[TC28] Bobbin Winder

[Chilly]

 

For Xmas I bought myself the instructions and the extra parts that I didn't already own, to build Nico's Manual Braiding Machine.  It's great, works just as it should.  Except.  I got bored hand-winding the thread onto the bobbins, if it was too loose or too tight or wriggly, the machine couldn't make good braids.  I needed to make a winder.

First attempt was with bricks and plates, I didn't even think I needed gears.  Then realised that gears meant more wound yarn for less winding time.  The bobbin itself was being pushed away from the gears, so a little wall stopped that.  I then realised it took up far more space than necessary, so swapped out some bigger bricks for smaller, and a smaller baseplate.

Great, it worked, but I was winding in one direction and the bobbin wasn't winding the direction I expected it to.  Added another gear and that problem was sorted.

I was happy, my first bit of free-style LEGO since I was a child.

Nico’s Manual Braiding Machine	Nico’s original bobbin	My alternative, side by side with Nico’s.  Hoping to use the extra beam to create tension on the thread. And a longer axle, so could add a gear for winding
Can’t attach the bobbin to bricks as connectors prevent contact.  Need to add a 1 x 3 plate.
One gear, but gears not meshing as bobbin pushed away.	One gear, with wall to resist bobbin.   And smaller bricks	Second gear added, so handle winds in more intuitive direction.  This works perfectly.

 

Then I saw this contest.  And read the rules, which seemed to imply I needed to remake my winder without using old-style bricks and plates.

This proved to be a much harder task.  How can something so small need so many parts. 

 

 

Edited January 17 by Chilly
Fixed photos

[Chilly]

I've had two attempts at building the same winder, but only using new Technic, so no studs at all.  First attempt was not rigid enough, I think the green baseplate is just too flexible.  Tried putting the long beams around it to stop if flexing, but it wasn’t enough.  The gears chattered more than often than they worked.  

Partially dismantled, showing base layer parts	Technic Pin Connector Plate used as feet	3/4 pin used so can place on baseboard
L beams used to try to stop bobbin being pushed away from gears	Gears still not meshing nicely	Abandonded

Edited January 17 by Chilly

[Aurorasaurus]

Meshing gears along a half stud offset is quite tricky. Maybe you could use 32291, 69819, 63869, or 6536 with half bushes to get the offset to make some reinforced enough structure. Good luck with this project!

[Chilly]

Version 2  using new style Technic using more L beams and no baseplate. This one does work, no different to the original old-style Technic. 

Two and a half times as many parts as the old technic model	Technic Pin Connector Hub Perpendicular 3L with 4 Pins to create holes for axles

 

As an exercise I was quite surprised how many more parts were required to make this tiny model using new-style Technic compared with old-style.  The old-style build was much more intuitive.  Placing connector pins so each layer didn't interfere with the one above or below needed careful thought.

I take my hat off to all those out there who design bigger models.  You are amazing.

[aeh5040]

Yes, studless building is a whole new game! It took me a long time to get used to it, but once you do it opens up many new possibilities!

If you want to minimize parts it looks as though part of the base could be replaced with a 5x7 frame, and the gear mount could be replaced with the new 2-pin version of the steering part.

Rubber inserts in the base as feet might be nice...

Edited January 20 by aeh5040

[Chilly]

4 minutes ago, aeh5040 said:

Yes, studless building is a whole new game! It took me a long time to get used to it, but once you do it opens up many new possibilities!

If you want to minimize parts it looks as though part of the base could be replaced with a 5x7 frame, and the gear mount could be replaced with the new 2-pin version of the steering part.

Rubber inserts in the base as feet might be nice...

Thanks.  I used the parts I already had.  I'm happy with the first, studded model, so have given up trying to improve it.