GBC General Discussion

[iLego]

I have a rather general question on GBCs. They often have multiple mechanisms which work relative to each other and the synchronization between them is via gears. Now, if there is even the slightest jam, the gears can jump teeth and then the whole synchronization is lost.

What is the right way to deal with this ? Should there never ever be any jams ? Should the design be such that the gears are easily accessible so that it's easy to recalibrate the mechanisms without ripping things apart ? Something else ?

Perhaps another option is to not rely too much on calibration. Instead have each mechanism trigger the next one, so their relative timing is not so important.

I am finding that making any GBC work reliably is a huge challenge. Even in the smallest GBCs, the balls seem to have a mind of their own and they do their own thing if the GBC runs for a long time.

Often, the cool YouTube videos are somewhat misleading, since they simply show a time period when balls were cooperative 

[RohanBeckett]

that's the challenge! design a mechanism that *doesn't* jam, or if it does, doesn't affect the timing of gears

This is why you can use Clutch/Slip gears, so the whole mechanism safely stops, rather than chewing teeth on gears

The important parts of a module can be the main input hopper... having a module that can cope with 'waiting' balls, and deal with them one at a time, or in batches..

Then the handling of the balls throughout the module.. and then safely handling them onto the output

The other points you raise are very important - gearboxes, that are easy to access... Also having motors that are easily swappable.. mechanisms that can be run backwards, for a few seconds, to unjam things

And if a module spills balls, then designing a containment system, so that dropped balls, are directed to a safe place, away from the heart of the module, where they can be picked up and placed back into play

If you watch some of our Brickvention 2019 videos from last weekend, you'll see an honest account of a large layout - dropped balls.. modules out of action.. modules being repaired!

[Ankoku]

Anyone here planning on taking a Cardan Lift to an event any time soon?

[RohanBeckett]

We had 2 running at BV... mine was mostly flawless (and has been the last few shows it's been to), @Cadder's one - the crank, that connects to the input hopper ball-lifter occasionally worked it's way out, and needed to be pushed back in at the right timing

[Ankoku]

I have had issues with the 5th ball not making it into the holder. I have made a very simple mod which I am curious about how it performs.

[Captainowie]

I wonder if anyone ( @Maico ?) could tell me what the GBC calendar is like in Europe in late June/early July? Reason I ask is that it's looking quite likely that I'll be there this year with a suitcase full of GBC and some time on my hands, and it seems a shame to waste the opportunity.

Owen.

Edited February 2, 2019 by Captainowie

[Maico]

My list of events in june and july which I will or cannot attend:

 

june:

LEGO Fanweekend Portugal, Parades de Coura, Portugal (www.fanweekend.pt) (I can't be there though)

Absolut Steinchen, Hochschule Reihn Bonn Sieg, Sankt Augustin, Germany www.absolutsteinchen.de (I will be there)

Festijn met Bouwsteentjes, LEGIO museum, Grootegast, Netherlands (I will be there)

Fanabriques, Colmar, France www.fanabriques.fr, (I will be there)

juli:

Brick.IE, Ireland (I can't be there)

 

I don't know if the organisers of the event I can't attend have other GBC builders Who do participate.

 

Kind regards,

Maico Arts

[dunes]

I built the Start/Finish sign which I saw in @RohanBeckett´s Brickvention 2019 video.

The original mechanism design is from Lawrie George.

 

digital file is also available 

[Frequenzberater]

Nice work... But where or in which way is it supposed to be used? 

[dunes]

In general in a GBC Loop there is no Start or Finish. Its a circulation.

[Captainowie]

On 2/2/2019 at 6:55 PM, Maico said:

june:

Absolut Steinchen, Hochschule Reihn Bonn Sieg, Sankt Augustin, Germany www.absolutsteinchen.de (I will be there)

Festijn met Bouwsteentjes, LEGIO museum, Grootegast, Netherlands (I will be there)

Fanabriques, Colmar, France www.fanabriques.fr, (I will be there)

Thanks Maico.

Do you have the dates for the above events? I suspect that the French event is the only one that I'll be able to attend given my current plans, but all I've been able to find on their websites have been dates for past events.

If I can make it to any of these, do you think you could help me arrange to join in the fun?

Owen.

7 minutes ago, dunes said:

In general in a GBC Loop there is no Start or Finish. Its a circulation.

This is true. And yet, one of the most common questions we get is "Where does it start?" - With one of these things, we now have somewhere to point at.

[Frequenzberater]

1 hour ago, dunes said:

In general in a GBC Loop there is no Start or Finish. Its a circulation.

Thats exactly the reason for my question. 

Sorry, maybe I didnt get the point 

[Snapshot]

On 1/23/2019 at 4:56 AM, Ankoku said:

Anyone here planning on taking a Cardan Lift to an event any time soon?

I was hoping to take my copy of Nico71's Cardan Lift to a show in Reading later this month but I've got to the end of the LDD file and it's obviously incomplete as there's nothing linking or retaining the arm mechanism to the motor module. Looking at Nico71's video I can't see what's missing and I can't get the .LDR file to do anything useful so I'm stuck.....

[turbopolofr]

 

2 hours ago, Snapshot said:

I was hoping to take my copy of Nico71's Cardan Lift to a show in Reading later this month but I've got to the end of the LDD file and it's obviously incomplete as there's nothing linking or retaining the arm mechanism to the motor module. Looking at Nico71's video I can't see what's missing and I can't get the .LDR file to do anything useful so I'm stuck.....

have you checked this LDD file: http://www.nico71.fr/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/GBC-CARDAN.zip  ?

 

[RohanBeckett]

20 hours ago, dunes said:

I built the Start/Finish sign which I saw in @RohanBeckett´s Brickvention 2019 video.

The original mechanism design is from Lawrie George.

 

haha! that's awesome!

quite funny seeing something I built in an hour or so, as a joke.. being copied by others!

Sorry wasn't able to get extra photos to you. (still haven't unpacked everything from BV!)

but I guess you figured it all out! :)

 

It ran perfectly fine all weekend!

I was thinking of maybe framing the whole thing a bit more - but still leaving the mechanism exposed

 

[dunes]

34 minutes ago, RohanBeckett said:

haha! that's awesome!

quite funny seeing something I built in an hour or so, as a joke.. being copied by others!

but I guess you figured it all out! :)

The spring was the missing part in the puzzle. Found the solution in a Brickfair 2018 video.

We are planing a GBC display in october this year and I saw this in you video as nice addition to our display.

[Snapshot]

16 hours ago, turbopolofr said:

 

have you checked this LDD file: http://www.nico71.fr/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/GBC-CARDAN.zip  ?

 

Yes, that's the one from your web site that I'm complaining about. I don't know if it's the fault of the original .lxf file or what LDD's Building guide mode does to it but what comes out is not a working module and has some insane orders of building (like putting two liftarms together then adding the connecting pins several frames later).  I have seen other complaints about errors in this file but, of course, I can't find them now.

I've built the Bidule a Balles and Cradle Tipper from your site without any major problems but they were both from PDF files.

I'd really prefer to build Torsen's original Cardan Lift but it means buying too much classic brick as I don't hold much stock.

Edited February 4, 2019 by Snapshot

[dunes]

Lime Wheel and Lime Tri-Wheel

I saw the use of that wheel in some GBC videos and made own version of it.

I built it modular using the double bent liftarm., cos I have a bunch of them. On a single module a M-motor is used. In my triple wheel version a L-motor.

It can be extended to what ever U want.

 

[Captainowie]

On 2/2/2019 at 6:55 PM, Maico said:

Fanabriques, Colmar, France www.fanabriques.fr, (I will be there)

Maico - please check your PMs.

Owen.

[Frequenzberater]

@dunesnice work. I like the scifi look of it.

(this forum needs a like function) 

[Maico]

On 2/16/2019 at 2:13 AM, Captainowie said:

Maico - please check your PMs.

Owen.

just did :-)

 

Those green wheels look very familiar :-)

 

 

 

[Wolf_Zipp]

On ‎2‎/‎2‎/‎2019 at 4:34 AM, Captainowie said:

I wonder if anyone ( @Maico ?) could tell me what the GBC calendar is like in Europe in late June/early July? Reason I ask is that it's looking quite likely that I'll be there this year with a suitcase full of GBC and some time on my hands, and it seems a shame to waste the opportunity.

Owen.

 

On ‎2‎/‎2‎/‎2019 at 8:55 AM, Maico said:

My list of events in june and july which I will or cannot attend:

june:

Absolut Steinchen, Hochschule Reihn Bonn Sieg, Sankt Augustin, Germany www.absolutsteinchen.de (I will be there)

Fanabriques, Colmar, France www.fanabriques.fr, (I will be there)

I don't know if the organisers of the event I can't attend have other GBC builders Who do participate.

Kind regards,

Maico Arts

Absolut Steinchen : 15.+16. June 2019  Registration not opend jet .

Fanabriques : 29. + 30. June 2019  Registration ends 30.03.2019 !

Edited February 19, 2019 by Wolf_Zipp

[Ankoku]

Has this been posted? He seems to have an account here, but isn't posting.

Although pneumatic GBC isn't for me building wise, he does have some really nice mechanism in this. The aesthetics, especially the piping work, is amazing and the pneumatics are lovely and smooth.

Also, there doesn't seem to be a spec of dust on the machine! O_o; Very nice presentation.

[Ankoku]

There is also this one, inspired by the above V2 and has some Akiyuki additions! Different person.
 

 

[lcvisser]

On 2/24/2019 at 7:00 PM, Ankoku said:

Has this been posted? 

It looks familiair, but maybe I’ve seen a previous version, since it was definitely before 2019. 

I really like the pneumatic machinery and this one is very awesome. Very elegant.

 I tried something like this for one of the TC (box factory), but my attempt wasn’t even close to elegant.   maybe I should retry.