LEGO Technic Turbo Polyp / Kraken

[RohanBeckett]

15 hours ago, pagicence said:

With just 3 months left you don't have a lot of time.

for some of us.. leaving it to the last minute is key.... we do our best work under pressure! ;)

[Subblaffer]

Awesome work Techniccrack!

I was wondering how you did the transmission from the two arms that have the gear system to the other four arms.

[Techniccrack]

14 hours ago, Subblaffer said:

Awesome work Techniccrack!

I was wondering how you did the transmission from the two arms that have the gear system to the other four arms.

Very simple actually.

2 universal joints in between two arms on the outside of the main cilinder

[kieran]

Looking very good, the scale is impressive 

[Subblaffer]

3 hours ago, Techniccrack said:

Very simple actually.

2 universal joints in between two arms on the outside of the main cilinder

Great. I was already thinking that inside the cilinder there isn't enough room.
Do the other arms (that rotate after those joints) run as smooth as the main ones?

[Techniccrack]

10 hours ago, Subblaffer said:

Great. I was already thinking that inside the cilinder there isn't enough room.
Do the other arms (that rotate after those joints) run as smooth as the main ones?

Yep. Because there are an even number of joints between the two arms.

[Subblaffer]

I think the technical side of your project is really great, but have you considered to use motors in the arms in stead of your gear system?

And second; This must cost you like tons of battery's right? How do you deal with that?

[Aventador2004]

Are you almost done? Video soon?

[Techniccrack]

Like i said earlier: patience is everything :) Project is on hold now for a few weeks.

Abput the question to use motors in the arms:

I dont use motors on purpose because:

1. I have to make a second slipring contact around the main cilinder and that is almost impossible

2. Micromotors are way too expensive.

3.M motors in the arms ary too heavy and i have to build in a receiver inside the cilinder = impossible due lack of space.

4. I really like to build a challenging model. To use gearconnections from the center up was a real challenge for me to build.

To use motors is too "simple" in perspective of "Lego Technic"

Battery cost? True, i for now i use the batteryboxes, but i will use 9 volt adapters instead to power up the motors.

 

Techniccrack

[Bublehead]

10 hours ago, Techniccrack said:

To use motors is too "simple" in perspective of "Lego Technic"

I give a hardy AMEN to this statement.  I am a one motor/many functions builder myself.  I think a Technic model with a separate motor for every function is only a viable solution when incorporating IR RC or third party controllers (Buwizz Sbrick). If it is a non RC model, power distribution gearboxes and a single fwd/rev switch, whether on the BB or remote PF switch are more interesting and harder to pull off from a gear train perspective. One motor/one function designs rely on a single simple criteria, do you have enough room for the motor, and can you get a PF extention cable long enough to bring all the channels to the IR receiver/controller.

Edited July 1, 2018 by Bublehead

[Frequenzberater]

That is exactly the reason why I skip most of the "See my giant Bulldozer moc with 13 motors and 3 servos" - videos.

[Subblaffer]

17 hours ago, Bublehead said:

I give a hardy AMEN to this statement.

Same here! 

[BrickWild]

Is it finished yet?

[Subblaffer]

I was wondering how you did the connection between the arms and the head.
I see you used ball joints. But don't these have a very tight fit? I would say you need a loose fit.

And maybe a strange question: Did you glue any parts? I can imagine the kind of forces the internal gear system has to handle and with such forces, the lego pieces are pushed apart.

[Techniccrack]

On 8/7/2018 at 4:37 AM, Subblaffer said:

I was wondering how you did the connection between the arms and the head.
I see you used ball joints. But don't these have a very tight fit? I would say you need a loose fit.

And maybe a strange question: Did you glue any parts? I can imagine the kind of forces the internal gear system has to handle and with such forces, the lego pieces are pushed apart.

Hi. the weight of the arms is enough to let the ball joints move freely and not "stall" in the socket

And i used a tiny drop of oil in the socket.

I know what you meen, but the weight of 1 arm is 800 grams, so its moves very smooth.

There is not one single piece that is glued.

The middle structure is build in a way that the mechanism is perfectly balanced. the gears have not to much stress.

 

Techniccrack

On 8/6/2018 at 12:14 PM, BrickWild said:

Is it finished yet?

Not yet. very busy to add the lighting. very tricky job.

the model is now in 16 pieces in my workroom:)

[Techniccrack]

Update!

House renovation is complete after 2 long months . Wife happy, me happy because i finally could continu the project.

I upgraded the main cilinder.

The mechanism of the rotation of the arms was due to 2 connected arms with the main chassis.

outside the cilinder the 4 other arms were connected on that 2.

I came up with another (and better) solution.

every arm is now connected separatelly.

first i thought i didnt have the space inside the cilinder because of the 2 gears on the hubs:

Now it looks like this (underside):

And a nice look from top view of the whole system:

every arm has 1 gear that is connected to the cilinder (more then enough)

The benefit of this is the way how the arms are connected to the cilinder

Before i was forced the use a gear with a axle hole on the axl where the arm is connected, because of the "drivetrain" to the crosses.

The arms are heavy, and the friction that the connections are making is quiet big. That same axl is rotating for driving the crosses on the end of the arms.

the friction was big

Now i can use a gear that have no axl hole, but a round hole instead. so the gears have no "stress" due friction anymore:

Lighting

Last week ive been very busy to make the lighting on the model.

246 welding points are needed to make the the whole model "shine"

The job is not finished, but in progress. I think next week i can add a photo here

The crosses and seats are lightend also.

because of that i must use a third party slipring for the crosses. (when does Lego make those) :)

I found 7,9 mm sliprings, they work great, and the rotation is very very smooth

 

The seats

The seats are finished with the orange light wire. its turned out very nice.(the lit up version i show when all the lighting is compete,

 

Smoke machine.

I orded the smoke machine. way cheaper then i thought it was. so that will be a nice extra "bite" for the whole  system.

The smoke machine will be placed under the table. and hose will be connected to the underside of the model.

Remote controlled, the smoke will be appear through the floor, in combination with blue light and strobosscope flashing, i will be awesome

Ride Program

Because the model will be shown at the Lego world exhibition, i want to program the full ride, but not continious (I want to save the motors)

The ride will be about 2 minutes, and then stops for about 7 minutes .

Not MIndstorms, Not sbrick and not EV3 or things like that.

I will be a mechanical program cyclus.

A chain with a hub is running continu around the model (or under), that will take about 6 or 7 minutes.

Next the hub will go through a slit and will "touch" the switches to make the model spin.

Also the lights, smoke, stroboscope lights and the music will be controlled by this system.

Music? Yes, i am creating an mp3 track with the right music, funfair ride "sounds" and so on.

the music starts playing by a switch (that will be controlled by the chainhub). Its a special trigger control mp3 player

 

That is it for now.

To be continued!

 

Edited September 2, 2018 by Techniccrack

[Techniccrack]

A little update

The floor cutted plates are removed and replaced by normal plates and wedge plates.

The color of the floor will be black with a little blue lines in them(to suggest a bit of a "big spiderweb". Also the back screens i changed. Also spiderweb parts combined with light towers and a few grapics. it looks better.

Still work on putting it together, so thats for later.

Now i have a little update of the spider on top the models head.

Old model is taken apart. new spider is added.

The spider will be lightened also, but thats for later

here some pictures:

 

to be continued!

Edited September 9, 2018 by Techniccrack

[Johnny1360]

Incredible it just keeps getting better and better. You have invested a great deal of time and energy on this thing and it really shows. A true masterpiece that will surely go done in the history books. 

Not sure why but I am glad to hear you swapped out those cut plates for actual wedge plates. 

Looking forward to seeing the finished product, as I am sure you are also ready to wrap it up and move on. Though you will have a hard time ever topping this beast. 

[Techniccrack]

Thnx for the comment

Update! (small one)

New floorplates

Last few days i worked on the ligjting of the seats and arms. Pictures later on.

For now i have finished the new floorplates.

I removed the cutted plates.

Here is a photot of the "alignment" of the plates.

The spaces on the plates will be filled with blue plates

The supports of the plates is also changed

Thats it for now

to be continued...

[RohanBeckett]

if you had posted this - even unfinished to the TC14, I would have voted.. and you probably would have had a fair chance of winning/placing! ;)

 

(although I guess too many non-technic parts!)

 

can't wait to see the next update video!

[Techniccrack]

Thnx for the comments

Update!

New floor

The setting for the floorplates is almost complete.

every plate has a little tilt so i had to adjust it.

here the picture of how it looks:

Background stage dressup

I removed the previous backstage.

Every lighttower will get spiderwebs on them. i thought it will be nice.

Simple but effective

first impression:

Lighting progression

Very busy adding the light wiring:

 

The eyes of the spider on the head will be lightened also:

a small impression:

 

Thats it for now.

to be continied...

Edited September 16, 2018 by Techniccrack

[pagicence]

50 minutes ago, Techniccrack said:

Every lighttower will get spiderwebs on them. i thought it will be nice.

Good thought. Stick to it. Also if you have any other details like or similar to spider's eyes (sculptures or stand alone figures), light those too.

[AFOLegofan66]

This is going to be an awesome moc when finished...what a cool ride!!

[Techniccrack]

thnx!

Little update

Building the stage

I almost finished 2 stagellight masts.

On top there will be the lightboxes with the strobelights and flashing lights.

In between another spiderweb with the name of the ride "Turbo Spider"

Also 2 spiders will be added in to the 2 webs.

The spderweb :"wires" will be lightend with lightswires

A small update but thats it for now..more to come!

[Techniccrack]

Update + video

Floor

Floor is finished. the blue plates are added. looks nice i would say

Lights

Near from finished the strobelight stands.

Activated by switch manually or mechanical

Fifth test video

Heres a small new test video of the whole system, complete with the rotating crosses.

the crosses are still a little bouncy but that will be solved.

Next will be the model complete with the floorplates and stagelights

enjoy!

To be continued!

 

Edited September 30, 2018 by Techniccrack