Lipko

The simple supercar is not in the HOF

Please, add the HOG. Don't make it a standard that a model has no HOG. More and more builders are joinning this new thing, resulting in practically unplayable models.

The LDD file is ready (will fix errors if I find any). The parts are grouped and the groups should be a good guide how the larger parts are built and joined together. It should be quite easy to build the model from the LDD only (I rebuilt the model almost from scratch using the preliminary version of the LDD), but the building is not fully optimized, there are some parts that can cause frustrations. http://www.brickshel...6_final_005.lxf The model also uses two 20cm extension cables and two PF pole reversers. I will try to make some pictures in the weekend to show the cable routing and how the rubber ring is applied on the steering mode selector. Video: dunno. Summer holidays, maybe I can film on the next weekend, but not sure about editing.

How much slack the steering has, and in relation, how precisely you can steer the model?

LDD will be ready this or next week.

Vehicles look good, have many functions and are modeled after things most people see every day. They are interesting in different areas (visual design, mechanics, playability, authenticity, etc) at the same time. While a mechanical calculator is pretty much only interesting mechanically.

I would be happier with a new remote control unit. I mean something in my hand that has actual tactile sensation. Or touch screen really becomes the norm and someday the only input device? Then I'm doomed because I have clumsy fingers.

Sweet!

Thank you for the comments! A little explanation of the steering (though it's really just Barman's idea applied on a larger model). For reference, Barman's original idea: In the telehandler: As you can see, most linkages are doubled to decrease backlash. The steering is actuated by the yellow rotating arm through the orange parallel rods (two for redundancy) and the blue liftarms (on the first axle, which is on the left of the image) transfer the longitudinal motion into the sideways motion of the red connecting rod. Note, that the orange rods are moving in opposite directions. The twisting motion of the yellow arm is transferred to the rear axle by the azure longitudinal rod, which is guided by the purple cartridge (more on that later). The longitudinal azure rod moves the orange assembly on the right, which is also a sliding cartridge (This is a much stiffer solution, than in Barman's linkage with a possibly twisting axle). On the rear axle, the blue liftarms are placed parallel, transferring the longitudinal motion of the orange cartridge to the sideways motion of the red connecting rod. The purple cartridge is the steering mode selector, which moves sideways in almost the full width of the vehicle (note the two protruding, seemingly redundant liftarms) to avoid any jamming (now that I think of it, maybe those two liftarms are not really needed...). Anyways, both cartridges and the azure rod are guided by axle-pinhole "bushings" instead of simple liftarm-on-liftarm guiding, which results in minimal slack. The steering mode is locked by the brown thingy, which is accessible from the bottom of the cabin (sticks out a bit from the bottom plane). This is a very simple solution, but works very well, it's easy to access (due to the ride height) and convenient to use. The steering system has considerable friction, but with the down-gearing of the HOG, the model is still easier to steer, than the Unimog. The friction is a trade-off, since frictionless pins have quite an amount of slack and tHe steering would feel very baggy. Another trick I used on the rear hubs is to have a axle pin with friction, with the axle in the hole, because that eliminates half of the slack. The wheel-turning radius isn't that good either (a trade-off for more robust and smaller construction), but in 4-wheel steering mode, it's playable (you can see the fully turned wheels in some pictures).

Thank you for the comments! The LDD file is almost ready but I'm not sure about making proper instructions. The last one I made was very hard and time consuming to make. Weightlifting was not a main concern, but I tried it now. With almost fresh batteries it's able to lift a full battery box (the one with the 6 AA batteries). Though the LAs clicked sometimes. When I tried lowering the boom (to check if the auto-leveling can keep up, and it could), uneven occasional clicks in the big LA's caused slight desynchronization and higher stress. So I guess it's not safe to lift the bigger battery box. Without load, it can easily lift the fully extended boom. I'd say it is able to reliably lift a brick built cargo, I will build a pallet and some cargo for the video.

Everyone and their grandma have built a telehandler model, and here's my take on the subject. This is my most complicated model yet, and the development history started back in January, 2013. This model was always the too-complicated one that was cast aside for other models (mainly much simpler cars). This is a manual model with motorized functions. Features: -outriggers -boom elevation -boom extension (1 section) -pallet fork elevation -automatic pallet fork leveling (the fork stays in level during boom elevation/extension) -pendular rear suspension -3 steering modes: 4-wheel, normal and crab (Barman's linkage) -working steering wheel and HOG -opening doors The functions are powered with three L-motors, two of which are powering the elevation. There is a gearbox for two operation modes: boom elevation+extension and outriggers+fork elevation. The functions can be operated with two PF pole reversers. The model went through some complete start-overs, and the final build started at the beginning of May. Everything was restarted from scratch except for the overall look, the boom and part of the gearbox. The main booster of the final building course was the introduction of the new Claas model, which didn't have a fake engine and driveline. This encouraged me to make this trade-off too (it's good enough for TLG too, and a fake driveline isn't really adding anything to playability). This saved a lot of space and making the axles sturdy became much simpler. Another booster was relocating the L-motors above the front axle, which also gave a lot of space. The model became quite lightly packed and tidy. Luckily, Barman also posted his idea how the steering in the Claas model is probably built, and I could incorporate and improve his design. I had another system too, but that sometimes jammed because of the knob gears it used. I improved Barman's initial design by adding a carriage for the link between the front and rear linkage. The rear part is also operated by a carriage, so the whole steering linkage is only 2 studs high. And also everything is doubled to reduce backlash. The system works surprisingly well. The fork leveling is simply solved by connecting the fork drivetrain and the boom elevation drivetrain with a proper gear ratio. The leveling is always driven by the motors. This also means that the boom elevation and the fork angle can be independently moved in only two gearbox states. This doesn't reduce playability, since due to the auto leveling, one hardly has to adjust the fork angle. The maximum angle and length of the boom is quite limited (the above picture shows the maximum angle and length), probably the motors and linear actuators could handle a bit more, but this would require quite some redesign (gearbox for proper auto-levelling, mounting points of the LA, etc). The model is built from about 2100 parts. Video will be ready in a few weeks (or months) and the steering will be explained in detail. More pictures can be found here, if the folder becomes public: http://www.brickshel...ry.cgi?f=560009

Yup, I don't have time either. I'm about to finish my latest MOC, it was a quite rapid development in comparison with my previous builds. So after 7 months, another medicore crap is coming from me...

Beer, Lego digital designer, google image search, paper + pen, sometimes photoshop.

That's why instruction making is also so important in the whole design process. you can make a medicore model feel awesome and interesting with good instructions, or make an awesome model feel dull and boring to build.

But do you have school in the summer too?

Hmm. The contest is open to LDD entries too. "Unfortunately" I'm not unemployed nor a student, so I don't know if I'll have the time to do anything. But allowing LDD gives some hope.

Let's see what he can do with system bricks

That's very impressive how many functions you squeezed into this model. And overall, the model is awesome.

Not everything sitting on Blakbirds shelf s included in the HoF.

Hmm, I wonder how it will perform. Based on the Porsche and my experience, the mechanism that's restricts the rotation to 90°increments should be closer to the changeover catches. In my system, there was the same amount of knob gear pairs but no long axle with CV joints, and it still had switching issues and required significantly more than 90° rotation around the paddle area to reliably provide the 90° at the catches. Okay, there was no smooth 3L connector then.

Yup, Technic is actually not a hardcore toy at all. But it looks nicer than most construction toys. Partly due to the color range it offers: Not too monochrome like Meccano but not too color vomit like K'Nex. And maybe the range of panels too (not mentioning the compatibility with studded Lego).

Meccano, K'Nex: Google them, Meccano has some pretty awesome MOCs.

@nerdsforprez: The only problem is that many buyers won't have spare parts at their hands. This is still an individual product. It should work out of the box. Erik probably wouldn't have been as cautious as he was (and maybe wouldn't have rebuilt the chassis to find a solution), if he hadn't read about the issues. Not every buyers read these forums or watch review from experts like Sariel and Jim. Don't try to make this whole thing look intentionally educational. There are way better and more interesting ways to make the builders more involved in the build process or open to MODding.

In practice (and I guess in not so high-performance situations), you are okay if you add/subtract 1 teeth from the calculated teeth number (this means that the gear ratio will be a little off).

This. This is a reason why I'm so angry. I threw away a sequential gearbox after working on it for months, just because it was only 80% reliable. And the result was the medicore "simple supercar". I really should revise my design principles if I ever want to be popular, because most people, now even TLG, don't care about building quality and playability, only about looks and fancy functions (even if they don't work).