Subject:
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Re: Making Fake Pieces?
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.general
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Date:
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Tue, 9 Nov 1999 04:16:08 GMT
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Viewed:
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930 times
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In lugnet.general, Jamie Obrien writes:
> Hi, i need to use some steel rods (maybe timber) as a main support for
> one of my models. I need to do this for 2 reasons, have very little
> technic pieces, and doubt i could create the strength required anyway.
Another fan of large projects (and there are quite a few these days :)
As a LEGO purist I cannot condone the mutilation of LEGO parts in model
construction, but it is your LEGO, and farbeit for me to tell you what to do
with it. I can offer some alternative suggestions, and as a
structural/construction engineer I can speak with a small amount of
professional backing ;) (sorry to all you guys who hate it when people use the
word "professional" to gain credibility, but I have the honours degree to
prove it ;)
Troy Cefaratti's web page shows a practiacal use of IMHO the strongest
geometric shape there is - the triangle. You could argue that the circle is
stronger, indeed the Romans used the arch - a half circle - in alot of their
construction, mainly because they didn't have the advantage of materials
capable of resisting high tensile forces, something the triangle relies on
amongst other things. Their arches relied on compressive forces of self weight
to help them stand up - but I digress. Anyway, circles rely on hoop stress
transfer, and that's a whole 'nother principal!!
As Troy mentions the easiest way to create large models is to build a frame
from technic beams. You did mention that you were short on beams, and I would
suggest that you invest in some, because they are the easiest way, and can
carry far more weight than you'd think. You can achieve a similar thing by
creating structural walls from basic bricks, much like a brick house, by
overlapping the bricks (so the joint between the bricks is staggered). Walls
can be joined in parallel using struts, or building a perpendicular wall
between them, all the time overlapping the bricks so they lock themselves into
position. Again you'd be surprised at the strength you can achieve. The deeper
the wall (or taller, depending on your perspective) the stronger it is.
I would suggest the technic beam option myself, because I have been able to
build some very large models and cut down significantly on the weight and
parts content by building a technic space frame and "cladding" it with other
pieces.
For long models I typically connect two 1x16 beams longitudinally with a 1x8
beam (I find it stronger than a 1x6 and less obtrusive than a 1x10 or 1x12)
and 4 pins - two each side of the joint. To further strengthen the joint I
"cap" it with a 2x8 plate top and bottom. Some of my models have been up to 20
beams long (that's 320 studs!!)
For wide models I build several long beams and join them with perpendicular
members, again capping the joints with 1xX plates top and bottom. This is
relatively strong, but requires several of these struts to prevent the frame
from skewing ( A square is a portal frame and relies on the rigidity of the
corners to prevent distortion of the basic shape - something LEGO is not
particularly good at as there is some degree of rotation of a 1x1 stud). To
overcome this I generally nest the perpendicular beam against the 1x8 splice
beam, and replace the 2x8 plates with 2x10 plates to help lock it down. You
can create very large, very strong and very light 2 dimensional frames using
this method. Decking it out with 6xX plates creates great floors for large
spaceships (hanger space for a fleet of Eric Kingsley's B-Wings ;)
For tall models I use two beams on top of one another separated by two 1xX
plates to line up the holes of the technic beam which is connected (via pins)
perpendicular and vertically to the two horizontal beams (I hope that made
sense). This allows me to build up and connect to another 2 dimensional frame.
Sometimes I neet to laterally brace the frame using diagonal struts, and if
the long beam is carying a large amount of weight I make a truss frame (like
the old steel railway bridges, or Iron Cove bridge here in Sydney if you are
familiar with it) which is a very economical way of making a strong long-
spanning member.
And I haven't even begun to discuss the uses of the poly-shaped technic
beams!!! The possibilities are endless with them!!!
This is the basics I use, and I use many variations to create different
shapes. I have nearly finished a Carryall (from the PC game Dune2000 - I'm
waiting on some parts I ordered from S@H that have just arrived with my
parents from the US!!! YAY!!!). It is minifig scale and is .75 metres nose to
tail and .75 metres wingtip to wingtip, weighs about 5kgs and can quite
comfortably be picked up by the wingtips ("so what" some might say, but I
think it's an impressive ability). The strength was achieved using a technic
space frame,
> ..., but then how do i disguise the main beam itself.
which is quite easy to disguise using other pieces, and alot easier to
disguise than using non-LEGO parts.
Whew!! I tend to go on a bit about subjects I love (LEGO and structural
engineering). Sorry about that.
If you want you can e-mail me with more information or perhaps a scanned
sketch of your idea, and I could offer some more specific suggestions.
Otherwise, happy building, and keep them big 'uns comin'!
Pete "I looooooooooooooooooooooooooove big LEGO models" Callaway
P.S. You can still get technic beam parts packs from LEGO Australia, or invest
in some technic sets which have a lot of beams in them. I can never have
enough technic beams!!!
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