Nico71's Creations

[Carefree_Dude]

I love your loader more than I like the A model. I'm curious what it looks like with the 42030 bucket on it. I"ll probably build it once I get the set. 

out of curiosity, do you have a picture of leftover parts? 

[nico71]

Sorry, I have not picture of leftover parts, and I do not think the suitable of the 42030 bucket is good becausde I design the movement of the fork to be used with a fork (speed and amplitude). And I think the bucket will be too heavy to work with, because of the placement of the linear actuators points (due to the scale). So maybe it is possible but with some modifications and surely a loss in amplitude of motion :)

[nico71]

Hello, I present you my new creation !

A motorized rally car transformer which transforms from a car to a robot. With building instructions.

Context

I must admit that I am not a huge fan of Transformers movie and robot fight, but I like mechanism and wanted for a while to build a real car which can transform into a transformer robot with not only the chest and head to move like a toy but all the body, including the feet, legs, chest, head, arms and so on. Then, I decide some months ago to start this creation by seeing the work of barebos on youtube who have made a prototype. I have made many prototypes to have the correct dimensions and proportions for the robot and then design (or trying to design) the car. Here is the final result.

Functionality

This model has only one function, which is the purpose to what it has been designed (of course you can play with it but there is no steering). This function is the most important and takes the whole space in the model. It is basically composed of  :

• A M-motor which drives the whole system (in red and yellow)
• Articulated feet lever which deploy the feet under the bodywork (in blue)
• A double linkage lever to maintain the chest of the transformer to be parallel to the feet lever (in pink)
• A third linkage which connects the double linkage to the front, in order to reveal the head (in green)
• The two arms attached to the chest which are moved by a last system of linkage (non represented here)

The M-motor drives two system of worm gear. The first drive train powers the pink linkage. This linkage is attached to the blue feet lever which is powered by the second worm gear thanks to the T shaped parts. This configuration with the two worm gears and the double linkage enables to have the chest (basically in red on the picture) to be parallel to the blue feet levers. Thanks to that, the feet can be folded in the chassis like a accordion and takes the maximum available space to gives a nice proportioned robot which raises from the ground.

The blue feet levers are necessary to lift the whole transformer by pushing on the ground and to be a part of the feet at the end to avoid falling, the feet touch consequently the ground as soon as the lever start to rotate. Then, the double linkage is connected to the front of bodywork, and the length between pivot point allow a 90° rotation of the front bumper when the whole linkage made a 180° rotation. Like that the transformer can raise from the ground and reveal the head of the transformer by rotating the front bodywork. you can see in fact that the head is hidden inside the front bodywork but is attached to the chest.

To finish the arms of the transformer are attached to the chest and are composed of a double linkage system, which makes rotate and move on the side each arm. Each arm is connected to the first double linkage (in pink on the picture) with 6L link. Therefore the doors of the car is the arm of the transformer and the hands are hidden at the back.

Design

At the beginning I wanted to have the battery box in the model, but I had to remove it because of the weight and that I have not enough place to put a big motor. Even with a big creation to have enough space to put two big motors, the weight was too important to lift the transformer (do not forget that this is the feet which lift the transformer). Therefore I decided to choose small scale to have a small weight and tiny motor, of course the battery box would not be in the creation but apart and connected with a wire.

- 

 

The main consequence of this was the design of the bodywork. When I have finished the mechanism of the transformer, I was able to start the bodywork, but due to the scale, I could only make a design which was a compact rally car. It could not have a trunk (or maybe with a more complex linkage), and the wheel base was small regarding the scale, because I focused myself to have a correct proportioned robot regarding the feet, legs, chest and arms. Regarding the doors, they are also the arms with the hands, therefore, the hands in black are hidden at the back which is simple and handy, which would be not the case if I chose a different design. This is the same reason why there is a gap between the rear light and the roof, because when the transformer is raising, I have to have enough space to handle the displacement of the roof.

The head is also hidden in the hood, which affects the design of the head. I was limited in width but think that I found an interesting combination with black connector to create the mouth and face, plus some white parts, especially the cheese slope which makes the nose.

 

To conclude, this type creation was the first I did, having a car which can transform into a robot. It was very interesting to works to the mechanism especially the complex system of linkage, worm screw, lever, moving and non-moving parts which makes a good working creation. The building is very compact to keep a small scale in order the robot can be raised by a motor, therefore there is not many space to create detailed interior, fake engine, steering, or drive train. The design was also a consequence of that which is not bad (rather cool I think), but maybe a lack of crazy color and shape which can be seen on original Transformers movie. As I said, I not very good in designing manga things.

Pictures and Video

 

Go to http://www.nico71.fr/transformer-rally-car/ to see more pictures.

 

Building Instructions

At the beginning of this moc, I wanted to make a building instructions because when I searched this type of creation, I did not find with instructions. I tried to make it with photo sequence but it was a total mess. Therefore I decided to create a pro-rendering instructions for sale, at 7.5€, which enables you to rebuilt it, step by step, part by part.

Here is the complete bill of material in picture file :

File 1 - file 2

But you can also checked it on rebrickable :

 Want to know if you can build the Rally Car Transformer ? The Rally Car Transformer has been indexed to rebrickable, check it !

To get the building instructions : you can either buy it on rebrickable or on my blog : http://www.nico71.fr/transformer-rally-car/

You can see sample of the instructions :

 

I plan to put in on mochub depending of the price so stay tuned.

Fell free to comment :)

[1gor]

Interesting moc, could be official (transformers-like) set. I suggest you to buy 42093 and use wheels 43.2 X 14 tires

[nico71]

Could be interested yes, I discover this "new" tyres on the Corvette but it is also appear on the londo, bus so for a next order on bricklink !

[1gor]

Probably at the beginning of next year, there will be a bit lower price than now because tires are in 3 sets (London bus, Ferguson tractor and Vette) 

[pleegwat]

Very nice MOC.  Shows how interesting a model can be with even a single function.

[Jurss]

Really cool MOC. Almost unic.

[jorgeopesi]

Awesome MOC I envy your versatility building.

[jovel]

Oh cool!

I also made one a while ago, but I think you beat me with the looks. 

[nico71]

Nice I did not see this one ! If there a video ?

[jovel]

No video yet, but if you go to "view all sizes" ( click the arrow pointing down ) on this image , you get an animated gif.

[nico71]

Get it, thanks, this is a an other point of works. I am glad to see that you continue working with lego, I though you stopped because I did not see anything or brickshelf or youtube (I don't have flyckr.)

[nico71]

A tiny monster truck, features all wheel drive and steering, torsion bar suspensions, changeable gear reductions and power source, and openable hood, with building instructions.

 

I wanted for a while to build a tiny monster truck with the big wheels of the Lego Xerion with a special color scheme. The first idea was to use lime and blue color from the lego #42037 but I had not enough parts in correct color to have a good result, that is why I changed the idea and try a different approach with a red chassis, white body and some touch of lime, but without neglecting the bodywork.

I have chosen to design the chassis in red color, like the iconic lego crawler #9398, using one L-motor on each axle with differential, with a simple but effective drive train. The use of portal hub enables the easy change of the gear reduction, to have a maximum torque (8/24t) or maximum speed (16/16t). It was an important thing for me for the drive train to be easy changed.

The steering is operated by a servo motor, placed centrally in the chassis, and uses the ball-join frame to passes the axle of the steering. As the servo motor is not directly on the steering axle and uses 16t gearing, I have to use a small trick to avoid miss-alignment of the steering, by shifting some tooth of the 16t gear to have the correct tooth of the 12t gear on the rack. (you can see it on the building instructions).

The suspensions are based on the same design like my Mongo Truck,  the CVT truck, or orange trial crawler since lego have released the ball-join hub with frame. Therefore the axle are composed of a ball-join hub frame, with two links on the side but the shock absorbers are not made by using springs, but torsion bar. A link connects the axle with a lever, which is mounted on an axle which can not rotate. The suspensions are therefore create by the torsion of the axle. It enables to have adjustable soft suspension (by moving the fixed position of the axle) and more compact than a spring for vehicle in small scale. But this suspension can not handle a drop of the vehicle without end stop to prevent breaking the axle.

 

Regarding the design of the bodywork, as I mentioned, I wanted to create a tiny truck with good mechanical and simple design but also a nice bodywork. I have chosen the white color for the bodywork which fits nicely with the red chassis, and some touch of green using the lime soft axle, but you can of course consider every color you want as the design is pretty simple in the parts used. I also wanted to put some nice details in it to reinforce the playability, like the possibility to choose the power source. My model uses standard battery box with IR received V2 but a buwizz of a lipo with sbrick can also be installed. The last detail is about the openable hood which reveals the big V10 block (not working sorry) and some others details like a dashboard and exhaust.

To finish with the trial truck abilities, there are good, despite the fact there are differentials on each axle and the wheel base is short, but the truck has a low center of gravity, a good torque on wheel (with the 8/24 portal hub), good traction with the tires and the responsive suspension and small turning radius. Of course it can not compete with heavy slower truck with many motors but it is very playable and fun, especially if you choose the buwizz of sbrick solution to avoid the IR detection problem under the sun. To sum up, this is a fun and powerful tiny monster truck, which can be modified by the user (changing power supply, gear ratio, color scheme), that is why I have created a free building instructions based on reverse photo sequence !

You can see the bill of material here :

or watch it on rebrickable :

 Want to know if you can build the tiny monster truck ? The tiny monster truck has been indexed to rebrickable, check it !

You can download the PDF of the building instructions here : LegoMonsterTruckInstructionsByNico71.pdf (25mo) or browsing here : http://www.nico71.fr/monster-truck-2/

:)

[Oliver 79]

Nice monster truck. Something like this has been on my 'to do' list for some time. 

Thanks for the instructions, I might make it this evening! ? 

[arijitdas]

@nico71 wondering if there has been any further progress on the 42082 D model. I am eagerly waiting to see it. Could not find any update on it on your website or your FB page. I absolutely love your creations.

[nico71]

Hello, 

the model D is finished, pictures and videos are done, and Kevin Williams works on the building instructions. but this is a huge model so It takes time to complete !  I can not tell at this time when it is finished and published. Here is some pictures :

 

But mainwhile I am working on the building instructions of a new car that I have design in the begining of the year, which is obsviously a honda, a S2000. It represents the best I can do in this scale with the bodywork, it is full of building technique to obtain half stud gap to respect the shape at this scale. You can see some picture here :

I am very proud of this two creations, and think I am going to this type of creation now. Which is model C or D because it is very pleasant to work with limited inventory and making instructions for it (people are really happy with model C) and some other creations which takes month to make but are rather perfect for me. Even if it takes many time to do, this is a way I like, and of course I will not publish many creations / year now. But it worth it I think :)

[keymaker]

I am esspecially interested in D model of 42082. It looks great. I see 4 levers, so I assume therea are 4 automatic functions. What is the fourth one (lowering/uprising of the fork, tilting the fork, expansion/narrowing the fork and ....)?

 

 

P.S Honda also looks terrific.

[MajklSpajkl]

Wow, fantastic work on both - the forklift and the Honda! 

[arijitdas]

@nico71 both models looks fantastic. Looking forward to the videos. 

[nico71]

2 hours ago, keymaker said:

I am esspecially interested in D model of 42082. It looks great. I see 4 levers, so I assume therea are 4 automatic functions. What is the fourth one (lowering/uprising of the fork, tilting the fork, expansion/narrowing the fork and ....)?

 

 

P.S Honda also looks terrific.

You will see soon ^^

Thanks for the comment on the two creations !

[jorgeopesi]

Both are masterpieces but I like even more the heavy forklift.

[pagicence]

Nice looking Honda.

[Lipko]

Awesome models both! One minor question: why the geartrain and driving axles to the fork elevator are doubled? Only stylistic feature?

[nico71]

Yes for the design, it enables also the driver to see between the two pillars. and also to reduce the torque on each U_join in order they do not take apart.