| |
The tracks from the Snowmobile 8272 and Bulldozer 8275 make a great tunnel mouth
or bridge arch - smoother than using slope bricks.
http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=235901
I've used 27 links at the moment, fixing them twice on each side. The arch as
built fits well over 6-wide, 8-wide or 8mm scale trains, but the size could be
increased if you have a large overhang on a particular MOC.
I intend to try this out as a tunnel mouth and possibly for a viaduct. I think
the links would be reluctant to stretch to an arch of less than 15M wide for 180
degrees curve, but arches of less than 180 degrees curve are possible too,
especially if you use plates modified with clips or bars to attach to the ends
of the links at each side.
This could have many applications, though sadly the links are dark bley only - a
bit more tricky for castle fans.
Mark
|
|
| |
In lugnet.trains, Mark Bellis wrote:
| |
The tracks from the Snowmobile 8272 and Bulldozer 8275 make a great tunnel
mouth or bridge arch - smoother than using slope bricks.
http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=235901
I’ve used 27 links at the moment, fixing them twice on each side. The arch as
built fits well over 6-wide, 8-wide or 8mm scale trains, but the size could be
increased if you have a large overhang on a particular MOC.
I intend to try this out as a tunnel mouth and possibly for a viaduct. I
think the links would be reluctant to stretch to an arch of less than 15M wide
for 180 degrees curve, but arches of less than 180 degrees curve are possible
too, especially if you use plates modified with clips or bars to attach to the
ends of the links at each side.
This could have many applications, though sadly the links are dark bley only -
a bit more tricky for castle fans.
Mark
|
Neat! This would be a great technique for those big metal storm drains:
Marc Nelson Jr.
|
|
| |
In lugnet.trains, Mark Bellis wrote:
> The tracks from the Snowmobile 8272 and Bulldozer 8275 make a great tunnel mouth
> or bridge arch - smoother than using slope bricks.
> http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=235901
>
> I've used 27 links at the moment, fixing them twice on each side. The arch as
> built fits well over 6-wide, 8-wide or 8mm scale trains, but the size could be
> increased if you have a large overhang on a particular MOC.
>
> I intend to try this out as a tunnel mouth and possibly for a viaduct. I think
> the links would be reluctant to stretch to an arch of less than 15M wide for 180
> degrees curve, but arches of less than 180 degrees curve are possible too,
> especially if you use plates modified with clips or bars to attach to the ends
> of the links at each side.
>
> This could have many applications, though sadly the links are dark bley only - a
> bit more tricky for castle fans.
>
> Mark
Very cool, Mark. A really novel use of pieces. I wonder what else they could be
used for.
Tim
|
|
| |
In lugnet.trains, Timothy Gould wrote:
> I wonder what else they could be used for.
34 or more of them can be bent into a complete circle with the treads facing in
this way (the circle maintains near circularity up to about 40-45 links,
depending on how floppy you want it). By supporting it on the outside edges, and
"rolling" it on the driven sprockets, you have a hoop that can rotate in place
(stargate style). With enough treads and those nifty pin holes, you can make a
cylinder about 13 cm across but as long as you like (by stacking identical rings
together), like some sort of horizontal mixing cylinder.
I've played with them for the GBC, but I'm not sure how to use them best yet...
I do think they would be excellent for something like a version of Philo's
hoop-wheel based lift system (possibly stretched into a long upright oval).
Oh, these rings also make for great spiked collar depending on your neck size
:-)
--
Brian Davis
|
|
| |
In lugnet.trains, Brian Davis wrote:
>
> I've played with them for the GBC, but I'm not sure how to use them best yet...
> I do think they would be excellent for something like a version of Philo's
> hoop-wheel based lift system (possibly stretched into a long upright oval).
Maybe also use the pin holes to build an internal spiral? Lift the balls up like
concrete in a concrete mixer.
ROSCO
|
|
| |
In lugnet.trains, Brian Davis wrote:
| |
In lugnet.trains, Timothy Gould wrote:
| |
I wonder what else they could be used for.
|
34 or more of them can be bent into a complete circle with the treads facing
in this way (the circle maintains near circularity up to about 40-45 links,
depending on how floppy you want it). By supporting it on the outside edges,
and “rolling” it on the driven sprockets, you have a hoop that can rotate in
place (stargate style). With enough treads and those nifty pin holes, you can
make a cylinder about 13 cm across but as long as you like (by stacking
identical rings together), like some sort of horizontal mixing cylinder.
I’ve played with them for the GBC, but I’m not sure how to use them best
yet... I do think they would be excellent for something like a version of
Philo’s hoop-wheel based lift system (possibly stretched into a long upright
oval).
Oh, these rings also make for great spiked collar depending on your neck size
:-)
|
I’ve not made very much GBC before but this was such a nice idea that I thought
I’d have a go Brian:
I used 36 tracks with pins on alternate ones to give a maximum 4 balls/second
output. This can be reduced easily to the standard 1 ball/second by removing
pins or reducing the motor belt drive pulley size. It’s great because it’s a
chute that doesn’t clog up. The natural bounce of the track wheel with the
6-tooth sprocket drive prevents clogging. I reduced the inertia of the near
axle by removing the other sprocket and relying on the two pulleys with tyres.
The reservoir will take 80 balls and deliver them with no trouble.
I have a ball lifter device, based on transmission chain links, which would be
ideal as the thing to feed with the output of the track wheel reservoir. It can
add lots of height, so I could then make all kinds of nice stuff for the balls
to fall through (before perhaps delivering them to another module at standard
height).
Gallery when moderated: http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=241800
If you can’t wait for moderation to see the whole gallery, go to this link
http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/mbellis/Technic/GBC/Track-Lift-Reservoir/track_wheel01.jpg
, and change the “01” to any number up to “09”.
Mark
|
|
| |
In lugnet.technic, Mark Bellis wrote:
> I've not made very much GBC before but this
> was such a nice idea that I thought I'd have
> a go Brian
Hey, very nice Mark! Warning, watching those little balls go around and around
in a creation of your own can be... very addictive :-)
> I used 36 tracks with pins on alternate ones
> to give a maximum 4 balls/second output.
Nifty. I wouldn't worry at all about having *too much* throughput; since the
overall rate is 1 bps, the modules upstream of yours will just be feeding yours
at a lower than its maximum rate. That's why the standard is written as being
"at least 1 bps". You could always use something like a flip-flop to split the
stream and even have your module feed part of its output back into itself. I
also suspect you could stretch this vertically into an oval by adding treads.
> It's great because it's a chute that doesn't
> clog up.
That's a rather coveted design charecteristic - "mil spec" modules tends to be
rather uncommon. One thing I can't see (yes, I went the all the deep links) is
how you keep balls from either being dragged under by the descending pins or
other wise "seal" the bottom so balls don't fall in. Or does the track itself
form the bottom of the input hopper system?
> The reservoir will take 80 balls and deliver
> them with no trouble.
That's very good to hear. Perhaps this will end up in a train unloading module
(one of the tougher kind, due to the requirement to handle large pulses of balls
with high reliability). It's kind of neat to see it set up to feed itself as is,
however. Do you have video?
I can't wait to see more :-).
--
Brian Davis
|
|
| |
In lugnet.technic, Mark Bellis wrote:
| |
Gallery when moderated:
http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=241800
|
Very slick, Mark. It is always fun to see something new! I look forward to
seeing it in person in Chicago in June!
Rafe
|
|
| |
Hi Mark,
Nicely done, and welcome to the never ending fun of the GBC!
I’ve been also toying with the idea of using these tracks, and made a module
using them as part of the GBC setup we had at Modelma (a modelism fair here in
Belgium)
Nothing really special; but I wish I had thought about using wheels & tyres as
you did... Using the sprocket wheels only is really making the whole thing jump
a lot. But as long as balls go up, we don’t mind that much :-)
I haven’t taken the time to take pictures of it myself or write a detailed
review, but if you’re interested you can see some pictures of our GBC setup
here:
http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=241721
And a video can be found in this gallery:
http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=241037
I hope you’ll get in the mood of doing more GBC modules... the joy of putting
various people’s modules together and making it all work is really great (and we
don’t have that many yet - I can only dream of what it is with larger numbers)
Jean-Marc
|
|
| |
In lugnet.technic, Brian Davis wrote:
> In lugnet.technic, Mark Bellis wrote:
>
> > I've not made very much GBC before but this
> > was such a nice idea that I thought I'd have
> > a go Brian
>
> Hey, very nice Mark! Warning, watching those little balls go around and around
> in a creation of your own can be... very addictive :-)
Absolutely! :-)
> > I used 36 tracks with pins on alternate ones
> > to give a maximum 4 balls/second output.
>
> Nifty. I wouldn't worry at all about having *too much* throughput; since the
> overall rate is 1 bps, the modules upstream of yours will just be feeding yours
> at a lower than its maximum rate. That's why the standard is written as being
> "at least 1 bps". You could always use something like a flip-flop to split the
> stream and even have your module feed part of its output back into itself. I
> also suspect you could stretch this vertically into an oval by adding treads.
I thought about that when you said so before, but then I thought it was better
to keep the tracks rigid, otherwise the tension might vary in the round ends,
requiring good control of the tracks on the straight part. I guess you'd need
24mm pulleys and tyres on the inside of the oval as well as the outside.
> > It's great because it's a chute that doesn't
> > clog up.
>
> That's a rather coveted design charecteristic - "mil spec" modules tends to be
> rather uncommon. One thing I can't see (yes, I went the all the deep links) is
> how you keep balls from either being dragged under by the descending pins or
> other wise "seal" the bottom so balls don't fall in. Or does the track itself
> form the bottom of the input hopper system?
Yes, the track is the bottom of the reservoir for 5 studs' width, so all the
balls eventually fall onto the track to be sent out.
There are solid walls either side of the track to prevent any balls slipping
past it, but if I lift the track far enough, a ball might drop below it and be a
pain to get out from underneath!
At least footballs are a lot easier to control than 1x1 round plates!
> > The reservoir will take 80 balls and deliver
> > them with no trouble.
>
> That's very good to hear. Perhaps this will end up in a train unloading module
> (one of the tougher kind, due to the requirement to handle large pulses of balls
> with high reliability). It's kind of neat to see it set up to feed itself as is,
> however. Do you have video?
>
> I can't wait to see more :-).
Here's a short video, one of my first having dug out my portable floodlight!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vD7iT_HUn_Y (when moderated)
I didn't venture to walk around with the camera yet. The floodlight casts a
shadow, making the dark side of the model difficult to see anyway. It's hard
enough to remember my commentary for a few seconds - any longer video would
require a script and rehearsals! Still, the result is OK considering it's not a
movie camera.
A couple of other MOC videos are on my YouTube channel:
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=mbellisbrickmocs
Mark
|
|
| |
In lugnet.technic, Jean-Marc Nimal wrote:
I really like the minifig bulldozing the balls off the circular track. It’s very
clever. So is the oil derrick.
I also like the wall you erected around the layout. Every GBC should have one of
those!
In the video what is that wavy red thing made of?
|
|
| |
At 09:38 AM 3/29/07, Jordan Bradford wrote:
> In lugnet.technic, Jean-Marc Nimal wrote:
> > I haven't taken the time to take pictures of it myself or write a detailed
> > review, but if you're interested you can see some pictures of our GBC setup
> > here:
> >
> > <http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=241721>
> >
> > And a video can be found in this gallery:
> > <http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=241037>
>
> I really like the minifig bulldozing the balls off the circular
> track. It's very
> clever. So is the oil derrick.
>
> I also like the wall you erected around the layout. Every GBC should
> have one of
> those!
Jordan,
If you could bring one of those to Brickworld, that would be
great. Thanks. :)
> In the video what is that wavy red thing made of?
Looks like a garage door.
Steve
|
|
| |
In lugnet.technic, Steve Hassenplug wrote:
> At 09:38 AM 3/29/07, Jordan Bradford wrote:
> > In lugnet.technic, Jean-Marc Nimal wrote:
> > > I haven't taken the time to take pictures of it myself or write a detailed
> > > review, but if you're interested you can see some pictures of our GBC setup
> > > here:
> > >
> > > <http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=241721>
> > >
> > > And a video can be found in this gallery:
> > > <http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=241037>
> >
> > I really like the minifig bulldozing the balls off the circular
> > track. It's very
> > clever. So is the oil derrick.
> >
> > I also like the wall you erected around the layout. Every GBC should
> > have one of
> > those!
>
> Jordan,
>
> If you could bring one of those to Brickworld, that would be
> great. Thanks. :)
Well, we could create a GBC wall standard . . . that's a lot of plates I don't
have.
:)
>
>
> > In the video what is that wavy red thing made of?
>
> Looks like a garage door.
>
> Steve
Oh, of course! I didn't think of those.
|
|
|
