[MOC] (WIP) Odysseus-like ship

[anothergol]

Very inspired by Ulysse 31's Odysseus, but not a replica.

I might not go further with it, because it's very unlikely that it would hold by itself, and I don't wanna ruin it with too much Technic stuff.

I tried to design it with built in mind, though - mostly using light panels.

But I can imagine a built version would go flat because the bars aren't strong enough, or the thing would bend downwards too badly.

If anyone here has a ton of hinges & panels and wanna make the test, LXF attached.

Could be adding lots of details if it really worked.

http://www.fiastarta...dysseusLike.lxf

Edited May 29, 2016 by anothergol

[BasOne]

Loved that show when i was a kid :D

Instantly recognizable great job.

[davidroberts01341]

Instantly recognisable and a beautiful image too.

I think that you're right about how structurally sound it might be in real bricks. Another problem might be getting those nice, smooth curves. Have you thought about using the "brick bending" technique to get the curve, with hinges at each end? There'd still be the same problem of propping the arcs apart but they'd potentially be smoother and stronger.

[anothergol]

Have you thought about using the "brick bending" technique to get the curve, with hinges at each end? There'd still be the same problem of propping the arcs apart but they'd potentially be smoother and stronger.

I think it'd be worse because bricks would weight more, and also because the bottom curve wouldn't hold. But getting the smooth curve isn't really a problem, holding it (immediately & over time) is.

If the rods were made of metal, the curves would form more or less naturally. Because they will probably have to patially hold themselves, they will have to be put in-place, but all that's needed is some kind of canvas.

I believe this may hold, but that over time the top & bottom curves won't match.

I of course googled Odysseus versions before I started, and I believe that bending is what happened to this one, which looks like a silly plush version:

http://images.moc-pages.com/user_images/7650/1187012313_SPLASH.jpg

Making this segmented one actually better:

http://p4.storage.canalblog.com/48/56/1346397/110519361_o.jpg

(& that one is held by the mid-sides, that would be an option)

[davidroberts01341]

I think it'd be worse because bricks would weight more, and also because the bottom curve wouldn't hold. But getting the smooth curve isn't really a problem, holding it (immediately & over time) is.

If the rods were made of metal, the curves would form more or less naturally. Because they will probably have to patially hold themselves, they will have to be put in-place, but all that's needed is some kind of canvas.

I believe this may hold, but that over time the top & bottom curves won't match.

Your reply set me thinking. I've been playing with brick building techniques as a way to incorporate curves into panels on spaceships. I made a prototype to better explain my comments about your ship. I've tried doing brick bending in LDD, without success but I've seen LDD builds which use it, so it is possible. I hope that this is useful food for thought!

I'm new to this forum and haven't been able to include the photo in this comment, so here's a link to it: http://imgur.com/HIsVfLA or http://imgur.com/a/B3NUX

Edited May 29, 2016 by davidroberts01341

[anothergol]

Yes I've already seen those techniques, but I don't really like because it's abusing & stressing the parts. There is a form of "legal" bending, though, using 1x2 "log" bricks, or round bricks, etc. Also, in the end it's "only" 2x better curve precision over hinges.

But your pic is interesting, there doesn't seem to be any too visible vertical asymmetry.

Is that the maximum bending using 1x2 bricks?

[Bob De Quatre]

Nice shape!

I think it may hold with supports on the lower "wing" placed where the inner supports meet the wing.

I don't think I have this amount of 2x2 panels... I would have give it a try

[davidroberts01341]

Doing what I did places no more stress on the bricks than using the 1x2 "log" bricks that you mention. The amount of stress in the system is a function of how tightly you bend/curve it. If you define "legal" as being anything that LDD will allow you to do, then this technique is "legal". Have a look at this excellent example of a spaceship that uses the technique: http://www.moc-pages.../moc.php/385783 which went on to be built in real bricks: Michael has made other ships using this technique.

In terms of the precision of the curve, brickbending curves are pretty fixed. Curves made using multiple hinges are essentially 4 or 5 or 6 or 7... bar linkages. Unless you use stiff hinges, they will deform/sag with load (especially if you want to swoosh your spaceship!). This is also true of brickbending type structures, with the 1x2 bricks essentially forming a whole series of hinges. However, their range of movement is very limited and each "hinge" is very stiff. As you can tell, I'm quite a fan of the technique. I just wish that I had more bricks, as it's a technique which gobbles up pieces at an alarming rate.

Thinking of the maximum bending that you can produce, the answer is a lot tighter than in the prototype that I built for illustration. You could tighten the curve by either making the props longer or by removing bricks from the arc or by doing both. There are loads of examples on this blog: http://www.brickbending.com/ This is an example of something I made using the technique, though here the arcs aren't very tight: https://flic.kr/p/yrM7fo

This discussion has made me think. I like the eye shape and would have liked to have made a "Ulysses" ship (was the cartoon called different things in different countries? I'm in the UK.) before but couldn't work out how to get the shape. Thank you for inspiring me to experiment! Unfortunately, nearly every white 1x2 brick I have went into that prototype, so I'd need to buy a few more bricks first and I'm trying to stay away from Bricklink for a while...

Edited May 30, 2016 by davidroberts01341

[anothergol]

Yeah it's not technically stressing, but it's "abusing" factory thresholds, personally I'm not fan of it.

I've reduced the # of segments per quarter by 2 and I've tried it with the few hinges I have, and actually it's pretty light (2x2 panels only weight a gram), I think it's gonna hold.

This discussion has made me think. I like the eye shape and would have liked to have made a "Ulysses" ship (was the cartoon called different things in different countries? I'm in the UK.) before but couldn't work out how to get the shape.

Ulysses 31 was Ulysse 31 without the s, as it was french/japanese (and only popular in France & the UK).

It's this spaceship that I loved in it: http://a142.idata.over-blog.com/606x554/0/07/00/40/2/trois/ULYSSES-31-NAVETTE-3-PARTIES-POPY-1.jpg

There have been attempts at it in Lego, which weren't too bad.

The eye, I used those dino-zorbing balls temporarily, but I actually have the right ball, which I'm gathering parts for. It works well as a standalone eye, especially with those 6x6 tie fighter printed fronts

.

Nice shape!

I think it may hold with supports on the lower "wing" placed where the inner supports meet the wing.

I don't think I have this amount of 2x2 panels... I would have give it a try

yeah that's where 2 support feet would be best, in the middle of each half. But those bar supports may not work well, and the dented hinges in the middle tend to be rather loose.

Edited May 30, 2016 by anothergol

[anothergol]

So I'm still building this, it was kind of a nightmare, to hold without any column in the middle. Weight wasn't even the problem, it was more a problem of precision to link those bars, the lack of lengths for bars, etc.

Still waiting for parts for the display stand.

Meanwhile the eye will be similar to this standalone one, with a guy inside:

[Bob De Quatre]

Love that minifig inside! ;)

Looking back at the initial concept, maybe you could try to use 1*1 technic bricks in the wings and put large hoses in them to help the wings keep their shapes. I used that technique in my Whitefang spaceship and it work quite well.

[anothergol]

Love that minifig inside! ;)

well I forgot to open it when taking the pictures, but the lesson I learnt when doing this, wear a black hat & long sleeves when making photos. And yet my hands are still too visible :)

Perhaps I need to take the pics remotely.

Looking back at the initial concept, maybe you could try to use 1*1 technic bricks in the wings and put large hoses in them to help the wings keep their shapes. I used that technique in my Whitefang spaceship and it work quite well.

I wanted to avoid any large axle & technic pieces, I quite like the thinner bars here. But the problem was more one of precision, not solidity. That is, precision a little off somewhere means that the curve will fail in places. It wasn't that precise in the LDD, but I thought I could get away with Lego's bending, and I did, but then arranging the curve at the bottom messes with the curve at the top. Eventually I got it right, I'll try not to touch it anymore

Also the fact that not every hinge part has the same friction, meant that the curve didn't come naturally, not every part was hinging equally.

But did you mean 3mm or 4mm hoses? 3mm hoses would have worked until the sides (there it would have been bent too much), but that would have meant no more thin panels, & thus more weight to deal with. But yeah, if it had failed, that would have been a solution.

Edited June 11, 2016 by anothergol

[brickmartil]

Very pure and clean construction. I like your style

[Arcquinn]

It is always a pleasure to see some unearthly designs. Thank you!

[Krikkit]

I love it.

[DanSto]

Tribute to the Odysseus by GolPlaysWithLego, on Flickr

[davidroberts01341]

Beautifully done! I like how this is a single-seater, minifig-scale ship rather than a micro-scale version of a big craft. It could almost be a shuttle or fighter that deployed from the original, big ship.

[anothergol]

Thanks.

Yeah, nearly all of my MOCs seat a minifig, I've always liked figures in cockpits, in toys. When I was a kid, one of my brothers was into WW2 fighter planes kits. I kept breaking the windshields to steal the pilots inside, that always got him really mad :)

Since it's not attached to the vertical axles, the cockpits can rotate. The 2 middle parts of the ring are fragile, it was really frustrating to build.

[DComics Shop]

Cool, I loved the movie!

[anothergol]

the movie?