Subject:
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Re: Review of my Znap experience
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.znap, lugnet.general
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Date:
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Tue, 2 May 2000 04:31:26 GMT
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Viewed:
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193 times
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If you're interested in one way to connect LEGO bricks / beams with
hub & spoke toys (K'NeX specifically), you can check out my website:
http://www.sploids.com.
In lugnet.znap, Charles Eric McCarthy writes:
> This message contains a review of my experience with Znap
> as well as some thoughts on the meaning of "Lego".
>
> I bought 4 Znap sets:
> 3551 $10
> 3552 $20
> 3571 $20
> 3591 $30
>
> I built one model from each of the sets, I modified a couple of the models
> to see how easy it would be to do so, and I connected some of the models
> to Lego [1] constructions to see how to do that.
>
>
> The structural pieces are mainly:
>
> (1) beams of various shapes that have cubical sockets on their ends, and
> (2) connector pieces that have either 2 or 4 cubical balls that fit
> into the sockets on the beams. You can also put a 2-end connector into
> a 4-end connector to make a 6-end connector.
>
> To envision this, you can imagine a bunch of 6-end connectors and a bunch
> of linear beams of the same length, and put them together to make a
> 3-dimensional rectilinear lattice.
>
> The beams come in various lengths, and also 2-dimensional shapes such as
> triangles and rectangles. Along the length of the beams there are holes
> just like Technic beam holes that a Technic pin fits in.
>
>
> Comparison with Knex:
>
> Knex has connectors that let you connect beams at 45-degree angles,
> not just at 90-degree angles. This is a big advantage, in my opinion.
> Knex lets you get 14 beams coming out of a connector to Znap's 6.
> Znap instead gets the intermediate angles using triangular panels.
>
> Also, Knex connectors are mostly larger and the beams smaller, so
> it is easier to disassemble. My experience in disassembling Znap
> matches what Larry P. has reported, that it causes finger soreness.
> I have also gotten finger soreness from disassembling Knex, but
> not as quickly.
>
> The fact that the Znap beams have Technic-sized holes is an advantage
> over Knex. But they don't make very good use of that advantage
> because they leave out a critical piece: a connector/Technic-pin. I.e.,
> a piece with a cubical connector on one end and a Technic pin on the other.
> At one point I wanted to modify a Znap construction to add some
> arched beams. One end of the arched beam fit onto a connector nicely,
> but the other end was right next to a Technic hole on another beam.
> How do I attach them? I couldn't see any way to do so.
>
>
> Interface with Lego [1]:
>
> Znap is like some of the newer Technic sets in that it has no studs.
> I shun those sets for that reason, and I feel the same about Znap.
> It is even harder to fill in the space between Znap beams with Lego
> than it is to fill in the space between Technic beams.
> Really the only robust way to connect Znap to Lego is by using
> the Lego bricks with Technic pins on them [2], and plugging those
> pins into the holes along the length of the Znap beams.
>
> I made a setup using 10 baseplates. On top of the baseplates
> I put 2x2 tiles with vertical technic pins sticking up from their
> middles. Then I put Znap beams on the pins. They fit, but barely,
> and the dimensions were slightly off. The baseplates curved up some
> on the edges when everything was snapped together. I was surprised
> that they didn't get this right.
>
>
> Other observations:
>
> Znap is reasonably priced in TRU in the USA. However, when you
> compare Znap to Knex sets, I think they are about the same value.
> The fact that the regular Lego motor is so expensive to begin with
> makes Znap seem like a better bargain than it really is.
>
> The Znap instruction sets / idea books are thick. I liked the
> variety of models shown, and some of the models were very clever. I
> especially liked the rocking ducky model in 3552 and the train model
> in 3591. (The train model is what spurred me to connect the beams
> to baseplates because the track kept sliding around as the train
> went around it.) There were a few errors in the instructions, like
> the arrows showing the motor being inserted into the motor housing
> in the wrong direction or the gear going into the wrong hole.
> However, no errors causing me to have to undo previous steps.
> I disliked the Znap wheelhead mascot (you've got to see it
> to know what I'm talking about). Overall, I think the books were
> well done.
>
>
> My philosophy on Lego [1] purity:
>
> Personally I am not a Lego purist. However, I like to define my terms
> carefully. If I had a setup with Lego and Znap in it I would
> not call it a "pure Lego" setup. Znap is just too different from Lego.
> Similarly, if TLC (The Lego Company) bought Knex and put their own
> brand on the Knex sets, and maybe added a few connector pieces that
> have stud sockets on the bottom and Knex connectors on the top,
> then if I had a setup with Lego and Knex in it I would also not
> call it a pure Lego setup.
>
>
> Footnotes:
>
> [1] By "Lego", I mean the Lego brick building system. I do not mean
> the Lego company, and I do not mean the Lego brand name.
> What I love is the Lego brick building system, not the brand.
> I dislike the fact that the Lego company is diluting their
> identification with the brick by putting the Lego name on the
> "Lego Friends" CD. Because of my personal opinion about this,
> I use "Lego" to mean "the Lego brick building system" or
> to mean "Lego bricks".
>
> [2] Some of the Lego bricks that have Technic pins on them include:
> * 2x4 bricks with wheel hub technic pins on both sides
> * 2x2 bricks with wheel hub technic pins on both sides
> * 2x2 bricks with a wheel hub or propellor hub on one side
> * 2x2 tiles with a technic pin or helicopter hub sticking
> straight up from the center top
> * 2x2 plates with a technic pin sticking straight down from the
> center bottom.
>
> /Eric McCarthy/
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Message is in Reply To:
 | | Review of my Znap experience
|
| This message contains a review of my experience with Znap as well as some thoughts on the meaning of "Lego". I bought 4 Znap sets: 3551 $10 3552 $20 3571 $20 3591 $30 I built one model from each of the sets, I modified a couple of the models to see (...) (26 years ago, 28-Apr-00, to lugnet.znap, lugnet.general) !
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