Mana Cat

[Eric Sophie]

I'm not going to finish the Mana Cat. I rather build something else.
It was interesting to test out the leg configuration with the Mana.
They actually work really well.

<http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=128009
<http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Legomaster/Mana-Cat/thumb/mr-krackle-3-preview-3.jpg_thumb.jpg>>?

The gearing works well and is strong.
The controlability is tricky and is not really precise.
Also due to the orientation of each Mana, the leg button control is different.
Making it confusing to control because of the 16 different ways the four legs
move.

<http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=1231061
<http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Legomaster/Mana-Cat/thumb/mr-krackle-4-mana-cat-spine.jpg_thumb.jpg>>?

I needed to create the basic body design to test the application.
I learned a couple of things when I tested and built the body.
Like the spine idea. It works great! Bends fwd/rev.

I developed the ankles to "return" to a level position, thus the spine idea was
born. I didn't want to create any additional control surfaces, I wanted the Mana
remote to be the only control. So no adjustability in the ankles or elsewhere on
the robot. Just the Mana driving the legs in an effort to "shimmy" or walk.

<http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=1231060
<http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Legomaster/Mana-Cat/thumb/mr-krackle-3-preview-4.jpg_thumb.jpg>>?

Really my dismay with this project started with the feet. They do the job, but
are not pretty and they look clunky. Plus the rear feet looked just like the
front ones. Yuck.

Plus, the neck area created issues and I had difficulty making the kind of
components I wanted. They would have required additional motors and sensors.
Items I did not want to add. Plus the whole base of the neck was making it
difficult to build.

I took a break, and then another and another. Got Builders-Block, then began the
head. The head was soooooo cool, I decided it belonged to another Mecha.

I created the face of a new robot, added a pilot, installed nifty new trans 2x2
LED bricks from HiTechnic (eyes), added the motors and gearing for the head
up/down tilt, added the motors and gearing for the left/right pan over the
course of this past week.

Last night I completed the main shoulder actuation for the upper most fwd/rev
joint. I will go to the studio tonight and work on the shoulder splay.

All black technic and plates, heavy gearing, z8 to z40, dual high rpm motors,
z24 worm driven.

<http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=1138347
<http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Legomaster/Things/thumb/find-the-ball-joints-4x5feetlong.jpg_thumb.jpg>>?

So the robot that will come about from this project is a more like a promise I
kept to myself; complete the
<http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=4473 Super Mech Bot>. The new
robot will look like what was originally intended; an elongated hexapod - like
the <http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=99659 RG Mech>.?

I now need two more Mana Units. Anyone? Each leg will have a Mana so the legs
can do neat things, while sporting a fully motorized armature on top.

My camera charger is messed up, so until I take pictures, so long Mana Cat.
The kitty that almost never was.

Thoughts? or more dead air, share your ideas, contribute.

e

<http://www.lugnet.com/~1051/
<http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Legomaster/Contact-me/legomaster-icon1-w88-h31.jpg>>

[Mark-36]

That's too bad E.  I know how it is though.  Many of projects sit on my bench,
and I wonder if I'll ever work on them again.  Usually they are dissassembled.  

I'll light a candle for Mana Cat.

Mecha can be hard that way.  WE get so far and then the bugger starts to fall
apart, or we loose interest, or something better comes along.

Then again, I know your perchance for technic turntables and other shiny
objects.  Oh well, bring on the next one.

[Eric Sophie]

In lugnet.technic, Mark Neumann wrote:
> That's too bad E.  I know how it is though.  Many of projects sit on my
> bench, and I wonder if I'll ever work on them again.  Usually they are
> dissassembled.

Ideas and thoughts for tomorrow.

> I'll light a candle for Mana Cat.

Like a funeral?

> Mecha can be hard that way.  WE get so far and then the bugger starts to fall
> apart, or we loose interest, or something better comes along.

Or a good set and cool elements.

> Then again, I know your perchance for technic turntables and other shiny
> objects.  Oh well, bring on the next one.

Thank you for your reply. btw, where have you been? So quiet lately.

e

[Soren Roberts]

In lugnet.technic, Eric Sophie wrote:
> I'm not going to finish the Mana Cat. I [would] rather build something else.

Sorry to hear it. It's always a little annoying when a creation doesn't work
out.

One thing you might want to look at for the next time is the proper anatomy of a
cat, especially in the feet - your skeleton is missing a joint on each leg, and
the proportions are way off. The spine is also questionably concieved - I would
have gone in for a series of flex cables or pneumatics myself, something with a
more appropriate range of motion for the subject matter. All in all, I doubt it
would have walked especially well, or looked particularly catlike if it had.

Here's a diagram that illustrates my points a little better:

<<http://www.maj.com/gallery/Lazarus/misc/kitty.jpg>>

Hope your next one goes easier.

Soren

[Eric Sophie]

In lugnet.technic, Soren Roberts wrote:
> In lugnet.technic, Eric Sophie wrote:
Oh ya, I knew the feet sucked a long time ago, and they were wrong!
With wrong lower limbs and feet, the Mana Cat still moved around in an
interesting way.

Thanks for the constructive feedback, I had to conclude the project with a
overdue post. As my imagination has wandered. later gotta rest.

e

[Marco Tagliaferri]

In lugnet.technic, Eric Sophie wrote:
> I'm not going to finish the Mana Cat. I rather build something else.
> BIG SNIP
> Thoughts? or more dead air, share your ideas, contribute.
>
> e
>
> <http://www.lugnet.com/~1051/
> <http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Legomaster/Contact-me/legomaster-icon1-w88-h31.jpg>>

I didn't think you could come into such problems while building. With your
skills I thought every building related problem could be solved. Seems with the
skills even the problems grow...

What I saw up to now was nice to look at. It made me curious about the finished
cat. So I'm really sad you won't finish it.

It's allways an unhappy thing when one has to stop on a MOC because it just
doesn't work.

So here are two things I want to give to you:
My true sympathy and the advice "Keep building!"

Marco

[kyle vrieze]

In lugnet.technic, Eric Sophie wrote:
> I'm not going to finish the Mana Cat. I rather build something else.

I have to say, I'm fairly well baffled by what you were up to here, but it sure
looked cool.  Having been to Brickfest now, I have an appreciation for the
importance of seeing MOCs in person, particularly mechs.  Did you know the
cockpit on Adam's ALM-014 is rubber-band loaded, and it springs open when you
release the front hatch?  Well, I didn't before, but I do now.  What I'm getting
at is that I think I would have needed to see the Mana Cat in action to really
"get" it, I need more than just static photos for something that complicated.

I thought I'd mention, somebody (his first name is Steve) brought his version of
a Little Bot to Fest, and it was the one thing in the Mecha room that Kjeld
actually fiddled with on his way through.  

I really really hope the pallete for the Lego Factory will eventually expand
enough for you to complete designs like the Little Bot or the ZRX-1 frame, for
Lego builders all over the world to buy.  Imagine what MOCs we'd start to see if
mech builders could start there, and then expand to larger creations without the
parts constraints we deal with now!  (and maybe you could order the extra Mana
motor you need...)

[Eric Sophie]

Thanks guys, I wanted to say, I have been avoiding LUGNET, but I'm glad I came
here to read these two nice replies. There are others who only come out when
there is something nasty to say.

I also wanted to mention that I have been certified as an Artist here in the
city of Jersey City. It took many years to accomplish this, so now I will enjoy
my dinner and head over to the studio to continue building.

I had to stop this morning around 4am because my finger tips are swollen.


e

[danny staple]

Congratulations Eric!

Maybe this is the dawn of those outside of the hobby taking Lego
seriously as a tool for creating sculptures and robots.

I will admit being disappointed to see such a promising project left,
but then I am still heartened to look forward to future stuff you
create. I have to say - Jama is a robot platform with serious
potential, and you have already demonstrated the ability to build
something that might be the Lego rival to the Pino platform.
OrionRobots salutes you!

Danny
--
http://orionrobots.co.uk - Build Robots

On 12/09/05, Eric Sophie <mylegomaster@...> wrote:

> Thanks guys, I wanted to say, I have been avoiding LUGNET, but I'm glad I came
> here to read these two nice replies. There are others who only come out when
> there is something nasty to say.
>
> I also wanted to mention that I have been certified as an Artist here in the
> city of Jersey City. It took many years to accomplish this, so now I will
> enjoy
> my dinner and head over to the studio to continue building.
>
> I had to stop this morning around 4am because my finger tips are swollen.
>
>
> e