Nerdy About The Bricks
Quite literally. Builder Grant Davis continues to churn out models for Iron Builder (nothing from KOS yet, where are you KOS?) and this latest one can actually be used to cool him off while he builds more. Check out the video to see this 100% purist MOC in action.
I for one think the ocean would be pretty spiffy with more robotic sea life. I don't know what the job of a mechanical seahorse might be, but it would certainly be a wonder to watch. Builder ToyForce 120 has conceptualized it, now we just have to wait for science to catch up and make this a reality. C'mon science, we're waiting.
Just last week we blogged a coin-op rocket ride at minifig scale, now builder redfern1950s2 is here with a large scale one, with motion! It's not motorized (yet) but even hand cranked you can see that this thing would be a wild ride. What kid wouldn't want to waste a quarter in this baby? Even if it probably meant wasting lunch too.
We're all familiar with the name Titanic. It's become synonymous with tragedy or failure. But that description couldn't be further from truth with this awesome animated mechanical MOC by builder Bangooh. With a crank of the handle the Titanic sails one again, while the ocean waves swell by. Check out the video to see it in action.
Here's a fun fact. The reason that you only see kangaroos in Australia is because that's where they were invented by ancient aboriginal robotic designers. About 2500 years ago a mechanical engineer by the name of Djalu Yunupingu, working in his secret lab deep beneath Uluru, designed the first robotic kangaroo. This was in direct response to a threat from a rival designer. Working in what would eventually become the Sydney Opera House he designed what he called "the ultimate mechanical army". Those ended up being koala, but due to their dependency on eucalyptus fuel that had the side effect of making them sluggish and slow moving, they turned out to be no threat. I made that all up, but I dig this robotic roo by ToyForce 120.
Here on the central coast of California we have fairly few predators. There's the occasional mountain lion, black bear or bobcat, but those are pretty rare. Far more often we see coyote, but they just look like wild dogs, not anything nearly as intimidating as this mech by builder ToyForce 120. I also assume the local mammals are glad this is just a figment of his imagination.
I don't know what's more frightening, a distant past where tyrannosaurus rex roamed the world, or a distant future where robo-tyrannosaurus rex, like this totally sweet MOC from ToyForce 120, roam the world. At least in the future we can all looks on with sincere admiration and awe as this thing bears down on us. Truly impressed with it's stunning mechanical design and intimidating aesthetics, I mean before it chomps down on you of course.
Can you imagine yourself on a futuristic battlefield, adrenaline pumping after a small exchange with an enemy mech and exhausted from a long war, just to see this thing bearing down on you? Obviously with insanely superior firepower and size advantage, camouflage is completely optional. In fact this one by Moko says "Hey guys! Check me out! I'm coming to destroy you now!"
That mechanical mad genius JK Brickworks is back with another cool creation, and this one's from a video game classic, Mario Bros. Anyone that's played the game (and pretty much everyone else as well) is familiar with the Piranha Plant, those tube-dwelling, perpetually hungry pains in the butt. We've seen these before in LEGO, but this one's mechanical. Check out the video to see it in action and learn how it's done.
Builder and mechanical wiz JK Brickworks is back with a little kinetic holiday cheer. You may recognize the big guy and his team from set 10245 Santa's Workshop, but you've never seen them move like this. Jason has designed a remarkably low profile mechanical linkage that simulates the flying motion of the real Santa, amazing.
Every once in a while a MOC comes along that makes you go "wait...what?" This motorized gimbal by builder Sheo stopped me cold this morning, and I love that. It seems impossible at first (even for someone with a background in mechanical contraptions) but then you look more carefully and it makes sense. And in motion it's as beautiful as it is confounding.
Elephants have been beasts of burden for ages, something I find a bit disturbing sometimes, at least if the relationship isn't mutually beneficial. But if we had mech elephants, like this one from builder ToyForce 120, I wouldn't have a problem with it. I might be persuaded to attend a circus too, because how badass would that be?
Being a fan of animation, as well as an animator myself, I've always had a soft spot for the zoetrope. It's amazing that a simple spinning drum with slits is all you need for the illusion of life. I saw a zoetrope similar to this one by Fogtod a couple years ago at BrickCon, but it used minifigures for the animation. I have to admit I sorta prefer the low fidelity, chunky charm of this version.
Builder m_o_n_k_e_y is back with another stellar robotic MOC. This one started innocently enough from an attempt to build a shoulder structure strong enough to hold heavy arms, and just sort of happened from there. It's always fascinating to me to learn the genesis of a MOC, it's sometimes completely unexpected, and I find that endlessly delightful.
Somehow this one slipped past us back in July, but it's never too late to gawk at a MOC in my opinion, and talk about gawkworthy, check this beast by chubbybots out! Can you imagine, you and your motley crew are out, minding your own business (ok, looking for treasure) and suddenly you're face to face with this monstrosity? I think I'd soil my armor, or at least what ever I was wearing at the time.
I really dig this mechanical hand MOC by builder ToyForce 120. It reminds me of my time as a mechanical designer, as well as the Terminator (plus robot hands are pretty much always cool). The pose-ability of this hand is absolutely fantastic, if you click through there's tons more pictures with all kids of poses. As for the title of this post, it's totally selfish, I want this hand.
Builder VAkkron is celebrating one of the greatest scientific minds the world has ever known, Sir Isaac Newton. But this isn't just a wonderful likeness, it opens to reveal small scenes from his life, studies and tells his story. There's even a working miniature orrery to study planetary motion. An exceedingly clever MOC to celebrate an exceedingly clever man.
Mechanical mad genius JK Brickworks is back with another mind-blowing creation. This one might have you scratching your head how it could possibly work. Luckily Jason shared a video that shows all the secrets. Maybe it doesn't navigate stairs so well, but the rest of the time it's pretty amazing.
When I was a kid I had a Spirograph, and I was endlessly fascinated with it. The patterns generated by intersecting arcs of motion were as interesting as the mechanical process that created them. Now builder and mechanical mastermind JK Brickworks bring this process to LEGO with a simple but elegant machine. And he published the instructions on his website so you can build your own.
I am as eternally mystified by Moko as I am impressed. Usually it's because I haven't heard of the character before so it requires a little research, and since his blog posts are in Japanese I have to depend on Chrome to translate so I can sort of guess what's going on. This usually results in some unintended humor as well, this is my favorite passage today...
"Since Bionicle greed was filled some time Do not (laughs) or I can not made ecause too much detour if not soon return to the Big O production."
...anyway, check out this absolutely badass and remarkably posable figure by one of my favorite builders.
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