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In lugnet.technic, Kevin L. Clague wrote:
> <snip>
>
> > I'd like to write a book on Lego pneumatics - I have a few ideas already sorted
> > into chapters, such as basics, building blocks and example systems.
> >
> > Mark Bellis
>
> Hi Mark,
> I've thought about this in the past, and ruled it out because it is such a
> specialty. Do you think there is a big enough market to justify a book on this
> topic?
>
> Kevin
Well, there are books about Lego Mindstorms and now a book about Lego trains,
both by AFOLs, so I don't see why not. Chapters may look like this:
1. Basics. Components and simple system.
2. Larger basic systems, up to Backhoe Loader complexity.
3. Building blocks. The concept of cylinders driving switches. Flip-Flop,
OR/NOR/AND/NAND gate, XOR/XNOR gate.
4. using the building blocks. steam engine. parity checker. self-centring
pneumatic steering (for JCBs etc...)
5. Pick and place robot (9 switches, 8 cylinders), including extended flip-flop,
XOR gate and enabling logic for 4 functions with 10-step cycle.
6. Octopus arm that does four functions then reverses them. 4 switches on arm
and 24 switches on 32x32 logic board!
7. Modular 6-legged robot. Each leg moves individually forwards then all 6 move
back together. Logic has 6 identical modules and 1 reverser module. Total 44
switches.
In a book we could only put in example systems, with the aim of getting users to
experiment. However, the investment in tens of Backhoe Loaders would be
prohibitive (except on 3 for 2 at Toys R Us in the UK!)
The ideas book 8889 had a number of pneumatic models in it, as well as a car
assembly line that very few people would have had enough parts to build, so it's
allowed!
I think one place where people say Jake's train book has fallen down is that the
instructions for models require specific parts that are hard to obtain in the
colour used in the book. With pneumatic parts, the beams etc... can be any
colour, and the cost is no more prohibitive than for the ideas I'd put in a
trains book of my own! The only specialist parts are all in one set, other than
a £20 car tyre air compressor when you get into repeated cycles of movement!
I think it would be good for us to write books from our areas of expertise, as a
permanent reference for AFOLs and enthusiastic teenagers alike. Perhaps it is
best to collaborate, though the list of complex models in the back would be
huge! If I did go ahead with a book in the next few years, I'd probably let you
write a chapter on Walkers, since you do a lot of those.
Mark
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Message has 2 Replies:
 | | Re: Pneumatics book?
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| (...) That would be my fifth book, and my second that contains pneumatic models. I'd love to do more models based on a single 8455 set. It has enough switches to make a half adder, and some cool walkers. It is a challenge to live within the (...) (20 years ago, 9-Apr-04, to lugnet.technic, lugnet.books)
| | | Re: Pneumatics book?
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| (...) Mark, I think the subject of pneumatic sequencing is strong enough to stand by itself as a chapter. Feel free to read my writeup on the subject (URL) (...) (20 years ago, 9-Apr-04, to lugnet.technic, lugnet.books)
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