On 11/1/2023 at 1:57 AM, Ngoc Nguyen said:

Finally got time to redesign the 42114 PF version so that the functions properly.

It turns out that the drive function and the steer function didnt get enough torque. I gotta go back to the design process to fix them, and finally get them to work in the real model.

This model has taken too much out of me already, so this will be the last revision.

The next model I'm working on is gonna be 42099 PF, which should be short. After that I'll tackle the giant in the room: 42100 PF.

There's this technique I've discovered recently. In the models that use M or L motors for steering, it is possible to mimic the Servo's behavior by adding extra friction around the steering axle, thus decreasing the rotation speed. I already tested and refined this techinique on the 42109 PF and 42160 PF, and it works wonderfully.

20 hours ago, Ngoc Nguyen said:

In the models that use M or L motors for steering, it is possible to mimic the Servo's behavior by adding extra friction around the steering axle, thus decreasing the rotation speed

This is the steering axle with additional friction in PF 42160

I suppose 12 tooth gear is under tan 20 tooth...

4 hours ago, 1gor said:

I suppose 12 tooth gear is under tan 20 tooth...

Yes, and it's not shown because it is grouped with other parts in the next step which follows the official instruction.

Better late than never:

 

https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-168028/nguyengiangoc/42099-pf-conversion-m-motor-steer/#details

And here's the Servo motor version for those who can afford one

https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-168188/nguyengiangoc/42099-pf-conversion-servo-motor-steer

 

It's time I tackled the elephant in the room: 42100 PF Conversion.

Edited December 27, 20231 yr by Ngoc Nguyen

I'm exploring a second type of PF conversion for C+ sets. This version uses traditional gearboxes to drive functions.

Given that most C+ sets include drive and steer only, this approach only works for 3 sets: 42100, 42131, and 42146.

I'm working on 42131 at the moment. I ripped out the rear blade and managed to put the 4 bidirectional gearboxes into the rear area. One of them will do the driving.

 

In the current setup, the motors are hooked to the differential, so, the tracks can only drive forward and backward. Since there's some space left, I wanna add a subtractor that uses a manual switch to allow the model to drive left and right as well.

The problem is that I don't really get how subtractors work, and all models I found online use two motorized input, while what I have is one motorized input and one manual input. Any suggestions?

16 minutes ago, Ngoc Nguyen said:

I'm exploring a second type of PF conversion for C+ sets. This version uses traditional gearboxes to drive functions.

Given that most C+ sets include drive and steer only, this approach only works for 3 sets: 42100, 42131, and 42146.

I'm working on 42131 at the moment. I ripped out the rear blade and managed to put the 4 bidirectional gearboxes into the rear area. One of them will do the driving.

 

In the current setup, the motors are hooked to the differential, so, the tracks can only drive forward and backward. Since there's some space left, I wanna add a subtractor that uses a manual switch to allow the model to drive left and right as well.

The problem is that I don't really get how subtractors work, and all models I found online use two motorized input, while what I have is one motorized input and one manual input. Any suggestions?

you need another differential for example a 4L diff, where the manual knob drives the yellow axle going into the diff, the motorized axle is going to either the 24 or 16 tooth gears on the diff case, and the black output axle is going to be going into the other side of the diff.

The cool thing is that the motor OR the manual knob can drive the output but not both at once, but the motor cant spin the manual knob and the manual knob cant spin the motor.

The output of this "tristate buffer" as I like to call it is going to go to the input of your multiplexer.

Edited April 14, 2024Apr 14 by SNIPE

7 minutes ago, SNIPE said:

you need another differential for example a 4L diff, where the manual knob drives the yellow axle going into the diff, the motorized axle is going to either the 24 or 16 tooth gears on the diff case, and the black output axle is going to be going into the other side of the dif

I would recommend using a 16 tooth gear with the 16 tooth side of the diff but its up to you , you could even use bevel gears with a 28 tooth gear.

The cool thing is that the motor or the manual knob can drive the output, but the motor cant spin the manual knob and the manual knob cant spin the motor.

The output of this "tristate buffer" as I like to call it is going to go to the input of your multiplexer.

I can't really visualize this, can you show a mockup please?

Also, the manual input is just a switch that goes left or right or neutral. It's not a rotational input.

Edited April 14, 2024Apr 14 by Ngoc Nguyen

42145 would be certainly possible but a bit of a challenge (but possible)

Edited April 15, 2024Apr 15 by SNIPE

16 hours ago, SNIPE said:

42145 would be certainly possible but a bit of a challenge (but possible)

You mean 42146?

4 hours ago, Ngoc Nguyen said:

You mean 42146?

no, the airbus helicopter

This is not really a PF conversion, but I don't wanna create a new thread for it, so Imma put it here.

 

This mod replaces the single hub in the original 42176 with 1 PU Technic Hub and 2 PU L motors. This allows you to control the set 42176 with your own control profile.

Link: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-200765/nguyengiangoc/42176-pu-conversion/#details

 

Here comes the PF conversion mods.

https://reb.li/m/200981

 

 

https://reb.li/m/200987

Let's see how this new 42131 mod turns out.

This should have been finished a long time ago, but I lost interest along the way. At least I finished it now, better late than never.

 

Rebrickable link: https://reb.li/m/204737

@Ngoc Nguyen will you be doing 42145?

2 hours ago, SNIPE said:

@Ngoc Nguyen will you be doing 42145?

What do you want me to do with 42145? It's not a C+ set.

3 hours ago, Ngoc Nguyen said:

What do you want me to do with 42145? It's not a C+ set.

of course it is

No it isn't, 42145 (Airbus helicopter) uses the battery pack not the technic/c+ hub and is operated by switches on the helicopter. It could be modified to use the c+ hub but as shipped it comes with the battery pack.

1 hour ago, idlemarvel said:

No it isn't, 42145 (Airbus helicopter) uses the battery pack not the technic/c+ hub and is operated by switches on the helicopter. It could be modified to use the c+ hub but as shipped it comes with the battery pack.

the motor is definitely control+ and so is the battery box I would say,  it's just not the c+ Bluetooth hub.

Edited December 19, 2024Dec 19 by SNIPE

31 minutes ago, SNIPE said:

the motor is definitely control+ and so is the battery box I would say,  it's just not the c+ Bluetooth hub.

I think you're mixing up Control+ and PU. PU is the encompassing theme for the motor and hub system. The motors in 42145 is called PU L motor. Both the 42145 battery box, which is called Simple Hub, and the Bluetooth Hub belongs to PU. Control+ is only for remote-controlled Technic sets that use the Bluetooth Hub and require dedicated control profiles. 42145 belongs to PU but not Control+.

The reason I'm doing all these PF Conversion for Control+ sets is that I want to provide some ways to allow people to control the C+ sets without having to rely on TLG's Control+ App, which might not be supported in the future. 42145 doesn't need the Control+ app to run, so I don't see why it needs PF conversion.

Edited December 19, 2024Dec 19 by Ngoc Nguyen

42131 Manual Conversion is finally done.

 

DEVELOPMENT

Even though I have designed a PF Conversion mod for the original 42131, I was not quite satisfied with it. The first reason is that since PF IR Receivers are separate from battery boxes. I have to find the places to put them, and they detracts from the overall seamless exterior of the model. The rear is just ugly.

 

The second reason is L motor's inadequate torque. In this PF mod, there are 6 PF L motors that drive 6 functions separately, and for some functions PF L motors just don't provide enough torque even when geared up. 

Hence I came up with this new Manual mod. In this mod, the Smart Hub is replaced with the Simple Hub (non-bluetooth one), and it will power two hard-coupled PU L motor. Because the Simple Hub and the Smart Hub have the same dimension and interface, it's easier to replace the latter with the former. To drive the functions, I designed 5 bidirectional gearboxes that fit into the 7x11 frame of the original 42131.

Since the ladder function is in the cabin subbuild, I decided to turn it into a manual function so that I don't have to route a transmission up. That leaves me with 5 functions as follows, from left to right.

- Motorized ripper lifting
- Motorized ripper tilting
- Motorized tracks
- Motorized blade lifting
- Motorized blade tilting

 

 

And now comes the hardest part of this MOC: designing the control interfaces. These switches are buried deep inside the model, and the 42131 doesn't have a flat surface to route the transmission to. After many attempts I finally came up with the solutions. Two outermost switches will be routed to the switches on both sides of the engine doors. Three inner ones will be routed to the back, between the LAs of the blade.

 

 

The battery box can be turned on using a lever on the side.

 

Here are the functions sheet.

 

 

Rebrickable link: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-205773/nguyengiangoc/42131-manual-conversion/#details

Impressive work!