Jeroen Ottens Posted April 29, 2015 (edited) Hi, It is time to stop teasing, sorry for that. Here is my latest creation, a lego technic X-wing. All functions are pneumatic: 1 canopy 2 targetting computer (moving forwards & rotating) 3 hatch (in the sloped bottom of the hull) 4 wings 5 photon torpedos (tilting outwards & shooting) 6 landing gear + landing gear bay doors The 6th function is giving me the most headaches. It is a pneumatic sequence function. That is, if you select to deploy the landing gear it will first open the landing gear bay doors and then deploy the landing gear using two switches operated by pneumatic cilinders. If you choose to retract the landing gear it will first retract the landing gear and then close the doors. Unfortunateley my ~20 year old pnauematic hoses appear to be somewhat leaky, so halfway through the sequence all air leaks out . I have a half dismantled X-wing on my desk now . All other functions do operate as they should Edit: I have solved most of the leaks now (only one nacelle is still a bit rusty and somewhere a last tiny leak is still hissing). Some pneumatic facts: 2 air tanks 8 switches (old type) 7 big cilinders (studded type) 16 small cilinders So again, I am on a crossroads. Should I continue trying to solve my leaking tubes, or should I leave it at this and work on my next MOC? Edited May 3, 2015 by Jeroen Ottens Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Saberwing40k Posted April 29, 2015 I think you should get new hoses, cause I want to see a video of everything in action. This is way cool. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kelkschiz Posted April 29, 2015 Lock S-foils in attack position! :) Would like to see a video if it in action. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tommy Styrvoky Posted April 29, 2015 Get new hoses, I would love to see this in a video. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Blakbird Posted April 29, 2015 I would love to see you solve the problems and finish it. Personally, I suspect it is not the hoses that are leaking, but the piston head and/or rod seals in one or more of the actuators. I have plenty of old actuators that leak. If they are in series or parallel with your circuit, nothing else will work. It is like having a wheel off the ground with open differentials. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BusterHaus Posted April 29, 2015 Very well executed. Will you be posting more pictures? It would be great to see more details. Also, are the cannons at the end of the wings bowed from weight, or does it look like that because of a wide angle lens? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Boxerlego Posted April 29, 2015 (edited) WHOA that is huge. Excellent work on the massive Technic X wing even tho if the pneumatics are out of order at the moment. I would solve the leaking air problem One question, Does the X-wing pivot on the stand? Edited April 29, 2015 by Boxerlego Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
D3K Posted April 30, 2015 It is time to stop teasing, sorry for that. You better be sorry! Here you say it's time to stop, and then you tease us some more! Can't wait to see a video of this, as well as more detailed pictures! Fantastic looking MOC, love the seriously TECHNIC approach to all the styling and details! Regarding the pneumatic problems; I agree with Blakbird; the problem could very well be the cylinders. Lately I have been building a lot of different pneumatic MOCs, and I too have a lot of pneumatic stuff from back in the day (from 8868 and earlier). The hoses are actually what works best! But I've had to discard several of the cylinders as well as two pumps, as they either leak, or hangs due to friction (pumps). Luckily I have a parted out 8455, so I'm mostly good, but there are some things that work better with the studded cylinders! Well, again; great looking MOC! You truly are a master builder! Now show us some more pictures!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rishab N Posted April 30, 2015 Please continue this looks awesome. Would love to see more pics Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lucio Switch Posted April 30, 2015 You should solve the problem, it's worth it!! Anyway it looks great so far!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
allanp Posted April 30, 2015 Yup, definitely fix it. I don't think it's the hoses, I've never had one leak. Try submerging your cylinders and valves in water to see if any are leaking any bubbles of air. They'll be fine so long as you dry them quickly and thoroughly. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zerobricks Posted April 30, 2015 Well done. Will you fill up the holes in the body to make it a bit more...full? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Thirdwigg Posted April 30, 2015 Which R2D2 did you go with? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jeroen Ottens Posted April 30, 2015 First of all thank you all for the replies. It looks like I have to get my act together and solve those pesky leaks... I would love to see you solve the problems and finish it. Personally, I suspect it is not the hoses that are leaking, but the piston head and/or rod seals in one or more of the actuators. I have plenty of old actuators that leak. If they are in series or parallel with your circuit, nothing else will work. It is like having a wheel off the ground with open differentials. The reason I suspect the hoses is that I found already two hoses that were punctured. One of them even teared apart when I pulled it. There are hoses in there that were from the infamous airtech claw rig... I have tried to isolate the issue by closing parts of the circuit and see whether it leaks or not. At some point I thought I found the issue being located in the pneumatics for opening the landing bay doors on the right wing. But when I disassembled that nacelle and tested the pneumatics in away from the structure (I hadn't loosened any pneumatics at that point) it didn't leak anymore . The only explanation I can think of is that bending the hoses somehow opens a miniature hole or something (I even suspected the humble T-pieces at some point). Very well executed. Will you be posting more pictures? It would be great to see more details. Also, are the cannons at the end of the wings bowed from weight, or does it look like that because of a wide angle lens? I will post more pictures once I have solved my leaky problem. At the moment it looks more like a gutted bird... The laser cannons do bend down, but the wide angle lens is distorting it even further. WHOA that is huge. Excellent work on the massive Technic X wing even tho if the pneumatics are out of order at the moment. I would solve the leaking air problem One question, Does the X-wing pivot on the stand? The stand is a quick prop, the X-wing can actually pivot a bit on it. I wouldn't recommend to use this stand, but for now it is good enough (I am more a builder then a collector so I tend to rush my stands). Which R2D2 did you go with? Cleverly hidden in this photo isn't it? I am using the studless one, I think it betters suits the rest of the model. Well done. Will you fill up the holes in the body to make it a bit more...full? No I won't make the model full. I wanted to have a technic look, not a model team look. Again thanks for all the comments and encouragement. Any suggestions on how to troubleshoot the pneumatics is very much appreciated. To give you an idea what I am up against (this is a shot of the underbelly with the backside and the bottom removed): Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Boxerlego Posted April 30, 2015 First of all thank you all for the replies. It looks like I have to get my act together and solve those pesky leaks... Again thanks for all the comments and encouragement. Any suggestions on how to troubleshoot the pneumatics is very much appreciated. To give you an idea what I am up against (this is a shot of the underbelly with the backside and the bottom removed): Have you tried using a spray bottle of some soap and water in finding those hidden air leak? Where there are bubbles there is an air leak. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coola1 Posted April 30, 2015 Cant wait to see it complete and fully functional. I wish I could help you with the pneumatic problem but I have no experience whatsoever with them :P Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BusterHaus Posted May 1, 2015 Have you tried using a spray bottle of some soap and water in finding those hidden air leak? Where there are bubbles there is an air leak. The soap water is a good method. Use a small paint brush if you want to control the mess. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OzShan Posted May 1, 2015 Awesome looking model. I hope you get it sorted cos I'm looking forward to a video :) Could the leak be in the valves themselves? I've noticed they don't have to be much off center to start passing air, and I've had some older ones become leaky with wear. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
super-jaschka Posted May 1, 2015 WOW! he is such a huge and beautiful I like your MOCs Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
martijnnab Posted May 1, 2015 Jeroen, Love this Star Wars model completely made out of Technic. I only build with Technic so Starwars is always out of my reach but you show it can be done. Will you be making instructions for it? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Boxerlego Posted May 2, 2015 The soap water is a good method. Use a small paint brush if you want to control the mess. That is good suggestion with the paint brush . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nerdsforprez Posted May 2, 2015 Hall of fame item IMHO if all the kinks get fixed Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Boulderer Posted May 2, 2015 Awesome work! You have to sort the pneumatics and get a video posted ... it'd be a crime to miss out on that :) Great timing with the reveal too ... May the 4th is nearly upon us! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jeroen Ottens Posted May 3, 2015 Hi, I have solved most of my leaks now (after many, many hours of frustating trial and error searching. I still don't know where the leaks were , I just replaced some hoses and some cilinders and now it works). There is still a tiny leak somewhere, but it is not big enough to prevent the landing gear from operating so I have stopped searching. Here is the video: May the 4th be with you Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Boulderer Posted May 3, 2015 Great to see the X-Wing operational ... May the 4th can now commence in the knowledge that a great MOC is complete Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
