Monthly Archives: May 2012

Automated points switch

While the immediate use of Masao Hidaka‘s clever device may not be apparent to non train fan readers, I hope that the ingenious basic principles will be. Basically it’s an all mechanical, close to all ‘system’ system for changing which path a train will take, based on the position of the red dot. So much elegant engineering here and I hope it might inspire even better approaches to this and similar problems.

Thanks RAILBRICKS.

Bricks & Heroes at Memphis, Nov 9 -11

This fall, the 2012 Memphis Comic and Fantasy Convention will be featuring a section dedicated to Lego where you can see and and display creations. In addition there will be Lego vendors, brickfilm showings, and discussion panels. Click on the poster below for more info.

Someone call crowd control

This concert stage by sssteinberg is out of control. In addition to its massive size, the creation has an entire crew at the back stage. Check out all the details on Flickr or MOCpages.

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The BG-Team

Camouflage is so ’10s. In the ’40s all urban assault vehicles will be colour coded. Just like Cole Blaq‘s BG Cyanid Unit. And who are you to argue with the future?

T4 Cybagala, Saranyu & Varuna

Action heroes

Some times all you need to turn an OK shot into a good shot is a little action. As Simon T. James aptly demonstrates with his TS4 Put Bull AUV. Of course it helps if the model itself is good.

TS4 Pit Bull AUV  (26)

An Exception to Every Rule

I try to avoid posting LEGO creations based on the Halo games; there are simply too many of them around, and I don’t really think anyone wants to see another attempt at a Warthog. This diorama by legomocs. forced my hand, though. The micro scale frigate is nicely rendered, as is the accompanying Covenant spire, but neither is what caught my attention. The shape of the diorama and the angle of the ship combine to give this creation a great sense of motion. It’s difficult not to imagine the continuing flight path of the frigate, after seeing this one moment caught in time.

UNSC Grafton

On a Wing and Prayer

A wing, a prayer, and psionic energy are the only things keeping this glider by Jack McKeen (madLEGOman) aloft. Jack built this for a competition on FBTB, to be an aircraft themed to accompany the X-Men character Psylocke. I don’t know much about Psylocke, aside from seeing illustrations, but apparently she has psionic abilities. In keeping with her powers, the wings of the plane are attached by translucent beams of thought. They’re simply lovely to look at.

Psylocke'sPsionicGlider05

Motorized for battle

The Japanese builders know their mechs, and this one by Legorobo is a prime example. Beyond looks, the mech features remote controlled movement and more. Check out the video below:

AFC4-01

Mecha School

Fredo Houben (Fredoichi) shows off his various design skills in this stunning image. The mecha are beautiful, but in this case it’s the presentation that is the real highlight for me. Like some sort of glorious advertisement for a grown-up’s toy.

Mecha Classes roundup 2

Theo Jansen’s Rhinoceros Strandbeest on LEGO CUUSOO

Artist/engineer Theo Jansen has been creating fantastic “kinetic sculptures” for more than 20 years. I was mesmerized the first time I saw a video of the Rhinoceros Strandbeest in motion several years ago. Now, Dutch industrial designer kvanb has created a working LEGO version of the Rhino and posted it — with Theo Jansen’s blessing — on LEGO CUUSOO.

LEGO Rhino Strandbeest on CUUSOO

Those familiar with the original sculpture will certainly be impressed by the likeness, but I literally gasped (to my wife’s surprise and alarm) when I saw the LEGO model walking in this video, shown here with Theo in his workshop:

Here’s Theo Jansen’s original Rhino, for comparison:

I would love to see this turned into a real LEGO set. I hope that approximately 10,000 of you out there will agree with me.

Super Żubr A80

This Żubr A80 truck by Karwik will be going in my ‘clever techniques’ folder. Especially the use of the new arch for the front wheel and that beautiful texture in the wagon. And let’s not forget the bucket.

Żubr A80

Viddy this: Alex & his three droogs

While I haven’t been able to spend a whole lot of time online the last couple months, I’ve managed to squeeze in an occasional build or two.

Sthaughot Gunship (1)

For weeks, I’ve been feeling a bit blocked on new ideas, but finally found a combination of color (orange with dark gray accents) and shape (rather bulbous) that I liked, inspired by the design of the little vehicle on the right. One baseball game later, I had a nicely swooshable gunship in my hands, followed by a couple tiny drones.

Will you think me strange if I admit that I hadn’t decided whether this was a large-ish microscale ship with supporting micro-vessels or a mid-size gunship with drones by the time I was ready to upload the photo? I’m actually still not sure…