Exo-Force Mobile Command Center

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For some time I've wanted to try and use the rather big and odd orange elements in the Sentai Headquarters set 7709.

http://brickset.com/detail.aspx?Set=7709-1

First I found a neat way to put two of the long sloped elements together to form a leg, using 180 degree Snot.

http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=45301

To do that I use some plates (one 2x6 one 2x8), two 2x4 plates with holes, two bushings and some 1x2 bricks with knobs on both sides ( http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=52107 ). The gap between the the orange leg elements are the with of the flange on the technic bushings. But although there is a gap, the construction is very sturdy.

Then I made a beam of bricks, plates and rotational click joints, that fits straigth through the odd orange element:

http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=52041

These two rather sturdy constructions forms the legs of the mech I ended up building, the Exo-Force Mobile Command Center. Here a wide angle view from the front, looking up under the mech.

Now I tried different designs that could be used with these legs, with the limited elements of orange I got, using the big orange aeroplane parts from Mobile Defense Tank 7706:

http://brickset.com/detail.aspx?Set=7706-1

Here a wide angle view from above the mech, where the pilot is seen sitting in the cockpit, and a 6 barreled turret is seen above the main body of the mech.

Here a side view of the mech:

Finally a view of the control room, with monitoring gear, hand weapons and the six Exo-Force characters.

Now I really like the legs of this mech, and considered using six legs for a mech, as it would resemble an insect much more. Six legs would sort a big problem with this mech, which is that the rotational click joints ( http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=48170 ) are not up to the weight of this mech. The legs can't be spread much more than shown in the pictures, before they collapse, and the body hits the ground.

Another solution would be to use double-joints, but that would rather look clumsy on these legs. I think that in the coming weeks I will try and do a complete redesign, with six legs and a much lighter body on the mech, which on this my first attempt, is rather heavy.

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[Dude]

Bravo. Well done!

[Rayskull]

Big and Bold, reminds me of a certain gobots command center

[Zorro]

Very nice creation Front! Please keep up the good work,it seems a bit crowded inside though, but that doesnt do much to the fact this is such a good MOC!

A big from me.

[Iron Moose]

That first shot reminded me of Cloverfield...

[Dr. X]

Wow.. very nice! Best Exo-Force-related thing I've ever seen!

[Guss]

such a wonderful spider-transport-mecha-exoforce !!! I like it , I don't really like it orange colours, but anyway that s a great moc!

[zero1312]

Holy cow, that's awesome.

[ExoBuilder]

You used the same leg design that I've been working on. Looks awesome!

Edited November 5, 2008 by ExoBuilder

[Front]

Thank you all for comments.

I've taken this apart again, and are pretty close to finishing a 6 legged mech with more or less the same type of legs.

Maybe I'll have some pictures ready later today. Will show exactly how elements (plates, bricks) fit inside the orange leg elements.

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