JLiu15

Thanks! I'm glad you like it

I'm doing something simple this time after building two complex MOCs. Given that I'm busy with college right now, this should be a pretty manageable project for me. It'll be a simple tracked loader model with subtractor drive. I've already got the subtractor mechanism built, and it'll likely be the rear sprockets that'll be driven. The propulsion motor is a C+ XL and the steering motor is a C+ L. The C+ hub will likely sit in the front of the chassis towards the bottom (assuming it's the rear sprockets that'll be driven) and bucket elevation/tipping will be a C+ XL and C+ L, respectively. As for the bodywork, I'm planning on making it bright light orange with the pieces from the 42099 set. If you have any suggestions for me, please let me know. Photos:

@suffocation @I_Igor @jorgeopesi thanks guys!

Thanks! I’ll look into them. I use Mac so would you say Bricksmith would work better than LDraw? I’ve never heard of Bricksmith but always knew of LDraw; it seems to be very popular.

Thanks! As for the internal schematic, I kinda get what you mean (like it shows the motors and gears and stuff) but I’m not sure how to make one. Do you know a software I could use to make that?

Model of a German dump truck. Controlled using Control+, it features all-wheel drive, articulated steering with a working steering wheel, an oscillating central joint and sprung front axle, and an elevating and rotating cargo hold. Functions/features: All-wheel drive Articulated steering Working steering wheel Oscillating central joint Sprung front axle Dumping Cargo hold rotation After getting the 42099 set I wanted to build something with Control+ using only the electronic elements found in that set. I originally decided on the Bergmann 4010 HK (a tracked dumper), as I could simply use 2 motors for drive and one for dumping. However, while looking at their products I came across the Bergmann 3012/C815s (they're the same model; the name was changed in 2020) and thought it was so much cooler than the 4010. I also wanted to build the swivel tip version, even if it meant an extra C+ motor, so I ordered another C+ L motor off Bricklink. Ironically, the model I wanted to build due to a limitation of electronics led me to get more electronics. There is very limited space for electronics and mechanisms, especially with the live axle suspension I wanted to include in the front (the real-life counterpart has a sprung front axle). The front half of the chassis was essentially in the shape of an upside-down 'U', with the drive and steering motors (C+ XL and L, respectively) forming a "bridge" above the front axle. Thanks to their abundance of pin holes, it was easy to make it very reinforced. The C+ hub sits in front of the front axle, quite low in the chassis so its on button could be accessed easily and it's easy to remove for battery replacement (although I never had to replace its batteries). Drive is transferred from the drive motor to the longitudinal driveshaft through a row of 16T gears, with the intermediate ones being the one with clutch so the steering function could pass through. Drive is transferred to the wheels via planetary hubs from the 42099, and steering is done by 2 mini LAs. In the rear half of the chassis, space was even more limited. The dumping and rotation motors (C+ XL and L, respectively) sit side by side, and the space above the rear axle is literally packed with gears and mechanisms. I originally made the dumb decision to use pneumatics for the dumping, thinking it would make it less mechanically complex, but they're simply no match for the heavy cargo hold especially with one 6L compressor. I ended up rebuilding the rear and changed the dumping mechanism to use LAs, and the result was way better. Even though drive from the dumping motor needs to be directed through the turntable now, there still was sufficient space for that mechanism to fit. The lack of space came at the cost of having the cargo hold rotate way too fast, as there was little space for significant gear reduction, so I made the motor for that function run at a lower speed in the BuWizz app, which I used to control the model. As for the performance, the model was able to drive across rough terrain with no issues. It could use a little more torque for climbing obstacles, but I didn't want it to be painfully slow either. The dumping is also quite slow, but the benefit is that it has plenty of torque to dump even some heavier loads. Aesthetics wise, this model used quite a bit of System pieces, with the entire grille section being made with System pieces and considerable amounts in the rear of the front section and in the front bumper. The angles of the dump bed also came together well - it was quite robust thanks to taking advantage of Pythagorean triangles. Overall, I consider this model a success. It's one of my most detailed models, the functions worked well, and I had plenty of fun building it. Video: Photos:

Yeah I was thinking about this, realized there's no way this would work if both outputs rotated in the same direction (unless you want it to also make your car go backwards lol). I knew with 99% certainty it was opposite directions but just wanted to check since I think I heard from somewhere that they rotate in the same direction. I'm guessing they probably made a mistake.

Okay, so they should be spinning in opposite directions. And yeah they spin really fast, so it's hard to tell even with the video slowed down.

Hey guys, just a question about the RC motors - from what I've seen their outputs seem to rotate in the same direction, as seen in Sariel's video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQOJSqTF1cM However, based on its internal gearing it seems like they'd rotate in opposite directions - it looks like the inner and outer outputs are connected by a single pair of gears, which would mean rotation in opposite directions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppw5L6SeegE I've always been confused about this and haven't really found a conclusive answer, or is my understanding of gears completely wrong here?

I was hoping one of the 1H 2021 sets would utilize the dumb battery box from the Osprey, but now I'm doubtful any of them will have it... Hopefully we get a set with it in 2H 2021, but it's a shame we're gonna miss out on it for so long just because the Osprey was cancelled.

No. In fact, it's increased my passion for LEGO. Being stuck at home in quarantine meant a great opportunity for me to focus on my MOCs, and due to no BrickFair VA this summer I was able to focus on individual MOCs rather than ration my pieces for several MOCs. I've made several advanced MOCs, I've got my feet wet with Control+, and based on how much free time I have now that college has started I might be able to build a few more simpler MOCs before the end of the year.

UPDATE 8/22/20 The MOC is finished! The final Bricklink order arrived yesterday, and I was able to finish everything last night. I still need to get custom stickers made, but that should be pretty simple. I'll try to get the photos/video and MOC topic published in the next week or so, before school starts for me in September. Stay tuned for the MOC topic!

UPDATE 8/7/20 Not much since the last update, but I've got a little more bodywork in with the body panels in the area behind the cab. The only things left to do for the bodywork now are the fenders (which will be many 5L beams attached to soft axles) and their rear attachment point, the side body panels around the fenders, and some various details (mirrors, air intake, and exhaust). The biggest change is that I've redesigned the rear to work with linear actuators. I should've realized this from the start, but pneumatics simply don't have the capacity to handle such a heavy cargo hold - at least with precision. I've made a mock cargo hold to test the dimensions and the load capacity (not shown as it's color vomit), and with 2 LAs geared down a bit driven by the C+ XL motor the dumping function works pretty well. The model is about 80% complete by now, and I anticipate finishing it in the coming weeks. Photos:

Thanks! The thing about this vehicle is that there's only a door on the left side. This would mean building the cabin asymmetrically (and perhaps with the left side being less robust than the right) so I decided against opening doors. As for your suggestion with the bent windshield, I could consider that as the black #4 (45 degree) connector that will eventually attach the mirrors has a pin hole right there. However, I'm not sure about the abrupt transition from a smooth edge with curved bricks to a hard edge with the 90 degree connector. The bottom edge of the window in the real thing looks very smooth which is why I used the elbow pieces to "outline" it. And as for the side windows, in the real thing their bottom edge slopes upwards - I guess curved slopes aren't the best here, but I got plenty of those and didn't want to wait for the yellow #21 and #22 panels from the 42114 to slowly arrive in the Bricklink market (they've been around for years but took this long to finally be available in yellow smh). I guess I could use this piece here, but I don't want it to look like a grille where it isn't. And yes, there will be an air filter right there - note the brown axle sticking out towards the bottom rear of the cabin - that will be used to attach it.

UPDATE 7/31/20 Made some progress on the bodywork. The front bumper and the cab are now done, just missing some details. The cab is made with a combination of Technic and System building, with the entire grille being made of System pieces. I'm liking where this is going. Sure I had to sacrifice some features, such as the opening driver's door, but other than that the bodywork is coming together pretty well. I'm most satisfied with how the grille turned out, as the use of System pieces really allowed me to model its outline well. I also modified the front suspension a little - it's got two shock absorbers per wheel now and they are mounted more vertically. The bodywork is heavy, so this modification was necessary to prevent the suspension from sagging. Depending on how heavy the dump bed is I may also rework the central joint (e.g. with small turntables) - right now the model tends to lean forward with the wheels on, but I noticed with more weight in the back it gets better. If you have any suggestions for me, please let me know. Photos:

UPDATE 7/22/20 Not much since the previous update, but still some noteworthy progress. I've added the pneumatic cylinders as well as the attachment point for the dump bed, as well as some minor modifications to the front section of the chassis. The bed will be lifted by 2 11L pneumatic cylinders, which are placed very close to each other. I had to cut corners here a little - I originally tried to do a 5-12-13 triangle for this section, but I realized the beams would interfere with the pneumatic cylinders' ports. I ended up using angled beams but kept the area around the pneumatic cylinders open so their ports and the hoses going to them won't be blocked. As for the front section of the chassis, I've reinforced the area around the mini LAs for steering. Now the mechanism has much less play in it and the gear connector directing drive to the mini LAs no longer has a tendency to come out of the pin hole it's attached to. The wires in the front have also been rerouted to account for the location of the cab, and the front suspension is reinforced with a transverse link to reduce the side to side wobbling. Additionally, I've also geared down the mechanism for the working steering wheel. Moving forward, the model is ready for the bodywork. I'll probably focus on getting the bodywork finished before moving onto the dump bed, as I anticipate that to be a huge challenge with all its angles. The body will likely be built with a mix of Technic and System pieces. As for the dump bed, if anyone has blueprints of the real thing or a close-up view of the dumping mechanism please let me know - it's hard to see exactly where the hydraulics are attached on the real thing, and I feel like the bed will end up way too high because of this. Note that the pneumatic cylinders in the pictures can be lower - it's just the elasticity of the pneumatic hoses pushing them up. Still, I feel like my current setup will lead to a lot of compromises. If any of you have suggestions or have pictures that could help me with building this part, thanks in advance! Photos:

42113 set: *potentially cancelled* Us who were looking forward to it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ap4nvdEotqw Honestly though, it really sucks that this set may never see the light of day. I understand TLG's intentions with this decision, but needless to say this is such an anticlimactic outcome for this beautiful set. Looks like it's back to Bricklink for DBG panels

UPDATE 7/19/20 I worked on the rear section of the chassis for the past two days, and now it's complete. In fact, the entire chassis is essentially complete by now, just missing the attachment for the dump bed and the pneumatic cylinders. With a large portion of the space in this part of the chassis taken up by two motors and the rear axle, there is very limited space for mechanisms. I think I did a pretty good job utilizing the space that is available, as the compressor and valve for the pneumatic dumping are both located under the motors. The gear train for the turntable is located behind it, which includes a clutch gear. The pneumatics are driven by the C+ XL while the turntable is rotated by the C+ L. The turntable rotates too fast imo and I feel like some more gearing down would help, but there's literally just no more room left. I'll probably adjust the power curve for that motor in the BuWizz app so it doesn't run at full power. I've put the wheels on to test it, and it drives and steers reasonably fast. The articulation joint, however, is a weak spot - it has a tendency to bend, and the gear connector block by the linear actuators has a tendency to pull out of the pin hole its upper end is attached to when picking up the model by one hand (as the articulation joint bends). I might end up using the bodywork to reinforce that part when I get to that point, as I can't make the chassis any higher right there without compromising the bodywork. If you have any suggestions for me, please let me know. Photos:

Honestly they look perfect - I used them on mine too. Also Nico71 used them on his forklift as well. It's just one of the limitations of Lego ig...the next size up I can think of for these rims is the tractor tires from the CLAAS set, which really aren't well-suited for forklifts (unless you're talking about an off-road forklift, ofc )

I can see your other pics now. I love how it looks like Nico71's forklift on the outside but the inside is totally different, with Control+ motors and all that instead of the distribution gearbox

Thanks, I'll be sure to take a look. That's definitely a better deal than BL.

The pics aren't showing up... EDIT: nvm I saw your video of it. Yeah that's one of their drawbacks, but they are fun to use though

I have put the wheels on to see how long the chassis needs to be, but I haven't tested bodywork weight. It's really unpredictable how heavy the bodywork will be, as you never know what/how many pieces you'll end up using.

Exactly, having multiple motors of the same type in a set is better than one of each imo. For instance, you could hard-couple the two XL motors in the 42099 to get more torque, while the 42114 has 3 distinct motors. At the end of the day, every set has its unique perks ig.

I noticed the same with the crank pieces in the set - they too had a thicker pin. In fact a lot of pieces appeared different - for instance the differentials in the set were glossy instead of matte like my other ones (but tbf those were my first 28T differentials in 5 years). Tbh I don't really like the thicker pins - I prefer thinner collars on pins. I tend to avoid the pins from older sets I have when building MOCs (e.g. 8436) for this reason as they have a significantly thicker collar, unless I need black 3L pins ofc.