The Unofficial LEGO Technic Builder's Guide

The Unofficial LEGO Technic Builder's Guide

by Pawel Sariel Kmiec
Released October 2012
Publisher(s): No Starch Press
ISBN: 9781593274344

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Book description

The Unofficial LEGO Technic Builder's Guide is filled with building tips for creating strong yet elegant machines and mechanisms with the Technic system. Author Pawel "Sariel" Kmiec will teach you the foundations of LEGO Technic building, from simple machines to advanced mechanics, even explaining how to create realistic to-scale models. Sariel, a world-renowned LEGO Technic expert, offers unique insight into mechanical principles like torque, power translation, and gear ratios, all using Technic bricks.

This beautifully illustrated, full-color book will inspire you with ideas for building amazing machines like tanks with suspended treads, supercars, cranes, bulldozers, and much more. Your Technic adventure starts now!

Table of contents

  1. Unofficial LEGO Technic Builder's Guide
  2. foreword
  3. preface
  4. acknowledgments
  5. I. basics
    1. 1. basic concepts
      1. speed
      2. torque
      3. power
      4. friction
      5. traction
      6. rolling resistance
      7. backlash
      8. efficiency
      9. vehicular concepts
        1. driveshaft
        2. drivetrain
        3. driveline
        4. steering lock
        5. turning radius
        6. FWD, RWD, 4×4, 4WD, and AWD
        7. weight distribution
        8. center of gravity
        9. ground clearance
    2. 2. basic units and pieces
      1. the Technic brick
      2. pins, for joining and rotating
      3. beams, the studless alternative
      4. the half stud as the minimum building unit
      5. two tricks for building with half studs
    3. 3. studless or studfull?
      1. LEGO evolving
      2. studfull building
        1. reinforcing studfull constructions
        2. studfull advantages
        3. studfull disadvantages
      3. studless building
        1. creating rigid studless connections
        2. studless advantages
        3. studless disadvantages
      4. combining the styles
        1. get inspired by Technic sets
        2. methods for connecting bricks and beams
        3. even vs. odd
    4. 4. axles, bushes, and joints
      1. axles
        1. standard axles
        2. modified axles
        3. flexible axles
      2. bushes
        1. half bush
          1. toothed half bush
          2. toothed half bush with a cutout
          3. smooth half bush with a cutout
        2. regular bush
        3. bush with a long pin
      3. universal joints
  6. II. mechanics
    1. 5. gears and power transmission basics
      1. drivers, followers, and idlers
      2. gear ratios
      3. efficiency and gears
      4. backlash and gears
      5. controlling rotational direction
      6. an inventory of gears
        1. worm gear
        2. 8-tooth gear
        3. single-bevel 12-tooth gear
        4. double-bevel 12-tooth gear
        5. 14-tooth gear
        6. 16-tooth gear
        7. 16-tooth gear with clutch
        8. single-bevel 20-tooth gear
        9. single-bevel 20-tooth gear with pin hole
        10. double-bevel 20-tooth gear
        11. 24-tooth gear
        12. 24-tooth gear with clutch
        13. 24-tooth gear with crown
        14. 36-tooth gear
        15. 40-tooth gear
        16. differential gears
        17. turntables
        18. knob wheel
        19. Hailfire Droid wheel gear
        20. obsolete gears
    2. 6. chains and pulleys
      1. chains
      2. pulleys
      3. string and pulley systems
        1. simple pulley system
        2. differential pulley system
        3. power pulley system
    3. 7. levers and linkages
      1. levers
        1. classes of levers
        2. from levers to linkages
      2. linkages
        1. Chebyshev linkage
        2. Hoeken’s linkage
        3. pantograph
        4. Peaucellier–Lipkin cell
        5. Sarrus linkage
        6. Scott-Russell linkage
        7. scissor linkage
        8. Watt’s linkage
    4. 8. custom mechanical solutions
      1. a stronger differential
      2. differential locks
      3. a custom differential
      4. an axle with a differential lock
      5. ratchets
      6. linear clutches
      7. eccentric mechanisms
      8. Scotch yokes
      9. a Scotch yoke
      10. Oldham couplings
      11. an Oldham coupling
      12. Schmidt couplings
      13. stepper motors
      14. Geneva mechanisms
      15. a Geneva mechanism
      16. reverse lights
      17. flashing lights
      18. turn signals
      19. complex turn signals
      20. double-axle turntable transmission
      21. a double-axle turntable transmission
      22. a sturdy universal joint
      23. a universal joint
    5. 9. the LEGO pneumatic system
      1. the Old system
      2. the New system
      3. an inventory of pneumatic parts
        1. pneumatic pump (Old)
        2. pneumatic pump (New)
        3. small pneumatic pump (New)
        4. distribution block (Old)
        5. valve with studs
        6. valve with no studs (New)
        7. large cylinder (Old)
        8. 6L cylinder (Old)
        9. small cylinder (New)
        10. large cylinder with square base (New)
        11. large cylinder with round base (New)
        12. pneumatic tubes and hoses
        13. T-piece (Old)
        14. T-piece (New)
        15. hose connector with an axle joint (New)
        16. cylinder bracket
        17. airtank
        18. manometer
      4. modding the pneumatic system
        1. non-LEGO hoses
        2. non-LEGO airtanks
        3. removing springs to create motorized compressors
        4. pneumatic suspensions
        5. turning your pneumatic system into a hydraulic one
    6. 10. pneumatic devices
      1. motorized compressors
      2. a rocking compressor
      3. motorized valves
      4. autovalve
      5. a motorized valve
      6. an autovalve
      7. automated pressure switch
      8. pneumatic engines
      9. a single-cylinder engine
      10. a two-cylinder pneumatic engine
      11. a two-cylinder pneumatic engine with sliders
      12. builder showcase
      13. a working water pressure pump
    7. 11. building strong
      1. why things fall apart
        1. finding weak links
        2. understanding where to reinforce
      2. the right way to reinforce
        1. things to remember when reinforcing
      3. reinforced differential casings
      4. four reinforced differential casings
      5. reinforced worm gear casings
      6. three reinforced worm gear casings
      7. load-bearing structures
        1. rails, chassis, and body frames
        2. trusses
          1. Brown truss
          2. Warren truss
          3. triangular Warren truss
        3. choosing the right truss
      8. choosing the strongest pieces
  7. III. motors
    1. 12. an inventory of LEGO motors
      1. 2838, the first 9V motor
      2. 71427, a popular and powerful 9V motor
      3. 43362, a lighter 9V motor
      4. 47154, a 9V motor in a semitransparent housing
      5. Micromotor
      6. NXT motor
      7. Power Functions E motor
      8. Power Functions Medium (M) motor
      9. Power Functions L motor
      10. Power Functions XL motor
      11. Power Functions Servo motor
      12. RC motor
    2. 13. LEGO Power Functions system
      1. manually controlling motors
      2. remotely controlling motors
      3. power supplies
        1. AA battery box
        2. AAA battery box
        3. rechargeable battery
      4. receiver
      5. remotes
        1. basic remote
        2. speed control remote
          1. understanding the speed control feature
      6. modifying the remotes
      7. a basic remote with steering wheel
      8. a basic remote with sideways lever
      9. a speed control remote with central steering wheel
      10. linear actuators
        1. large linear actuator
        2. small linear actuator
        3. linear actuators vs. pneumatics
      11. extension wires
      12. miscellaneous elements
        1. switch
        2. LED lights
  8. IV. advanced mechanics
    1. 14. wheeled steering systems
      1. basic LEGO steering systems
        1. return-to-center steering
        2. Ackermann steering geometry
        3. a simple steering arm with Ackermann geometry
        4. convergence of axles
    2. 15. wheeled suspension systems
      1. driven axles
      2. suspension systems: concept and categories
      3. types of suspensions
        1. double-wishbone independent suspension
        2. Tatra-type suspension
        3. pendular suspension
        4. trailing arm suspension (floating axle suspension)
      4. driven and suspended axles
        1. pendular suspension with turntables
        2. a stabilized pendular suspension
        3. portal axles (geared hubs)
        4. a stabilized pendular suspension with a portal axle
        5. a Tatra-type suspension stabilized with four shock absorbers
        6. an independent suspension
        7. a floating axle with four links
      5. steered and suspended axles
        1. a pendular steered axle
        2. an independent steered axle
      6. driven, steered, and suspended axles
        1. an independent axle
        2. a heavy-duty pendular portal axle
        3. a pendular axle with a worm gear
    3. 16. tracked vehicles and suspensions
      1. rubber tracks
      2. hard plastic tracks
      3. tracked wheel systems
      4. suspension systems
        1. bogies
        2. trailing arms suspension with shock absorbers
        3. trailing arm suspensions with torsion bars
      5. experimenting with road wheels
    4. 17. transmissions
      1. types of transmissions
      2. how LEGO transmission driving rings work
      3. transmission designs
        1. 2-speed synchronized transmission
        2. 2-speed linear heavy-duty transmission
        3. 2-speed RC motor transmission
        4. 2-speed orbital transmission
        5. 2-speed ratchet transmission
        6. 3-speed linear transmission
        7. 4-speed double-lever transmission
        8. 4-speed synchronized transmission
        9. 5-speed linear transmission
        10. 10-speed synchronized transmission
        11. continuously variable transmission
      4. distribution transmissions
      5. a 2-speed synchronized transmission
      6. a 2-speed linear heavy-duty transmission
      7. a 2-speed RC motor transmission
      8. a 2-speed orbital transmission
      9. a 2-speed ratchet transmission
      10. a 3-speed linear transmission
      11. a 4-speed synchronized transmission
      12. a 10-speed synchronized transmission
      13. a continuously variable transmission
    5. 18. adders and subtractors
      1. hard-coupling
      2. coupling motors with adders
        1. summing torque with an adder
        2. adding more than two motors
      3. subtractors
        1. why use a subtractor?
        2. longitudinal subtractor
        3. a longitudinal subtractor
        4. transverse subtractor
        5. a transverse subtractor
        6. a studless transverse subtractor
  9. V. models
    1. 19. form vs. function
      1. cars
      2. trucks
      3. motorcycles
      4. tracked vehicles
      5. aircraft
        1. planes
        2. helicopters
    2. 20. scaling a model
      1. blueprints
      2. points of reference
      3. scaling
    3. 21. the modeling process
      1. size matters
      2. wheels
      3. other circular elements
      4. colors
      5. devil in the details
        1. building at odd angles
        2. building cleverly
      6. the next step: controlling your models
  10. A. afterword
  11. Index
  12. About the Author
  13. updates and additional resources
  14. Copyright

Product information

  • Title: The Unofficial LEGO Technic Builder's Guide
  • Author(s): Pawel Sariel Kmiec
  • Release date: October 2012
  • Publisher(s): No Starch Press
  • ISBN: 9781593274344