There’s always something new on our weekly Sunday morning walk: today, LEGO inspiration. There’s going to be some heavy lifting at this University of Minnesota heating plant. *Adult Fan of LEGO.
Category: Play
Unstructured Mondays
I like to leave Mondays unstructured. Started the day slowly, reading and sipping coffee. Went for a bike ride with more coffee and a donut. Took a nap after lunch. Finally, successfully connected a PlayStation controller to my pneumatic hoist and gripper via a computer program.
Software Incompatibilities
Worked on my LEGO gantry crane. Spent way too much time trying to get different versions of different software to play nice with each other across three computers.
Gantry Crane: Progress Update
Prototyped the x and y axes of my minimal gantry crane. Next up: z axis (hoist) and a pneumatic grabber. I’ve written a Python program to pull it all together and to interface with a PlayStation controller to help me test as I build. The final product may look nothing like this.
55-Bin System for Hobbies and Home
Started setting up a 55-bin system to organize parts for our hobbies and home maintenance, replacing dozens of plastic shoeboxes. About a quarter of the bins will hold bulk and bulky LEGO Technic parts. The bins are easily subdivided, making parts more available.
Prototyping a Gantry Crane
Finished a working prototype of the y axis of a gantry crane (the part that carries the hoist). I aimed for smooth motion, minimum parts, and maximum symmetry. Next I’ll prototype the x axis. Eventually I plan to give the completed crane enough smarts to operate autonomously.
Staring at a Bridge
Diagonal elements can be problematic in LEGO, so I’ve set myself the challenge of building a LEGO Technic model that includes a strong, minimal horizontal structure incorporating diagonal trusses. Today, on my cycle ride, I studied a 140-year-old bridge, looking for inspiration.
In This Together
We’re 36 years into our journey together.
Celebrating Pride with LEGO
Cycled to the LEGO Shop at the Mall of America to buy the new Everyone is Awesome building set, which went on sale today, the first day of Pride Month. It was 30% off, and I used $5 worth of points from my LEGO VIP (no less) account. Rode the LRT home, admiring my purchase… Continue reading Celebrating Pride with LEGO
The Year of the Easter Bunny
The LEGO Chinese New Year rabbit I assembled a few days ago doubled as the Easter Bunny today. Here, it’s a little too close to a tray of micro-green shoots. As I was born in the Year of the Rabbit, it may reappear as itself on my birthday.