Lego

Lego Builds

Project 2 Finished

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The excavator is finished and all seven motors work properly!

This model is huge as can be seen from this photo of me holding it.

The model is standing on a table that is 60 centimetres (nearly 2 feet) wide. This side view shows the complexity of the model.

Here is another photograph, but with the stairway up to the driver’s cab lowered.

The model has two tank tracks with a motor each so the excavator can move forward and backwards. It turns by moving one track forwards and the other backwards. The main body rotates 360 degrees above the tracked base.

The Boom, Jib, Bucket and Scoop are each driven by a motor and Rams. This photo shows the main three pairs of Rams clearly. The fourth pair are the small ones in the lower left of the photo.

This photo shows all the dummy hydraulic pipes on the Boom and Jib.

Rather than film my own video on how the model works and how it can be programmed or controlled from a tablet or phone I have embedded this Lego product video.

Notice how the very simple programming blocks are very similar to those used to program the Lego robots.

Project 2 – Stage 3

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The most difficult stages are now complete.

All 7 motors are installed together with the 2 control hubs. So the most complicated stages of the build are complete and everything can be controlled from my mobile phone.

A view from the front showing the various motor driven pistons that move the arm, jib, and bucket platform.

And from the rear. The next three stages should be just adding all the pretty stuff, like cowls, ladders, etc..

Project 2 – Stage 2

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Stage 2 added the main cab structure. It’s getting big now.

Here is the side view.

And here the rear showing the internals more clearly.

Project 2 – Stage 1

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The first stage, of 6, is complete with the main carriage section finished.

There are three motors and a control hub in this build. The control hub is the box with the green button at the top, centre of the image. One motor controls the turntable and there is one per side for the track drives.

The model is currently 28 centimetres long and 27 wide.

Big Project 2

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I have started a new Lego model and it’s even bigger than the crane!

Here are all the components stacked on my work table. There are over 4100 pieces and 7 motors. It has a small computer that enables the model to be controlled from a smart phone.

Granny’s First Lego

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Granny has got interested in Lego and this is her first try. This is a model of Trafalgar Square in London.

Multi Purpose Vehicle

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Here is the latest Lego project. It is a fully programmable, remote controlled, vehicle which has steering, photo sensors, and can fire harpoons. The video below shows some of its features.

The computer module is the block at the rear into which all the cables from the motors and sensors connect. I have used the same programming language that you are using for your Lego Boost robots. There is lots more we can do with simple robots like this.

The Crane is finished!

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The Lego Crane is finally complete and seems to work perfectly. Amazing as I have 9 pieces left over. Here are the photos and videos to prove it. On some devices it may take a little while for the videos to load and automatically run.

Finished Crane

Click on the photo to see a larger image. The wheels rotate and steer, the jib rises and extends, the hook rises and lowers, the crane turret rotates through 360 degrees and the legs rise and lower.

Controls

There are 6 clutches used to assign the single motor to each of parts that move. Each clutch has 3 positions, forward, neutral, and reverse. This photo shows 4 of the clutch controls.

Stabiliser Legs

Click on the image to see the legs lowered.

Rotate the Crane

Click on the image to see the whole top of the crane rotate.

Raising the Jib

Click on the image to see the jib raise.

Extending the Jib

Click on the image to see the jib extend.

Driver’s Cab

And a final image of the driver’s cab. Note the fire extinguisher just behind the cab door.

What next then?

Stage 8

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The crane jib has been added and there is only one more stage to go before the model is finished.

Penultimate Stage

The main crane jib has been added and all that is left to do is install the bodywork.

Click on the photo to see a larger version.

This is BIG!

Me holding the stage 8 build to give you some feeling for the size of the crane.

Stage 7

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With stage 7 of the build the whole thing is starting to look like a crane. Fitting the crane body to the undercarriage was tricky.

Top View

At the very top, in the middle, you can just see the crane winch with its reel of cable. Well it is actually cord of course.

Side View

I have tested the motor and the various clutch drives and everything seems to work. But all my fingers are crossed.

The main clutch mechanism consists of three clutches side by side. The control lever slides left and right through three clutch positions. In each position it can be in neutral, or move forward or backward to engage gears.

Rear View

Note the electric motor and battery holder mounted on the back of the crane unit.

Stage 6 Details

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These photos show some of the details of stage 6 of the build. In particular lots of gears, including some differential gearing.

Stage 6 Sub-assembly

This is about one quarter of the way through this build stage.

Differential Gears

This is a closeup photo of the complicated gearing at the front end of the unit.

Gear Change Mechanism

The back end of the unit has a way of changing gears. The little red piece, circled, moves the grey clutch piece left or right from the central neutral position. Click the photo for a bigger image.