[GBC] The Akiyuki Project (2010 - 2020)

[Ankoku]

@9v system Remember to post the Akiyuki images to Flickr/BrickSafe/Brickshelf

Such photos are always important. I am really glad he does them. He must get inundated by us pestering him on occasions.

[Courbet]

@Berthil, great work again - but you're not obliged to release a GBC BI every week, do you know?

@Ankoku is right, @9v system please post the pictures for everyone interested - and of course I'm one of them.

[Ankoku]

Currently trying to do the underside of the hopper. This is an Akiyuki photo:

This is how far I have gotten:

I thought the piece the arrow is pointing to is this:

But if you look closely in the photo, you can see some grey there, so it isn't a black one of these.

That leaves me thinking that they may be thin liftarms?

To be honest, I have no idea why this who assembly in the red circle exists. It is mirrored on the other side. What is it's purpose?

[9v system]

@Courbet and @Ankoku heres the photos from akiyuki

https://bricksafe.com/pages/gbcbuilder/akiyuki/container-transporter-gbc-

[Ankoku]

Damn, you got a good haul there!

Does anyone actually know @yoyo08190, outside of on here?

[Ankoku]

Thought this might be it, but it doesn't match up. There is no space for the vertical bush after the gear.

[Ankoku]

After far too much staring and zooming in and wondering and staring at the ceiling in bed, I think is may be what is going on:

Basically, it has a silly amount of bracing for various aspects of it.

The 4x Technic, Liftarm 3 x 3 L-Shape Thin is purely speculation as I have no way of seeing it in the resources I have to work with. That said, it makes sense and places the spiral rotation part at the right height.

The 2 liftarms which sit below the L-Shapes are still a bit of a mystery to me. I don't entirely understand their purpose. Maybe even more bracing? Seems a bit redundant though.

I still don't know what is going on here either:

This is at the bottom of the vertical bracing for the tower, The dark line is the usual line between bricks, but you can see to the left of that, there is another, lighter line which is very close. I have no idea what is causing that.

[Juroen]

In between building a compressor for my Akiyuki ballcleaner, I’m tweaking some parts of the Akiyuki ballcleaner design. The first stepper is an exact copy of the Akiyuki design. However as you can see in this video there’s a problem with the vertical movement. When the stepper is moving up, the motor struggles to get it to the top due to the weight of the stepper. With a XL motor I have the same problems. When I hold this part horizontally it works just fine. Also tried some different gear ratio’s. I was thinking of using some kind of counter weight, does anybody have any experience with this kind of stepper?

 

 

[Ankoku]

The first thing I do, is see where you have the same issue in his video. If not, then you need to be looking for something which is amiss with what you are doing.

Probably good to check that your axles are straight and non-tacky. Could potentially use some form of lube for it. I know with my axles some can feel very different to others when you run your fingers across them.

Potentially you could have a runner at the other end, so all the weight isn't hanging off one side at a slight angle.

Also, could something like this be used:

Which is lighter?

[Juroen]

He had the same problems in 2015; mark 0:42 & 4:10

He somehow managed to solve this in 2017; mark 3:38

 

[Ankoku]

I do like how he goes back to his modules and addresses various issues with them. He seems to do it with most of them.

The new approach seems to be far smooth and notable faster, which suggests he may have completely changed how it is done.

[XG BC]

i think it is the fact that the step of the stepper has huge amounts of leverage and therefore introduces huge amounts of friction to the geartrain.

XG BC

[Ankoku]

This has taken forever, but I think I have finally worked it all out.

[tismabrick]

Looks promising :) Did you already physically build it?

[Ankoku]

Back support for the gears and ramp is done, along with the drive mechanism sat underneath.

What isn't physically built yet is the new underside to the hopper.

Going to finish it off digitally, then work out what I need to buy before finishing off the physical build. I think all it will end up being is some grey bricks.

[Ankoku]

Managed to get pretty much all of it back together. Collision free.

Got to put the drive arm on the back and do a couple of universal joints underneath. I won't be installing the hoses :P Screw hoses!

Still debating whether to go grey or black some stuff bellow the hopper.

Interestingly, in the Akiyuki version, the Technic bricks carry on under the hopper ramp and support it at the end. Not sure whether to add that or not.

[Ankoku]

So, the back end of the ramp is connected in a manner which is different to what you see in the instructions.

It is cleaner and more elegant, but is also has a draw back.

The 2 connectors:

Are shifted across one, as you can see by the blue axle/pin.

Problem is, that means you can't effectively attach the other side, which is now 4L wide.

From what I can see, it goes: Connector > Liftarm > Bush > Liftarm.

Going through those 4 things is a 4L axle.

Problem is, that means the final liftarm of the back frame, containing the gears, isn't fixed in place. It just sits on the end of the axle.

This seems either a bit lacking or an incorrect assumption.

This is as good a view as you get of it:

[Ethan M]

@Ankoku

Your work looks amazing on Cup to Cup! Do you happen to know when the files for your mods will be released. I’m really looking forward to fixing these issues as I also had them at BrickWorld Chicago 2019. Appreciate your work! 

 

Ethan

[Ankoku]

I will be doing instructions for Cup-to-Cup.

Up next will be Catch & Release.

After that, it may well be Ball Factory v2.

ETA wise, it shouldn't be too long. I need to buy some parts and test it. Can't release instructions without testing it physically.

[Ankoku]

This is pretty much complete, even have the universal joints sorted. Although that aspect worries me a bit and will need to see how it is in the real built version.

Thinking about it, I will probably change the hopper far left section, to bring it in line with the standard that Akiyuki has created for his own modules. Those panels at the end have always annoyed me.

Time to order a few parts that I need.

[dunes]

Looks great. Looking forward to build it myself.

[Ankoku]

I am going to end up with so many versions of it.

The current version has a bunch of less common pieces which are purely for my personal aesthetic preferences.

I think the instructions will keep things common.

[Ankoku]

I was right to be worried. The mechanism that drives the cups was at the wrong height, which is why the universal joints had issues.

One a side note, this is kinda nice to see!

 

[Ankoku]

Worked out a diff between the old cup-to-cup and my current basic one.

Works out at about £17 worth of new bits.

225 pieces in all.

Am wondering if people want the version with the original hopper where the balls end up retiring.

[Ethan M]

@Ankoku

 Would you be able to provide a file for the parts (new added parts) so that those who already have V1 built can just add these to it.

Thanks!

Ethan

Edited July 3, 2019 by Ethan M
Added correct tag