HallBricks

This is an idea I've thought of for quite some time, and the announcement of this contest finally got me started to actually work on it. My idea was to construct a drop tower ride and make the model fully automated while being propelled by only one PF motor. The cycle should include ascent, pause, release, descent of lifting module, connecting to seat module, ascent again etc. This required a series of mechanical solutions that would repeat over and over again, without ever changing the input direction. It turned out to be a very challenging project, but I'm quite happy with the final result. The tower is over a meter tall. The battery box and L-motor are located in the base, while most of the mechanics are hidden inside the very top of the model. The model is built in minifig-scale and the ride has room for 12 of them. The tires visible in the picture allows the ride to slowly descend the final part after the free fall. My mini figure population is fairly limited, but I was lucky enough to find two brave people. The safety system is a new innovation called clutch power and allows for a sense of freedom during the ride. Below are some images of the mechanics hidden in the top. This is probably not going to impress anyone who doesn't like the infamous color vomit. I haven't had time to change the colors, but as long as it works the colors don't bother me too much. This is how the model works: The L-motor can only be turned on in one direction. Once it's started, the spool (barely visible) in the top rotates and lowers the lift towards the ground. Gravity is enough to connect the lift to the seat module, and the strings are just long enough to get the lift all the way down, and will therefore be winded in the opposite direction and the lift starts ascending. Once it reaches the top, a gear on the lift engages with two gears in the top module, and causes a camshaft to rotate. There is a pause, just as it should be, before the camshaft pushes a liftarm downwards on each side which releases the locking mechanism on the lift and the seat module falls down. The lift is still in the top position, so the camshaft continues to rotate and interacts with a ball gear, which causes a Bugatti rotary catch to turn 90 degrees, with reverses the direction in which the spool is turning. The lift will no descend and the cycle will be repeated. The seat module is mainly decelerated by slightly angled liftarms connected to soft shock absorbers. I recommend you to watch the video to see how the model works, it's probably easier to understand that way. It's late now and I feel like my righting is really crappy.

10: 10 1:6 3:4 11:3 7:2 13:1

Thank you! I'm happy you like it! I haven't made any digital model, but I might have some photos from some other angles, not sure though. I'm not at home right now and the photos are on my computer, so I can check tomorrow. Unfortunately I have disassembled the model, but I might be able to reengineer the mechanisms in a 3D model by looking at the photos.

Congrats @shadow_elenter! That prize must have been meant for you, color scheme couldn't be more perfect . Looking forward to see your upcoming MOC!

Thank you everyone for your votes and congrats to @shadow_elenter and @Erik Leppen for your gold and silver medals, very well deserved! I really liked the theme, so thank you @Jim for arranging this contest. I really enjoyed it.

Some truly great Technic sets have been released during the last decade. 8258 Crane Truck, 8043 Excavator and 8110 Unimog were some of the early must buys for me. I really like those sets and my favorite was the Unimog. In 2015 the Arocs stole the number one according to me. The following year I totally fell in love with the CLAAS and I have liked it ever since. I think it offers a perfect level of functionality, and it looks awesome. The steering system is totally ingenious, yet not that complicated actually. I still think of the CLAAS as the best Technic set I've ever built and certainly a must have. I never got the 42009, and I haven't purchased the Porsche and Bugatti yet but I think those are some great sets as well.

@Maaboo35 You're probably right, I never built it so I probably shouldn't judge. I can add that I find building alternative models extremely challenging, and I'm impressed with how good B-models the designers can come up with. No wonder they have to make compromises sometimes.

I agree with @Erik Leppen, 42070-B is the worst of them all. But I think 42029-B is pretty ugly too...

5: 10 1: 6 8: 4 12: 3 11: 2 2: 1 Great to see such different models. Fun and challenging contest!

Mold marks, as many others already have pointed out. Sometimes I also make sure that bushes are symmetrically orientated.

Very good looking model, and the swimming motion is very fluid and realistic. Remember having one of those fish following a string as a kid.

Thank you! I really wanted to achieve some sort of realistic braking, and I tried a couple of different techniques. Happy to hear that you liked it. Thank you!

I have always really liked to solve problems, of all kinds. That's my biggest motivation to build Technic mocs. I come up with an idea for a model with certain functions, and all the problem solving needed to get those functions to work is what makes the building process so fun. The only bad thing about this is that once all the problems are solved, I don't always find motivation to finish the model. Another thing that motivates me to build technic mocs is the possibility to share my models with other enthusiasts online. Creating building instructions for other people who'd like to build your model is also very motivating. The motivation for building official sets is my curiosity of learning which building techniques and mechanics are used to get everything to work.

Great model of a classic ride! The two way rotation results in some really interesting movement, that's satisfying to watch. Well done and good luck!

@andythenorth Haha I see what you did there

Thank you! After being slowed down by the brake, the seat module comes in contact with a line of rotating tires which slowly brings it down the final part.

Impressive model! There's quite some Lego math needed to create those geometrical shapes. Well done!

I'm glad you like it! I actually ordered parts for the restraints, but they didn't arrive in time. Fortunately the clutch power seems to hold the figures in place

10. Acrophobia Topic This is a fully automated drop tower driven by only one PF L-motor. The ride with room for 12 mini figures ascend all the to the top of the more than 1 meter tall tower, waits for a few seconds and then falls freely towards the ground. This cycle will repeat until the battery box is turned off, and requires no manual input at all. I'm sorry about the color explosion. I had just about enough time to get everything to work, and didn't have time to change the colors.

Yeah I understand it's in my interest to create a discussion topic, but then it's not necessary to create that topic before the model is finished. Thank you for your explanation!

Okay, so I have worked on my model for quite some time now and I'm soon done with it. I haven't created a topic yet so I wonder if it's necessary to create the topic before the model is finished. I haven't taken any photos while building so I don't know what I should do if that's the case. Or is the purpose of that rule to prevent contestants from reserving an idea without actually working on any model?

Is a WIP topic required?

Thank you! I've tried it too and it seems to work, it would be interesting to know if this technique has been used in any real sets.

Does anyone know if this is a legal construction? It works well when building with physical parts. To make things clear, I'm wondering if the worm gear and the blue cross block can be set up in this way.

I don't know if this is the case in all regions, but they are available to buy from Bricks&Pieces for a far more reasonable price than on BrickLink.