[GBC] The Akiyuki Project (2010 - 2020)

[Berthil]

My version of the Akiyuki Train Lift and Rotary dumper in one module leaving out the Lift bridge. The 'old style' Akiyuki base has added a lot of rigidity when compared to his original design. Still WIP but very close to finishing it, I hope to make 'studio' pictures and a video of it this weekend. In the back at the right also a new exit for the Invisible Lift which I think fits seamlessly in the overall design. More on that also this weekend.

[doug72]

WOW, look forward to seeing it action.

[Berthil]

I got everything working except one thing, the train won't leave the elevator station when down and on it's way back.

At that point the wagon has to push the yellow 4x2 lever down pushing to stretch two red rubber bands and right at the moment where the drive of the train switches from 24t gear to 1x4 gear rack, that's a dead spot where the 8t gear is free in the air. I tried different red rubber band setups to get the forces down but nothing works. Anyone else had this and has some tips? I tried to upload a small picture but upload doesn't work right now.

Update: found it. In the instruction the red rubber band for the 'elevator down' switch (red slopes) is wound around the axle towball once. In the video however it is not wound around the axle towball. I tried this before and didn't work but after finetuning the switch I got this working.

Akiyuki must also use some kind of super batteries. I have new GP alkalines and everything is running much slower than in his video and rotation seems to require quite some force when reaching the end and compressing the release spring fully. I doubt if the rotary dumper can keep up the 1 ball per second pace and one train.

 

Edited April 26, 2018 by Berthil
Solution found

[Ankoku]

Maybe he uses something like Li-FeS2 batteries.

Also, wouldn't using lighter batteries help? e.g. lithium over alkaline?

[Jonas]

1 hour ago, Berthil said:

Update: found it.

That is great. I had similar problems with all these switches and rubber pieces. I did not have the original rubbers so I had to try different replacements, add one or more knots, etc.

In my case, the switches are OK now, but the problem with the rotation of the dumper remains. It is something that is really difficult for debugging because it happens only when the complete system (the dumper + the motor) rotates and you cannot slow it or stop it. I have great respect for Akiyuki as it had to be extremely difficult for design. (Imagine that you do design in a rotating 3D space).

[Ankoku]

It is similar to my issues where the problems and differences only occurred at full speed and didn't happen when slowed down.

Have you thought about videoing it and then playing it back in slow motion?

[Jonas]

21 minutes ago, Ankoku said:

Have you thought about videoing it and then playing it back in slow motion?

An interesting idea. No, I have not done it, yet. Instead, I disjoined the spring trigger mechanism, which allowed me to run and watch the rotation movement repeatedly. No progress, so far.

I wonder if the problem is not due to the pair of 6542 gears that I used instead of missing (more modern) 18946 gears. They are part of the mechanical clutch (that shown in jetpro's photo above), which is the most intricate mechanism in the dumper.

[Berthil]

7 minutes ago, Jonas said:

I wonder if the problem is not due to the pair of 6542 gears that I used instead of missing (more modern) 18946 gears.

I have used the DBG 6542 gears because I like them better than the red in my design and I have no problems with the rotating dumper. It has worked from the start.

[Jonas]

33 minutes ago, Berthil said:

I have used the DBG 6542 gears because I like them better than the red in my design and I have no problems with the rotating dumper. It has worked from the start.

Thanks for your feedback. Now I do not need to search for the red ones anymore.

And what did you use as the counterweight?

 

Edited April 26, 2018 by Jonas

[Berthil]

23 minutes ago, Jonas said:

And what did you use as the counterweight?

I used the original LEGO metal balls, I had to order them though as I had none.

[Excal1bur]

I feel like Sherlock, to find out all the parts in the new Railway system by Akiyuki, so my question is, are there any partslists available for the modules and where to find them?

Kind regards,

[doug72]

10 minutes ago, Excal1bur said:

I feel like Sherlock, to find out all the parts in the new Railway system by Akiyuki, so my question is, are there any partslists available for the modules and where to find them?

Kind regards,

See this which includes pdf instructions and parts lists.

http://akiyuki.jp/en/works/1019

 

Edited April 27, 2018 by Doug72

[Excal1bur]

Tnx Doug, I know this side (one of my favorits), but it are PDF's (partslist = by picture, so still Sherlock, to find out Bricklink/Lego part-ID's. I have all the PDF's allready, but looking for partslists as they are in all the other modules PDF + partslist.

[doug72]

On 14/04/2018 at 11:19 AM, Courbet said:

As far as I know he didn't provide any, which is a pity since it is so easy to generate one once you have your model in LDraw form.

Re parts list see Courbet,s reply to may same query in April.

I just used the photo list to find and obtain parts, which,  I Searched for and ordered using Brickowl.

My modules will be multi coloured !

Edited April 27, 2018 by Doug72

[Berthil]

Here's my updated Invisible Lift and another way of showing GBC's.
If you like it I will buy a good quality microphone for the next video :)

 

[doug72]

The reverse module V-type (Help)

Can anyone advise the correct parts and possibly a close up image of this addittion to the revesing unit ?

 

Edited April 28, 2018 by Doug72

[Jonas]

27 minutes ago, Doug72 said:

Can anyone advise the correct parts and possibly post a close up image of of this addition to the reverse unit.

Sorry, I am out of my home for several days, so I cannot send you my photos.

But I remember I had similar problems like you. What helped me was watching Akiyuki's video and freezing it when those parts appeared in a proper angle. Then, everything was clear.

[doug72]

47 minutes ago, Jonas said:

Sorry, I am out of my home for several days, so I cannot send you my photos.

But I remember I had similar problems like you. What helped me was watching Akiyuki's video and freezing it when those parts appeared in a proper angle. Then, everything was clear.

Thanks for your reply. Yes I have been watching & freezing the video.
 Also found if click the small images shown on the additional parts page they link to a larger view which I then used screen grab to copy then print - think I can figure it out now.

[Berthil]

Here is my version of the train elevator and rotary dumper in one combined module, video will follow.

[Ankoku]

@Berthil Great Invisible Lift video. I like how the arms of your beautiful assistant suddenly appear to add the balls!

 

One of the things I love about LEGO, is taking either your own design or someone else's and making it better. I think that aspect really helped me as a kid.

Also, running GBCs at an event really drives home reliability and the importance of testing and what you learn from that.

 

Great work!

[jetpro]

55 minutes ago, Berthil said:

56 minutes ago, Berthil said:

Here is my version of the train elevator and rotary dumper in one combined module, video will follow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The enhanced pedestal should have a great improvement in performance and visual performance. Look forward to the video....

 

 

 

 

[tismabrick]

@Berthil Do you have instructions for the gbc counter module?

[doug72]

The reverse module V-type (Help)

@Jonas Thanks for the tip to study the video.

I was a bit dubious that I would get this to work as i didn’t really understand how it worked but after careful study of the video I finally managed to deduce the
components required to build this module.

Noticed on the video that the 5L beam link attaching to the slide that moves the point blade flexed quite a bit as it changed the point setting.

Made a small MOD to stop this which prevents the 5L beam from lifting off the pegs on the slide that moves the point blade. 
Also added a longer 0.5 thin beam below to support the moving parts & used the old 4L universal couplings rather than the newer weaker 3L type.

Tested and performs well.

Parts use 2 x 1L beam / 2 x 3/4 pins / 1x 3L beam / 1 x 0.5 x 7 thin beam.

[Berthil]

4 hours ago, tismabrick said:

@Berthil Do you have instructions for the gbc counter module?

I'm not planning to make instructions as this will be quite some work with the cipher wheels. But it is not a very complicated construction, reverse engineering through the pictures and video shouldn't be too difficult. Just let me know if you have questions if you are going to build it, I will answer.

[Dragonic]

Im just done building the step module and I noticed a small mistake in the instructions; the cilindrical ball feeder spins in the wrong direction when finished.

I added 2x  16teeth gears to make it spin in the appropriate direction. You should be able to add these changes to page 104 of the instructions.