98 replies to this topic

[~stεεlspectrum~]

It's fabulous, I really cannot wait to see this once you finish the rest of the coaster. The catch car is so simple yet so effective!

[-=TK=-]

I was also wondering how the catchcar will disconnect from the train.
Looks good for the rest!

-=Tk=-

[LaMbChOpZ]

I really like it! The catch car is awesome, and really resembles the real rides a lot which will be super easy to automate with the NXT for sure. The catwalks definitely add detail to it as well, and as we all know your great at that.

Thank you! I tried to make it simple, but effective and I did that. I will be automating this with NXT (in about 2-3 weeks from now actually) and all I have left is to get the NXT servo hooked up with the K'Nex motor. I might use the NXT motor for this lift, however, because the velocity of the catch car needs to be faster going up and down, and gearing down a K'Nex motor isn't going to be that effective. Besides, I'll also be able to manipulate the velocity, so I could start the car off slowly and then take off halfway through the station.

The catwalks aren't necessary right now, but for this catch car to work, I had to have them finished.

Looks awesome so far! I love the catch car.

Thanks!

i have to ask, what will cause the catch car to release from the train?

^I was wondering the same.

I really like this, you put a lot of detail in the ride!

Surprisingly enough, I actually posted 4 pictures with it (2 where you can clearly see it).

It's fabulous, I really cannot wait to see this once you finish the rest of the coaster. The catch car is so simple yet so effective!

Thank you! And to think, I was going to build a mechanism that hooks under the car, pulls it up, then release at the top, all with NXT parts.

I was also wondering how the catchcar will disconnect from the train.
Looks good for the rest!

-=Tk=-

Like I told Helmut and sonicriders789, it's there, you just might be looking in the wrong place for it.

[Jumpge]

The black clip at the top of the catwalk is what will disconnect the train. The pulling car can go underneath this clip, but this disconnects the train from the little car.
Simple, yet so effective as I see this coaster will be.

[TheRandomGuy]

I love the catch car! The system looks pretty cool too!

[LaMbChOpZ]

The black clip at the top of the catwalk is what will disconnect the train. The pulling car can go underneath this clip, but this disconnects the train from the little car.
Simple, yet so effective as I see this coaster will be.

Yuup! Just like you said, the simpler, the better. Since this is going literally to an expo, the smaller a chance of failure

I love the catch car! The system looks pretty cool too!

Thank you! You'll really like this update then!





Well, I feel like you all have been so great about this coaster, I'll give you all a little treat. Sorry for not editing it, but that's not really important in my mind. I think you'll like the video, fancy editing or not.


Enjoy!

[Snake]

That is prodigious!!!

[Jumpge]

So this is why I knew you'd be good at building this coaster.

[ickus305]

excellent. Looks like it does the job very well.

Though because it is going to an be on public display, anyway you can speed things up? The general public is not typically concerned with scale speeds but rather seeing things move and go and etc. If you can not speed it up, no worries, it will still be doing a lot for people to stop and check it out.

[LaMbChOpZ]

That is prodigious!!!

Thank you!

So this is why I knew you'd be good at building this coaster.

Well, I hope to keep that thought going for as long as I can (may not happen with the cobra roll....)

excellent. Looks like it does the job very well.

Though because it is going to an be on public display, anyway you can speed things up? The general public is not typically concerned with scale speeds but rather seeing things move and go and etc. If you can not speed it up, no worries, it will still be doing a lot for people to stop and check it out.

Thank you! For right now, the motor is a SS motor, geared down to see if the car will be able to handle the load of the train itself. For the event, I will be changing both lift motors to NXT Servo motors, so I can change speeds and go as fast as I want without gearing it down. I might need to do some testing to hope that my release device will hold up, but it looks to be good enough.



Well, got a bit more built. Can't say it's too impressive, but I'm trying to get the lifts done so I can really focus on the loop, and most importantly, the cobra roll. Hard to see, but I have started the pull in from the station for the cobra roll, but I'm going to try to get the 1st half finished before I post about it.

Kind of rushed, but this is how the 2 lifts will be. I think the angle is fine, and that leaves me to make a nice sized CR. I'm not too focused on being to-scale, but I am taking it into consideration.

[Jumpge]

Nice, nice. I can't wait to see what you pull together for the automation on the second lift, and how well you build the elements.

[LaMbChOpZ]

^ Thank you. I have plans to have both of those lifts automated, but I have a 3rd servo I'm not using. Not sure what I'll use it for yet, but I hope I can find something for it. Either way, hopefully this update will meet your expectations!

I will say right now, sorry for the blurry photos. I had to use my digital camera since my phone was dead. I'll be sure to post better pictures for the next update though. However, I did get a bit of progress done this weekend. I hope to finish the Cobra Roll by the end of this coming week/next weekend. I think it's starting to turn out really well, but what do you all think?







Sorry it's a little blurry, but you can see that it's starting to curve already.











Sorry its sideways. Photobucket rotated it, but not on here. I really think this is going to look great when it's finished; the red/orange/yellow represents where the path will go.






Hmmmm, what could these micro rods be for......

[Snake]

I'm lovin' the max xties on this coaster.

[~stεεlspectrum~]

That's funny how your phone takes better pictures than your camera. Oh, and shouldn't the half-loop be leaning outward instead of inward?

[Josh Monster]

^ the cobra roll should be leaning outward, you are correct. Here is a picture.

[TheRandomGuy]

I bet those micro rods are for the railing of the catwalks. Also, great job on the half-loop!

[Jumpge]

Yeah, catwalks like the man said.
Just make the track go outwards instead of inwards, support it a bunch (or as much as you can with tubes) to maintain speed well, then finish that thing up.

[sathothy]

Or he is going to put those rods trough the little holes in the x-ties . Normal rods don't fit trough it but micro's do.

[ickus305]

This is looking crisp and clean so far.

[LaMbChOpZ]

I'm lovin' the max xties on this coaster.

Thanks!

That's funny how your phone takes better pictures than your camera. Oh, and shouldn't the half-loop be leaning outward instead of inward?

Yeah, but my phone is a smartphone with a brand new camera. The digital camera is 4 or 5 years old. Refer to the rest of my post about the Cobra Roll.

^ the cobra roll should be leaning outward, you are correct. Here is a picture.

With the one I am aiming for, not really. Look lower down.

I bet those micro rods are for the railing of the catwalks. Also, great job on the half-loop!

Nope, not quite. You're close that they are for the coaster itself, but not the catwalks. Wrong direction from the station.....

Yeah, catwalks like the man said.
Just make the track go outwards instead of inwards, support it a bunch (or as much as you can with tubes) to maintain speed well, then finish that thing up.

Not catwalks. I'm going to differ with going outward (see the picture below).

Or he is going to put those rods trough the little holes in the x-ties . Normal rods don't fit trough it but micro's do.

Very close, but still, not right.

This is looking crisp and clean so far.

Thanks!



So for those of you who say that I need to pull it outward, I see what your saying. But I'm aiming for more of a design like in the photo of Sea Serpent at Morey's Pier



It doesn't move outward and is literally 2 corkscrews and normal half loops. I have several reasons.


1st, the track is going to be put under a lot of stress with the lack of supports the design has. The simpler the design, the less of a backbone I'll need to put on the track.

2nd reason is the position of the station. With how it is now, if I make the Cobra Roll like you said, half of it will actually go over the station. However, I'm going to make the pull in bigger by about a white to yellow rod (may not seem like much, but it's going to make a big difference in the end).

Finally, it's going to put a lot more stress on the train to make it through the layout. The more complicated it is, the harder and less of a chance it will have of making it. If I make it like I have planned, the train should make it with ease.


I even have in my original design plans that it won't move outside the pull ins of the track.





Although some of you may disagree, still, I have to keep it this way. Instead of moving out like that, I'm going to be making the half loop not move laterally until it's inverted. I already tried to make the first half of the Cobra Roll not go over the station, and the car wouldn't make it.