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Phoxtane

Eurobricks Knights
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Everything posted by Phoxtane

  1. Phoxtane
    That, and for whatever reason, they don't want to stick to this battery box. I actually got all of my 791 reddish brown 1x4 tiles off the PAB wall! As for the tiles, I got 60 of them at ~8 cents apiece piggybacked on this order. It's been recommended to me by my LUG that if the store I order from has parts I'll need later at reasonable prices, I get at least some (if not all) of those parts and slowly build up my collection of them that way.
  2. Phoxtane
    Also known as 'coal-rollers' (from the black smoke that comes out of the stacks coming through the cargo bed floor) - a common sight in my town unfortunately. There's a technical school for engine mechanics in town and so there's plenty of idiots with diesel pickups who mod it at that school's workshop and then try and drag race each other up and down the main street of town. They can't drive properly either. A kid on a bike nearly got killed because some dumbf*** with a lifted truck couldn't see in front of his hood and wasn't paying attention when the kid was crossing the street in front of him. Hell, there was even a fight in the high school parking lot between the owner of one of these trucks and a couple of other people. I guess they had moved up from the South that year and were flying dual Confederate flags quite proudly off their smokestacks? They don't put those flags on anymore because the school finally forced them to change it. The best bit is that literally everyone in town dislikes those trucks and their owners just as much as I do, and for good reason, considering how much trouble they get up to... at least in my Lego city, I can enforce emissions and noise standards as strictly as I please, with whatever double standards I want (yes to supercars, no to coal-rollers!).
  3. Phoxtane
    Friday update! Parts arrived from my Bricklink order. It went very well for the first order I made on Bricklink. The brown tiles aren't going to be used in this model specifically, but they'll be going on the outside edges of the track pieces that I've already added 1x4 brown tiles to in order to finish the effect. I started building up the bodywork in order to get a better idea of what my next moves will be. I think I'm going to be building up the bodywork with entirely basic bricks to get the shape right, then strategically disassemble it and add texture as a second step. I'm continuing to shamelessly borrow build methods from legoman666 as they just work so well I think from here it's a straight shot to the end - the only complex parts after this stage is completing the windscreen, inserting the IR receiver into the wide vents at the back, and dealing with how the PF connector wants to attach to the battery box. Since the cable wants to head straight out from the connector, it runs almost directly into the space where the pieces that would go across the top of the battery box would go, and I can't necessarily bend the cable so sharply without damaging it. I'll have to be clever with more sideways tiles to give it space to bend properly.
  4. Phoxtane
    I feel like the traditional loop that many people use in their layouts is great for saving space and defining the 'edge' of a layout, but I feel like having a 'mountain' style route like you describe here would look quite good if you leveraged all the extra space you'd gain in the center - assuming it's laid out with the return loops at the end and the main track paralleling itself - by placing forests, fields, small towns, etc, with a yard at one end of the loop turning into an industrial park. Hmm. Now I've got ideas.
  5. Phoxtane
    I figure there's nothing like a genuine, bonafide, electrified six-car monorail (What'd I say?). On the other hand, it'd be bound to be more expensive and less popular than Trains already is, and we all know that Trains isn't the most popular Lego theme...
  6. Phoxtane
    The actual silos could be built with blue 1x2 bricks stacked on top of each other and bent into a circle shape. I'm not sure what diameter a cylinder you'd get from that, but it's a possibility.
  7. Phoxtane
    I suspect it's more like this:
  8. Phoxtane
    I'm totally stealing that windscreen design. I'll probably steal some other design elements, there's some real fancy stuff going on here!
  9. Phoxtane
    I've got some bricks and tiles that have been in my collection for a while and are starting to really show the wear and tear. I know there's a method of restoring the shine and transparency to old transparent bricks, but I'm curious about the traditional non-transparent pieces.. You know how when you open up a new set, and the tiles and bricks are smooth to the touch, and glossy, and are just pleasant to the touch overall? That's what I'd like to return my pieces to. My question, therefore, is: Is there a method of returning the glossy, smooth, 'new' feel to used bricks? (Let's assume the pieces in question have been cleaned of dust, etc. beforehand, and aren't covered in tooth marks or bent/dented corners.) In particular, tiles are notorious for this, as they have this large smooth surface that's just perfect for attracting the micro-scratches. I suspect at least some of the loss of 'new feel' comes from the oil in our fingers, so whatever method used would be temporary - but that's perfect for taking final pictures (you'd just have to wear gloves and be willing to put in that extra bit of time to keep your model nice for the photo shoot). Anyone got a method for this?
  10. Phoxtane
    I figured it was because you could route it pretty much anywhere with little trouble and it was easier to seal against leakage than pneumatics?
  11. Phoxtane
    I would buy this. What set did the large blue slope pieces that feature at the front of the train come from?
  12. Phoxtane
    Time for an update on this Good Friday. Currently the frame is composed - lengthwise - of two 2x16 plates and a 1x8 plate for a total of forty studs. Add to that the ~5-6 studs extra that each wheelset provides and I end up with a total length of ~50-52 studs (I'm lazy and far too comfortable sitting here to get up and verify, but whatever). I'm pretty sure that's within scale for a traditional North American locomotive built in 7-wide, but I'd like some confirmation on that. Either way, it makes the Maersk look small, and the BNSF and my Retro-Futuristic Style Locomotive look silly in comparison. Secondly, I'm at a bit of an impasse over how I ought to build the fuel tank. It'll take up the position currently occupied by the dark blue-gray 2x16 plate in the image below. If we look at the image that I posted earlier in this thread, you'll see how the fuel tank on the original looks. Here I have a small test build that has the three different ways I've looked at how to build the fuel tank. In the first image, from left to right, I'm using part #92946, part #11477, and cheese slopes to get the shape of the fuel tank. There's pros and cons to all three methods. Using #92946 gives me a more aggressive slope, but I have to true them up in the back with a long plate to keep them from going crooked. Part #11477 is pretty much the same, but without the slope and I lose the two-wide tile space. Cheese slopes are the most accessible option as I don't think I would have to get more of them right now, and the whole assembly can be made a bit thinner, but the slope isn't as steep or noticeable. Currently I think the cheese is the best option, without having to buy parts and still maintain the angular look. Thoughts? Any more progress on this model is going to have to be halted until I make a Bricklink order to get some more pieces that I'll need. I need to raise the nose from its current height (for the red section) from 4 bricks and one plate tall to a nice round 5 bricks tall, and get the large slopes I need for the stripe along the side to really make noticeable, update-worthy progress. I also need to update the digital version to the current state of completion. Finally; I feel as if this thread has outgrown its original purpose and that this model deserves its own WIP, as my posts tend to be lengthy and riddled full of images. I suspect I know what the answer is, but recommendations on this would be useful.
  13. Phoxtane
    Fair point; I only ever see two kids and one beleaguered parent who grabs a small cup and helps the toddlers pack it with about half random basic bricks and half (empty) window frames. The kids love it though and actively select parts that they want in the cup. My store is a two hour drive away over relatively boring terrain (Wyoming!) and has a relatively small wall, maybe 90 bubbles. So it's kind of a big issue for me when I can only go three or four times a year, max!
  14. Phoxtane
    Ugghhhh. Why? Literally nobody asked for models on the PaB wall - that's what the rest of the store is for. I'm sure little Timmy would just love the basic blocky airplane when he's seen the strategically placed Ninjago sets on his way towards the back wall. And, if for whatever reason little Timmy or Mr. and Mrs. Timmy's Parents don't grab enough of the right part, or grab the wrong parts all together, then the whole thing's ruined. Unless, they're going to make the people working the registers check each one of these that comes through. I doubt this is the case, given that it'd add far too much time for a purchase to go through and keep the lines stupidly long...
  15. Phoxtane
    Amateurs, all of you... [silly images have been hidden in spoilers so mods don't get too fussy!] AT LEAST DisneyTMTMTM NOW HAS STAR TREK MAYBE THEN WE WILL SEE BUZZ LIGHTYWAR IN STAR TREK???? If YOU WANT A FIGHT THEN YOU HCAN HAVE ONE i wil
  16. Phoxtane
    How big of a cap do you have installed in the CSX?
  17. Phoxtane
    If you already have a wheelset assembled - that is, the base, axle, and wheels all together - you could measure the diameter of the axles with some calipers, or take it to a hardware store to see if they have something that matches.
  18. Phoxtane
    Agree; as far as I know, there's no corresponding inverse slope, or at least one that can be manipulated to created an inverse slope without jaggedness either. Given that I'm playing with the color scheme anyway, I think having the sloped white stripe at a different angle will be fine.
  19. Phoxtane
    A print/graphics shop in town may be more than happy to do whatever stickers you'd want - for a reasonable fee, of course.
  20. Phoxtane
    When I said tomorrow, I really meant Friday, because normal people tend to frown upon having to listen to the wonderful sound of pieces being shuffled around constantly while trying to study, and as such the Lego lives on a different side of town that I do. I'm using 1x1 Technic bricks as the main attachments for the battery box; they're spaced out by 1/2 a stud via half-width 5L beams and the 1.5L Technic pins. The whole assembly sits on top of the frame. The tiles that act as the paneling that hides the battery box are attached via the method shown in my previous post, and that assembly connects to underneath the brackets that the fuel tank will be built on. The front half of the frame is constructed primarily of 2x16 plates; given that this leads to a weird gap that I have no use for, I feel like it'll keep things proportional if I replace them with 2x14 plates, keeping the front and back half of the locomotive the same length. Unfortunately, I'm already using my only two 2x14 plates in black in the *back* half of the frame. I've started compiling a list for a Bricklink order, which will be my first, so that I can continue this build. Eliminating the extra two studs from the front end will help keep things from sagging (I already tried an underwire, it just didn't fit right) and stiffen up the frame as a whole. At this point the mechanics and sizing look to be appropriate, so I'll move on to the hard part: bodywork. Since this is at least loosely based on the Canadian National color scheme, I'll be brick-building an angled white stripe down the side. While legoman666 built his at the correct 45 degree angle that's present on the prototype, I'll be using the 75 degree 1x2x3 slopes in red and white to keep the edges clean. I'll also take some liberties with the fuel tank, and build it in dark blue-gray like the decoration on the trucks to break up the black, as well as incorporate an extra white stripe along the top in order to add some more color to a fairly boring section of the locomotive. I'm also debating whether or not to use yellow 'robot arms' as the railing's vertical supports or the traditional black ones (I suspect this will come down to price).
  21. Phoxtane
    Evidently attaching pieces to the model is the difficult part, as opposed to building them: I'll have to tackle this tomorrow, as I can't just be lazy and stack it on top of the frame without any supports - it falls through otherwise. I do feel smart for having realized that building the base in this manner, rather than using a 2x4 and the brackets, leads to something that's just the right size rather than being a bit too big! Maybe lengthening the base and using more brackets to hook into the frame elsewhere is the way to go, but right now I'm too tired to want to figure that out.
  22. Phoxtane
    So far the redux seems to be turning out all right, but I'm stuck on a slightly tricky bit: I'll adjust the proportions afterwards, but what I need to do is mount the battery box in the frame in such a way that all I have to do is slap some tiles over the sides, keeping the body 5-wide. I can utilize the fact that the frame was built in two sections by building a sort of slot out of the frame with 1x(whatever) plates, giving the battery box room to slide through, but I'm not entirely sure how to connect the battery box to the frame and still allow a way to cover up the sides of the battery box. Obviously, I'll cover up whatever is dangling below the frame with the fuel tank, but it's more about the body above the frame that's giving me trouble. I'm trying to do a Canadian National color scheme, which involves a large white line passing between the black and the red at an angle, similar to the side of the Maersk train. I don't have the ability to make stickers like that, and the SNOTed 1x4 wing plates look off. I do have 1x2x3 slopes in white, but I don't have them in red, or their reverses in white that would enable me to do this in a simple manner. Any thoughts on how to brick-build that in? I'm using this image as a color reference:
  23. Phoxtane
    I should probably clarify: the polarity switch acts as an extension lead because the motor on the far end is just a few studs too far away to plug in directly. The switch is a bonus resulting from that. Perhaps I should call it a failed prototype? Either way it wasn't going to get better without excessive amounts of work rebuilding everything, or tearing it down entirely and starting over. I've chosen the second option, as you can see here: Already it's better; rather than transition from 6-wide to 7-wide after moving from the wheelset to the frame, I am transitioning at the interface between the two. The axle connecting the motor to the wheelset is only a 4L, with the only gears being in the truck itself!
  24. Phoxtane
    I'm not nearly as down on this model as it may look like (but thanks anyway ) - it's more like "Well, I just blew the last three days of my spring break for nothing" - and at least I get to keep these lovely trucks: This is actually one of maybe two parts that I'll recycle; it's a successful hybridization of Commander Wolf's wheelset for their model and the truck decorations from legoman666's models. I have no problems with it!
  25. Phoxtane
    4/4/2015, EDIT: This thread has turned into some weird hybrid of a WIP and a 'let's see where I went wrong' thing. I've requested a name change to better reflect that. ~~~ I'm just gonna kill this project now before I regret my decisions: This is what happened when I tried to combine the styling of a 7-wide model from legoman666 ( http://www.eurobrick...howtopic=102535 ) and the mechanics/internal design of an 8-wide model from Commander Wolf ( http://www.eurobrick...howtopic=106654 ). Kudos to both of them for being willing to answer questions via PM, by the way! So, what went wrong? It turns out that you actually need to plan things if you want to do a 7-wide, because there's no good way to try and cram a what I assumed to be 6-wide internal structure into a 7-wide and have anything actually work out right. OH WELL. Could I save this? Maaaaybe, if I was willing to spend way more time than I have on it. Am I going to? Nope. The internal drive system consists of a AA battery box mounted vertically, with two L-motors driving a single four-axle truck each. There's a PF switch crammed in there as an extension lead/motor reversing switch, because I didn't realize until now that the trucks worked against each other if they got turned around by accident. Each drivetrain consists of a 20t bevel driving a 12t bevel, which then drives a series of 12t bevels to bring the power down into the trucks, giving a ratio of 3:5 for in-to-out. If I could somehow lop off everything behind the end of the 6x12 panel and still keep the fancy drivetrain, I'd be happy with the proportions; doesn't look like that's possible, so I'll be moving to a more traditional vertically-mounted motor setup without the extra gears. Maybe losing the extra gears will balance out in that I won't be losing nearly as much power to those gears, so the pulling power and speed will be somewhat similar? On my relatively small test loop, it'll pull five of the six Horizon Express cars (the sixth is the one with the motor and no battery, left out because I already have this engine to test with) plus the two container cars from the Maersk at a reasonable speed. Wheel slippage is definitely a problem, though I suspect it's because all the weight is in the center from the battery box and lack of body structure. The final revision I was envisioning before going to scrap the model would have ended up with the large plates on the side acting as a monocoque skin holding everything together. Leave your ridicule and/or constructive criticism below. Here's a cat picture to make it better:
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