A simple but yet so effective timings mechanism is featured in our latest GBC 50 Tow Lift – 42128 Alternate Build. We needed a way to only let GBC Balls go through once the Tow Lift is in the lower and upper position. We used a combination of levers and counter weights to tilt the ball gate up and down at the exact correct moment. There is even an option to tune the timing once you have finished the build.
One of those cool mechanisms which make us smile every time again :)
A Throwback Thursday is in place again. 6 years ago in this month we have released our GBC 12 Pinball Wizard. An alternate build for the 42043 Mercedes-Benz Arocs 3245. It included pneumatics, complex gearing and cool mechanisms which all add to the epic mayhem you can encounter when having this GBC on display.
We asked our original designers to dive deep into their memory to pick up on some designer stories. Somethin about pneumatics which got them all excited again ;)
Fun Fact
Once we got our hands on the LEGO 42032, getting the pneumatics involved was a must! First of all we love to thinker with this super power and we know that you do too. It has the handy small pneumatic pump which can easily be operated by a LEGO motor. 3 individual mechanisms use the pneumatic cylinders in various ways. To control these seemingly random we had to come up with a system which would control the pneumatic valves in such way. Moving valves by hand is not soo hard but when wanting to automate it you need a sturdy construction to make it work. To make sure that all valve would operate at different speeds we used a simple gearbox to slow down or speed up the valve operation. This turned out to work great in the end.
The product page of our GBC 12 Pinball Wizard also got updated. Check if out, get the building instructions and start playing pinball!
The building instructions have already been available for some days now and we have already received our first fan build back of it! That is so cool! (alternate build of the LEGO 42128 Heavy-duty Tow Truck)
This time, Stan vd Laan from the Netherlands set the record and he also prepared to have our GBC Funnel XL L and Xylophone Keys ready on launch. Thanks for sharing this with us Stan. We have now featured your video on the main product page as well.
After building our GBC 40 Tippy Tilt Trays there is a chance you can get tippy yourself!
Jhilario from Spain did so and also incorporated our GBC Funnel Turbo Spin. Thanks for sharing with us. Do you also want to share your LEGO creation? Please check our Upload page for more info.
For our GBC 50 Tow Lift we needed very sturdy and reliable revert output mechanism. To really understand what is going on you need to build and feel it but in general due to the input axle movement the red following gear will switch sides and interact with a different out put gear.
This mechanism can also be used to control 2 outputs with just a single motor. However for our purposes we have connected the 2 output gear to each other so that the output axle will always rotate in the same direction, regardless of the direction of the input axle. How cool is that! This is again one of those cases where GBCs indeed offer more complexity and ingenuity over a more traditional LEGO set.
Get our building instructions and start engineering today!
Would you have ever believe that our GBC 42 Linear Loco Lifters is build from part of a LEGO Concrete Mixer Truck? It’s hard to imagine but it is true!
It took quite some time to get the idea out and transform it into what you see today. The mechanics in this machine for sure triggers the mind and we have even written an article about is some time ago.
This same, complete out of the box, transformation is the case for our upcoming GBC 50 Tow Lift.
