[GBC] The Akiyuki Project (2010 - 2020)

[Ankoku]

Looking good. I am planning on building it, but hadn't appreciated just how large it is! :P

Doing modifications to these things makes you appreciate the time and thought that goes into Akiyuki designs. Not just the mechanics, but the aesthetics.

[Ankoku]

Been reworking the ball dumping area, whilst retaining the routing functionality.

This try works okay, but I want to move the tilt mechanism down a little bit, but the axle mounting is in the way. So I will most likely make that beam a 5L and have the mountings further down.

What you can't see here, is that behind the Technic Gear 40 Tooth is another 1x6 Technic Brick. This is from the Akiyuki design, which holds both axles in place, which should help, considering the kinda torque involved.

[Ankoku]

Okay, so this is basically the final design for the ball dumper. It sits at the right height, the ball router works well and the axle housing is aligned correctly.

As you can see above and below, I have added blockers to either side, which means that a renegade ball can't escape up hill. Balls can only pass when the router is in the correct position for that route.

Inside is only 2 wide now and doesn't have any pins etc.

Why no parts list, instructions etc.? Mainly because, as you can see it is a bit of a mess. Lots of black bits filling in for what should be grey and I am just working with bits that I have to hand. At some point later, I will take some photos for myself and work out the best parts required to build it optimally for strength and appearance.

This is mainly to get the thing at the correct height, supporting the axle correctly and retaining the routing functionality.

 

[Ankoku]

So, I decided to give the timings a quick go. I started with the timing video by @TheRebricker, but in the end, I got in patient and kinda just winged it by looking at a few key positions of certain elements in the Akiyuki video.

So yeah, it is less than perfect, I am sure I will need to adjust a gear tooth or two here and there.

Anyway, here is is working:

 

[Ankoku]

Onwards we go on to the ball dropper! Obviously, the design of it in the instructions is different to the original Akiyuki video and people seem to be having issues with it on occasions.

Here are screen shots of the original design:

As you can see, the two beams aren't connected with a pin as you might expect. One pushes the other down via a Technic Pin with Friction Ridges Lengthwise and Towball.

This gives a larger overall view of what is going on, where the pivot point is located and shows the length of the main beam, which is using Technic, Plate 1 x 5 with Smooth Ends, 4 Studs and Center Axle Hole again.

This is the hardest bit to see. I believe it is using a Technic Beam 1 x 3 Thin, then either a Technic Beam 1 x 3 Thin or a Technic Beam 1 x 5 Thin with Axle Holes on Ends at a 90°. I am guessing the length of it will be easy to work out upon construction.

Edited March 7, 2018 by Ankoku

[Ankoku]

Okay, so the ball dumper has quite a few differences which need remedying.

First off, the Technic Axle and Pin Connector Perpendicular Double is on the wrong way around.

Also, the height of the tiles on top is too low. This lack of height makes a bit of a clicking noise and thus friction as the arm at the front passes over the top.

This is just a couple of quite a few changes needed as I post more later. The overall height of the tower is wrong, much like the rest of the machine, so that too needs adjusting.

[9v system]

@plingboot what module are you putting after the invisible lift?

[plingboot]

I've got three other modules in progress: 'ball sorter', 'fork-to-fork' and 'cycliodal'. I'm also working on a waterfall to catch the balls from the invisible lift and dump them into the hopper of what ever follows…

I'm also planning a single 'thrower' version of the basketball shooter and a 2 grab version of 'triggered by a stuck ball'… and eventually the crane loader.

[9v system]

1 hour ago, plingboot said:

I've got three other modules in progress: 'ball sorter', 'fork-to-fork' and 'cycliodal'. I'm also working on a waterfall to catch the balls from the invisible lift and dump them into the hopper of what ever follows…

I'm also planning a single 'thrower' version of the basketball shooter and a 2 grab version of 'triggered by a stuck ball'… and eventually the crane loader.

will you add the black box things on the end of your modules?

[plingboot]

I'll probably have a separate box module which I'll use (clip on) when running a module on it's own, but my intention is to have everything linked together so one module feeds another. 

I can already see that the modules I'm building are very much 'one-by-one' movers, so adding waterfall collectors/dumpers between modules will probably be required to make sure subsequent modules are fed with a number of balls at once.

this is the worst kind of pastime for an obsessive…

[Ankoku]

One change which may help people out there with the ball lifter, is that the lifting arm is too short:

Here, you can see that the arm protrudes out past the pillars in the Akiyuki version. In the instructions, that beam gets no where close.

So changing what you currently have to something which is 2 holes longer, should make the balls lift that bit higher and thus less likely for them to drop before they should.

[Ankoku]

Okay, so a few changes here, but a few still required.

I have reverted the lift arm at the bottom to the original Akiyuki design. It actually remains as a Technic Beam 1 x 11 Thick, but only 1 is used. At the end, 2x Technic Beam 1 x 3 Thick are used to extend the length by 1.

The pivot point is also different. It is one closer to the piston end than in the instructions.

This improves the height the balls are lifted, but still isn't the same amount as seen in the Akiyuki video.

Either the area on the left needs to be raised on plate, or the tower, on the right, lowered one plate. Not sure which, but I suspect it is the former.

[Ankoku]

Was looking at the movement of the ball place and noticed it was different. In the instructions, it looks like this:

Here, it is using a Technic Beam 1 x 2 Thick with Pin Hole and Axle Hole.

In the Akiyuki video though, it seems to be using a Technic Axle 1.5 with Perpendicular Axle Connector (Technic Pole Reverser Handle) and a Technic Axle and Pin Connector Perpendicular.

I will make the change and see how it goes.

[Ankoku]

Noticed that the yellow Technic Beam 1 x 4 Thin with Stud Connector didn't get anywhere close to touching the plate between the pillars in the original Akiyuki video.

Looking more closely, you can see in the original video, that the Technic Beams sit above the plate and the tiles sit directly on top of the Technic Bricks.

Moving the cross plate below the Technic Bricks gives the additional height I was wondering about and also allows the balance weight to drop far enough back to have the resting point of the ball pusher to be the same as in the original video. Before this, it was not.

[9v system]

i know this module is not by akiyuki but takanori hashimoto has released a video of his geneva drive module and is ok with instructions being made for it @Courbet something for you to do?

[Ankoku]

Just noticed that you can see a bunch of Akiyuki improvements to the machine, including the shifter mechanism change in this video!

 

 

[Ankoku]

Any idea what pieces are being used here for the lifting pistons?

You can see the two Yellow Technic Pin Connector Round [Slotted], but what is below that? It slopes inwards and I think it is followed by a Grey Technic Bush 1/2 Smooth with Axle Hole Semi-Reduced.

You can see it in action at the 0:21 mark of the video above.

[9v system]

4 hours ago, Ankoku said:

Any idea what pieces are being used here for the lifting pistons?

You can see the two Yellow Technic Pin Connector Round [Slotted], but what is below that? It slopes inwards and I think it is followed by a Grey Technic Bush 1/2 Smooth with Axle Hole Semi-Reduced.

You can see it in action at the 0:21 mark of the video above.

they are old yellow technic handle pieces

[Ankoku]

Bricklink link?

[9v system]

this piece 

part 424 technic 1x1 hub

Edited March 11, 2018 by 9v system

[TheRebricker]

So who will be the first to tackle the new modular train system Akiyuki released? I love the fact that he is thorough enough in his videos, he knows we are rebuilding them and he is so kind to give us a thorough look at the build! I have to say, he has seriously inspired me when it comes to technic!

 

 

[9v system]

Just now, TheRebricker said:

So who will be the first to tackle the new modular train system Akiyuki released? I love the fact that he is thorough enough in his videos, he knows we are rebuilding them and he is so kind to give us a thorough look at the build! I have to say, he has seriously inspired me when it comes to technic!

 

 

instructions have already been made by courbet and akiyuki himself

[Ankoku]

That the new one where he posted a load of PDF instructions for it?

[TheRebricker]

WHAT WHAT WHAT?!?!?! ..... runs to check it out!

This pleases me very much!

[Ankoku]

Thanks for the info @9v system.

Spotted a few changes with bob in the newer version of the machine. Will add them.

A couple of them are fairly simple in regards to how bucket grabber.

On the left though, you can see the connection which moves it. It is now two across from where the connection was before, but the part which rotates remains the same. Will be interesting to see if it makes Bob smoother.