Jump to content
THIS IS THE TEST SITE OF EUROBRICKS! ×
THIS IS THE TEST SITE OF EUROBRICKS!

JLiu15

Eurobricks Knights
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    678

  • Joined

  • Last visited

3 Followers

About JLiu15

  • Birthday 12/01/2000

Spam Prevention

  • What is favorite LEGO theme? (we need this info to prevent spam)
    Technic
  • Which LEGO set did you recently purchase or build?
    42173

Profile Information

  • Gender
    Male
  • Location
    Iowa

Extra

  • Country
    USA

Recent Profile Visitors

9,385 profile views

JLiu15's Achievements

Proficient

Proficient (10/14)

  • First Post
  • Collaborator
  • Posting Machine Rare
  • Conversation Starter
  • Week One Done

Recent Badges

  1. JLiu15
    Thanks! Since it already has nearly 5400 parts, I wouldn't be surprised if this turns out to be my largest MOC to date once it's finished.
  2. JLiu15
    The horizontal tiles definitely work well on your model! I'll see if any real-life examples of classic pickup trucks/dump trucks have similar structural reinforcements on the body. I could also try your solution when I get to modeling the dump bed. Oh that makes sense haha, I definitely think the looks of this model so far is an upgrade over my previous Classic Dump Truck MOC.
  3. JLiu15
    Thanks! I'm definitely looking forward to finishing this model. As for changing the shape of soft hoses using hot water...that kinda feels like going into illegal building techniques territory lol, at least for me, since it modifies/stresses a piece beyond what normally occurs in building. I guess pneumatic hoses could also be an option, since they're much softer.
  4. JLiu15
    UPDATE 1/15/25 I've made a lot of progress on the Stud.io model, and I have most of the bodywork designed. The model is starting to take shape, and the current piece count is 5382 according to Stud.io. I still need to include the door mechanisms, which I plan to make pneumatic, along with the motor powering each door's mechanism. I also have to find a place to put the SBrick and manage the wiring. Once those are done, I should be able to model the roof, including the roof AC units (I might try placing the motor and pneumatic compressor/valve for the doors under them if they can't fit neatly into the roof space). Overall, the model definitely captures the Metro Transit livery with the yellow/blue stripe and yellow destination sign area, although there were a number of parts I feel could've turned out better. The wheel arches look slightly too small compared to the real bus and is missing the black mudguard around them. The challenge once again comes down to the front right wheel arch: there is only one stud of space between the wheel arch and the front passenger door to work with, and it's unlikely to be reinforced enough to hold a flexible hose/soft axle in place without coming apart under the force of it trying to return to its unbent shape. I also wish there were more bar/flexible hose pieces in white, especially in shorter lengths, as I was left with only white 4L bars to work with for the front windshield. Some features of the real bus (e.g. the front turn signals) are also sized in a way that does not fit neatly into the LEGO studs grid at this scale, so they look out of proportion compared to the real bus. I could build this section with brick stacking instead of SNOT techniques, but that would add another set of challenges. On the other hand, I really liked how the front destination sign area turned out. The curved, protruding destination sign is one of the signature features of New Flyer High Floor buses, and I captured this part well IMO. This section is actually built with studs facing the top and the bottom; the pieces are connected around Technic beams which also allowed me to seamlessly fit a 2L-height destination sign into this space, although this was yet another situation where I wished LEGO made plates with studs on both sides. I also liked how the rear grille (combined with the rear destination sign) turned out, especially when comparing it to a rear photo of the real bus. The bellows are also modeled; they are made largely using 3L and 2L half-stud liftarms and while they do increase the piece count compared to using full-stud liftarms, their axle holes allow me to run long axles through them, which offer a lot more support than using pins to connect the liftarms. I've made a few renderings of the model so far in Stud.io. Given the work that still needs to be done (roof, door mechanisms, etc), I expect the model will have around 6000 pieces when complete. As always, if you guys have any suggestions for me, please let me know.
  5. JLiu15
    Thanks! So far my favorite part is the hood/front end since the System pieces really give it a smooth finish, but the cab definitely fits well with it. The tiles would protrude from the body slightly, so it wouldn't give a smooth finish either. I have considered making the roof using larger (e.g. 2x4 or 2x6) tiles like my previous Classic Dump Truck. I could stack several 1x7 liftarms for the doors to avoid the pin holes, but usually I try to avoid liftarm stacking if the space can be filled with panels.
  6. JLiu15
    UPDATE 1/12/25 Some more progress on the Stud.io model. I've modeled the cab, complete with opening doors and interior seats. I've tried to incorporate as much metallic silver as possible to really give it the classic look, including the side steps and mirrors, only using LBG as an alternative when metallic silver isn't available. I do feel like some areas such as the doors could've been designed better, but I tried to smooth out the build as much as possible with tiles to cover up exposed pins/pin holes. I've made a rendering of the model so far; note that the rear axle is modeled but not attached yet; the next step is to model the remainder of the chassis complete with the dumping mechanism. Please let me know if you have any suggestions! Stud.io rendering:
  7. JLiu15
    UPDATE 12/16/24 I had a Bricklink order arrive today, so I was able to get the front bodywork done. The front grille and bumper are made in one piece and is made entirely using System pieces. I made the grille and bumper in metallic silver, and I'm happy with how that turned out especially under the right lighting. The hood is also complemented using some System pieces (tiles and curved slopes), and in the end the front end came together pretty well. The model is definitely off to a good start, and I'm looking forward to the rest of the building process. With the hood open: View from the front:
  8. JLiu15
    Ever since building my Classic Dump Truck from two years ago, I felt like it was a model that could be greatly improved upon. The original model was built at a relatively small scale, though I was able to put a good number of functions in the model. This will be the sequel to that model, and at a much larger scale. Stud.io model so far: I've immediately put a good amount of electronic components in the model. This model will use Control+ elements; a large angular motor is used for drive, which is 4WD on this model (unlike the previous smaller version which was RWD). Thanks to it having an output on both the front and rear, it is able to easily form a longitudinal driveshaft while oriented vertically. Note the extendable CV joint in the driveshaft - this will allow the driveshaft to be easily disconnected to access the Control+ hub battery compartment. Hopefully it's not an issue when the drivetrain is under stress, especially with the gearing down at the differentials. I also included a flat-6 piston engine connected to the drivetrain. I initially used 14:22 heavy duty differentials and planetary hubs, but found the resulting speed to be painfully slow so I changed it to 12:28 differentials and wheel hubs without gear reduction for a good speed/torque balance. As for the design, the model will have a yellow cab built mostly using Technic but also with some System details. I initially wanted to make the cab orange again, with the same color scheme as the previous version, but I found the large yellow mudguards from the 42114 set to be a perfect fit for this model. So far, the design looks pretty good in Stud.io, and it definitely gives the classic pick-up truck vibe. Stud.io model with bodywork hidden: Current progress photos:
  9. JLiu15
    UPDATE 11/1/24 The front section is complete, and the front and rear sections of the chassis are finally connected. Additionally, all 68 passenger seats are in place. A challenge was routing the servo motor's extension wire to the rear section as that is where the SBrick will be. I had to make sure there are no obstructions below the "floor" of the bus, and that the wire can adapt to the articulation joint's movement when turning left and right. I was also not sure about the stability of the central section in the articulation joint, especially with seats on it, but I attached it with friction pins and it is able to remain stable without adding too much friction to when the bus turns. The motion of the central section during a turn also matches the real bus pretty closely, and it's pretty satisfying to look at. I've removed the wheels for now as I feel it helps capture more of the design so far. The chassis is well reinforced, making it very robust. The model still has to be moved very carefully as it is only supported by one turntable in the middle, but this should be mitigated when the upper turntable is in place once I install the roof frame. However, now that the front and rear sections are connected, it's much harder to find a space to store it in my room The next step for me is to build the roof frame, complete with the SBrick and passenger door mechanisms. If you guys have any suggestions for me, please let me know. Photos:
  10. JLiu15
    UPDATE 10/14/24 I've began building the front section's chassis, with a good amount of the floor in place. I still have to build the front axle (along with its steering mechanism) and the passenger entryway, but so far the chassis is taking shape. A challenge was routing the servo motor's wire through this chassis section. It needs an extension wire to reach the rear section (where the SBrick will be), and had to make sure the wire is not obstructed by anything. The chassis is very robust, even with the front/middle/rear axles of the bus sitting at a half-stud offset. I did have to change a few things from the initial Stud.io design to ensure it can be built and disassembled fairly easily since I will be publishing instructions for the model. If you guys have any suggestions for me, please let me know. Photos:
  11. JLiu15
    UPDATE 9/7/24 The front section of the chassis is largely complete. The model is currently at around 3600 pieces. Below is a view of everything modeled in Stud.io at this point. A view with bodywork components hidden: The front section's chassis contains about 1700 pieces. The building techniques are similar to the rear section, with reinforcement provided by Technic frames and a largely covered interior floor. The next two images show the front section chassis isolated by itself: The real bus has a bike rack in the front (here is an example), which I will incorporate in my model. The bike rack has two horizontal bike holders that are made with thin metal bars. However, I cannot find any existing LEGO pieces that can accurately replicate the bike holders. I cannot find any existing LEGO bar pieces with that particular shape, and I also don't want to bend a LEGO hose into that shape as it will likely stress the piece. Most LEGO elements allow for a spacing of one stud at the minimum, and such a spacing makes the bike holders look too bulky. I ended up going with a simple Technic axles/liftarms structure for the bike rack, attached to the front bumper. The bike rack is supposed to fold down no more than 90 degrees, but I cannot find a way to add a limiter without making the front bumper or bike rack too bulky. I tried using locking hinge pieces, but it also makes the end result bulkier. Does anyone know of any solutions I could try to more accurately model the bike rack? The current design is rather crude so I'm afraid it'll look out of place on a much more detailed bus, and it cannot serve its function as it'll collapse to the ground without a 90 degrees limiter. Below is a view from the front, showing the bike rack on the front bumper.
  12. JLiu15
    Thanks! I only have the new type 8z gear so I guess it should work. Which set(s)? And is it the same configuration with part #32039? Thanks!
  13. JLiu15
    Speaking of the discussion on gear clearance earlier, I have a setup where an 8T gear sits just one stud below axle connector part 32039. Looks like the gear does clear it (it's a similar design to Technic bushes after all), but not sure if the perpendicular side will cause any issues. Can anyone confirm if my setup is indeed a "legal" assembly? Thanks!
  14. JLiu15
    I posted more about it here, but looks like if they have the same clutch power as a standard axle it should work in my case. Looks like a lot of parts with this newer softer plastic has less friction. However my situation requires a non-friction pin or axle connection, as the mechanism could easily jam with a friction pin, even one with less friction.
  15. JLiu15
    UPDATE 8/18/24 I realized I had forgotten the lower track that the rear doors slide along when opening, so I had to make some modifications. The last available pin hole to attach the track (a long axle with a connector for each door sliding along it) was taken up by a 5x7 frame, so I had to move the frame forward by two studs. I moved the frame directly across on the left side forward by two studs as well to keep the chassis symmetrical. The rear door panels will be connected to the lower track with part 5713 from the 60420 set; it's a new part so I don't have it yet, but it should allow me to achieve the same functionality as part 15100 but without friction. Because I already had to make modifications, I decided to make some further improvements to the chassis. Now there is an additional vertical support from the upper 3x19 and 3x13 frames to the bottom of the chassis. The forward-facing seats' spacing has a half-stud offset meaning every other pair of seats is placed at a half-stud longitudinally, I decided to use the 5x7 frames to add reinforcement to the half-stud seats' support, and now they feel a lot more stable. Photos: I also made a starting point for the bodywork in Stud.io, mostly to identify where elements such as the side stripe need to be. Looking at the right side, I did the same for the rear door panels as well. Note that I am using part 65249 in place of 5713 here, as part 5713 is not yet available in Stud.io (hopefully soon, along with the 3x13 frame and other new 2024 parts). Left side view. I did a similar modification for this side, with a 5x7 frame moved two studs forward.
×
×
  • Create New...