Technic Separator?

[Arigomi]

Do you think it would be useful if TLG created a Technic separator similar to the brick separator?

It would certainly help with situations like this:

[allanp]

Such a thing would be very useful.

I've done a sketch of what such a tool could look like.

I did think of adding a sort of pry bar to it but it might be too sharp as I cannot recall a single edge in lego being sharper than 90 degrees.

What other additions would anyone like to see to this tool?

Edited June 5, 2011 by allanp

[paul_delahaye]

After watching your video, I think you have proved exactly why there is no need for Lego to make a technic brick seperator, Technic is designed for older children / adults, they can engineer out of bricks solutions to problems.

Plus there is a big difference between regular studded Lego bricks and technic, all studded bricks have a uniformed dimension, making 1 tool usable with nearly every brick seperating requirement, can you imagine the number of tools Lego would require to seperate all the different styles of Technic brick. I think the situation you present is fairly unlikely, I never recall seeing this situation created by Lego in any of their building instructions, I think you would jut have to be unluck to get those 2 bricks stuck together.

Back in the early days of Technic, Lego used to print in their instructions some examples of brick built seperation tools, no picture available right now...

[grepin]

A tool like the one allanp suggests would be very useful indeed! One of the things that I find more difficult to do at times is to accurately place parts in axles, usually requiring additional parts to do it properly.

Back in the early days of Technic, Lego used to print in their instructions some examples of brick built seperation tools, no picture available right now...

There you go:

Taken from the 8856 instructions at http://www.peeron.com/scans/8856-1/3/

Edited June 5, 2011 by grepin

[DLuders]

[Alasdair Ryan]

All you nead is a pair of mole grips,bradel and a pair of long noise pliers

[Splat]

I think the only time I've been really stuck is when using something like a Technic, Liftarm 5 x 7 Open Center Thick, Technic, Liftarm 5 x 11 Open Center Frame Thick, or Technic Turntable Large Type 2.

The problem is you can put something in the middle of these (such as a Technic, Axle and Pin Connector Angled #2 - 180 degrees) and then use a Technic, Axle 2 Notched to hold it in place.

But then you can never get the Axle 2 out again, and no tool made from Lego will be able to help get them apart again. When this has happened to me, I've had to use a sharp blade or very small needle-nose pliers and slowly pry the Axle 2 out again, but you have to be very careful not to damage the Lego pieces too much.

For everything else, I just make up my own tool out of other Lego pieces as needed.

[Paul Boratko]

I have used a heavy Pin to dig axles out of parts in the past. I have also used an exact-o knife, but that isn't very safe...

[Sam42]

I have used a heavy Pin to dig axles out of parts in the past. I have also used an exact-o knife, but that isn't very safe...

i've used the same methods, though i wouldn't recommend them...

[nielsvdv]

for axles i just use a long axle, you pusch it out, and the long axle that is in it, can be easely pulled out

[Meatman]

for axles i just use a long axle, you pusch it out, and the long axle that is in it, can be easely pulled out

They must meant axles that you can't get to from the other side, like if you build yourself into a jam.

[le60head]

Hello everyone!

I think this topic raises a very good question, and an important one.

I've been thinking about how to make my life easier when i build with technic pieces. More specifically, when i disassemble technic

One of the biggest problems I face is that my hands get sweaty sometimes. This makes my fingers slip and this prevents me from getting a good grip with the parts.

For example, when i try to pull out short technic cross axles, my fingers slip.

The best solution i've found so far is to put on rubberized gloves.

I suppose most people don't have sweaty hands. Despite that, i still think that disassembling technic parts while wearing rubberized gloves is much easier, since it requires far less effort.

The reason for that is that you get better grip, and you no longer need to be clenching as hard the parts u need to pull off.

I would recommend anyone to try this out!

I bet it would be a lot easier to disassemble the two parts, that Arigomi gave as an example, while wearing gloves.

Hope my tip was useful :)

Please, give me a feedback if using gloves made your life easier too.

[legolijntje]

Such a thing would be very useful.

I've done a sketch of what such a tool could look like.

I did think of adding a sort of pry bar to it but it might be too sharp as I cannot recall a single edge in lego being sharper than 90 degrees.

What other additions would anyone like to see to this tool?

I really like this idea. Especially the holes for selecting 1/2 beam, 1 beam, 1 1/2 beam....

Did you send this to lego? You never know...

[allanp]

I really like this idea. Especially the holes for selecting 1/2 beam, 1 beam, 1 1/2 beam....

Did you send this to lego? You never know...

Thanks

I haven't sent it to lego, there are parts that I am much more eagar for them to produce. However TLG, at least the technic guys anyway do read these blogs I think. If they like it, maybe they could be inspired to make there own version.

[Jetro]

After a recent comment on TechnicBRICKs related to the publication of a new survey by LEGOI posted a message on the Ambassador forum asking about fan involvement in (Technic) parts design. The question has been brought to the attention of the corresponding department and I'm awaiting a reply.

In the meantime, if you are interested I could add your proposals to the thread, including your name and link to your gallery (this goes for anyone who'd like to show off an original design). I can't promise you'll get a reply or that the design will be seriously considered, but it's another way to make some 'noise'.

Hopefully my initial question will also give us some deeper insight into the design and marketing criteria for new parts.

[allanp]

Thankyou Jetro.

Well here's a link to my gallery of most wanted items

http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=196086

There are many more (see list below) but the longer pneumatic (even better in multiple different lengths) and the gearbox parts (along with parts to make the gear change mechanism more realistic and intuative for MOCing ) are my most wanted.

Rotary pneumatic actuator.

inside out 24t gear (for planetary reduction in wheel hubs),

PF servo motor (for proportional RC control of steering, gearshifting, pneumatic valves, etc)

PF L-motor (between the m-motor and the XL-motor in the pf motors line it would be powerful, like a 7.2v RC motor, but have no internal gearing so it would be very fast and none of the geartrain is done for you. Isn't the point of technic that you are supposed to build your own mechanisms instead of having any gearing already done for you?).

I believe the servo motor and the L-motor could effectively replace the existing M and XL motors.

Suspention struts with towball sockets on the ends instead of axle holes.

Edited June 19, 2011 by allanp

[legolijntje]

After a recent comment on TechnicBRICKs related to the publication of a new survey by LEGOI posted a message on the Ambassador forum asking about fan involvement in (Technic) parts design. The question has been brought to the attention of the corresponding department and I'm awaiting a reply.

In the meantime, if you are interested I could add your proposals to the thread, including your name and link to your gallery (this goes for anyone who'd like to show off an original design). I can't promise you'll get a reply or that the design will be seriously considered, but it's another way to make some 'noise'.

Hopefully my initial question will also give us some deeper insight into the design and marketing criteria for new parts.

Do you know about the part designs from Barman?

So these are not mine, but they're really good, here are some examples:

[Jetro]

Thankyou Jetro.

Well here's a link to my gallery of most wanted items

http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=196086

"This folder is not yet public".

I suppose that means you've been adding stuff :D

I'll have another look later.

Do you know about the part designs from Barman?

I most certainly do. As a matter of fact we had a look at some of his designs in this blog post from last December.

However, unless the original author gives permission / requests it I will not include his designs.

[legolijntje]

However, unless the original author gives permission / requests it I will not include his designs.

I can ask him if you want, he is also a member of Lowlug, like me.

[allanp]

I've added one or two things!

For some reason I can't deep link the pics here, but they are only meant for inspiration. They are ideas and I have intentionally left out specific dimentions so that Lego are free to use them as inspiration for parts. Even still I give full permission to the Lego group to use these concepts as they wish. Although obviously some free copies from the production line would be nice

Edited June 19, 2011 by allanp

[grindinggears]

@allanp

That rotary pneumatic actuator would be really nice for hard to reach places like winches on a crane arm, driving function for suspended wheels, etc.

Good idea!

[RohanBeckett]

Blah...

I've just spent the last 2 hours, pulling apart an 8865 that I got off ebay... it came assembled, and wasn't 100% complete.. and anyway.. some of the parts needed a good wash/clean

but man.... are my fingers sore!

I HATE those old black friction pins..

and after being assembled for probably 20 years... I swear, it's like ABS can fuse together!

Question for the masses: would you keep those crappy old pins, or replace them with the much nicer newer variant?

RB

[allanp]

@allanp

That rotary pneumatic actuator would be really nice for hard to reach places like winches on a crane arm, driving function for suspended wheels, etc.

Good idea!

Well, that actuator would not really turn 360 degrees, more like 235 degrees tops. It would be for rotating grabber claws at the end of arms and things like that, although an actuator that could turn infinately like a motor would be better (excavator tracks are powered by hydraulic motors in real life), i'm not sure if it's feasable in lego scale. I'm not even sure my version is feasable at lego scale, but it's only a wish afterall.

[nychase]

Blah...

I've just spent the last 2 hours, pulling apart an 8865 that I got off ebay... it came assembled, and wasn't 100% complete.. and anyway.. some of the parts needed a good wash/clean

but man.... are my fingers sore!

I HATE those old black friction pins..

and after being assembled for probably 20 years... I swear, it's like ABS can fuse together!

Question for the masses: would you keep those crappy old pins, or replace them with the much nicer newer variant?

RB

It was one of the first questions I asked this board. I also asked Eric (Blakbird) what he does since I consider him the defacto king of Technic collecting. To answer...I personally have all the pins needed for each model in my collection stored with the respective model. I ALSO, have a separate bag of the new pins for each model so when I build/display it I don't have to curse the lego gods for ever making that pin. Its not like each one of us doesn't have a few extra thousand of those pins.

[Blakbird]

It was one of the first questions I asked this board. I also asked Eric (Blakbird) what he does since I consider him the defacto king of Technic collecting. To answer...I personally have all the pins needed for each model in my collection stored with the respective model. I ALSO, have a separate bag of the new pins for each model so when I build/display it I don't have to curse the lego gods for ever making that pin. Its not like each one of us doesn't have a few extra thousand of those pins.

Yep, I use the original style pins just because keeping the models authentic and original is important to me. However, the new ones are 1000x times better. The answer to the question of whether to replace them or not depends on what kind of collector you are.

You could ask the same question about classic cars. Keep the old breaker point ignition and bias ply tires, or switch to electronic ignition and radials? Depends on whether you drive it every day or enter it in competitions. Since I am trying to create a site as a Technic historian, I feel like its my responsibility to display them as original.