Sign in to follow this  
knotian

Separating tall models

Recommended Posts

Does any one have tips on making tall models easy to separate for transportation?

I have made a row of tiles along a joint with only a couple of studs for alignment. The results are not perfect -- but :wink:

Does anybody have any other suggestions for vertical models?

My bigger horizontal elements I can keep to baseplate modules and box up easily. I use bubble wrap and air pouches.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Maybe you can made a row of tiles, and instead of a couple of studs, you put a plate of technic lego with hole in it here and then. And on the other half you made some axles sticking out on the bottom.
So it is handier to alignment them I guess and its more stable.

When the parts are big, maybe you can made a big pin in the middle. Some 2x2 rounds with a cone on it to fit more easier.

Edited by neonic

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Depends on how much effort you want to put into disassembly and reassembly, model size, shape, and strength.  We've done big tall models using just the studs on top to hold it together and separate out by logical sections for transport to events.  Technic stuff can be pinned together.  Plastic wrap can be used to keep things together during transport too.  You can also make custom box/case to transport it whole if possible.

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

How wide are your buildings? And what is the problem you are having? Too hard to break apart or not strong enough?

 

For my break layers on anything up to 32 studs wide, I normally use

2420.png

on each corner and then usually two 1x2 plates at roughly 1/3 and 2/3 the way along, with studless tiles covering the rest. I find that is enough to align and keep the build strong, but makes it easy to remove the layers of the build.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

These are tall cylinders. Blast furnace, hot air furnace, smokestack all in 1/40. The blast furnace is 36" high.

I think the separation layers with tiles and studs combination is going to work. I have no problems with the large buildings as they are 'boxable'.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Are the sections solidly built?

I once tried to transport a cylindrical tower made by alternating 1x2 bricks and 1x1 round bricks. Diameter was about 12". These are quite weak structures anyway, and very easy to deform unless you put internal struts in. It didn't make it.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Over the years I've become a fan of mortise and tenon joints (I used to do a lot of woodworking), but this assumes a fairly sturdy interior.

Basically, I use regular lego brick to make a square shaft or cup (the mortise) to go on one part and technic bricks to build a snug fitting tenon.  Having learned my lesson the hard way at various shows, I've learned not to trust the clutch power of regular brick for the tenon, but instead used technic beams (placed vertically in the interior of the tenon) and pins to hold the stack together.  This technique also works to cantilever long, seemingly unsupported subassemblies.

For example:

17751302238_843faa48fa_z.jpg

My Titan of Braavos statue is made up of eight major elements that all slot together: the head; two pauldrons (or shoulder cops if you want to get technical); the sword arm; the shield arm; the torso; the legs and kilt assembly; and, the base.

The two legs form an A frame with a tenon at the waist and a tenon on each foot.  The foot tenons slip vertically into the pedestals on the baseplates.  These are 'locked' down with a couple of long technic axles that go all the way through the pedestals and the tenons horizontally.

The chest piece starts with a mortise at the waistline that sits atop the tenon atop the A frame (the break point is just above the studs out facing kilt and the internal joint extends about a third of the way up the torso).  The upper part of the torso is a through mortise that goes from one shoulder to the other with additional holes in the top for the head's tenon and the two cops.

The two arms each have long tenons that extend from shoulder to shoulder.  The tenon for the shield arm pokes out of the armpit for the sword arm; the sword arm's tenon slots in on top of it and extends to the point of the shield arm's shoulder.  Both tenons have holes in them that align with the head and cop hole mortises in the torso.

The head has a tenon extending downward that locks everything together - though the top of the torso, through both arm tenons and back into the mass of the torso.  

Similarly, smaller tenons on the cops tighten things up where the ends of the collar bone would be.

This creates an internal structure that comes apart easily, self aligns, relies on multiple technic pins and beams for strength rather than clutch power of studs.

The technique works best with a straight vertical slotting, but I've also used mortise and tenons at odd angles 

Spoiler

17891474902_9d8b491560_b.jpg

This is my Dune Sandworm MOC (but not my photo, server was down, had to find one on Flickr - Thanks Leaks-Photos, whoever you are) 

Anyway, the sandworm (red and brown thing on the left with lots of teeth)is a cylindrical build in four segments.  Each segment is built with a mortise at the base and (with the exception of the "head" segment) an angled tenon at the top.  This give the worm a sense of twisting as it rises from the base.

Because angling the mortise and tenon joint puts a lot more torque on the sides of the mortise, I used the same technique of reinforcing everything with technic beams and lift arms, pinning them across courses of bricks and plates to avoid catastrophic collapse.

I hope my explanation was clear enough for you to imagine what the internals look like. Unfortunately I'm at work at the moment and can't really make a diagram or post non-stock photos.

 

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
Sign in to follow this  

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    No registered users viewing this page.