Technic Parts We Would Find Useful

[gyenesvi]

10 hours ago, Zerobricks said:

Literally every flat panel has such a shape in the corner

9 hours ago, SNIPE said:

Yeah, for example 1x3x7 panel has the 4 pinholes on the front then 3 pinholes on either side, so I personally think it can be moulded.

7 hours ago, 2GodBDGlory said:

Or those 3x3 "biscuit" parts

Well true that those parts have that shape in them, but if you look closely, all of them have a cutout from one side, or even all the way through, that is to make the wider hole where the end of the pin clicks in. And I was thinking that if only two perpendicular pinholes would be connected like that, it would be structurally weak, but in the bigger shapes it is okay because of the surrounding material.

However, I realized that this piece is made exactly in that manner with the cutout, and has proven strong enough:

So you convinced me, and here's how I think this part could look:

And for sure it would be a useful one!

[SNIPE]

26 minutes ago, gyenesvi said:

So you convinced me, and here's how I think this part could look:

And for sure it would be a useful one!

I love it!

Edited August 5, 2024 by SNIPE

[Timewhatistime]

The predecessor of the 2L pin connector didn't even have the slot/cutout:

Technic, Pin Connector Round 2L without Slot (Pin Joiner Round) : Part 75535 | BrickLink

 

 

[SNIPE]

25 minutes ago, Timewhatistime said:

The predecessor of the 2L pin connector didn't even have the slot/cutout:

Technic, Pin Connector Round 2L without Slot (Pin Joiner Round) : Part 75535 | BrickLink

 

 

Good point, I would prefer no slot because if you have say a blue pins it shows through and the models bodywork can look bad.

I can't think of a pin that would have an impossible connection anyhow, stud pins would be a little harder to get out but this is not specific to this part, some pinholes are not thru-hole anyhow. like on motors or panels.

Edited August 5, 2024 by SNIPE

[gyenesvi]

1 hour ago, Timewhatistime said:

The predecessor of the 2L pin connector didn't even have the slot/cutout:

Maybe that's why they changed the mold? :) I guess it is stressing the pin a bit as it is keeping the end contracted all the time, and it would loose its clickiness over time. And also, as it does not click in and grab that little edge, it can also slide apart easier.

1 hour ago, SNIPE said:

Good point, I would prefer no slot because if you have say a blue pins it shows through and the models bodywork can look bad.

I'd like that too, but that's just the way the system works for now.

[howitzer]

2 hours ago, Timewhatistime said:

The predecessor of the 2L pin connector didn't even have the slot/cutout:

Technic, Pin Connector Round 2L without Slot (Pin Joiner Round) : Part 75535 | BrickLink

 

1 hour ago, gyenesvi said:

Maybe that's why they changed the mold? :) I guess it is stressing the pin a bit as it is keeping the end contracted all the time, and it would loose its clickiness over time. And also, as it does not click in and grab that little edge, it can also slide apart easier.

I'd like that too, but that's just the way the system works for now.

Actually the old version of the pin joiner was assembled from two parts to make up for the lack of slot so it clicks and is strong and good-looking, but much more expensive to manufacture than the slotted version as it's 2 separate parts to be moulded and also requires assembly.

[gyenesvi]

14 minutes ago, howitzer said:

Actually the old version of the pin joiner was assembled from two parts to make up for the lack of slot so it clicks and is strong and good-looking, but much more expensive to manufacture than the slotted version as it's 2 separate parts to be moulded and also requires assembly.

Oh, that's interesting to know! I don't have the old part so I was just guessing. So, looking at the pictures, I guess it was made of a longer and a shorter ring that were slid (and glued) together?

Anyways, I guess similar new parts would follow the slotted principle, to allow for cheaper production.

[Timewhatistime]

They say the pin joiner is crafted from an even bigger pin joiner... 

 

[Erik Leppen]

Also, without the slot, it's hard to get out 1/2 pins.

[Stereo]

2 hours ago, Erik Leppen said:

Also, without the slot, it's hard to get out 1/2 pins.

Yeah, if you put them in both ends, it's a problem.  Though I think putting a bar 3/4 of the way into one usually has enough friction to pull it out of a pinhole.

[NV Lego technic]

Did you know that it's impossible to get a bar more than quarter way through a frictionless 2l pin? I use original Lego.

[Zerobricks]

8 hours ago, NV Lego technic said:

Did you know that it's impossible to get a bar more than quarter way through a frictionless 2l pin? I use original Lego.

Same with ball joint pins. But you can put a bar a full stud inside 3L frictionless pin and stack them together with 2L pins to form and endlessly long pin. 

[NV Lego technic]

2 hours ago, Zerobricks said:

Same with ball joint pins.

It has worked fine for me. 

[gyenesvi]

Just remembered that when I was building the G-wagon, it seemed like it could have used this piece with a 1L bar in quite a few places. It uses this piece but half of the bar sticks out in many uses (and looks a bit ugly). Even better, it would be good if a 2L bar existed and we could just make that piece up..

[astyanax]

25 minutes ago, gyenesvi said:

it would be good if a 2L bar existed

The stopper prevents it from "getting lost" inside a 2L pin. Obviously, you can make a stopper-free version by cutting a rigid hose...

What bothers me most is that the black 2L pin doesn't hold this 2L bar, because the "grippy" part lies too deep inside the 2L pin...

[gyenesvi]

12 minutes ago, astyanax said:

The stopper prevents it from "getting lost" inside a 2L pin. Obviously, you can make a stopper-free version by cutting a rigid hose...

What bothers me most is that the black 2L pin doesn't hold this 2L bar, because the "grippy" part lies too deep inside the 2L pin...

I know this part exists, but as you write, it is useless for the purpose of connecting two pins (for example a towball pin to a half pin), because the middle section is in the way. Yeah, cutting the rigid hose is an option, but then I might as well cut a 3L bar to 2L :) Though not sure if cutting the hose is considered "more" legal :)

[astyanax]

8 hours ago, gyenesvi said:

it is useless for the purpose of connecting two pins

However, what's possible is connecting 2 macaroni pieces. They have a cutout for a stud, and the stopper is exactly 2 studs in length. 

8 hours ago, gyenesvi said:

Though not sure if cutting the hose is considered "more" legal :)

In the old days, we had to cut pneumatic hoses to the required lengths ourselves. I remember doing this for set 8868 (I'm getting old...). Not sure if cutting was ever required for rigid hoses though. But I have no qualms doing so, nor in asking others to do the same in my published MOCs. Occasionally I buy 40+L rigid hoses just to have something ready for cutting down when needed. 

[gyenesvi]

23 minutes ago, astyanax said:

However, what's possible is connecting 2 macaroni pieces. They have a cutout for a stud, and the stopper is exactly 2 studs in length.

That's an interesting use case, good to know. Btw, a 2L axle would also be useful for connecting two connectors with axle holes in a way that they can be rotated on each other not only by multiplies of 90 degrees.

23 minutes ago, astyanax said:

In the old days, we had to cut pneumatic hoses to the required lengths ourselves. I remember doing this for set 8868 (I'm getting old...). Not sure if cutting was ever required for rigid hoses though. But I have no qualms doing so, nor in asking others to do the same in my published MOCs. Occasionally I buy 40+L rigid hoses just to have something ready for cutting down when needed. 

Yeah, I remember those times as well :) And sure, I'd be okay with doing that too with rigid hoses!

[dantheman12]

building on studio and stumbled across something I haven't seen in a while: part 11125c01, the flywheel pieces from the old chima speeders. I know I have one somewhere in my collection but after a quick look couldn't find it. I wonder if its possible to take apart the assembly and connect just the metal flywheel to any parts we have currently? A small flywheel piece would be very useful for pneumatic engines made from just official parts (as I know a lot of people tend to modify parts for these things). When I find mine I'd like to test it. I wonder If anyone else could think of a use for it? 

[2GodBDGlory]

Hmmm, I think I've got one of those lying around my parent's place. I don't think there's any non-destructive way to get the flywheel out, and I don't think the gear teeth on it mesh with any other gear parts, but I can still see uses. I've had gyroscopes on the mind recently after learning about their use in aircraft instruments, and if you could find a good way to drive this at high speed (probably via friction from the rim), it might be a good way to accomplish that!

[Stereo]

I pulled one out and it's a 3 piece assembly, the dark bluish grey plastic housing, a metal axle roughly 2mm diameter x 27mm, and the flywheel riding on that.  I can't see a way to take it apart without damaging the plastic part.  One side has a ~25mm opening with slopes leading into the axle's hole so it  would need to stretch a couple mm sideways.

 

It is 8 gearteeth and they're smaller than regular Lego ones.

Maybe with the right sharp wedge you could push the end of the axle from the topside and lever it out, but it would need an extremely specific shape of tip as the slot it fits into isn't much more than 2mm wide.  This is the underside of the part, Bricklink shows the holes in the topside.  I kinda think the best bet is using some pliers to spread the top "U" of plastic, if you have some that can fit between the wheel and the housing, or maybe into the holes where the 'ripcord' is supposed to go.

 

I doubt it has enough mass to be a useful flywheel on LPE, I traditionally used the old motorcycle tire which has a much larger radius and more mass, and even that had to be geared up 20x to do much.  Which already has a fair amount of backlash in the gears.

Edited October 26, 2024 by Stereo

[msk6003]

This will be more useful than that.

LEGO PART 54802 Flywheel Inertia Motor 9 x 4 x 3 2/3 | Rebrickable - Build with LEGO

[gyenesvi]

20 hours ago, dantheman12 said:

building on studio and stumbled across something I haven't seen in a while: part 11125c01, the flywheel pieces from the old chima speeders. I know I have one somewhere in my collection but after a quick look couldn't find it. I wonder if its possible to take apart the assembly and connect just the metal flywheel to any parts we have currently? A small flywheel piece would be very useful for pneumatic engines made from just official parts (as I know a lot of people tend to modify parts for these things). When I find mine I'd like to test it. I wonder If anyone else could think of a use for it? 

This does not seem to have anything to do with non-existent parts that would be good if existed, so it would probably be better in the general parts discussion?

[dantheman12]

3 hours ago, gyenesvi said:

This does not seem to have anything to do with non-existent parts that would be good if existed, so it would probably be better in the general parts discussion?

You are right, I misunderstood this topic a bit, sorry.

[zoo]

I wonder when there will be a pin 3L WITH friction ridges with stop? I am a bit underwhelmed by the 3L pin without friction ridges with stop.