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doug72

Eurobricks Dukes
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Everything posted by doug72

  1. doug72
    Trying to find the Lego part numbers for the various thin “0” rings (red, blue) used in the train modules by Akiyuki. Can anyone help.
  2. doug72
    The L motor is more compact and strong enough plus has multiple mounting points allowing it to be built into the structure , its my favorite motor for MOCs.
  3. doug72
    So thats where all the yellow beams & parts have gone !!!
  4. doug72
    Thanks for your comments, I have no idea how to make instructiuons. I could list the changes required with images of parts required if that helps you reverse engineer it. The mounting of the Z56 turntable and getting the drive from it to the trip arm was the difficult part plus working out the gearing reduction needed. Also one extra section of 4L gear rack required to ensure train leaves the dumper. The biggest difference is the double gear rack 21L rings that supports one end.
  5. doug72
    Many thanks for your comments - took a lot of head scratching to work out gearing and to get it to work smoothly. Tried many times to get the cam lock system working but found it too frustrating. I have been working on an elevator using the new gear rack / housing but lift is only 9L and is not enough. The mechanism to operate it is based on your turntable module. Another idea is a scissors lift. Need to order more 4L racks.
  6. doug72
    Rotary Dumper MOD by Doug - update and action video. Now fine tuned this and after some issues with the train on board trip bars is working OK. No longer need the thin spacers to set the trip mechanism and the empty gap is filedl using a 1L bush nor is a dwell mechanism required. The rotation of the dumper and the trip system once set are locked together and cannot get out of step. Two 20T gears rotate the dumper with two more for support. If train does fail to leave (due to a sticky trip bar) it will go around again and try again. So far has achieved repeatability test OK- see video As soon as dumper is in the correct position the train leaves and dumper stays in correct position for next train to arrive and and start the next cycle. Had a problem with the anti reverse prawl not catching - this was due to an over long axle stopping it engaging with the 16T gear fully. If anyone wants any close up images of various parts please ask. See video of this in action, note for demonstration HOG used to reverse train to enter dumper. Needs building into a higher frame with an alternative elevator system to raise train up to reach dumper - I have some ideas for that to be revealed later. End view showing support and drive gears to rotate the dumper. Trip mechanism in tripped position. Trip mechanism about to trip showing prawl (yellow) holding dumper stationary. Underside view.
  7. doug72
    Rotary Dump - Doug’s MOD - stage 2 and success. After a lot of trial and error have finally got my version succesfully working, without the need for a dwell mechanism. It takes 21 revolutions for 24T gear driven by the train car 8T gear to rotate the whole dumper unit 1 rev. The trigger mechanism has only one lobe to trip the reverser bar. Thus I had to get a 21:1 reduction to drive the trip in sync. & took a lot of brain storming to come up with a solution. Finally found a solution in the book by Isogawa - Power function : Machines & mechanisms which shows a 21:1 gear reduction unit. This achieved by using a Z56 turntable as the final gear driven by an 8T gear giving 7:1. Output from train unit is 8/24 giving 3:1. 3 x 7 = 21. so as track lines up after dumping trigger releases the train car and dumper stops rotating. Easy to syncronise just by sliding out the 8T gear and adjusting the position of Z56 gear ring. Cannot get out of sync or have slipping gears. At first train car would not exit - so had to add another section of 4L rack plus a extra flat tile to ensure exit. see photo. A bit more tidying up required and a better support structure for the static 21L double gear ring More details tomorrow along with more photos and possible a video.
  8. doug72
    UK £329.99
  9. doug72
    Agree - maybe the gear rack and red housing would look better and have more travel. LEGO Gear Rack 14 x 2m with groove (18942) and LEGO Housing 2 x 15 x 3m F/gear Rack (18940 Time we had a longer L.A. with 9L travel or more. Weird feet on the outriggers !!
  10. doug72
    A simple way to reinforce U-joints or use ones with cracked end bushes is to use small "O" rings slipped over the bush. Less illegal than brass U-joints. Works fine as long as the bush is in free space.
  11. doug72
    Good battery modification - I don't have a rechargable but noted that the orange train has the AA battery box better installed than the instructions I followed. I tried it before but just rotated the battery rather than inverting, result the PF plug fouled the trigger arm kept so went back to original. Now changed as per your orange train and wires tuck away much better. Re Rotary dumper - working on an alternative version, if can work out gear ratios correct for the trigger arm. Tried a worm drive with 8:1 which gave steady rotation but too slow so back to 3:1 ratio.
  12. doug72
    Re Dumper Module: After many more hours trying to get this to function and trying to identify whats causing the problem with gears slipping out of sync the swing arm with the two red gears twists and jams the rotation. Therefore I have to admit defeat.
  13. doug72
    Thanks, I have determined it requires 64 revolutions of the train 8T gear to rotate the dumper 1 revolution, which is exactly 8:1 x 8:1 so a two stage worm drive using 8T gears should work for the trigger mechanism. Will test to see if a dwell period is needed.
  14. doug72
    Black felt tip pen works !
  15. doug72
    Rotary Dump - Doug’s MOD - stage 1. Having followed the instructions and failed to get consistent rotation and loss of synchronisation for the trigger release I set out to try and improve it. The reverser unit is the same except in the way it rotates the dumper. In place of the Z60 turntable two static rings of gear quadrants are used with four 20T double bevel gears with 18mm wedge wheels to guide & support the reverser unit at one end. The reverser drive output goes to two gears and has provided very smooth rotation. The non driven gear ring uses same structure as per instruction but found relying on a single pin to connect to the reverser unit at the bottom and another 4L axle at the top to the discharge hopper was not enough and allowed the ring to flex in relation to the other end causing jams. Connection modified by using two #1 connectors & two 2L axle connectors. See photo: Overhead view:- Drive gearing:- Side View:- Next step is to figure out how to reverse the train with an empty hopper as it lines up with input track again. Video:- Trigger removed to demonstrate the smooth rotation.
  16. doug72
    Oh dear ! I would suggest now that you have orderd the parts to go ahead and build it to & see if you can get it to function as it is supposed to and possibly find a solution to the skipping problem. Now started to re-build but using a 20T gear engaging with the teeth of a static curved quadrant gear ring to rotate the dumper.
  17. doug72
    Thanks for the reply, I have tried all sorts to fix the problem to no avail ! Cam lock works OK when NOT under load and NOT connected to rotating dumper parts It gets out of sync due to red gears slipping and skipping teeth on the turntable gear ring when the train and ball hopper are upside down - tried a stronger tension spring instead of "O" ring to keep arm and red gears in contact but that fouled other parts as dumper rotates around the cam lock frame. Trying to come up with an alternative way of achieving a rotary dumper using an interruper gear similar to my Pseudo Pertpetul Motion GBC to give enough dwell time for train trigger to release the train. Easy with an external motor but difficult using on board train motor.
  18. doug72
    I have now built the dumper module from parts I had and figured out how to set to the trip arm and train release trigger but cannot get it to perform more than a couple of times before it gets out of sync again Problem is the two red gears skipping teeth on the black turntable ring after unit rotates at about 1/3 rotation thus getting out of sync. Always struggles during last 1/2 of rotation. Tested with correct weight ballast box and without weights plus fresh charged batteries. All very frustrating and have decided not to continue as too unreliable.
  19. doug72
    Train system Rotary Dumper Module:- I am currently building the rotary dumper module and have come across a mistake in the instructions on page 83 at step 3. The 2L blue pin/axle is shown on the top hole of the triangular frame when it should be in the bottom hole (below the black pin) otherwise when you connect to the yellow gear ring it fails to line up correctly with that end being too high. The 4L black axle in the yellow gear ring has to go through the top axle hole to align the rotating dumper correctly as shown in the video. Building this section first as easier to set up the alignment and test before installing into the support structure. Don't have enough 4L gear racks to build the elevator so will either use a long straight or spiral ramp or a zig zag or a see saw lift to reach dumper level. Train release trigger page 67 step 8. Found sometimes the LEGO Black Technic Cross Block 2 x 2 x 2 Bent 90 Split (Pin/Twin Axle) (92907) snagged on the battery box PF connector plug and failed to drop into position to trip and release the train car. Modified the trigger arm (Green) and added extra weight to make it function better.
  20. doug72
    Haven't got any. The example with yellow axle joiner is about 1mm longer overall than the oe with red axle joiner which matches the 11L axle.
  21. doug72
    I have had trouble with 5.5 axles being slightly too long during my last MOC when adding drives up the boom, between supports causing binding. “A file works” !
  22. doug72
    Many thanks for that advice - yes I had got it wrong. Now corrected, tested & working OK without any problems.
  23. doug72
    Re Sliding:- Typo should be siding !!! Thanks for that advice, I possible have not made the 1/2 stud offset, Its worse in one direction than the other I will check the instruction & get back to you with findings.
  24. doug72
    They have just erected a small spinning roller coaster at the fairground near where I live. https://www.shieldsgazette.com/news/new-spinning-roller-coaster-ride-opens-at-south-shields-funfair-1-9158249 It can hardly be called a mobile ride - portable is a better discription - took a week to erect using mobile cranes and several packing trucks with all the parts etc.
  25. doug72
    Thanks for your comments, its been an enjoyable learning / fault finding process but I won't be building the elevator or dumper modules. I will probably see if I can devise a new module now that I that understand how they work. I like the old crane unloader module and will see if can devise a smaller more compact version. I will have more space in the loft once I re-arrange an existing lego train layout, to make a better arrangement of the different modules with longer runs between them.
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