T-47 Snowspeeder in LDD - help?

[ScottishDave]

Can anyone spare a moment to help out a newbie? I've just started using Lego Digital Designer (v4.0), and I'm running into a few wee problems.

I'm translating a model I built recently into LDD so that I can print off a parts list and a set of instructions for a friend. It's my first ever time using LDD, or indeed any Lego CAD package. I've got 99% of the way there, but LDD won't let me do the final assembly.

The model itself definitely works in real life - It's a model of a T-47 "Snowspeeder" from Star Wars which I built a few weeks ago. I put a few quick photos on flickr today - http://www.flickr.com/photos/11988796@N02/with/5227686692/

However, in my current (WIP) .lxf file - http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5251792/Snowspeeder.lxf - it's in about a dozen pieces.

I'm not too upset by this - I can generate everything except the last few pages of my instructions from the .lxf file, and I've been able to use "LDD Manager" (what a great program!) to generate my want parts list for Bricklink.

I also do realise that I'm "forcing" parts slightly, which would explain why a lot of my design refuses to work in LDD. However, that doesn't explain all the problems, in particular:

1) I'm trying to insert a cone (part number 4589) into the smooth technic joiner (part number 75535) on the end of the gun barrels. It won't go in LDD, no way, no how. Yet... a cylinder brick 1x1 will work just fine. Is this a bug in LDD?

2) I have a block of greeblies on the wing, btween the engines and the guns. In real life, they work fine. In LDD, they're too long. I think it may be the technic driver ring extension (32187) that's to blame...? Like the first problem, this looks like a bug in LDD.

3) I can't find the 9v motor pulley (part number 2983) that I'm using at the base of the guns. Nor lego hands (983). Is there a way to add these parts in LDD 4.0 - for example using LDraw .dat files?

4) Finally, how do you wind a string around a reel...?

Many thanks in advance for any light that you guys can shed on these issues!

-- DF.

[Brickdoctor]

3) There is no way to expand the palette without an official update. Hands are present, but you may not use them separately.

4) Not sure if you can. There is the flex tool, but I don't know which strings are available.

[Superkalle]

  On 12/3/2010 at 4:09 PM, ScottishDave said:

Can anyone spare a moment to help out a newbie? I've just started using Lego Digital Designer (v4.0), and I'm running into a few wee problems.

Hi there

Welcome to the LDD forum. I see Brickdoctor has anwered a few questions. Let's see if any of our other gurus here at the forum can help out with the rest.

[private_lego]

1) seems to be a bug in the system. It should be possible

2) the problem is both with the 32187 and the 42610 element. The 3647 gear wheel fits with real lego inside the 32187 & 42610. In LDD the 3647 go a little into the 32187 and not into the 42610.

This is also a boundry error to report.

[ScottishDave]

  On 12/3/2010 at 4:16 PM, Brickdoctor said:

3) There is no way to expand the palette without an official update. Hands are present, but you may not use them separately.

4) Not sure if you can. There is the flex tool, but I don't know which strings are available.

Brickdoctor,

Many thanks for the quick reply.

3) - I thought not (no sign of any news of such a thing on these forums) but you don't find out if you don't ask.

4) - There is definitely a string available, but although I spent some time messing with the string and with the reel, I couldn't get the two of them to join together. I'll have another look at the flex tool tonight.

At the risk of hijacking my own thread... I just noticed the snowspeeder you posted in the Star Wars Lego thread. Totally awesome! I love the SNOT wings and the cooling fins.

-- Dave.

[Calabar]

  On 12/3/2010 at 5:12 PM, ScottishDave said:

4) - There is definitely a string available, but although I spent some time messing with the string and with the reel, I couldn't get the two of them to join together. I'll have another look at the flex tool tonight.

If an element is flexible, it is marked with the "flex symbol" in the palette.

Presently, there are only 4 flexible bricks.

[Brickdoctor]

  On 12/3/2010 at 5:12 PM, ScottishDave said:

At the risk of hijacking my own thread... I just noticed the snowspeeder you posted in the Star Wars Lego thread. Totally awesome! I love the SNOT wings and the cooling fins.

Why thank you. I was actually looking at yours, and you've apparently thought of some of the same things I did to use for the gun barrel.

  On 12/3/2010 at 5:24 PM, Calabar said:

If an element is flexible, it is marked with the "flex symbol" in the palette.

Presently, there are only 4 flexible bricks.

Those are...

The chain, the string with handholds, the flex tube, and ?

[Superkalle]

  On 12/3/2010 at 4:56 PM, private_lego said:

1) seems to be a bug in the system. It should be possible

2) the problem is both with the 32187 and the 42610 element. The 3647 gear wheel fits with real lego inside the 32187 & 42610. In LDD the 3647 go a little into the 32187 and not into the 42610.

This is also a boundry error to report.

About 2), Out of curiosity - is this a technique that is used in any official set or otherwise (i.e. that the gear slides intoe the two other bricks?)

[ScottishDave]

  On 12/3/2010 at 5:24 PM, Calabar said:

If an element is flexible, it is marked with the "flex symbol" in the palette.

Presently, there are only 4 flexible bricks.

Ah, thanks: that was the clue that I was missing. I just had a good look and no: the string isn't "flex"-ible.

Figures.

-- Dave.

[ScottishDave]

  On 12/3/2010 at 7:57 PM, Brickdoctor said:

Why thank you. I was actually looking at yours, and you've apparently thought of some of the same things I did to use for the gun barrel.

I felt quite vindicated when I saw your gun design - very few other folks have used pins for the barrels, and no-one else I've come across has used micro-motor pulleys for the base. However, I hadn't thought of using antenna bases on the ends. I may have to try that. Yet another thing I can't represent in LDD...

  On 12/3/2010 at 7:57 PM, Brickdoctor said:

Those are...

The chain, the string with handholds, the flex tube, and ?

64230 Spiral tube w. tube stud - the fourth element in the "steering wheel" section.

-- Dave

[ScottishDave]

  On 12/3/2010 at 4:56 PM, private_lego said:

1) seems to be a bug in the system. It should be possible

2) the problem is both with the 32187 and the 42610 element. The 3647 gear wheel fits with real lego inside the 32187 & 42610. In LDD the 3647 go a little into the 32187 and not into the 42610.

This is also a boundry error to report.

Where should I report these bugs? I see there is a "bug report" thread in this forum... should I mention these problems there?

-- Dave

[mikey]

  On 12/3/2010 at 4:09 PM, ScottishDave said:

...

1) I'm trying to insert a cone (part number 4589) into the smooth technic joiner (part number 75535) on the end of the gun barrels. It won't go in LDD, no way, no how. Yet... a cylinder brick 1x1 will work just fine. Is this a bug in LDD?

...

I think this would be considered an illegal technique, and not a bug, because you have the potential to force the cone to far into the technic part (and begin to crush the cone). With a cylinder 1x1 brick, the stud protects the brick from being pushed to far in and getting stressed.

[ScottishDave]

  On 12/3/2010 at 9:10 PM, mikey said:

I think this would be considered an illegal technique, and not a bug, because you have the potential to force the cone to far into the technic part (and begin to crush the cone). With a cylinder 1x1 brick, the stud protects the brick from being pushed to far in and getting stressed.

Hmmm, good point. I think I see what you mean... but to clarify: How is this different from putting a cone on the end of 30359 (which does work in LDD)? Is there a subtle difference in diameters and/or hole shapes between system and technic? I notice (in my limited playing around) that 4589 won't go into ANY technic hole.

-- Dave.

[Brickdoctor]

  On 12/3/2010 at 9:55 PM, ScottishDave said:

Hmmm, good point. I think I see what you mean... but to clarify: How is this different from putting a cone on the end of 30359 (which does work in LDD)? Is there a subtle difference in diameters and/or hole shapes between system and technic? I notice (in my limited playing around) that 4589 won't go into ANY technic hole.

-- Dave.

Because 30359 has a cross piece inside to accept an axle, and that prevents any stud from going in too far.

[mikey]

  On 12/3/2010 at 9:55 PM, ScottishDave said:

...

Is there a subtle difference in diameters and/or hole shapes between system and technic? I notice (in my limited playing around) that 4589 won't go into ANY technic hole.

...

Brickdoctor has definitely solved the issue with 30359, the cone is protected by the axle holder. As for subtle differences between System/ Technic, this presentation on 'Stressing The Brick', gives reasons why some connections between the two are not considered safe.

Slightly off topic, but playing around with the 1x1 Cone and a 1x2 Brick in LDD it seems that an illegal connection is allowed for these pieces (inserting the cone into the bottom of the 1x2 brick, and stressing both elements), so maybe the bug is that these are allowed?

Anyway, nice Snowspeeder by the way!

[Superkalle]

Well, actually, the 30359 is a aystem element, not a Technics, and that's why it will connect to there, just as a 1x1 cone will connect to any system hole.

The background to this whole thing is like this:

Generally, Technic holes are not supposed to accept a stud, because the Technic hole is slightly tighter then a system hole, and therefore it will be more difficult for children to take them apart. For this reason, the LDD developers made a general rule and blocked the possibility to attach studs to Technic holes in LDD. However, partly due to all the issues we fans found here in the LDD forum where we found that many official sets have actually used this technique, they have manually adjusted for some bricks so they can attach to Technic Holes. These include the 1x1 round brick, the 1x1 round plate and a few more. The 1x1 cone has not yet been adjusted, as has not the 30367 2x2 dome to name an example, but these may hopefully be fixed in the future (when and if I have no clue about). So the explantation is not more complicated then that actually.

OK, next thing is the 1x1 cone. As you can see in LDD there are three versions. Two of them without a flange at the top and one with (59990). The flange has been added by TLG due to the fact we've been discussin here, namely to make a clear stop. The two without flange are the older ones and will be phased out in the coming years.

[private_lego]

  On 12/3/2010 at 8:23 PM, Superkalle said:

About 2), Out of curiosity - is this a technique that is used in any official set or otherwise (i.e. that the gear slides intoe the two other bricks?)

I have searched, but not fount any official set in witch this is used. So it is possible "illegal" according TLC

[Brickdoctor]

  On 12/4/2010 at 1:30 PM, private_lego said:

I have searched, but not fount any official set in witch this is used. So it is possible "illegal" according TLC

Same here. I used it in my T-47, too, and it fits easily with no compression, but I've never seen it used by TLG.

[Superkalle]

I'm not sure 2) is illegal - as long as a brick can be fitted nicely into another without bending or excerting too much stress, it's legal. I was just wondering if it has been used in an official set out of curiosity.