KEvron

at the risk of stealing ben's thunder, here's his latest escapement: "The famous H1 marine timekeeper was made by John Harrison in 1730-1735. It's oscillator consists of two interlinked bar balances (rather than a single pendulum) or dumbbells that are angularly connected with cross-ribbons. The restoring force is provided by two helical steel springs, and so does not depend on gravity. "In this Lego version the springs are replaced by two equal masses, suspended by threads of equal lengths, and at equal distances from the pivots, to the balance arms. The system of balances and masses is in equilibrium when the balance arms are parallel and vertical. When the upper part of the balances are moved towards each other, the upper mass goes down, and the lower mass goes up. The rise is always larger than the drop, which causes a restoring force, dependent on gravity (see below)... "The pointer does not indicate time, but counts the swings." not only is this an astonishing realisation, but it once again demonstrates ben's keen knack for innovation (equilibrium weights instead of springs!). i'm a wannabe; he's a real master. KEvron

a VERY bad idea. KEvron

that depends on the manner in which you're moving the weight. rather than try to suss the specifics, i can point you toward philo's report on technic motors. KEvron

if you really wanna mess with your neighbors' heads, give your 'bot some badass weaponry and the voice of rosie, the jetson's maid. KEvron

let's have some video of it hopping! KEvron

i'd bypass the treaded valve and pop a couple of new lego-size holes, instead. if the walls are thick enough, you might even be able to tap the holes. it's volume is a lot less than that of the lego tank, so you'd need a good compressor to compensate. KEvron

XXL?! wrong direction. KEvron

*sigh* so many lovely beams.... KEvron, dinosaur

oh, the humanity! you're gonna need a display stand for it; tlc wouldn't advise their customers to suspend their models. KEvron

not my video, and not technic, but: right up my alley! KEvron

oof! surely, there will be blood. KEvron

with the slightly larger treads, i might be able to switch from using a towball as the count hook to a smalll wheel. also, i think the wide treads will present a firmer perch on which to rest the count hook. all that, and i just like to try different approaches, explore all options in pursuit of the best method. KEvron

i think you're probably right. they already have a chain link system. i can only hope that they introduce an element that could double as a link: " guys! look at this piece i've just designed. it's a pit droid and a chain link!" KEvron

elevation is pricey. i've got a stand that i use regularly. skeletal design; 1x16 beams on end, 5 beams high (80L tall - 60 1x16 vertically oriented beams), horizontal bracing at the joints. long story short, each 16L section costs $15-$20. and it's still not tall enough for my needs! i need another two sections in order to use a seconds pendulum on it, and i've got bricks enough - just enough - for one more. damned, expensive hobby.... KEvron

yep, that had occured to me. the current belt has 66 treads and 12 links. merely switching to the new treads will greatly increase the mass of the assembly; piggy-backing additional elements might render it unfeasibly heavy. then there are space considerations.... i took a cursory look through the bricklink catalog. modified plates and modified bricks. nada. i'll have to explore deeper. KEvron

i call that a two-fer! BRuce

lol! i've seen a few "diy modifcations". poor, helpless bricks! i'm hoping someone has found an unconventional application for an element that will do the job, like a minifig battle droid body or some such. i'm using the old style treads and links for a timing belt; i think the newer treads might work better in that capacity, but they're useless to me without the simple link, too. KEvron

has anyone come up with a chain link that's compatible with the newer wide tread? i'd like to mix links with treads, as can be done with the old style treads and links. ya' think lego will eventually introduce a new link design, one compatible with the new treads? KEvron

thanks, folks. i broke from my purist tradition by adding the brass tube. Jaco4001 designed a striking train wherein even the bell is lego: KEvron

for your consideration: KEvron

the new brick seperator has an axle remover built into it. i haven't used it myself; doesn't look particularly ergo, but it's there. KEvron

say, isn't that DLuders on the cover? KEvron

it's a behemoth! KEvron

you'll be the first to know. but now that i take another look at it, it would seem that the connectors do, indeed, prevent slippage. KEvron

uh, i may be wrong but i'm pretty sure it's the 32291 connectors that are make contact with the gear. possibly, but the connectors would have to be spaced appropriately for the chosen gear size. let me correct myself: the spacing would remain the same regardless of the gear size, but i believe a 16t gear would present a radius too small to accomodate the connector. KEvron