[GBC] Akiyuki Ball Factory

[Berthil]

The BI is indeed crowded. I recommend to line up all the bricks in every step on the table and continu when all are in the build.

Sorry but I'm not putting the Stud.io out there for everyone who wants it, including commercial clone builders even if there is only a small chance they will copy. It's not only months of work on the digital structure but also on all building steps and views in the building instruction.

[rskamen]

4 hours ago, Berthil said:

The BI is indeed crowded. I recommend to line up all the bricks in every step on the table and continu when all are in the build.

Sorry but I'm not putting the Stud.io out there for everyone who wants it, including commercial clone builders even if there is only a small chance they will copy. It's not only months of work on the digital structure but also on all building steps and views in the building instruction.

Being relatively new to Lego building, I was not even aware of the concerns regarding making the model available for Stud.io. I absolutely understand and fully support your decisions. Thank you for enlightening me. I will just build slowly, methodically, and very carefully. I actually do lay out all bricks in advance of every step. With my very large monitor, and enlarging the instructions, I have no doubt I will end up with a perfect clone of your masterpiece of engineering.

[Ankoku]

This is one of the more famous MOCs that LEPIN stole:

They lost a copyright trial brought by LEGO:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-42275566

and recently got arrested:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-48076505

But there will be more of them.

Also, you get those who just sell stolen instructions etc. on eBay.

[rskamen]

@Ankoku Point well taken. I just wasn't aware of the issues. I am learning!

 

[t0mster]

Hi Berhil,

I decided to go all "DBG". Recieved some large brickink orders today. Most importend where de axle L4 to finish the large wheel.
The instructions uses L15 liftarms to support the wheel, but i think they should be L13

I still need to order L16 / L14 / L12 beams and lots of tiles (the most expensive parts). Just to get my wife not 'too angry' i will order those next month ;)

 

[Berthil]

@t0mster I feel stupid, you are right. In fact the whole wheel was 2 pinholes too far up because of the L15 Liftarms. Parts list adjusted and new BI Part 4 will uploaded within the next hour.

My computer is busy generating a 20 second movie with Stud.io where the Ball Factory is assembled through 1200 rendered frames.
92 hours passed of an estimated 404 hours. I guess this movie will have the Wheel error :)

Ik like black and have many modules in black. But for the Ball Factory DBG is also the right color for me. I really like it with the yellow and black elements and for viewers the moving parts will be better visible. Tiles you could do later although some spots are hard to reach afterwards. A good argument for your wife can be that all kids in the house are happy with what you are doing :)

Edited May 21, 2019 by Berthil

[t0mster]

3 minutes ago, Berthil said:

@t0mster I feel stupid, you are right. In fact the whole wheel was 2 pinholes too far up because of the L15 Liftarms. Parts list adjusted and new BI Part 4 will uploaded within the next hour.

My computer is busy generating a 20 second movie with Stud.io where the Ball Factory is assembled through 1200 rendered frames.
92 hours passed of an estimated 404 hours. I guess this movie will have the Wheel error :)

Ik like black and have many modules in black. But for the Ball Factory DBG is also the right color for me. I really like it with the yellow and black elements and for viewers the moving parts will be better visible. Tiles you could do later although some spots are hard to reach afterwards. A good argument for your wife can be that all kids in the house are happy with what you are doing :)

Ahh.. 92 hours of rendering ;). I agree with the black. But i had to tear down the invisable lift for the parts, and i realy also like your design / colors of choice. For the rainbow wave i hade to order some 2x2 blue-ish parts in portugal :)
As far as regarding the kids. My son is getting 6 tomorrow. He is getting his own LEGO. I bought him LEGO BOOST ;) (its like MindStorms for little kids).

For now i got the module working. Thanks again for all the time and effort you put into it. I still got some friction here and there i need to resolve but verry pleased with the result so far

[Berthil]

16 minutes ago, t0mster said:

For the rainbow wave i had to order some 2x2 blue-ish parts in portugal :)

It's hard to get everything perfect :)
The Rainbow Wave ran perfectly for 2 days with the new gearing, didn't stop a ball on the wave once.
In the last hour of the event the XL motor of the Invisible Lift and Rainbow Wave went bust.
Invisible Lift is beautiful, so good choice to keep that one, but after about 50 hours of running it needs a new motor. Rainbow Wave motor lasts about 100 hours.
Ball Factory I don't know yet :)

Congratulations with your son and have fun tomorrow!

Edited May 21, 2019 by Berthil

[Ankoku]

That seems way too long for what it is doing. Feels like I am back in the world of 90s rendering.

[Jonas]

I am still in earlier steps (mainly because of waiting for material), but I want to ask Berthil. Do you have a safety counter-rotation lock (e.g. a ratchet) in the system to prevent wrong direction of the drive (manual or electric)? I know that you have a white clutch gear there but Akiyuki always uses both the clutch and ratchet safety mechanisms together. Maybe, I just have not noticed in your instructions.

[Berthil]

Quickly checked both Akiyuki videos but don't see one where I would expect one. I don't have a ratchet in. Only possible location would be above the upper 24t gear (above the clutch gear) I guess. Let me see if I can add one although I've noticed clutch gear is sufficient when turning the wrong way.

Edit, rachet done and BI and parts list updated.

Edited May 22, 2019 by Berthil
Ratchet done.

[rskamen]

I have more than half the parts in a box for the Invisible Lift in DBG and Black. Since @Berthil speaks so highly of the module, I will eventually build it. I have a complete working Version 2 Ball Factory in RED (see my earlier post with photo). Do I use the parts from the Invisible Lift and keep adding in order to make Ball Factory Version 3? Do I use a combination of RED, DBG and Black (dismantling Version 2) Or, Just do each as a standalone module in the correct colors - thus leaving my Version 2 intact? Early on I was given advice to build in DBG, LBG and Black, making it easier to reuse parts. I built my Version 2 in RED because my grandchildren had tons of RED bricks and components that I managed to "borrow" from them:) So far great job by everyone in finding minor issues, and by Berthil for keeping up with the changes to the BI and parts list.

[Ankoku]

I don't believe the ratchet was a thing in Akiyuki modules until 2013. I could be wrong, but the first sign of it I have seen is in the Lifter triggered by a stuck ball.

[Jonas]

7 hours ago, Berthil said:

rachet done and BI and parts list updated.

Well done. It may help some users to prevent a frequent source of frustration.

One more question. In the inventory there are 2 types of technic 1x2 brick with axlehole 32064a and b. Are both needed and can they be distinguished in the instructions? The same question applies also to two types of 8t gears (3647 and 10928). I remember why they were needed in the older version, but now?

Sorry for my questions and comments. But I am sure that your excellent instructions will be followed by many builders and some may be without previous experience.

[Ankoku]

[dunes]

@Berthil did U change something on the timer chains part ?

cos in Part3 in Step 308 and 314  U have on both sides of Technic Axle and Pin Connector Angled #2 - 180° a thin 3L Technic Beam, but in your presentation video only the right side has one.

atm possible to push back but the front chain cant pass the beam without extra force.

[Jonas]

39 minutes ago, Ankoku said:

My question was .... can they be distinguished in the instructions? 

[Ankoku]

Yeah, I just posted the image, as I had to look up what the brick number related to. Since I had to do that, other would to. So the BrickLink image seemed handy.

Obviously, I have no clue as to the answer.

[Berthil]

3 hours ago, Jonas said:

Well done. It may help some users to prevent a frequent source of frustration.

One more question. In the inventory there are 2 types of technic 1x2 brick with axlehole 32064a and b. Are both needed and can they be distinguished in the instructions? The same question applies also to two types of 8t gears (3647 and 10928). I remember why they were needed in the older version, but now?

Sorry for my questions and comments. But I am sure that your excellent instructions will be followed by many builders and some may be without previous experience.

The axle hole brick shouldn't matter which one is used. I'll check and adjust the parts list so all are newer type a. Instructions do not show which one to use. 8t gear should be of newer type 2.

The 1 x 3 thin liftarm shouldn't be there on both sliders so leave them out, I checked in my build.

Parts list and BI Part 3 have been updated, thanks again for the feedback!

Edited May 22, 2019 by Berthil
Updates done.

[dunes]

Built is finished. Nothing fine tuned yet.

This was by far my most complex technic built ever. Had fun and was really exhausting.

And to quote @Berthil "Check your axles" This is the most important thing here.

[Berthil]

@dunes looks promising! :)
I only see a movement of the bucket emptier when it is up and left timer of the bucket shifter that need attention.
Other than that just check all amplitudes so that nothing is pushing against a 'stop'.
The manual crank should run almost without any resistance, movements of most 'resistance' there are in fact lifting up the bucket emptier and rotating the wheel. 

Edited May 23, 2019 by Berthil

[Jonas]

Berthil, I hope you do not mind my frequent comments. If yes, just stop me.

Most of us who were building the previous version remember the problem of paired u-joints. In the instructions, you have two places where u-joints appear in pairs. It should be nice if you show the correct pairing in a detailed picture. It seems to me that the pairing depicted in step 13 is not the correct one. That in step 319 is OK. Anyway, a detailed picture (or a text notice) should help a builder. 

[Berthil]

@Jonas no problem. The paired u-joints is because Stud.io cannot bend them so they need to be added in their three separate components to get them in the right position. I will check the BI and put some text and/or image in to make clear the three parts is one u-joint.

[Jonas]

Perfect.

What I mean is the parallel (also called in-line) vs. perpendicular alignment of two u-joints on a common axle. The former is correct, the latter causes unwanted wobbling. There was a thread about it.

[Berthil]

Ah yes, I remember. Actually step 13 is correct when it comes to alternate pairing of the u-joints as I am aware of the effect it can have, have a closer look :)
But I will make a text remark anyway so builders are also aware, thanks.