tegan Posted November 24, 2013 Time for Lego with Teg-O. So I know it's kind of dumb, but I'm still a big fan of Lego. It's one of those rare toys that actually becomes much better as an adult when you's better at figuring out things like aesthetics and engineering. Last night before bed I suddenly thought of a hip joint that would let me make bigger, better, more stable robots, and this morning I put it into practice on a base frame. So far so good! I'm gonna' need more joints and I have no idea how I'm going to flesh it out (probably gonna' need to buy a whole bunch more plates, so I might make my first-ever Lego bulk order once I figure out what I'm gonna' do with it). One thing I thought of too is that now that I'm building a bigger robot, I finally have the space to make more articulate hands. Again I built up a quick framework as a test run. The fingers can't quite flex as far apart as human fingers can, and each is missing one phalange for space-saving reasons, but the thumb is fully opposable and each finger has a fairly wide range of motion. Unfortunately it may be too big for this particular model. Oh well. I may be able to truncate it down into something more manageable, and if not it was still a good experiment. Today I'm gonna' be doing a toy store run to see if I can get my hands on some older sets with parts I'd like at a discount, plus I know that Chapters is having a 20% off thing right now, because Chapters sells Lego for some reason. Wish me luck! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ucantalas Posted November 24, 2013 Holy moley. That is some fine Lego work. I haven't pulled out my Legos in ages... I really want to now. Sadly they are all at the other end of the province at my mother's house. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Roderick Posted November 24, 2013 Teg, I feel you need an additional set of joints under the feet to make the legs really stable. Now the feet rest awkwardly on a flat surface, a simple ball-joint would do. Last month I bought some pretty big boxes again. Just yesterday Lego had a good couple of deals and I bought the modular building sets of the Pet Shop and the Town Hall. Earlier I got two Kingdoms Joust sets and Arkham Asylum. I just really, really love building sets. It's much rarer that I feel the need to experiment and build my own. Lego is diverse enough to appease all sorts of fans! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tegan Posted November 24, 2013 Teg, I feel you need an additional set of joints under the feet to make the legs really stable. Now the feet rest awkwardly on a flat surface, a simple ball-joint would do. I know. This is just a test of the hips and torso so far.Those are just placeholders so I could see how it look standing up. The actual feet are gonna' be a lot more complex. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tegan Posted November 24, 2013 ROBOT UPDATE: bought some new Lego on sale today, including one of those big Hero Factory style Chima sets with high-friction ball socket extenders, which I'm using for the shoulders. I've added a ton of plates to flesh it out and get a general feel for the anatomy and construction. Unfortunately I can't find more than one red 4x4 curve or a full set of eight 3x1 curved slopes in any colour in my collection right now, so just pretend it's partially unpainted or something. I still might change colouring around in places too, and I need to tighten up the front a little so it doesn't have a massive robocrotch. Also, it's affixed to a stand here by temporary feet just so I can show off its range of motion. I'm still thinking about how to do the final feet, though I'm starting to get some ideas. Right now you can see how the legs bendand how the chest will actually pivot around the stomach by about 30 degrees in each direction. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tberton Posted November 24, 2013 That's some awesome stuff, Teg. Lego is cool, but I don't really play with it anymore. I have a friend who's super into it though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
elmuerte Posted November 24, 2013 that looks awesome Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tegan Posted November 24, 2013 CHECK OUT THESE SWEET NEW SHOES They're only held in place by a single ball joint, which I'm not so comfortable with. I'm going to try to build the area around the ankle extra-sturdy and maybe pick up another set of those friction cups. The toe and heel both have a surprisingly high degree of freedom, though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tegan Posted November 25, 2013 Update before bedtime! Honestly I'm not liking the leg sculpting do far. I might redo that all later. I'm running out of pieces to make the arms, toe. I need more ball and socket components and more 2x1 bricks with axle holes in them. Those things are the cornerstone of this stupid robot. A couple of new features: ROBODONG Thought I'd give it a little chest insignia for flavour. Also, in case anyone's looking for a better sense of scale, right now the robot's about 30cm/12in tall. And I still haven't even started the head, sooooo... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SecretAsianMan Posted November 25, 2013 And I still haven't even started the head, sooooo... And I'll form the head Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Merus Posted November 25, 2013 Why do you always get to be the head? I wanna be the head. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
elmuerte Posted November 25, 2013 looks like a dog is it a big dog? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Apelsin Posted November 25, 2013 It looks like an Autobot wearing a dogs pelt. Dogserker? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hermie Posted November 25, 2013 Tegan, that's bad ass. I made some more advanced Mindstorm robots in my youth, but nothing on this scale. In the last year or so I've been wanting to start collecting minifigs, now that they've made licensed Lego from all the stuff I grew up with, like Marvel and TMNT. But I still don't have the budget to justify buying those little sets to primarily get one figure a piece. But the places I've looked online that resells them are also prohibitively expensive. Hot scoops on where to get them are appreciated. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nachimir Posted November 25, 2013 Bricklink is often cheaper than ebay, though not always. Both have lots of sets that have been split up for resale. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tabacco Posted November 25, 2013 I've been using a service called Pleygo, which is a Netflix style thing for Lego kits. So you pay a flat monthly rate for one kit at a time. It's pretty cool, but they don't have a ton of the huge huge kits (star destroyer, death star, etc.). But it's still pretty fun. I have a cool referral link if anyone wants to try it: http://www.pleygo.com/invite/dougtabacco The worst part is that the site 100% assumes you'll be ordering for a little kid. Put your real age in the kit search form and be sad. (And, because it was my first thought, they do wash the bricks) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Apelsin Posted November 25, 2013 I got really excited about putting together some custom minifigs as presents for family and friends but wow are there a lot of parts And finding the right ones seems pretty daunting. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tabacco Posted November 26, 2013 Clearly the best minifig: Porkins! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tegan Posted November 26, 2013 So the robot's coming along nicely (I'll take pictures in the morning when I have better light), but I'm becoming concerned about the weight. I'm thinking of adding a simple pneumatic piston setup to the shoulders so that the entire weight load's not resting on a single high-friction ball and socket joint, plus I feel that I ought to get a whole buttload of high-friction socket extenders for the ankles and hips. Worried that might add too much bulk tothe hips, but it's better than having the whole thing collapse under its own weight. I did revamp and shrink down the hand, though, and completed the skeleton and some dummy plating for the forearm. Right now I'm at the upper limits of what I can do without putting in a Bricklink order, but I guess I can still do the head/cockpit. Wheeee. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Roderick Posted November 26, 2013 You're wrong, Tabacco, the best minifig is Sam Sinister. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Squid Division Posted November 26, 2013 So the robot's coming along nicely (I'll take pictures in the morning when I have better light), but I'm becoming concerned about the weight. I'm thinking of adding a simple pneumatic piston setup to the shoulders This ends with you building an actual robot, doesn't it? Godspeed! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nachimir Posted November 26, 2013 Robot is looking great, Tegs. Best minifig? I'm torn between these: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tegan Posted November 26, 2013 ROBOOOOT ROBOOOOOT ROBOOOOOOOOOT The last shot should give you some idea of how the elbow works. It's super sturdy since it's using four ball joints with restricted mobility (two to swivel the bicep area and two to hinge at the elbow) to support relatively little weight. It hinges really far, too. It has almost as much freedom as a real arm.If I can solve the shoulder weight problem it should be all good. the new hand doesn't have quite as much freedom as te onld one (partisularly the thumb, which is now a series of hinges instead of a ball joint), but it's significantly more compact now and I like how it tuned out. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tegan Posted April 13, 2014 So last night and this morning I decided to make awesome little cars! Driver McFastington and his trusty mechanic in front of his slick yellow racing machine. He can actually get in, though you have to swing the roof up and remove a few part temporarily. I'd like to make the mechanism a little bit smoother but I'd need a weird-angled brick to make it work. This was my first real, proper, wheeled car build since I was maybe eight, so I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out. It's even in scale with modern minifig-scale City vehicles made by Lego themselves. Next is Dirty Dick Dastardly and his parole officer next to the Murdermobile, with non-regulation spiked front and rear bumpers and deployable kneecappers in all four wheels. I'm really pleased with how the cockpit on this one opens up. Other small details: it has bars on the front instead of a windshield and the rear wheels are exactly 1/3 of a brick shorter than the front, which gives the whole thing a slightly sloped, more intimidating look that I really like. There's one part in the wrong colour, but it's barely noticeable, and I'd like to replace the rear axle pieces with something slightly less wobbly. Overall I really like the result. So that was fun! Maybe I'll make more later. VROOM! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Roderick Posted April 13, 2014 Those are genuinely terrific. I love how the first one is sloped. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites