[TC9] Pneumatic Forklift/Bucket Truck

[Appie]

Well here's my entry for the contest. I wanted to play a little with the new pneumatics so:

A-Model: pneumatic forklift.

It features:

- Fork lifting of course

- Fork tilt

- Hog steering and functional steering wheel in the cabin

- 4 piston boxer engine driven by the front wheels with differential

- Pendular rear suspension

- Forks width adjustable (manual function)

Couple of images:

I don't like cutting original Lego rope, so that's what you see in front of the front wheels. I used about 70-80cm of the 1 meter rope.

The 8T gear in front of the seat was something I'd rather not do, but the 12T bevel gear for the drivetrain is right below it. The hog steering axle going right through the middle of the chair is also something I'd rather not have, but in the given space I had 2 choices: place the chair a whole stud forward and have it be too close to the steering wheel or move it a full stud back and have an axle sitting right in the middle of the chair. I decided on a compromise with the chair slightly angled. I used this part in the top of the chair so it wouldn't touch the hog axle, but still made both sides of the chair connected.

Fitting the pneumatics with the drive axle and the steering above the drive axle meant I didn't have much room to play with, but it fits perfectly and to protect the pneumatics from the drive axle I added a 2L pin connector and 1L liftarm to the drive axle.

Pretty straight forward manual function. I wanted to make the forks foldable too if I couldn't fit in the 10,000 stud limit, but considering the model is 34x14x17.5 (that .5 doesn't really show properly in the images, but the forklift mechanism is about 1/2 stud of the ground) I didn't bother with folding forks.

So then the time came to make a B-model. Time to duplicate the main model so I knew for certain I had all the parts:

The parts in front of the left one are the things I didn't install when I rebuild it, because I either forgot (diff) or bricklink came later (pneumatics).

B-model: Bucket truck

I really don't like making B-models, but I think this turned out ok. Of course there are things I'd like to do different, but that's the challenge of a B-model.

It features:

- Bucket lift (why do I even list this )

- 4 Outriggers

- Hog steering

- 2 cylinder boxer engine

- 170 degree turning crane (manual function, radius only limited by hose length of pneumatics)

A couple of more images

Outriggers are handled by the small pump, I wanted to use both, but the lengths of hoses I had left were a limiting factor. Doesn't really matter, using the 16L axles to power the rear and front outriggers was already planned and I tried the system with 2 small pumps and they weren't able to really lift the model either, not more than 1 pump managed. One pump manages to get the wheels to have slightly less friction. Speaking of friction. For the outriggers I had to switch some pins on the A-model for LBG 2L frictionless pins to make it easy for the outriggers on the B-model. This change isn't shown in the photos of the A-Model, but can be seen in the images of these 2 models together (6 are easily visible on the front wheels of the forklift) and in the video. No parts were added. For every LBG pin added, one black pin was removed from the table. I find no fun or challenge in cheating the rules of the contest. I also didn't want to use more pins than really needed, where 2 were enough to fix a liftarm, that's what I used on the A-model.

I already expected that re-using the A-model's hoses would be a problem, but it worked out ok (even for the turning radius of the crane). Ok, I cheated Lego's current hose code a little (2x black on 1 cylinder is old hose code), but the grey hoses were too short or far too long (which I used on the handpump). Speaking of the handpump, thanks 2LegoOrNot2Lego for your handpumps on BL, both used here

Not intended, but this model fits in the same box as the A-model:

35 studs long, 13 studs wide and 17 studs high.

A and B model and the parts remaining:

Of course I'd like to have made a roof for this B-model, but I didn't really see how anymore with the parts I had left. I then decided to make an open truck like the old american fire trucks. Not that this is really intended as a fire (bucket) truck, but I can't deny that with the white and red it could be used as such (maybe reverse the colours).

Here's the video of the models. I combined both into one video:

Thank you for your time reading this topic and in closing this image:

[lcvisser]

Considering your skill with small models, I was hoping that you'd be too distracted by your Batman Arkham Knight Batmobile to enter this contest This feels like a sniper attack

Just kidding, very nicely done! I like the color scheme and the old wheels. I'm impressed how much functionality you managed to squeeze in the forklift. Especially the fact that you managed to get a engine in there is awesome. I'm not sure if I'd put the seat; it does look a bit awkward with the axle protruding the driver's sitting area and the small 8T gear grinding the crown jewels.

[Appie]

Thanks. I don't know if I'd call it skill, it's just me messing around mostly. But sniper attack? I think I even mentioned it in my Batmobile topic that I'd use this time off from the Batmobile to perhaps work on a TC9 entry. These 2 models came to be rather quick. I basically had the A-model and a general idea for a B-model in my head while working on the Batmobile, so the whole thing was up in an afternoon. Except the steering. The most basic of all functions took me the most time , because I really didn't want to compromise and the fact that the crown jewels would be suffering in that compromise played a part in that as well

[Beck]

It's difficult to get technic models at this scale to look believable/realistic, but I think you've managed it quite well!

[Appie]

Thanks.

One picture I forgot to add. How I routed the hoses around the differential and the wheels:

The grey ones are basically curving inside the inner wheel rim (not touching obviously).

[BusterHaus]

The forklift is excellent. It looks and performs like an actual set. The only thing I would change is the steering lock - real forklifts can turn almost on a dime.

[TinkerBrick]

Impressive. Great functionality, nice colour scheme. Only the lifting mechanism is somewhat bulky, but I think you managed it to make it as compact as possible. The B-model looks like it could have been a real cherry picker during the 1960s in North America.

I would buy you set in a price range of 39,99-54.99€. It is far better than this years mining loader.

[Kristof]

Impressive. Given the constraints of this contest' rules, it's amazing how functional both your models are. Honestly, the only thing I'd change would be the color scheme, Red and white goes well together but to me it sort of resembles emergency or fire brigade, rathe than utility vehicles. Also, as these two colors work together nicely, with lot's of Black and LBG around, it looks somewhat dull to me. If I had the arbitrary choice, I'd go for orange or maybe even green. Not necessarily the most appropriate colors but I believe both could look more attractive on the models.

EDIT: I just realized that the lower appeal of your current colors might be caused by the pictures, where the background is white-grayish and so the models kinda fade into.

[Appie]

The forklift is excellent. It looks and performs like an actual set. The only thing I would change is the steering lock - real forklifts can turn almost on a dime.

Thanks. I did consider putting in Zblj's ackerman steering solution he used on his forklift for this, but the angles looked a little off to me. And would result in bigger wheel arches to accomodate the pendular+ackerman. So I decided to use the default Lego steering.

Impressive. Great functionality, nice colour scheme. Only the lifting mechanism is somewhat bulky, but I think you managed it to make it as compact as possible. The B-model looks like it could have been a real cherry picker during the 1960s in North America.

I would buy you set in a price range of 39,99-54.99€. It is far better than this years mining loader.

Thanks alot. I am glad you like the B-model too. It grew on me as I progressed building it.

You're right, the lift mechanism of the forklift is as small as I could make it while keeping it sturdy. Half liftarms might have reduced it a stud in thickness, but would also mean much less sturdy. I don't think it's completely out of scale though. My inspiration for this model were heavy duty forklifts and I saw quite a few images on google with a pretty thick forklift mechanism.

Impressive. Given the constraints of this contest' rules, it's amazing how functional both your models are. Honestly, the only thing I'd change would be the color scheme, Red and white goes well together but to me it sort of resembles emergency or fire brigade, rathe than utility vehicles. Also, as these two colors work together nicely, with lot's of Black and LBG around, it looks somewhat dull to me. If I had the arbitrary choice, I'd go for orange or maybe even green. Not necessarily the most appropriate colors but I believe both could look more attractive on the models.

EDIT: I just realized that the lower appeal of your current colors might be caused by the pictures, where the background is white-grayish and so the models kinda fade into.

Thank you.

Yeah, the background doesn't help for these models, you're right. I honestly don't know why I picked white for the model, maybe because after the batmobile's blackness I needed the complete opposite? I'll give a different colour scheme a whirl and see how it plays out.

Edited January 25, 2016 by Appie

[Milan]

Great work on such a small scale! I like the forklift very much.

[Appie]

Thanks.

Currently looking into swapping the main colour for another, but it's a little more tedious than I expected. Orange would be sweet, is doable and I have most parts, but the parts I miss are rare on BL (5L liftarm says hi) and those parts have to come from abroad. I don't think I will have them before the deadline of the contest to reshoot a couple of photo's with the new colour (I think I will like it). I then looked at blue, but the panels I use above the fake engine at the rear don't exist in blue Neither in green. Looked at bright green, but for that I seem to be missing some other parts, like the very small panels. I don't want to alter parts, because that would mean I'd have to redesign the B-model too. Other options that are doable are red and black Perhaps I will just use another background to make it pop more for a couple of photo's.

Edited January 25, 2016 by Appie

[Kristof]

Are these parts missing in orange crucial to remain colored? Couldn't you just leave them... let's say black? Or grey since you already have both of these in the models. Assumed that most of the red and white will be turned into orange, there should be enough orange as for 'main color' even if severa bits are missing. Of course, depends on how disruptibe would these bits be :)

[Appie]

The 5L liftarms are used on top of the fake engine, near the 5x3 panels. It will be very disruptive I think if these are any other colour than orange. I also don't have any #1 connectors in orange and I use 6 in white, all 6 in spots where it will break the "orange flow". If I switch all red parts to orange too, I will miss a couple more: again the connectors ( and the ones with axle hole as well) and the pendicular axle/pin thingies on the side with the lights on them. If I'd build it now it would be 90% orange, but those little parts would annoy me quite a bit, especially on the engine cover (2x 5L liftarm and 4 #1 connectors there).

I got an idea for a different background I'll try tomorrow when there's better lighting.

[Appie]

What do you guys think about this?

Not entirely pleased with this last one, arm pushing the limit of the cabinet made of wood, but any other way and I'd see white in the background again.

And since the bounding box is sort of needed I upgraded mine and the pictures of it. Box is 35x15x18 studs (9450 cubic studs)

Actual model 34x14x17.5 studs (8330 cubic studs)

Actual model is 34x13x17 studs (7514 cubic studs)

Edited January 26, 2016 by Appie

[Kristof]

Look better now, that's for sure!

[2LegoOrNot2Lego...]

These are impressive models, really like the both of them!

[Sylvian]

Very very nice,...even though i thought you were somewhat nitpicking about busterhaus's sunspeeder (ghehe) i simply cant deny the fact this is a quality moc!

I really like this!

[Appie]

Thanks all.

Yeah, sorry about the nitpicking. All is good