10 replies to this topic

[Ghostbuster]

Summer break is here! After four long years I've dusted of my K'nex to relive the old days of joy and sore fingers. The past summers I've been working to fund my study, this summer I decided it was time for some fun.
I'm not really expecting to make the perfect coaster, I'm just having some fun while it lasts. I've uploaded a test run and will provide some pictures the coming days.
 

Edited by Ghostbuster, 20 July 2018 - 11:33 AM.

[JayketheKid]

Looking very nice so far! Glad to see someone building an RMC Raptor / T-rex style coaster. The shaping looks good, and the supports seem quite strong! I like the idea of following up that weird banked airtime hill with a corkscrew. It flows really nice!

[Ghostbuster]

Here are some more images of the ride. I'm sorry for the unnatural light, I work on my coaster when it's dark out.

 

 

The inspiration from this ride is indeed from a RMC Raptor the supports of the drop are exactly the same as Wonder woman golden lasso and Rail blazer (but mirrored).

Edited by Ghostbuster, 14 July 2018 - 06:04 PM.

[rgarner42]

One of the best coasters I've seen in a while. It looks fantastic.  I'm looking forward to seeing this finished. 

[Ghostbuster]

So I did some more work on my coaster and basically finished the layout. Some turns into the breakrun. I need to do some shaping to this part of the ride but i think you'll get the idea.

 

 

So actually i'm not fully satisfied with how the ending of the ride turned out. Since the temperature here dropped from 28 Celcius to 23 Celsius the clearance speed improved quite a lot. (82.4 Fahrenheit, 73.4 Fahrenheit respectively). Since I'm leaving for vacation soon for 3 weeks I have to  see if I make a change to the layout of the ride.

 

In other news, I'm designing an automation PCB to possibly make automation more accessible and easier to use. I already started with my own list of features they may be present on the board.

The purpose is to make it easier for people who are interested in electronics and automation to have a solid base to start from, everything will be open-source once everything in functional. (Could take some time.)

So far I have the following features in mind:

1.  Room for 8 motor that can turn in both directions. OR room for 16 motors that turn in one direction. (can be combined lets say 2 motors in both directions and 12 in one direction, or any other combination.) This should give plenty of room to play around with.
2. 8 Servo's 
3. Option to drive bigger loads, like a drill.
4. 16 inputs for sensors to let's say detect the train. (encoders, switches, anything digital really)

Overconfident ideas:

1. Wifi to log room temprature and the speed of the train. (Let's say the train takes 1 second longer to clear the track, could be an indication to lube your trains again.)
2. Add extra inputs so you can hook up buttons to control your coaster, much like Ryan's Krakatoa.
3. Any other idea that pops up during my vacation.

So the dimensions of the pcb will be 10x10 cm. (3.94x3.94 Inch) so it will be quite a challenge to fill all the ideas on the small area but i'm trying.

Of Course i already started some experiments on a breadboard.

 

 

 

And i also laid out some of the ideas on the previously mentioned surface to see the room that I have to work with.

(Not all components are featured but it is already packed.)

 

 

Community questions:

1. Any electrical engineerings wanna help out ?
2. What features would you like to see on the board ?
3. What do you thing of the ending of the ride and should I change it if I have the time, or a better idea ?

(Sorry for any grammatical mistakes.)

Edited by Ghostbuster, 18 July 2018 - 02:35 PM.

[rgarner42]

It's always surprising how much difference temperature makes to the clearance. It's hot here in the UK for once and that's really stopped me from finishing the coaster I have up, it's just stopped clearing the layout. 

 

I can't help you with the electronics, sorry. But I would completely re-do the ending, you can get so much more out of the layout. From the height of the lift hill you should have enough speed for a few more hills or another inversion, you might just need to alter the position of the break run. The current ending just doesn't match the quality of the rest of the coaster. 

[Ghostbuster]

So a little update, i ditched the last two turn on the coaster. I did just not like the layout. I will be back In 3 weeks, I will finish the coaster after my vacation. The automation part have been moved to this topic, please help me develop this board.

Edited by Ghostbuster, 21 July 2018 - 05:19 PM.

[Ghostbuster]

So I had some time to take some pictures, Uni is not being easy on me. Replaced the last banked turns with something more interesting. Not gonna change the layout anymore, shaping also seems to worsen over time. The temperature dropped significantly here in The Netherlands resulting in insanely fast clearance. So no final video in a while. I am making very slow progress in automation of the ride, maybe I can finish it this summer. Enjoy the pictures for now and have a nice day!

 

[SCM]

Hey, I remember you! This is a nice build with great shaping and a really nice layout, but I'm confused on something: isn't the "airtime hill" actually a buckel? 

[CW5X]

Reminds me of my interlocking early designs but much better built than them. Very solid shaping and it makes it easily so I guess that should be a positive. Good work.

[RidesByDaan]

Love the design so far! Creative curvy and unexpected! 

 

Following this ride!