[TC12] The Boydell Stomper - Mark IV

[doug72]

Steering unit:-

A servo motor best option and takes up minimal space. Used a pair of 4266 wheel hubs mounted below a turntable with tire destructors either side.

Tested on living room carpet and steering function very well and differential comes into operation as vehicle turns.

Only problem is when servo at full left or right at 90 degs the wheels drag. Will have to reduce the turning angle to about 45 degs each way using gearing.

Also have to raise rear of frame by 1L to level it.

New batteries installed and it now very fast & noisy as wheel rotates with clatter from the "feet"

Will be controled using an 8879 speed controller.

Problem !!
If steering wheels go to full servo travel then they are at 90 degs to forward motion and drag.

Tried restricting servo angular movement using gears but it then fails to centre properly due to gear teeth alignment.
Next tried adding an idler gear in the the system to counter this but then too much backlash and again not centering properly.

Solution:
Revert to direct servo drive and add mechanical stops to limit the angular travel to about 45 degs each way. see red beams shown in photos.

 

Edited September 5, 2017 by Doug72
Added new content and images

[doug72]

Update:

I was not really happy with limiting  the servo travel mechanically, although power seems to shut off when it  hits the stops.

Now come up with a geared solution which works well and had advantage of placing servo in a horizontal position and increasing the overall length of the vehicle.
Full travel of servo gives about 40 degs of turn for the steering wheels each way.
 An indicator is fitted so the driver can see which steering wheel are pointing.

A dummy transverse Vee 8 engine has now been installed driven by the differential Z60 turntable.

Edited September 6, 2017 by Doug72

[doug72]

3rd wacky function = an occilating drivers cabin with a large Lego driver who is all shook up !!
4th wacky function = remote steering indicator added to front instead of the rear as the driver cannot see backwards !!

Now tested and functions very smoothly with good steering capable of tight radius turns.

Next step make a video.

Edited September 8, 2017 by Doug72

[doug72]

5th. wacky function now installed - only 999,995 to go !

A pair of forward facing contra rotating drills installed, powered from the differential turntable gear.

The cyclist and pedestrian better run.

Edited September 8, 2017 by Doug72

[mocbuild101]

13 hours ago, Doug72 said:

5th. wacky function now installed - only 999,995 to go !

The driver will need a control panel with 1,000,000 buttons and levers, so you could make that your 6th...

[doug72]

On 09/09/2017 at 7:41 AM, mocbuild101 said:

The driver will need a control panel with 1,000,000 buttons and levers, so you could make that your 6th...

Have a miniature control panel to fit - driver will operate this using a "thought control" helmet !
Already reached  six functions - I mis-counted.

L motor drives:-
1/.  Wheels via a heavy duty differential.
2/.  Dummy Vee 8 traverse engine with two flaming exhausts.
3/.  Driver shaking up & down, also operates the flashing warning light.
4/.  Two contra rotating drills.
5/.  Rotating radar dish.

Servo motor:-
6/. Rear steering
7/. Remote steering direction indicator at front of vehicle.

Manual:- (still to be fitted)
8/. Crane for maintenence i.e changing worn out feet !
9/. Small stores crane davit to bring supplies on board.

Edited September 11, 2017 by Doug72

[doug72]

Update:

Rotating radar dish now added, it took a while to work out turning the drive through 2 x 90 degs in the space available to give slow rotation, drive is from L motor.

Flashing warning light added:
LEGO Light Brick with Transparent Top and Orange LED Light (62930 / 98785 installed on PF receiver and is activated by the driver rocking back and forth as the vehicle moves.

Edited September 10, 2017 by Doug72
changed image

[doug72]

On 04/09/2017 at 9:33 AM, schraubedrin said:

How did you fix those Axle and Pin Connector Angled #2 ?
Are they still removable from the frame?

Heavy Duty Differential:
Now modified to allow for easy disassembly to replace the "questionable" method of removing the 2L axles from a 5x7 frame..

To support the axle knob gears either two 3L beams  (white) or two LEGO Angle Connector #1 Red (32013) can be used instead of two #2 connectors.

I will have to remove both wheels to change this. Now done using #1 connectors.

Edited September 11, 2017 by Doug72

[Boulderer]

1 hour ago, Doug72 said:

Heavy Duty Differential:
Now modified to allow for easy disassembly to replace the "questionable" method of removing the 2L axles from a 5x7 frame...

The world now feels back in balance 

Thank you 

[Aventador2004]

This is shaping up nicely, good luck! 

[doug72]

18 minutes ago, Aventador2004 said:

This is shaping up nicely, good luck! 

Thanks - have now added one (1) extra horse power !

Almost finished.

Next task is to make a video, tying to guide it with a controller and record at the same time on a hand held camera.

[mocbuild101]

32 minutes ago, Doug72 said:

have now added one (1) extra horse power !

Does that mean what I think it does? - because if it does, it should be very funny...

[doug72]

 

17 hours ago, mocbuild101 said:

Does that mean what I think it does? - because if it does, it should be very funny...

Its something you put before a cart and will act as the steering direction indicator.

[doug72]

Update:
Low level "daisy" cutter added and new batteries installed - now much faster.

Time to stop tinkering !!

Improved video to make.
 

Edited September 18, 2017 by Doug72

[Nebulaire]

It looks very mad, great work !

[doug72]

21 minutes ago, Nebulaire said:

It looks very mad, great work !

Thanks for the comment.
The rocking motion of drivers seat & driver now increased for a really bumpy ride !

[Aventador2004]

4 hours ago, Doug72 said:

Thanks for the comment.
The rocking motion of drivers seat & driver now increased for a really bumpy ride !

You know, the reminds me of the famous Harry potter movie, when the driver says: " it's gonna be a bumpy ride, toot toot! " that applies to this.

[ThatOneBuilder]

Needs moar weapons! Moar is always better! 

But otherwise a great build

[aminnich]

2 hours ago, Aventador2004 said:

You know, the reminds me of the famous Harry potter movie, when the driver says: " it's gonna be a bumpy ride, toot toot! " that applies to this.

I am not sure that The Boydell Stomper is a bumpy ride, it looks that way though.  Once Doug has a video, we will get a better idea of how the wheels turn and contact the ground.  

@Doug72 This is for sure my favorite contestant, the contest is all about being wacky and you sure have been successful doing that.  Other creation might be cleaner, but that takes away from the wackiness.  Nice job sir 

[doug72]

18 minutes ago, aminnich said:

I am not sure that The Boydell Stomper is a bumpy ride, it looks that way though.  Once Doug has a video, we will get a better idea of how the wheels turn and contact the ground.  

@Doug72 This is for sure my favorite contestant, the contest is all about being wacky and you sure have been successful doing that.  Other creation might be cleaner, but that takes away from the wackiness.  Nice job sir 

Thanks, I plan to make a better video tomorrow and once OK will post my entry later this week.

 

1 hour ago, ThatOneBuilder said:

Needs moar weapons! Moar is always better! 

But otherwise a great build

I thought about a working trebuchet but not enough room !!

[Aventador2004]

1 hour ago, aminnich said:

I am not sure that The Boydell Stomper is a bumpy ride, it looks that way though.  Once Doug has a video, we will get a better idea of how the wheels turn and contact the ground. 

@Doug72

He said it was bumpy, in a previous post.

[doug72]

A short taster video:- Turn the sound up.
I need to put "L" plates on it !

 

Edited September 20, 2017 by Doug72

[mocbuild101]

That looks great (or should I say, it works great, and looks crazy...), and the bumping seat is even funnier than I was expecting it to be!

Great work, and good luck!

[Superkoala]

This thing is completely crazy, great work

[doug72]

On 20/09/2017 at 4:15 PM, Superkoala said:

This thing is completely crazy, great work

Thanks, 

Steering problem:
Whilst shooting a test video it became apparrent it was difficult to steer my Wacky Wheel machine and take a video at the same time.

Due to the tricycle wheel arrangement it can be awkward to steer especially when at full speed.

Speed can be preset using a 8879 PF speed controller but steering with its 7 steps is difficult to master and un-responsive if you turn dial the too quickly.

 

The 8879 PF Speed controller is great for speed control with push button for stop but not for steering.

The 8885 PF basic controller is good for steering but for only allows for full speed in either directions plus stop.

 

Solution:

As most manoeuvres only need full lock for steering I decided to use two PF remotes 1 x 8879 for speed control & 1 x 8885 for steering with two receivers set to different channels.

 

Later whilst browsing Sariels Guide book I discovered this is exactly what he recommends.

 

Just needs slight re-arrangement behind driver to locate both PF Rx  plus guard dog is now elevated to a higher position and able to reach his food !

Edited September 22, 2017 by Doug72