doug72

[GBC] Akiyuki Train System: Type 2 mods and improvements

Recommended Posts

Update for GBC Train Modules:

I have made a summary of all the Modifications and Improvements made which includes instructions by various contributors.

This can be seen on  the first post on Page 1 of this topic.

Several modified Rotary Dumpers / Elevators etc. have now been built, tested and proven

PS if any links are not working or any errors or ommissions please let me know so I can correct them.

Doug72

Edited by Doug72

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Great work @Doug72! Thx for all your effort so far! Very nice summary of the now rather long topic.

 It's been a hectic week so far, so I didn't have time to comment on you compact ball loader. Did you notice any ball jamming in the shaft maybe? Great work again. Might be good to make that hopper a bit larger in order to bbe able to take more balls in when waiting for the train.

Best regards!

Miha 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
1 hour ago, MajklSpajkl said:

Great work @Doug72! Thx for all your effort so far! Very nice summary of the now rather long topic.

 Did you notice any ball jamming in the shaft maybe? Great work again. Might be good to make that hopper a bit larger in order to bbe able to take more balls in when waiting for the train.

No balls jamming, the space between the chain and the vertical structure is about 2.3L.

I did have problems with balls dropping back down the shaft until I added the dark grey beams in the corners.
With added pairs of extra 3L pins up to 30 balls OK can be carried per train cycle.

I had to consult my chain calculations to get the right chain length at 24 links.

Yes the input ball hopper needs making bigger.

The same vertical lift on my Through Dumper ( with 36 links) is nearly twice as high, the secret is the two small shock absorbers to keep the chain taut.

Images showing balls have plenty of clearance to prevent jamming.

43413622000_f8029f0550.jpg

44315788645_cc9467b25f.jpg

Edited by Doug72

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
8 hours ago, Doug72 said:

PS if any links are not working or any errors or ommissions please let me know so I can correct them.

Doug72

Great update @Doug72 ! Although you may have obliterated my contributions to the rotary dumper in its final form (Akiyuki Base adaptation, reduced length trigger).

On the other hand it's true I haven't made any to the Elevator. I still have to build the worm gear version.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
22 minutes ago, Courbet said:

Great update @Doug72 ! Although you may have obliterated my contributions to the rotary dumper in its final form (Akiyuki Base adaptation, reduced length trigger).

You are correct, I have added that to the dumper section & also the shorter trigger arm MOD.
 I had mentioned the shortened trigger in the reverser section.

Just ordered some of those crankshaft parts.

 

Edited by Doug72

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
On 9/7/2018 at 4:03 PM, Doug72 said:

May have to raide my grandson's collection of Lego now that he has moved onto other interests !!

 

Good news, my teenage grandson is more into football than Lego now and two large boxes of Lego appeared today for me to sort through for useful parts and then store the rest at my home. He needs more room in his wardrobe ! l !

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I'm loving this thread. Some of these machines are really cleverly designed like the little carts, the lifts and the rotary dumpers. GBC is something I've never tried but with every post I see on here just makes me want to build my own more and more.
May I ask what balls people are using and/or where can you get them from? I've looked on Bricklink for the LEGO basket ball/footballs but they are ridiculously expensive. I guess its because LEGO don't make them anymore and because the LEGO show organisers hoard them. I love LEGO but I aint spending £200+ on 100 little plastic balls.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
11 minutes ago, MxWinters said:

I'm loving this thread. Some of these machines are really cleverly designed like the little carts, the lifts and the rotary dumpers. GBC is something I've never tried but with every post I see on here just makes me want to build my own more and more.
May I ask what balls people are using and/or where can you get them from? I've looked on Bricklink for the LEGO basket ball/footballs but they are ridiculously expensive. I guess its because LEGO don't make them anymore and because the LEGO show organisers hoard them. I love LEGO but I aint spending £200+ on 100 little plastic balls.

I can recommend these https://pv-productions.com/product/lego-gbc-balls/

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
1 minute ago, dunes said:

£35 for 100 balls shipped to UK is a way more reasonable. Not quite sure why the shipping is just over £10 for a jiffy bag from the Netherlands to the UK but still, far better more than £200. Can you confirm that these are the same size and weight as the LEGO balls? Regardless, thanks alot for your recommendation, Ill order some when I have some spare money. A GBC would be a interesting project when I want to take a break from working on my articulated lorry. Lets hope that LEGO will start making some balls again soon for us purests.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
1 hour ago, MxWinters said:

May I ask what balls people are using and/or where can you get them from?

I am using these:

https://www.amazon.it/gp/product/B00TWFXCEA/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A11IL2PNWYJU7H

Perfectly round and the same size.

Bought three boxes of 100 and got total of about 350. I guess they don't count very well :-)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
8 hours ago, dunes said:

I have only three Lego balls, the rest are PV or Etsy balls they perform OK,

8 hours ago, dunes said:

 

7 hours ago, MajklSpajkl said:

I am using these:

https://www.amazon.it/gp/product/B00TWFXCEA/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A11IL2PNWYJU7H

Perfectly round and the same size.

Bought three boxes of 100 and got total of about 350. I guess they don't count very well :-)

Are these plastic or glass ?

re balls at GBC events, who supplies the balls & how do you know where yours get to at the end of the event ?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
9 hours ago, MxWinters said:

£35 for 100 balls shipped to UK is a way more reasonable. Not quite sure why the shipping is just over £10 for a jiffy bag from the Netherlands to the UK but still, far better more than £200.

£35 ?. Price to UK for orange or white balls is approx. £23 & for glow in the dark £30

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
42 minutes ago, Doug72 said:

re balls at GBC events, who supplies the balls & how do you know where yours get to at the end of the event ?

Normally one person supplies the balls at an event with multiple exhibitors. Last year at Lego World 2000 balls were running in the circuit.

43 minutes ago, Doug72 said:

Philip from PV Productions is one of the exhibitors at Lego World. In fact, he will staying in the same house as me the whole week so just let me know if you have any questions for him :)
I believe he custom orders the balls to LEGO specification in China.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
38 minutes ago, Doug72 said:

Are these plastic or glass ?

Quercetti balls are made of plastic. The manufacturer from Italy sells also plastic marble run sets of different elements and setups. I am really satisfied with them. The declaration says that diameter is 14 mm, I measured some and there is some tolerance regarding size but no more than 0,2 mm. On our events I am ususally the only GBC provider and I run my own balls (this might sound different as it was ment :tongue:)

Buying larger quantitites of original LEGO balls, that are currently available in white with no print, is, as far as I know, possible via LUGBULK option for recogognized LEGO user groups (RLUG). There are several rules and restrictions how a LEGO fan club becomes RLUG and then it is possible to buy bulk quantitites of bricks that LEGO makes available once a year. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
6 minutes ago, MajklSpajkl said:

Buying larger quantities of original LEGO balls, that are currently available in white with no print, is, as far as I know, possible via LUGBULK option for recogognized LEGO user groups (RLUG). There are several rules and restrictions how a LEGO fan club becomes RLUG and then it is possible to buy bulk quantities of bricks that LEGO makes available once a year. 

That's the way how I will soon have 800 white balls I hope, nothing is sure in a Lugbulk until you have your order at home. It took me two years to get them in the Lugbulk list and with Lugbulk you have to wait almost a year until your ordered brick arrive. So it was a long process. Together with the 200 I already have I will have over 1000 balls. Currently I am buying only orange balls if have Bricklink orders and somebody has them in their shop, especially to sometimes get to the minimum order amount. I don't put in in Bricklink orders especially for the balls.

Edited by Berthil

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
8 hours ago, MajklSpajkl said:

I am using these:

https://www.amazon.it/gp/product/B00TWFXCEA/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A11IL2PNWYJU7H

Perfectly round and the same size.

Bought three boxes of 100 and got total of about 350. I guess they don't count very well :-)

Oooo £12.37 shipped for 100 balls is way more reasonable. Order placed. Thanks alot for that link, your a star :classic:.

 

54 minutes ago, Doug72 said:

£35 ?. Price to UK for orange or white balls is approx. £23 & for glow in the dark £30

How did you get £23? According to the company's website and after converting it into GBP with Google, 100 balls or 2 packs of the orange balls shipped to my postcode is £34.88 (at the time of posting this comment).

Ignoring the use of non-LEGO balls, is there any rules or guidelines to building GBC's that I should know about or can I build one however I like?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

By buying only one pack, enough to get started, be aware they can find their way into all sorts of places when testing GBC modules !

Still missing some.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Just now, Doug72 said:

By buying only one pack, enough to get started, be aware they can find their way into all sorts of places when testing GBC modules !

Still missing some.

ROFL that's the case anyway with LEGO, I'm always finding parts in random places around my flat so that's why I need 100 balls :tongue::classic:.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
12 minutes ago, MxWinters said:

Ignoring the use of non-LEGO balls, is there any rules or guidelines to building GBC's that I should know about or can I build one however I like?

Inbox and outbox 10 studs high and 10 studs wide, 1 ball per second throughput. Handle a batch of 30 balls at once without problems. What you do in between is up to you.
Also no lubricants on the balls if you use any in your GBC.

You can deviate from the inbox and outbox size if you have own modules that have matching in- and out boxes and can still be put next to each other in a circuit.

Edited by Berthil

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
5 minutes ago, Berthil said:

Inbox and outbox 10 studs high and 10 studs wide, 1 ball per second throughput. Handle a batch of 30 balls at once without problems. What you do in between is up to you.
Also no lubricants on the balls if you use any in your GBC.

You can deviate from the inbox and outbox size if you have own modules that have matching in- and out boxes and can still be put next to each other in a circuit.

Silly me, I asked that before doing a search. I found this page:
http://www.greatballcontraption.com/wiki/Standard
These rules seem fair enough for compatibility with other people's modules and smooth running a of full circuit. Looks like I have some thinking and planning to do then.
Thanks for the advice :classic:.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Berthil covered the most important rules..

But here are some other useful guidelines:

  • Strive for reliability, when building to exhibit with others. Make sure you've run your module for a few hours non-stop, in a small loop, to REALLY find out how it jams, or spills balls
    If you can't solve a few ball spills.. at least design your module to contain them to a small area for collection.
     
  • Make sure mechanism are well built, and well braced... don't have an essential part hanging by 1 or two studs, if it keeps getting knocked off
     
  • Try to make the motor quick-changable - ie: it clips easily to the module - don't build over the motor. If it breaks down during a show, you want to be able to swap out for another motor
     
  • Have your module geared, so that when powered via a train controller, it runs correctly, when the dial is turned to the right. 
    Or, if running off battery box, when the power switch is pushed *away* from the connector.
     
  • If possible, design the output to be directionally flexible - it makes it easier to align to the next module, or can help when turning corners on a layout
     
  • It's ok to have input a brick or two lower, or the output a brick or two higher...
    ... but don't have a a module that outputs *too* high... balls bounce, and will most likely bounce/spill out of the next module

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
6 hours ago, Berthil said:

That's the way how I will soon have 800 white balls I hope, nothing is sure in a Lugbulk until you have your order at home. It took me two years to get them in the Lugbulk list and with Lugbulk you have to wait almost a year until your ordered brick arrive. So it was a long process. Together with the 200 I already have I will have over 1000 balls. Currently I am buying only orange balls if have Bricklink orders and somebody has them in their shop, especially to sometimes get to the minimum order amount. I don't put in in Bricklink orders especially for the balls.

Yes, that is correct, I am familiar with the procedure. But I believe even in LUGBULK a 1000 bals are worth at least a new Rough Terrain Crane - It would still hurt my eyes and ears when I'd saw them flying all over the exhibition area :grin:

I saw that Mr. Atkison from the US updated his ball collection with all new whites and had them custom printed with Brick World logos.

Edited by MajklSpajkl

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    No registered users viewing this page.