23 replies to this topic

[BerndDasBrot]

Okay, so I felt bored and decided to built the 8485 Technic Control Center II in MLCad.
Unfortunately I don't own the 8485 in real life - but I search ebay recurrently.

I spent yesterday building the helicopter with its control base and today with sorting the pieces and "converting" them into a nice Multipart-file.

I made two renders: (not more, because my computer was -erm... fatally injured? no. just a little- ...way too slow.)
the "640-thumbs" are linked to "1280-renders"!






I said "review" in the topic description but it's (kinda) hard if you've got only a Cad-model. Well, I'll try.

#1 tilting forward / back:

You can see the gearbox with the 24-tooth-gear and the worm screw in the middle of the helicopter. The motor is located under the helicopter.
It's possible to tilt the helicopter for about +/-15 degrees.



#2 tilting sideways:

There's a "little" frame (made out of technic bricks) mounted to the gearbox. (you can see that in the last pic above)
The motor is located in the "cockpit" of the helicopter and tries to tilt this frame. It can't move sideways so the helicopter does. D'oh!  
Again it's possible to tilt the helicopter for about +/-15 degrees.



#3 moving up/down:

I didn't know that this is possible! Just depress the Control Centre. FUN-FACT: it won't work if you cry at the same time...!
It's possible to lift the helicopter for about 13 bricks or 16 studs or 12,54cm.



#4 rotor and propellor:

What? A helicopter with "untwistable" rotor/propellor?!? 'nuff said.  
It's possible to twist the rotor/propellor for more than +/-360 degrees.


I hope you enjoyed the two renders and now know more about the "playability"/functionality!
I have to get this set in any case and put it to my "shelf of fame"!  

Maybe someone else also wants to share some photos/videos of his/hers 8485?

[Skipper 24]

Nice I might search that set too it's pretty cool! I'm sure your version is accuarte.

[CP5670]

Wow, it's quite impressive that you built that in MLCad in just two days. I built a MLCad version of my rocket launcher MOC a few years ago and it took me over a week. It can sometimes take a lot of effort to get all the axles and pins aligned correctly in it.

I have this set (one of the first sets I got off ebay and still one of my best deals on there) and it's pretty nice. I think the models as a whole are not as good as the ones in the older 8094 set, but the T-Rex is still very impressive and a great example of what can be done with the flex cables. It's also an excellent source of parts for MOCs, especially the control center which has an AC adapter port (unlike the older 8094 one) and runs motors at a higher voltage than battery boxes do.

One MOC project I have in mind is to make an upgraded version of this helicopter with a third degree of freedom using a turntable, but still using only the three outputs on the control center. The challenging part is to have all three motors control the rotors without affecting each other. I tried this out once a few years ago but gave up since the gearing I was using became too complicated, but more powerful motors have been released since then, so I would like to give it another shot at some point.

[BerndDasBrot]

thanks for your replies!

today I made one of the three alternate models which is the real star of this set. hear me roar.
the dinosaur was quiet a challenge but I enjoyed it. the most diffucult part was the legs. even though I made 6 multipart pieces per leg, I still had to use "trial and error". I ignored the flex-cables, for I don't know how to bend them. If I should need them I'll photoshop it.  
don't forget: 640px teaser here, linked to a 1280px pic on brickshelf.

Enjoy!






QUICK EDIT: spelling. END OF POST

Edited by BerndDasBrot, 24 August 2008 - 08:38 PM.

[Pencoin]

Cool set, isnt that dino from LEGOland?

[BerndDasBrot]

yes.

QUICK EDIT again: I like these "Mega-pseudo-lego-models". does somebody know if there are more dinos like this one in different locations?

Edited by BerndDasBrot, 24 August 2008 - 08:50 PM.

[Pencoin]

Yeah, the same model is in LEGOland Windsor but much cool, 'cause its crashing through a wall.

[CP5670]

That life-size model is awesome. Do they still have it on display there?

This is definitely the best of the three models in this set. It moves quite smoothly and has several different articulation points.

[Blakbird]

BerndDasBrot, on Aug 24 2008, 01:36 PM, said:

thanks for your replies!

today I made one of the three alternate models which is the real star of this set. hear me roar.
the dinosaur was quiet a challenge but I enjoyed it. the most diffucult part was the legs. even though I made 6 multipart pieces per leg, I still had to use "trial and error". I ignored the flex-cables, for I don't know how to bend them. If I should need them I'll photoshop it.  
don't forget: 640px teaser here, linked to a 1280px pic on brickshelf.

Enjoy!

Great looking MLCAD model!!  The pose is also very good (not just straight and symmetric).  This must have been really difficult.  I know what you mean about the legs.  They change geometry significantly as the dinosaur lowers its torso.  Someday you'll be able to see this when I get to animating it on Technicopedia!

[BerndDasBrot]

Blakbird, on Aug 25 2008, 08:34 PM, said:

Someday you'll be able to see this when I get to animating it on Technicopedia!

I'm really looking forward to it! I really need to check ebay more often...

[Asuka]

That´s a nice work and very interesting, BerndDasBrot. It looks like that Technic Control Center´s a
pretty cool idea back in that time...

[Blakbird]

BerndDasBrot, on Aug 25 2008, 12:10 PM, said:

I'm really looking forward to it! I really need to check ebay more often...

I like this set so much that I have two of them.  One is built into the helicopter and the other into the dinosaur.

The first Control Center is also excellent.  I'm almost done with the year 1990 for Technicopediawhich will include it.

[CP5670]

I have both Control Center sets but disassembled them for parts a few years ago. I think I could easily rebuild the models though, as almost all of the pieces are still in my spare parts collection.

It would be cool if TLG released a modern successor to these sets. The Control Center itself has been basically superceded by the various Mindstorms controllers, but it could still be based on the PF elements and be a large Universal-type set with three or four unusual, mechanically interesting models.

The first CC set came with a Technic pen and large number of 2x2 arrow stickers that you could place on black tiles, but they didn't include the stickers in the second CC. The second one included two of the very rare wire holding spirals though. As far as I know, those have only appeared in one other Technic set (8082) and a few large Dacta sets.

Edited by CP5670, 26 August 2008 - 04:47 AM.

[cartoondude]

Awesome! You can get that chopper here: http://www.bricklink...arch.asp?q=8485

[BerndDasBrot]

Blakbird, on Aug 26 2008, 02:06 AM, said:

I like this set so much that I have two of them.  One is built into the helicopter and the other into the dinosaur.

That's what I want  

Blakbird, on Aug 26 2008, 02:06 AM, said:

The first Control Center is also excellent.  I'm almost done with the year 1990 for Technicopediawhich will include it.

okay, now I'm really curious about it!

@ CP5670: I do believe DACTA played a big part between ControlCenter and Mindstorms:

gallery on brickshelf( - not mine of course)

@ cartoondude: I nearly got a 8485 for 50€ on ebay. with box and everything...

[CP5670]

BerndDasBrot, on Aug 26 2008, 06:59 AM, said:

@ CP5670: I do believe DACTA played a big part between ControlCenter and Mindstorms:

gallery on brickshelf( - not mine of course)

This Control Lab thing is interesting. It's supposed to be hooked up to a computer and supports a huge number of inputs and outputs, as the pictures show. I was thinking of getting one off Bricklink at one point, but I read some posts on Lugnet saying that it has a significant response delay (so that motors spin a second or two after the computer gives the command) and is difficult to get working on modern computers.

Edited by CP5670, 26 August 2008 - 05:36 PM.

[BerndDasBrot]

CP5670, on Aug 26 2008, 07:35 PM, said:

This Control Lab thing is interesting. It's supposed to be hooked up to a computer and supports a huge number of inputs and outputs, as the pictures show. I was thinking of getting one off Bricklink at one point, but I read some posts on Lugnet saying that it has a significant response delay (so that motors spin a second or two after the computer gives the command) and is difficult to get working on modern computers.

that's a really interessting principle - even for 1995...
It isn't even that "rare": 9751 on bricklink.

[BerndDasBrot]

...and the last model:

a hovercraft that stands in his brothers shadow. But I think it's great too. Enjoy.









so. I've built all three models and still want this set badly...  

[Buttons]

I think this is great work!

EDIT: I just realised that this topic died in august

Edited by Buttons, 13 November 2008 - 06:32 PM.

[DLuders]

[BUMP]

On his Flickr photoset, Mostlytechnic posted 37 excellent pictures of all three of the Lego 8485 Control Center II 's models.  The photoset has pictures of each model in various stages of completion.  Here are the finished models:

HOVERCRAFT:  "The completed hovercraft. The long wires are used to make a wired remote from the control box to the craft. They run through some axles at the top center to keep you from pulling them off. It's a decent idea, but the cables still aren't near long enough to actually use this way. Granted, I'm a 6'3" adult, but I'd have to pretty much crawl to drive it on the floor. A couple flex cables are used at the back to "shroud" the "fan", but otherwise there's no rare parts in this vehicle. From the control box, the red A and B buttons provide forward and reverse (driving just one of the front wheels so that no differential is needed) and the yellow W and E steer the rear sheel."



HELICOPTER:   "The helicopter itself mounts onto the lift mechanism, and the wires connect to the two 9v connectors on the bottom of the chopper. Now it's a fully functional model. One of the best features is how the lift mechanism is stable at any position. It's pretty well balanced between the copter and the control panel, plus all the pivot points in the lift mechanism are friction pins."



DINOSAUR:  "Two of those legs, mirror images of each other, attach to the body and the base. They look great, even though they don't actually support any weight. It's a great way to hide the light grey support stand though."





Read more about that set in this excellent Blakbird's Technicopedia article.

    

[mostlytechnic]

Ah, you found me... I'm in the middle of writing a full review of the set that will include photos and video of all 3 models. It's nearly done...

(if the pictures break in dluder's post, it's because I'm still editing and sometimes reuploading them from lightroom to flickr breaks links)

[PsyKater]

Wow. That are really neat pics and I am looking forward to see your review. Will you post it here in this forum (as well)?

[mostlytechnic]

Yep, full review coming in a day or two... will be here in the Technic forum. Photos and writeup are done, just gotta finish the video portion.

[Tadej]

This set was really in it's own league back in the days.