from the pullbacks.

It acts like nitro, except that every time you drive backwards, you get a boost when you go forwards again.

It works really good.

Tibivi

PS: I couldn't post pics or a link, so pics can be found on my Flickr, By lego ideas

Perfect for a dragster with some PF funstions.

Maybe it's a time to build a LEGO KERS systems (energy harvester) :)

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