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For those that have help the Ball Factory, would you be able to tell me if the (2) 48288 plates are required or can they be replaced with something else?

Totally interchangeable with This part. This is still available from lego (at least in the US) and costs 1.70.

That's just a big tile. As nychase said, you could substitute the newer variant, but you could also simply use a plate covered with a bunch of smaller tiles. You just need a smooth surface for the balls to roll.

My question to the group is this. Do you think anyone out there would be interested in buying a full set of the parts needed to build these wonderful machines? It would be easy for me to collect more than one set of the parts as I am doing my own builds and I could offer you guys a full set of parts. Would anyone find that helpful?

It would certainly be helpful. Collecting the parts is a huge project. The question is, how much would you charge for this service?

Hello^^ I just finished Akiyuki's Catch & Release(Certainly only cad -.-).

Awesome! I'll start working on those instructions next. At the moment I am building the Lift Triggered by a Stuck Ball to test my instructions. It is going well. This is the smallest module so far.

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At the moment I am building the Lift Triggered by a Stuck Ball to test my instructions. It is going well. This is the smallest module so far.

The smallest and the cutest! ;-)

Just curious: are you also correcting the color scheme back to Akiyuki's version?

I think that Rebrickers version on Rebrickable is not correct at all points, e.g. the use of yellow and also the DBG bricks http://rebrickable.com/mocs/therebricker/akiyukis-lifter-triggered-by-a-stuck-ball

Do you happen to have a partslist already or do I have to be a little more patient?

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The smallest and the cutest! ;-)

Just curious: are you also correcting the color scheme back to Akiyuki's version.

Yes, the instructions will have Akiyuki's colors. I have a parts list but it is still changing as I make final corrections.

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Instructions for Akiyuki's Lift Triggered by a Stuck Ball are now tested and complete and are available here along with a Brickstore parts list.

  • 105 pages
  • 1068 parts
640x360.jpg

This is Akiyuki's smallest module so far. The ReBricker did the reverse engineering. I set up the LDraw file using The ReBricker's video as a starting point. My file differs from The ReBricker's in considerable (but not very visible) ways. Most importantly, I completely changed the gearing to be more like the original. There is nothing wrong with The ReBricker's gearing, but it is different than what Akiyuki used. The primary difference comes in the fact that my motor is installed one stud higher. This changes a lot of the gears and also allows use of a clutch gear and elimination of the worm gear. Having now built it, I can confirm it works very well. I also borrowed a small change to the slopes on the back side from jesuskyr's interpretation. Another difference is that I used 6x4 bent liftarms instead of 7x3 to support the lifters. Doing so requires some fancy SNOT (which I believe Akiyuki also used) to provide the proper pivot in the side wall:

640x361.jpg
 
400x321.jpg

The model works quite well, but my one complaint is the color scheme. Most of Akiyuki's modules have a highlight color, but this one is very plain and therefore has nothing to draw the eye visually. I may experiment with some customization.

This is a quick, easy build. If you are on the fence about whether or not to build any of these modules, start with this one.

Enjoy!

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These are great, thanks for the hard work making the building instructions. The one obvious part I don't have are the balls - how many are recommended for a good (lively) experience?

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These are great, thanks for the hard work making the building instructions. The one obvious part I don't have are the balls - how many are recommended for a good (lively) experience?

For any of the modules, I'd say about 10 is a minimum although of course it will work with only one. For a circuit with several modules you'll want at least 50.

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This Project is just too good (and expensive)! Big thanks to Blackbird for creating these instructions (and of course all others helping and contributing).

As the EV3/NXT GBC modules are currently exclude in the scope of this topic, I'm trying to replicate the EV3 Ball Sorter. But don't expect a pace similar to Blackbird's :)

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Basket Shooter Update

I've finished the draft build of the Basket Shooter in LDD. A rendering of the build is shown below

basket_shooter_back_wall.png

The build is an amalgam of the two versions of the Basket Shooter that I am aware of. The primary sources of information about the model which I have I would call them "version 1". The secondary information source is a couple of videos which are less detailed and I would call them "version 2". The build is primarily "version 1" but with the back wall coming from "version 2". The "version 2" back wall is the version referred to earlier in this thread by Blakbird. Note that the 1x2 Technic brick with two holes "hanging" off the side is there as I can't get it in place using LDD and I wanted my draft parts list to be correct.

The reason for doing the build based mainly on "version 1" is that there is a higher level of detail available about the "version 1" build than the "version 2" build. The differences between the two builds that I have seen include;

  • the entry point. The "version 1" build is a static entry point. The "version 2" build has a ramp inclined towards a lifting slope which drops the balls into the main area.
  • the exit point. I have used the "version 2" exit ramp but without the additional exit framework at the rear of the model.
  • the mystery "H". On the "version 2" build, there are a couple of Technic connectors and pins which form an "H" like shape on the external side wall perhaps 40% of the way down. I have no idea what the purpose of this is but I do wonder if it is related to the next difference
  • the control panel. The "version 2" control panel appears to be stow-able. If you take a look at this
    , you can see the control panel is positioned both at an angle and external to the framework. Yet in the same
    , on the second time around, the control panel is positioned vertically, within the confines of the framework. I have no idea how this is achieved. I do wonder if the mystery "H" is part of this mechanism.

The reference material I used for the build are;



  1. HispaBrick Magazine #014, English Edition. GBC with character
  2. Akiyuki's (?) blog


There is one part of the build that is a bit in the nature of "here be dragons". While the upper part of the ramp is built using 16 x 8 tiles, I have been unable to identify any images/videos about the framework on which said tiles rest. I have therefore put an interpretation on what might be like but it is 100% guesswork. If anyone is aware of any other reference material about this GBC module which I have not listed above, please post a link to that material in this thread. It may help in removing the "here be dragons" from the map.

My intended next steps are;

  1. BrickLink orders for the parts for the draft build
  2. Trial build (once the parts arrive). Given Xmas shipping delays, I suspect this will be completed in late January.
  3. Draft of build instructions in ldraw, with me rebuilding by following the instructions.
  4. Test build using draft instructions by tester (my tester is already lined up)
  5. Post draft LDraw file to the forum to allow Blakbird to apply the "Akiyuki Project" standard to them, as appropriate.

Regards,

David

Edited by djm

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Gosh, this tread just knocked my socks off.

Thanks everybody who is atively contributing to the cause.

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The build is an amalgam of the two versions of the Basket Shooter that I am aware of. The primary sources of information about the model which I have I would call them "version 1". The secondary information source is a couple of videos which are less detailed and I would call them "version 2". The build is primarily "version 1" but with the back wall coming from "version 2". The "version 2" back wall is the version referred to earlier in this thread by Blakbird.

This seems to be a common issue with the Akiyuki modules. Obviously he does a lot of testing and refining before making the video and presenting the module to the world, but that is not the end. The modules continue to evolve over time. One of the most obvious aspects I've noticed is the outlet "box". At some point he clearly made a decision to standardize the outlets and make a frame which is movable and would physically lock one module to the next. He went back and added this to older modules, and newer modules are already designed with it in mind. Older modules sometimes needed more changes to accommodate the outlet boxes like updated ramps. In some cases, like this basket shooter, the inlet side had no structure to accept a connection from the previous module so you can see in the later videos that he added a whole inlet hopper on the left:

the entry point. The "version 1" build is a static entry point. The "version 2" build has a ramp inclined towards a lifting slope which drops the balls into the main area.
the mystery "H". On the "version 2" build, there are a couple of Technic connectors and pins which form an "H" like shape on the external side wall perhaps 40% of the way down. I have no idea what the purpose of this is but I do wonder if it is related to the next difference

Good catch on the changes in control panel position. Based on the few frames visible in the video, I would speculate that the "H" is a crank which extends/retracts the control panel. From a storage point on view, this would make the module easier to store and smaller and would be less likely to damage the panel or use it as a handhold.

I'm greatly looking forward to the next steps.

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Based on the few frames visible in the video, I would speculate that the "H" is a crank which extends/retracts the control panel. From a storage point on view, this would make the module easier to store and smaller and would be less likely to damage the panel or use it as a handhold.

I'd come to a similar conclusion. I also reached the conclusion that I wasn't going to attempt to model that aspect since not only was the visual information limited but it would extend the design timeline. I'm comfortable with not going there (or perhaps "left as an exercise for the avid reader"?).

David

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Instructions for Akiyuki's Spiral Staircase module are now tested and complete and are available here along with a Brickstore parts list.

  • 126 pages
  • 1923 parts
640x480.jpg

Most of the credit for reverse engineering this module goes to jesuskyr who did the work making the LDraw file based on Akiyuki's video and creating most of the instruction steps. The ReBricker then did a test build from my instructions and gave me lots of comments on how to improve them. After all of that, my own test build went very smoothly. A few minor updates to the file were made to make the model more reliable such that at this point it works perfectly.

There is really no timing to set on this model. The input indexer is physically locked to the motion of the tower, so there is nothing to time. The agitator in the input hopper is not sensitive to timing.

The build, as you might expect, is quite repetitive. This is a physically small module with lots of parts, many of which are 1x1 plates or cheese slopes. If you build it all in one day, like I did, your fingers and wrists will hurt.

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The smallest and the cutest! ;-)

Just curious: are you also correcting the color scheme back to Akiyuki's version?

I think that Rebrickers version on Rebrickable is not correct at all points, e.g. the use of yellow and also the DBG bricks http://rebrickable.com/mocs/therebricker/akiyukis-lifter-triggered-by-a-stuck-ball

Do you happen to have a partslist already or do I have to be a little more patient?

Yup, sorry about that. I didn't have all the correct parts at time of building, and instead of confusing things even more, I figured I'd match my part list to the video for everyone's sanity.

Dabbling in LDD I think I have completed Lift Arm Sorter: LS-L407

I have to brick build it still.

Weighing in at 3703 pieces, I believe I have nailed it to Akiyuki Accuracy, but Blakbird will be the better judge of that. He has an eye like no other!

I brick built the nameplate to make sure I got that part right. :)

post-134176-0-34535200-1450837062_thumb.jpg

Edited by TheRebricker

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Dabbling in LDD I think I have completed Lift Arm Sorter: LS-L407

Weighing in at 3703 pieces, I believe I have nailed it to Akiyuki Accuracy, but Blakbird will be the better judge of that. He has an eye like no other!

Wow, that liftarm sorter is going to be awesome. I'm excited to see it work.

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Happy New Year for all Euro brickers^^

I finished the Akiyuki's Step Module Version 2.0 with mlcad(only -.-).

The spirial lift portion of this module is a little different from Akiyuki's original version(I borrowed it from Rebricker's video instruction of his ball factory).

And the slope of the middle step portions is also little changed for the aesthetic implementation.

Blackbird, you can download the mlcad file at my bricksafe folder http://www.bricksafe.com/pages/jesuskyr/etc/Akiyuki/stepmodule_v2.

Regards,

jesuskyr(Kee-Youn)

800x450.jpg

Dabbling in LDD I think I have completed Lift Arm Sorter: LS-L407

Always great works,TheRebricker^^ I believe that this is most exciting!!

Edited by jesuskyr

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The Ball Sorter is nearly build in LDraw and will be build with bricks in the following weeks.

JODotws.png

But some parts and one construction are still unknown to me. Hope somebody could help me with them.

What part is this part on the spiral case and any idea why it was used and not a 4L bar?

VzNGa6r.jpg

What construction is this? Looks like 6538 + a hull, but I didn't find any fitting one. I've current replaced it with a long pin + Pin Connector Round 1L + 2L which seems to work quite fine.

jcJEGIi.png

And I still don't really know how to get to this:

wT1YPwm.jpg

I've assume that it's also connected to the ev3 brick on the left. The LDraw file of this section has been attached and I'm quite sure that all the parts in there are correct (with exception of the 1/2 brushes).

Thank in advance for your help!

@The Rebricker: The LS-L407 looks great!

@Blackbird: Could you please provide the LDraw files for the modules you've tested? This would allow me to build a four heads and is helpful when the instructions are not super clear. I've build the Fork2Fork and in some steps the viewing angle was not perfect to be sure that all the parts are on the correct position. Futher it's helpfull

Ball Sorter part.ldr

Edited by goggel

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I finished the Akiyuki's Step Module Version 2.0 with mlcad(only -.-).

Blackbird, you can download the mlcad file at my bricksafe folder http://www.bricksafe...i/stepmodule_v2.

Thanks, I will get started on this in the new year.

But some parts and one construction are still unknown to me. Hope somebody could help me with them.

What part is this part on the spiral case and any idea why it was used and not a 4L bar?

That looks to me like the old handle piece, 424:

424.gif

I think he is just using it a 1L pin spacer. He is probably not using the new 1L liftarm because that only comes in dark bluish gray and wouldn't look as good.

What construction is this? Looks like 6538 + a hull, but I didn't find any fitting one. I've current replaced it with a long pin + Pin Connector Round 1L + 2L which seems to work quite fine.

That looks like the same thing, a pin connector plus a handle.

Could you please provide the LDraw files for the modules you've tested? This would allow me to build a four heads and is helpful when the instructions are not super clear. I've build the Fork2Fork and in some steps the viewing angle was not perfect to be sure that all the parts are on the correct position.

I don't plan to release the files, however I'd be happy to help answer any specific questions on the modules.

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Why? The ring gear of the turntable drives the wheel, and therefore is geared based on 56 teeth. The indexer needs to be able to release exactly one ball per cycle. Because the outside of the small turntable has 28 teeth (half of 56), this is possible. It would be very difficult to achieve this gearing any other way and could require many stages.

That's another use for the really old, thin, flimsy 14-tooth gears - they make it easier to get something in step with a 56-tooth turntable.

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My question to the group is this. Do you think anyone out there would be interested in buying a full set of the parts needed to build these wonderful machines? It would be easy for me to collect more than one set of the parts as I am doing my own builds and I could offer you guys a full set of parts. Would anyone find that helpful?

I'm amazed that no-one has answered this question yet.

I'm sure if Lego themselves decided to market GBC sets they'd be over-run with buyers. I just can't believe they're not interested.

I'd certainly be interested. Accumulating parts in small quantities can be expensive on P&P, so buying them in bulk and then re-sorting into sets has to make for a cheaper option. Not sure if you can compete price-wise with TLG. :tongue:

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I'm amazed that no-one has answered this question yet.

I'm sure if Lego themselves decided to market GBC sets they'd be over-run with buyers. I just can't believe they're not interested.

I'd certainly be interested. Accumulating parts in small quantities can be expensive on P&P, so buying them in bulk and then re-sorting into sets has to make for a cheaper option. Not sure if you can compete price-wise with TLG. :tongue:

I did some calculations on this idea.

For the following 10 modules part lists and instructions exist at the moment:

- Ball Factory

- Bucket Wheel Tower

- Cup to Cup

- Cycloidal Drive

- Fork to Fork

- Invisible Lift

- Lift Triggered by a Stuck Ball

- Six Heads

- Spiral Staircase

- Tilted Rotors

These modules contain 18550 parts with a total average BL value (new) of $3325

https://www.dropbox....uki 10.bsx?dl=0

May be this explains the lack of enthusiasm? :wink:

NOTE: A collection of parts that can be used to build all the mentioned 10 modules (but only one at a time) consists op 9115 parts with an average BL value (new) of $1785.

https://www.dropbox....inimal.bsx?dl=0

Edited by Theo van Vroenhoven

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Some of the timing is pretty tricky here. Because all of the 40 tooth gears driving the cups are in series, if you adjust one by even a single tooth then it messes up everything downstream. I ended up using the molding lines on the gears as a datum and painstakingly counting teeth before I got it right. It is also important that the spiral lift drop a ball exactly when there is a cup there to receive it. This operation also requires single tooth accuracy. Once you get it all set though, the module is extremely reliable. It never jams, and any dropped balls roll back down the ramp to recirculate back into the system. It can also handle large loads of balls in the hopper without issue.

Does anyone have advice on setting up the timing on the cup to cup? Is there a certain position of the spiral lift relative to the first cup? A way of counting teeth between the first cup and the second? I can certainly figure it out using trial and error, but if someone has already figured it out it might save me a little time.

I'd certainly be interested. Accumulating parts in small quantities can be expensive on P&P, so buying them in bulk and then re-sorting into sets has to make for a cheaper option. Not sure if you can compete price-wise with TLG. :tongue:

I am collecting parts for the bucket wheel tower right now and I went ahead and ordered 2 extra sets of parts. I usually have a couple of projects that I am bricklinking parts for at any given time, so its not a huge deal to add these into the mix. I can certainly offer these for sale here once I get them assembled, but I am a little unsure how to price them. It seems like there should be some premium over the price of the individual parts to account for the shipping and the time to assemble the order.

I am also curious about the best way to make these parts available for sale. Superlot on Bricklink? The MOC Shop on Bricklink? eBay? Other options?

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Does anyone have advice on setting up the timing on the cup to cup? Is there a certain position of the spiral lift relative to the first cup? A way of counting teeth between the first cup and the second? I can certainly figure it out using trial and error, but if someone has already figured it out it might save me a little time.

I just used trial and error. It is actually quite tricky to get it just right. There is only a split second where the first cup is in position to receive a ball.

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Instructions for Akiyuki's Catch and Release module are now tested and complete and are available here along with a Brickstore parts list.

  • 86 pages
  • 717 parts
640x480.jpg

Most of the credit for reverse engineering this module goes to jesuskyr who did the work making the LDraw file based on Akiyuki's video and creating most of the instruction steps. I then made a few changes to coloration including:

  • Made the bottom of the module black to be more consistent with other modules
  • Made the hopper ramps blue like in Akiyuki's version
  • Made the crankshaft blue so it would stand out a bit from the frame
  • Made the base of the output ramp transparent.

I built this model last weekend. I found that it did not consistently pick up balls so I made a couple of adjustments:

  • Raised the floor of the hopper by one plate
  • The model is somewhat sensitive to the rubber bands that are used. I used a doubled up blue band and found that it was too tight so the downward force was not enough to force the jaws open. I changed to a small white band looped over only two of the three fingers. I recommend just using whatever you can get to work. The module works very well once adjusted.

There is no timing to set on this model. The crankshaft geometry controls the timing of the arms, and there are no other moving parts.

This is one of the smallest modules and costs less than $100 to build, so it is a good place to start.

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