pueumatic 8043 excavator

[Out of Sight]

This is a GREAT thread!! I love it. Gives a differing perspective of LAs and pneumatics. I had only recently come back into Technic after a long time, and bought the 8043 as a 'come back', and never regreted it. There are advantages and disadvantages of both systems as many had already explained, but I somehow lean more towards LAs.

Just a thought of what the future lies for LAs:

The current weakness of LA seem to be its relatively slow speed and power, because the driving power is also slow. I'm hoping that in the future Lego will come up with a new Ultimate Power Functions unit specifically for driving LAs as an optional to the current one which includes:

1.New Upgraded M motors = 3 times the torque but 5 times the speed

2.New IR transmitter and IR receiver with digital proporsional speed control. This way you can control how fast the LA extends/rectracts in relation to how much 'throttle' is applied. So you can either move at a crawl precisions or at ball wrecker speeds

With all these combined, LAs should retain their precision but can also operate as fast as pneumatics, which might make them the ultimate actuators.

[rien]

I would like to see a good switch for pneu better conrol not open or close but precieser.

And longer cilinders ofcourse!!!!!

[Milan]

This way you can control how fast the LA extends/rectracts in relation to how much 'throttle' is applied. So you can either move at a crawl precisions or at ball wrecker speeds

With all these combined, LAs should retain their precision but can also operate as fast as pneumatics, which might make them the ultimate actuators.

You can use LEGO Speed Remote controller:

I use this an my JCB Excavator exactly for precision digging and precision driving and it works great.

Video is in my YouTube Channel

[allanp]

The current weakness of LA seem to be its relatively slow speed and power, because the driving power is also slow. I'm hoping that in the future Lego will come up with a new Ultimate Power Functions unit specifically for driving LAs as an optional to the current one which includes:

1.New Upgraded M motors = 3 times the torque but 5 times the speed

2.New IR transmitter and IR receiver with digital proporsional speed control. This way you can control how fast the LA extends/rectracts in relation to how much 'throttle' is applied. So you can either move at a crawl precisions or at ball wrecker speeds

With all these combined, LAs should retain their precision but can also operate as fast as pneumatics, which might make them the ultimate actuators.

They would still be too ugly and too unrealistic for me!

Besides to have a motor that powerfull you would either have to redesign/beef up every axle and gear to take the strain or just break everything. Of course a current XL motor as it is is capable of powering many pneumatic functions with lots of speed and power (which is proportional via the valve) simultainously, you just have to design a compressor that works properly (unlike the one at the very top of the thread )

And longer cilinders ofcourse!!!!!

I'de really like that!

[richthelegodude]

I dont think the problems is the motors Out of Sight, its the LA's themselves. They have clutches inbuilt to protect them from damage.

I have just brought the 8043 today in the Argos sale (£99.99 if you can find one!). Yet to build to build it but the gearbox to select the functions looks quite fun - plus I have finally got some synchromesh extender collet thingies so I can build gearboxes with reverse.

Yet to build it - I expected a bigger box when it came down the Argos rollers of almighty goodness .

[Out of Sight]

@richthelegodude

The motor itself for driving the LA is very slow..I certainly would love to see a much faster M motor but with equal torque to prevent the clutch from triggering. That being said, I certainly enjoy my stock 8043 and don't really care much about modifying it to extend its playability. It's more of a display model to me.

@allanp

We all have our preferences, but I've never seen LAs as ugly. Anyway, for my next set, I will accept whatever it comes with (LAs or pneumatics)..as long as they do the job well for that particular set.

@milan

Yes, I'd thought about that one, but i prefer stick type controller instead of rotating dials.

[richthelegodude]

Ah i was thinking in terms of lifting ability and not speed. I do wish TLG would offer motors with or without gearing. I liked doing the gearing down myself.

[BrickDemon]

I should do a little introduction as it's my first post. At first I should say please forgive me if my English isn't great, as I'm dutch. I just got back into Lego. The last model I got was in 1992, and now I just bought the 8043 and I'm a Lego addict all over again. With everything online nowadays, it's amazing to see what's possible and how many people, also adults like me, are Lego fanatics. I always like to modify/customize things and discovered bricklink, so I have a lot of parts on the way. I've been reading here a lot already and decided to join the forum as you all seem like great creative people and maybe I can share some creations myself. I will fill my brickshelf soon with some pictures. I also have to check the attic for some ancient Technic sets..

About this discussion:

For a Lego model, I think I prefer the original 8043. It's not a real digging machine, it's a Lego model which simulates the movement of an excavator. And I think they have done the best job ever. Just 4 motors to control all the functions and still keep it fully remote controlled is amazing. That's Lego Technic at it's best if you'd ask me. Also the B model is great!! I'd say good enough to buy a second..

But I agree the Ultimate 8043 seems much more playing fun and I will definatly try to build it in the future.

About precision, I think the LA's are perfect for a model like this. Air valves in machinery in real life are normally only used for fully open or closed, or set to a prefered distance, and precision valves would be too expensive and large. For an electric scale model, that is not a 'real' digging machine I think the LA's are perfect. The way the LA's work is very much like the way CNC Machine centres are driven, with very high precision.

I also have the pneumatic truck from 1992 and I was really dissapointed with the way it operated. Again I think air pneumatics are just for a movement of a static distance. Like opening a door or pushing a product from a conveyor belt. I hope the new pneumatics are better for the people who are going to buy the new 2011 summer model. If the 8043 was pneumatic, I would not have bought it because of the lack of control with the pneumatic truck.

Maybe one day we will get oil valves.. maybe with water in them instead of oil to avoid the mess. But again I don't really need it, I think they've already done a great job with the LA's. A big improvement to Technic.

[Alasdair Ryan]

I would like to see a good switch for pneu better conrol not open or close but precieser.

And longer cilinders ofcourse!!!!!

Here is a switch i made.

Edited May 16, 2013 by Alasdair Ryan

[rien]

is that motor stalling or how rgbrown namend it?

[Alasdair Ryan]

Yes I would see the motor stalls a small bit

Edited May 16, 2013 by Alasdair Ryan