New C Model for the 42042 Crawler Crane --- A really cool GBC model

[AkiyamaWataru]

2 hours ago, Doug72 said:

Thanks for that info & part number.

They are available on Brickowl at £0.80 each and I will be ordering a few soon.

 

This feels expensive. Do you need it now? If you can wait for February try Lego bricks and pieces. If my memory doesn't lie to me I paid 2 Euros for 5 of them

[doug72]

1 hour ago, AkiyamaWataru said:

This feels expensive. Do you need it now? If you can wait for February try Lego bricks and pieces. If my memory doesn't lie to me I paid 2 Euros for 5 of them

No hurry, thats the cheapest from a UK store - I planned to put an order together from Lego in Feb. as I need several other parts I'm short of.
Then compare cost to get best value / delivery.
Hope the new worm & the 3L axle with hole are available by then.
 

Edited January 20, 2017 by Doug72

[doug72]

Possible missing connection between parts:

I have re-built to turntable change over unit as per Ver 3 pdf.

On page 14 step 27 a 3x 5 angle beam is added which two axles pass through the 3L section, cannot see if there should be connection between vertical part and the horizontal beam. see 2nd. image- black arrow points to missing connection.

I have made a firm connection between the two beams usings black connector pin with hole and a 2L pin w/axle bush to join these together.

Result unit doesn't flex so much when the gears change over.

3x5anglebeam by Doug Ridgway, on Flickr

Change-0ver-unit by Doug Ridgway, on Flickr

I have checked the the building instruction lxf file and it also does not appear to show a connection at this point.

Have I missed something ?

Edited January 21, 2017 by Doug72

[doug72]

PV Productions now have Ver 4.0 now available to download for free if you have already purchased previous versions.

So far can only determine that the order of building has changed.

Shame as I had already given up building this after several failed attempts to get the Ferris Wheel to work, found the ferris wheel was very prone to flexing and jamming. All the other modules worked well.
Now all consigned to my spares boxes.

---------------------------

Currently building a revised version mounted on a 48 x 48 Lego base plate which provides stability to the whole structure.
This will use varients / adaptions of the PV modules apart from the ferris wheel which will be replaced by a vertical lift module which I had previously devised.

The auto change over module will my own design and provides two c/o outputs plus another output for the chain conveyor, currently using the new driving ring and 3L sleeve with ribs, works OK but will be even smoother c/o once get some 3L axle extensions.
All driven by one L motor.

Just have one more inter-module link and ball loading to vertical lift to devise and will be ready for testing.

Edited January 26, 2017 by Doug72

[MIchaelF]

Look forward to seeing it Doug. I ended up rebuilding the crane as I couldn't get the GBC to work either.

[kungpo]

Well, I'm going to give this a go soon - got some 14mm marbles and the instructions. Just need to find some time!

[Carl86]

I asked him. they made improvements on the switching gear mechanism, more sturdy and reliable. fixed the step order problem and more sub step in general. also when attaching big elements you can see from multiple angles now how parts are connected which is really usefull, I think that's where most people got it wrong. I already have the gbc working now but I will check the v4 instructions again to see where I can make improvements. I will let you guys know when ready!

[doug72]

30 minutes ago, MIchaelF said:

Look forward to seeing it Doug. I ended up rebuilding the crane as I couldn't get the GBC to work either.

Once its completed and working OK will post it.

One thing with being on a studded base plate its easy to alter positions of of supporting legs to get correct heights & alignments etc.

[doug72]

On 26/01/2017 at 11:55 AM, MIchaelF said:

Look forward to seeing it Doug. I ended up rebuilding the crane as I couldn't get the GBC to work either.

Having failed to build the PV Productions GBC 10 successfully I decided to build my own version using the modules that worked OK plus two of my own designs - all mounted on a 48L x 48L Lego Base Plate.

PV modules used for Turntable transfer, conveyor and tipping sections but re-built to fit into the space available on base plate.

Ferris Wheel replaced by a vertical lift from a previous GBC build.

Auto change module uses my own design.

 

Auto C/O:

Built using 5x7 frames for a robust structure. New driving ring with a 3L ribbed sleeve used but later to be changed to a plain 3L axle extension sleeve which will give even smoother change over.

There are 3 outputs:

1/.     Drive to the turntable protected by a linear clutch.

2/.     Drive to vertical lift protected by a 24T white clutch gear.

3/.     Direct drive to conveyor from the c/o 24T gear axle.

 

Turntable transfer module.

As per PV design but with shorter arms and re-configured guide beams and original loading system.

 

Conveyor module:

As per PV design but shortened by 8L and ball lift pins placed at 6L intervals.

 

Tipping module:

As per PV design but re-built to release balls after only two have loaded.

Runway from conveyor made smoother to allow balls to freely roll.

 

Vertical Lift:

Modified from my original design to give a shorter lift to synchronise with the turntable  - ball loading re-designed to use studdless beam etc.

 

Ball runways:

Sides added to prevent balls jumping off and to guide balls at loading points, these made using 1/2L thick beams.

 

After some tinkering and adjustments all modules running quite consistently without balls escaping.

 

A video will be available in due course.

 

General views of GBC.

 

 

Overhead View:

Edited January 27, 2017 by Doug72

[MIchaelF]

Nice work @Doug72! You've done some great customisations here.

[doug72]

1 hour ago, MIchaelF said:

Nice work @Doug72! You've done some great customisations here.

Thanks for the comment, here's the video:

 

[PV-Productions]

 

Hi Doug,

I came across your video via this forum. I see you are an experienced builder and your mods on our GBC 10 look amazing, great work! May I share it on our social media channels? Of course with full credit.

Sorry to hear that you weren’t able to finish our original model. When I read back I see the feedback you and others gave, thanks for that. When creating such a GBC from an existing LEGO set it is always one big puzzle in which the end result is never clear at first. In the design process this results in continuously swapping parts around to make the GBC as efficient and good as possible. Also we want to use as many parts as possible so that the original set is well used. Next to that we also take design into account which can influence the constructions of certain parts. Of course functionality, sturdiness and reliability rules design.

LEGO GBC 10 has big mechanical contraptions in it with a lot of moving parts. The GBC can run reliable and smooth but some fine tuning needs to be done. The building instructions help you with that but because everyone builds differently we can not cover all the tweaking that has to be done.

In our latest release of the building instructions we improved on this. So maybe give it another try in the future?:)

For reference here’s a brief list of the changes made in the building instructions of LEGO GBC 10:

• Improvements on the direction change mechanism. It's now more sturdy and reliable.

• Changed the order of how parts come together and created more substeps so it is easier to follow.

• Added page numbers.

• Added parts on input of Ferris Wheel Module.

• Multiple views from different angles when you are attaching big part groups together.
  Some minor other improvements.

If you still have questions or feedback, now or during the build, just send an email to support@pv-productions.com or via http://pv-productions.com/contact/. Normally I reply within a day. We really do something with your feedback.

Hope you give our LEGO GBC 10 another chance in the future:)

Philip

Edited January 28, 2017 by PV-Productions

[doug72]

2 hours ago, PV-Productions said:

I came across your video via this forum. I see you are an experienced builder and your mods on our GBC 10 look amazing, great work! May I share it on our social media channels? Of course with full credit.

Philip,

Yes no problem you sharing my version on line, if you any queries about my two modules please contact me.
I have an account with you and have just order 50 pce. orange balls and awaiting their arrival.
Its amazing where balls end up when testing GBC and something goes wrong - still hunting for some !

Many thanks for your comments on my version and developing the GBC10 instructions.
After 3 failed attempts and getting frustrated wanted to get something running before my grandson's next visit and with a large base plate lying idle decided to use it.

I will study the new Ver. 4 instructions and will probably re-build again from spares to hand.
I like the way parts to be added are highlighted at each step.

One thing that would usefull  in the instructions would be to indicate axle and beam lengths in the parts box at each step.
Often I had to zoom in to count the beam holes to get correct beam part and estimate axle lengths.
I have recently had cateracts removed and can see things much more clearly now.

I have a few other observations and will e-mail about these.

Doug on the Tyne.

 

[MIchaelF]

6 hours ago, Doug72 said:

Thanks for the comment, here's the video:

Fantastic!!

[GBTechnic]

2 hours ago, Doug72 said:

One thing that would usefull  in the instructions would be to indicate axle and beam lengths in the parts box at each step.
Often I had to zoom in to count the beam holes to get correct beam part and estimate axle lengths.

I completely agree with this suggestion.  I have good eyesight and still had to zoom into the instructions to determine beam lengths.  Other pieces are distinctive enough to determine what they are but beam lengths are not.

[lucio]

very interesting ..brav I like this kind of project .....

[doug72]

On 27/01/2017 at 2:00 PM, Doug72 said:

Thanks for the comment, here's the video:

 

Sorry duplicate post, hit the wrong button.

 

Edited January 29, 2017 by Doug72

[doug72]

After carefully following Ver. 4 of the PDF instructions I have to admit getting the ferris wheel module to function has finally defeated me, even after two complete re-builds of this module.

I did manage to get the timing right to load balls correctly but not the unloading due to jams and jerks as ferris wheel rotates.

Has anyone else managed to successfully get this to function and  how many failed ?

Parts will now be consigned to spares boxes for other projects.

 

[WvG_853]

5 hours ago, Doug72 said:

After carefully following Ver. 4 of the PDF instructions I have to admit getting the ferris wheel module to function has finally defeated me, even after two complete re-builds of this module.

Has anyone else managed to successfully get this to function and  how many failed ?

 

I'm blocked with version 3. Waiting for access to version 4, I started building the Claas. Will try again in a week of two.

By the way I like your GBC variation very much.

[Carl86]

Not sure how I missed it before but the PV guys have a new GBC, So satisfying to see it do it's thing:)

It's another one for the 42054!

 

[veryrusty]

On 19/11/2016 at 7:15 PM, RohanBeckett said:

I'm in the process of modifying mine..

Building an 'open cut' section of landscape, that balls will fall in..

I added some of the rubber track inserts (from Fortrex set), on the 2nd conveyor, which significantly helped move the balls out...

I have relocated the motor in front of the gearbox, since it'll just be stationary, on a GBC layout for 3 days in January.

 

I am also thinking of doing a (possibly externally powered) sweeping motion to the main arm.. so it sweeps back and forth the open-cut landscape... but undecided if I'll eventually do this (time constraints mostly!!)

Rohan,

I'd be super interested in any information you can share about your modifications. I've made some small changes to mine to improve reliability, but I'm not sure I'm there yet.

[RohanBeckett]

Unfortunately, I've pulled it and the open-cut landscape apart, after we used it on the GBC layout at Brickvention, in January

you can see it briefly here: (I've linked the video at the right point of time)

 

 

 

Not a great deal to say about it.. I basically bypassed the whole gearbox, and had the motor directly driving the axle that ran the bucketwheel and conveyors

and due to gearing, it ran a bit faster than the stock standard model (had a few people comment on that!)

it was slipping a gear a bit on the first day or so, but I gave all the main moving parts a squirt of silicon spray, and it seemed to settle down a bit.

a surprising point of jamming was the main conveyor belt, at the top.. it was very random (maybe to do with the speed I was running it at?) but every so often, one of the 5L liftarms would catch on the underside, just as it comes around, to return back to the bucket wheel..  it was one of those things, that I could sit and watch for 5mins, and it wouldn't happen.. but turn my back on it for a moment.. and *jam*

 

I added the rubber 'grips' https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=24375#T=S&C=11&O={"color":11}

to the lower conveyor, to aid the balls coming out - the angle is slightly up.. and this was pretty much the only part that was low enough that wouldn't hit on the underside

The landscape at the bottom was made of a bunch of 6x8 slopes - https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=4515#T=S&O={}

with click hinges underneath to support it at just the right curve.. I then just brick-built a landscape around it... one of the lower protruding bent liftarms, on the other side of the bucket wheel was used to attach to the landscape.. to keep the wheel perfectly aligned with the slope.. 

 

To be honest, if I were to use it again, I'd either re-do most of the drive train.. simplifing it a LOT more (lot of gears going down into the base, then back up to the 2nd conveyor, that could be bypassed...

OR.. just stick 2 motors on it.. 1 directly at the bucket wheel.. the other directly on the other conveyor

It was an 'okay' GBC module.. and I guess it ran for 3 days at Brickvention.. but I'm pretty certain I'll make much better use of the parts for next time!