LDraw models needed for Technicopedia

[mzoli]

It has been a marathon day for LSynth. Anyone know what it is?

8145 Fiorano

I would not even try this with LDD

[PROlego]

Just trying... (haven't seen many photos or a review of the set) Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano?

EDIT: He answered just before me.

Edited September 19, 2014 by PROlego

[Blakbird]

8145 Fiorano

Bingo!

[freakwave]

Impressive. Many of the pneumatic files in the collection don't have any tubes modeled at all, so you've gone above the call of duty. Looking forward to seeing the finished product.

Do you need some tubing fixed on some model? PM me.

Finally all LSYNTH done and the last tube re-routed not to intersect the lifting thing.

Here is the 42008

[Blakbird]

Do you need some tubing fixed on some model? PM me.

If you are willing to do LSynth work, there are certainly a bunch of files that need it. I didn't consider pneumatic synthesizing to be a big priority, but it is nice to have! I have plenty of models that need flex axles, ribbed hoses, or flex system as well. One of the problems is that when people build their models in SR3D with splines, none of that data is readable my MLCAD or LDView so I end up having to make the flexible parts from scratch.

[Captainowie]

It has been a marathon day for LSynth. Anyone know what it is?

That's some more incredible rubber band work. Thanks for all your help.

I love this picture - it looks like minimalist concept art.

I'm still working on 8462 - I've got the brickwork in place, "just" need to synthesise the flexible elements.

Owen.

[marco9999]

8446 completed and available in the Ldraw topic.

[Blakbird]

I know I didn't ask for any B-models, but as I go through all the category pages in Technicopedia I'm realizing that there are a couple of exceptions. Has anyone ever seen the 8480 submarine or the 8862 combine? I wasn't able to find either of them.

I also realized that I forgot a few Technic models that are not part of the Technic line including some Racers and some Star Wars models. Of the 18 total I was able to find 13 of them so that leaves me only needing 5: 8000, 8007, 8012, 8146, and 8682. I have LDD files for 8007 and 8012 that could potentially be converted.

As for the original list in the first post, we are down to only 7 models! Thanks for all the help everyone.

[Blakbird]

I'm still working on 8462 - I've got the brickwork in place, "just" need to synthesise the flexible elements.

I'm at the point where I am ready to render to tow trucks, so if you have the structure complete I am willing to do the LSynth work.

Quiz: How many parts do you need to have in a model before MLCAD and LDView become seriously unhappy? Answer: This many:

(Note the empty spots where 8462 and 9397 will be).

[marco9999]

I know I didn't ask for any B-models, but as I go through all the category pages in Technicopedia I'm realizing that there are a couple of exceptions. Has anyone ever seen the 8480 submarine or the 8862 combine? I wasn't able to find either of them.

Submarine 8480 ready (in the Ldraw topic)

[Blakbird]

Submarine 8480 ready (in the Ldraw topic)

Excellent, thank you! I didn't know anyone was working on that, but I'm glad to have it. It is an amazing B-model.

[Captainowie]

I'm at the point where I am ready to render to tow trucks, so if you have the structure complete I am willing to do the LSynth work.

I'm getting there.

I've got a long weekend this weekend, so I expect I'll finish it in the next couple of days. If you can't wait that long, I'll send you what I've got, but I'm keen to finish it myself - for completeness.

Submarine 8480 ready (in the Ldraw topic)

Oh good, I was afraid I'd have to start that next. Not that I wouldn't enjoy it (it's one of the few of my sets that I haven't built the B model of - the Shuttle was just too cool to take apart), just that I have other projects I need to get started on!

Edit: And it's done (quicker than I had anticipated). I guess 8305 is next on the list, I'll start it tomorrow.

Edited September 27, 2014 by Captainowie

[me00rjb]

Is there a specific reason 8065 has been left out of the fun in the truck collection image? You've got 8071 which is also a small 4 wheel truck.

Great to see the progress being made at the moment!

Richard.

[Blakbird]

Edit: And it's done (quicker than I had anticipated). I guess 8305 is next on the list, I'll start it tomorrow.

Thanks! All those pneumatic hoses in the file will be really useful when it comes time to document the features of 8462. I can appreciate how much work it was.

Is there a specific reason 8065 has been left out of the fun in the truck collection image? You've got 8071 which is also a small 4 wheel truck.

No specific reason. That category is not just trucks, it is called "big rigs" and 8065 seemed too small to qualify. 8065 is part of "dump trucks" and also part of "mini". I admit the categories are somewhat arbitrary. They are chosen with the goal of making meaningful comparisons between similar sets.

Edit: Upon further reflection, I've decided that you are right so I've added 8065 to that category.

[Captainowie]

8305 is done, and I should have 8307 by day's end.

Next up, 8457 Power Pullers - though I can't believe nobody's made this one before.

Owen.

[Blakbird]

8305 is done, and I should have 8307 by day's end.

Next up, 8457 Power Pullers - though I can't believe nobody's made this one before.

8457 appears in Widetent's collection, but it is unfinished (just chassis, no engines). I was also surprised to see this one had been left out. I'll leave it up to you to decide whether to do all the different engine configurations or only the primary.

Thanks to everyone's hard work, we are down to only 3 models from the original list:

• 9397 in work by Strikeman since Sep 7
  
• 42009 in work by lego2lego since Sep 5
  

How is it going? Do either of you need any help?

The remaining model is 42030 which is impossible until we have an LDraw file of the bucket. I've heard Philo is working on that.

Edit: Philo finished the bucket so I am going to get started on 42030 myself.

[Captainowie]

I'll see how much work it is doing the V4s before I commit to doing the V6s or V8s! If someone else has done all the work except the engines, I'm guessing it's the engines that are the tricky bit.

One of things I learned doing the chassis (if only I'd known I could have filched it from someone else!) was that the axle 5.5 with stop was in use a LOT earlier than I had thought. There are 5 of them in this set from 2000, and according to Peeron they've been in use since 1998. I imagined them to be a lot newer than that.

Those three remaining models are all very large, and ought to lend themselves to being worked on by multiple people simultaneously.

[Philo]

The 5.5l axle started its life as a specialty part for ZNAP range.

[Captainowie]

Quiz: How many parts do you need to have in a model before MLCAD and LDView become seriously unhappy? Answer: This many:

So, I was thinking about this (dangerous, I know!), and it occurs to me that you might want to look into LDCad (http://www.melkert.net/LDCad - the newest version seems to have come out just a few days ago). It claims (or at least, it used to - I can't find any reference to it on the product's webpage) to be able to handle the whole of Datsville without breaking a sweat. That said, it is another editor that requires a bit of getting used to.

I also thought that if you're using LDView to make the image, you're probably not going to be doing too much in the way of interacting with the scene - you'll have your camera at your standard lat/long, and you won't need to make changes. You might be able to get some form of command line program that reads the LDraw file(s) and outputs the image, bypassing the graphically intensive LDView window.

Sure your current setup might be coping - just. But that group is only going to get larger with time...

Owen.

[Blakbird]

Done. There were a lot of angles on this thing so it took a while.

[Captainowie]

The bungee cord looks like it was a lot of work

Philo.

How did you do that bungee cord? The .mpd file (http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Philo/SetModels/Set8245/8245_-_robots_revenge_-_main_model.mpd) has the line

0 SYNTH BEGIN FIBER_OPTICS_CABLE 15

just before the only white synth'd element, but the fiber optics cable has vastly different stiffness properties than an elastic cord, and couldn't possibly make the corners so tight. I've also tried replacing my 'string' synthesis elements with a different part, but the string element has a different orientation to the ones I've tried, so I end up with a bunch of rings next to each other, rather than a long tube.

Owen.

[Philo]

I really used FIBER_OPTICS_CABLE as it was the right diameter for the bungee cord. But I also edited the lsynth.mpd file to change stiffness (that's something I do very often to get the right results, including with NXT cables, too bad we can't pass this parameter on the command line). I also deleted fiber optics end element...

[Blakbird]

...But I also edited the lsynth.mpd file to change stiffness (that's something I do very often to get the right results)...

I change the stiffness number in the lsynth.mpd file for pretty much every part I synthesize. I usually end up doing a given part 3 or 4 times until I get it right. I used to just use extra constraints to try to get the right shape, but the part always ends up looking "lumpy" if you use intermediate constraints. I try to constrain only the ends and then change the stiffness until it looks smooth. This is especially important for wheel arches. For string I just use a large number of constraints, at least one at each break point.

[Captainowie]

But I also edited the lsynth.mpd file to change stiffness

Ah, I was afraid you had done that. In fact, I don't know why I didn't try it myself.

the part always ends up looking "lumpy" if you use intermediate constraints

I had wondered how people got around that lumpiness. I might end up redoing some of the synth work for certain models I've already sent in.

Edited October 4, 2014 by Captainowie

[lego2lego]

Well it's been a busy time for me lately (became a father for the second time), so progress has been slow. I think however that I should be able to start building again. Hold on