| |
In lugnet.technic, Mark Bellis wrote:
> 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.
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
inventory of a given set, but it can really get the creative juices going.
I've done two electromagnetic calculators (one is already in a book), and two
kinds of reversible pneumatic engines. I'm just indicating that I do more than
pneumatic walkers.
>
> Mark
Kevin
|
|
Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: Pneumatics book?
|
| (...) Yes, I just noticed that it was one of your specialities - obvious due to the picture on the Technic newsgroup page. I also major in trains, which take a lot of time, so I haven't had time to develop pneumatics much for a few years. However, (...) (21 years ago, 9-Apr-04, to lugnet.technic, lugnet.books)
|
Message is in Reply To:
| | Pneumatics book?
|
| (...) 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 (...) (21 years ago, 8-Apr-04, to lugnet.technic, lugnet.books)
|
38 Messages in This Thread:
 
 
- Entire Thread on One Page:
- Nested:
All | Brief | Compact | Dots
Linear:
All | Brief | Compact
This Message and its Replies on One Page:
- Nested:
All | Brief | Compact | Dots
Linear:
All | Brief | Compact
|
|
|
|
