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Subject: 
Re: Lego AT-AT
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.starwars
Date: 
Tue, 5 Dec 2000 21:12:35 GMT
Viewed: 
1063 times
  
In lugnet.starwars, Jason J. Railton writes:
In lugnet.starwars, David Eaton writes:
http://www.suave.net/~dave/images/atat/ref/

Great pictures Dave!  I might crib from them a bit too.  Where did that
model come from?

Actually, I don't remember any more... I found those back when I was looking
for AT-AT pictures online to help with the details and saved 'em for
reference...

Having built two AT-ATs myself (now working on a third version),

Yep, the one on my site is my 3rd, I'm now working on a 4th :)

I can say
the feet are the hardest part - two concentric circles, and the rolling
joint on top is just insane.  I just cop out and use square feet with slopes
for toes.  However, since I've got more inverted grey slopes than regular
ones, I build the feet upside-down.

I tried several techniques to make the feet as accurate as possible yet
still look curved. For a while I was using the 5x5 grey brackets (12 per
foot) and 3x3 brackets (4 per foot), but that looked a little too octagonal
for me, so I've modified the foot yet again... see
http://www.suave.net/~dave/atat/dat/ for DAT's on how I made my new foot
design... Shaun's foot design looks really great too.. I think it used 12
3x3 brackets? I forget...

As for the rest of it, it's just a case of how accurate you intend to be.
The real problem with Star Wars vehicles is that there are no right angles.
So, if you want an accurate model, you need to devise some ingenious ways of
joining walls together.  You can build it all in bricks, but I prefer to use
plates for the sides.  They're easier to fit at strange angles, lighter, and
save a lot on bricks.  However, they can make the model a bit flimsy.

Yeah, that was the hardest part for me-- figuring out how to get a system
that allowed for odd angles (as many as possible) and yet still be accurate,
look at least somewhat good, be as sturdy as possible, and not sacrifice
interior space...

You'll have to sacrifice some detail on the head - it's just a question of
how much.  And as for the neck - improvise with whatever comes to hand really.

That's been the thing that I'd most like to see of Shaun's design. I came up
with a few ways to do it, but none of them worked while still being poseable
(or I didn't have the parts), but Shaun's neck design was (by his account) a
latticework of technic beams with friction pegs such that if one moved, ALL
would have to move, and thus kept enough friction  to support the head...
Not sure if it'd work with my larger head design, but I could never quite
figure out exactly how it worked to try... I have thought about trying a
flex system, however...

That only leaves the walking mechanism - you were planning to make it walk
weren't you?  :)

I'm almost sure that a minifig scale AT-AT made out of Lego could NOT walk
the way it's 'intended' to. The problem being that I estimated that you'd
need 7 different sets of pneumatic pumps, and 16 different timing mechanisms
tied into the 7 sets of pumps, since no other all-lego joint seems to be
capable of supporting the full weight of the body at the angles it needs
to... (that's without automating the ankle joints [ugh! just leave that to
gravity]) Although it may be possible without a detailed interior-- just
filled with motors/mindstorms bricks/motors/pistons/pumps, etc.

Anyway, it'd border on plain silly, I think... :(

DaveE



Message has 2 Replies:
  Re: Lego AT-AT
 
(...) I'm 99% sure it's a buildup of the ERTL off-the-shelf model kit. NOT the motorized walking one, the normal one. Unfortunately, my favorite modelling website has neither photos nor reviews of the ERTL kit. eric (24 years ago, 5-Dec-00, to lugnet.starwars)
  Re: Lego AT-AT
 
(...) Well, I don't have any of these corner brackets (I missed out on the whole grey castle theme), and I don't fancy buying 12 Castle Expansion Packs just for these parts - though your angle arches are a nice touch. I've just had a thought (...) (24 years ago, 7-Dec-00, to lugnet.starwars)

Message is in Reply To:
  Re: Lego AT-AT
 
(...) Great pictures Dave! I might crib from them a bit too. Where did that model come from? Having built two AT-ATs myself (now working on a third version), I can say the feet are the hardest part - two concentric circles, and the rolling joint on (...) (24 years ago, 5-Dec-00, to lugnet.starwars)

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