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1/2 inch? Wow that is big....

Not really able to visualize it but it sounds like it will be secure and stable. Can't wait to see how you rig it up because I think it is amazing that you want such articulation on such a huge model. My main question would be how you intend to keep the cylinder travel tight enough to make them able to hold weight at odd or extreme angles?

Or do you not intend the actuators to be articulate?

Or am I overthinking it?


Found your blog on Relics, too. You present your projects very well, Black. But then again, your projects present themselves well on their own......

Okay some one has tampered with a successful format and now it takes an act of god to access the next page. Three times I have experienced this glitch and I'm sure other Dakka denizens have as well. IF IT CAN'T BE REPAIRED AT LEAST RETURN TO THE OLDER FORMAT.

No clearly it is I who am overthinking the project as usual; part of the fun of scratchbuilding is pushing the envelope. Dave Smith's model is fantastic but it appears static. fixed as it were for eternity in one pose. Since I haven't the artistic ability to improve very much on what I consider perfection I must to salve my self respect and attempt to make the joints movable by drawing on my mechanical aptitude.

Clearly you can't visualize the mechanism because I haven't either. I know what I want to do and can visualize the mechanism but whether the material is up to the manufacture or the stress imposed by the of the mass of this model remains to be explored but as you may have perceived the finished model is secondary to the building.

My philosophy is, "getting there is ALL the fun."

And yes the actuators will be movable.

I am posting on at least a dozen forums England, France, Argentina, and Russia (I think) but never fear Dakka is my home and always my first post.

The narcissistic Blackadder

Woohoo! I thought my last post was lost. I have seen this about a dozen times now.....


where dobwe file our trouble ticket?

If you have a problem post it in nuts and bolts. Pretty sure theres nothing they can do tho.

Hmm I think a swiveling base bracket on one end of the "ankle" pistons would do what you are looking for. combined with a "ball" socket in the center of the "ankle" to take up any weight.

In all the images of the ankle area there is no hint of a ball joint besides which I don't think will bear the weight either in the model or a real vehicle of this purported size. I can make functioning ball joints as in Lucie's hips and ankles but these would be on an order of magnitude larger and therefore much too large to represent in the model unless I want the foot to be 3 inches thick. For my purposes using only a portion of a sphere i.e. the semicircular disc mounted perpendicular to the ankle disc which puts 50% of the rotation above the ankle and buries it in the shank. Surprisingly this seems to be the solution arrived at by the "Cosmic Engineer" himself for virtually all ambulatory animals (At Least on Earth) so it seems the way to go.

A interesting side note on ball joints: In living creatures which have the ability to renew the connecting tissue as it wears unlike machines that need periodic replacement of similar devices. Once the capacity for regeneration is diminished, arthritis and general deterioration of the joint occurs and Granny breaks a hip. Another reason why immortality isn't all it's cracked up to be. (Groan!)

The ball in the image above is not recessed sufficiently into the cup and acts more like a bearing that a joint and provides no attachment of the foot to the ankle so an attachment point is still necessary and it's poor engineering to use hydraulic actuators for attaching points as the stress causes the seals to leak and/or fail prematurely.

Thanks, I appreciate the input.

Just so I understand correctly, I get your neurosis in creating it as functional as possible. And I'm trying to remember on Lucie... You want to keep it poseable?

Neuroses, sounds serious whatever; working on the cylinders. These will allow the disc to tilt side to side while secured to a longitudinal pivot axle yet to be fabricated.

How much travel in the piston do you think you'll get with those?

This looks like the great start to an awesome build. Consider me subscribed!

I appreciate the responses and the subscriptions but just so you know 'The Blackadder' is very prone to mistakes. I spent half a day building the pistons receiving the cylinders on the discs and after forming them and starting to install them found that they were totally unnecessary!

Since they are totally hidden inside the ankle discs whats the point of even installing them? added work, more parts to fail, who needs that; so eliminated. But all is not lost, they may be useful in another area and if nothing else they keep me humble.

Hey, we all learn from each others mistakes/errors. Thank you for making them so we don't have to.


It is gonna be fantastic, Black. I hope to start a Choas Warlord in about three months. I will rely heavily on your lead.....

That ankle disk is 3" right?

Speaking as someone who once built a Warlord Titan (From mostly foam insulation chunks), structural support should trump the ability to have moving parts. I had no end of trouble reinforcing joints, since it seemed that every time I transported it, something was threatening to fall off. I eventually lost patience with the whole monstrosity after a couple of years and ended up making it the centerpiece of a spectacular fireworks display. Don't suffer my fate!

jabbakahut wrote:That ankle disk is 3" right?

3.625"

warpcrafter wrote:Speaking as someone who once built a Warlord Titan (From mostly foam insulation chunks), structural support should trump the ability to have moving parts. I had no end of trouble reinforcing joints, since it seemed that every time I transported it, something was threatening to fall off. I eventually lost patience with the whole monstrosity after a couple of years and ended up making it the centerpiece of a spectacular fireworks display. Don't suffer my fate!

How much did it weigh?

Warpcrafter, Was it completely foam board construction?

Black, the diagonal toes are they flush at the top with the disc or do they sit above as in the foot on the left?

This is the only decent image I have of the built up foot. You will note that the disc is suspended well above the foot pad base and the bottom of the disc is level with the top of the diagonal toes sloping armour plate.

The disc on the DS model is apparently supported by a piece of vertical plasticard which really prevents it from tilting side to side as would be expected in a static model. Item #1 (Red circle)

Items #2 arrows point to what appear to be linear actuators that suggest the diagonal toes are capable of movement extending them in and out for balance purposes as mine may be as I need the stability for one legged posing.

Item #3 shows a buttress dowel DS used to stabilize the leg to foot connection thereby rendering the disc and foot unmovable.

Finally Item #4 points to the barely discernible leg quadrant which give a nod to the fact that the foot disc is capable of tilting fore and aft were it not for the items #'d 1 & 3.

Also note that the front/back and side toes actually extend well under the disc. I haven't worked that out yet but may use the F/B inner plate for the base of the fore/aft axle under the disc.

This is kind of fun

If you are a masochist.

So is the theory that the fore/aft and side toes are fixed to the foot base and are not moveable? Which essentially means that the foot is somewhat of an X with toes in between them?

The_Blackadder wrote:

jabbakahut wrote:That ankle disk is 3" right?

3.625"

warpcrafter wrote:Speaking as someone who once built a Warlord Titan (From mostly foam insulation chunks), structural support should trump the ability to have moving parts. I had no end of trouble reinforcing joints, since it seemed that every time I transported it, something was threatening to fall off. I eventually lost patience with the whole monstrosity after a couple of years and ended up making it the centerpiece of a spectacular fireworks display. Don't suffer my fate!

How much did it weigh?

It wasn't foamboard, it was the 4" thick pink foam insulation, and each foot was a single piece. The joints were cardboard tubing, as were the gun barrels. I don't know how much it weighed, but it was probably about five pounds.

warpcrafter wrote:

The_Blackadder wrote:How much did it weigh?

................ probably about five pounds.

THANKS

jabbakahut wrote:So is the theory that the fore/aft and side toes are fixed to the foot base and are not moveable? Which essentially means that the foot is somewhat of an X with toes in between them?

To obtain a proper walking gait requires the toes to move. I can't see a Titan moving comically with a flat foot stride as the robot ASIMO so not only should the toes move to follow terrain variations but they should push off on the initiation of the step and heelspring on the landing.( I think I wrote this before.)

Granted this is beyond what is necessary for my purposes as mine isn't animated but the hinges and cylinders should be represented otherwise the model will look as plain as a shoebox.

It's extremely gratifying to envision something in your mind's eye and then to duplicate it in some medium. In this case extremely malleable styrene but I can see how real engineers get their rocks off. Granted the days of Isambard Kingdom Brunel and John Scott Russell are pretty much over where an engineer designs and executes an entire construct but I'm sure even today such gratification must still exist.

Case in point, this highly speculative tilting table mechanism for the foot attachment.

I believe I have come up with a viable solution to allow the foot to tilt side to side, be light and strong and also look complex enough to grace a 40K denizen.

Were I to build this for a real vehicle I would enclose the axle within the disc housing so the table doesn't shift side to side as much but then the mechanism would be totally hidden. so this way I have an excuse for the diagonal toes linear actuator system that give enhanced stability during the stepping process and decreases the upper body swaying which is the cause of so much seasickness in some Warhound crew members.

That's my story and I stick with it

When I see how much of this system will actually be visible I may fancy it up a bit using some of mxwllmdr's lightened girder and buttress techniques.

The beauty of this construct is it can be disassembled for maintenance, painting and repair.

The_Blackadder wrote:That's my story and I stick with it

Don't worry about your story with me, Black. You had me convinced ages ago!

Here's a little item that should prove invaluable to the serious modeler. My son made me aware of this product and my favorite paint manufacturer (In spite of the fact that they ruined their spray cans by changing the nozzle!)

Spray on magnetic paint by Krylon:

http://www.krylon.com/products/magnetic_paint/

I'll have to get a can and test it out.

Rustoleum also makes magnetic paint that can be sprayed or brushed on and advertises that it is 3 times stronger (Than what they didn't say.) I don't care for Rustoleum because it takes too long to dry.

http://www.rustoleum.com/CBGProduct.asp?pid=127

but I understand the thicker the coats the stronger the attraction and ideal for rare earth magnets.

I've used the paint on (like house paint) magnetic paint. It works for holding up light kitchen style black magnets.

I will have to see if I have photos of it's use, it would hold 5x7 photos mounted on .125" foam core with black magnetic tape strips on the back.

Genius, Black......


This is why we are all fascinated by your builds.......

And exalted for when GW finally makes a skitarii model (or I do it myself) and I am forced to build a mechanicus army! Curse you Dan Abnett and your Titanicus!!! This model/behemoth is looking great! Can't wait to see more! So when are you starting an Imperator??? ROFL

Your a genius.

your soo talented. Keep up the good work.
Peace

THIS.


I will be following like an eagle eyed eagle on copious quantities of caffinated caffine. . .

Spoken in the best Black Adder alteration there is ample hope for you anon anunearthlychilde.