- Mechanical Building Resource

Super Mechanical Thinker

From the series:  The Lego Technic Idea Book Simple Machines.( Highly recommended series for those who are serious in learning mechanical tips on gear system.) 

1. Simple ways to use the LEGO Power Function Motors and Battery box: P 16-45
2. Various Simple Gear Transmission:
   • Multi-planes gears mounting technique: P. 30-49
   • Pulley:  P. 50-55
   • Rack pinion:  56-59
   • Motion used in Railroad Gear Transmission: P. 60-63
3. Various Gear System for Car structure:
   • simple suspension : P. 72-73
   • self-automatically retracting bumper detection: P.90-93.
   • Interesting clawer:  P. 124-125
   • others
4. Basic Gear System Warm up:
   • Simple Gear Train:  P. 102-105
   • Interesting Doorway buidling techniques:
   • Gliding: P.112-113
   • locking: P. 116-121
   • SwingDoor: P.108-109, P. 124-125
5. Pneumatic Devices - P. 115-126
6. Various Techniques for Warm up:
   • Using Pulley: P. 127-132
   • Multi-planes motion with one driving force technique: P. 136-153
   • Simple musical device:  P. 154-155
   • Multi-stage gear system: P. 156-157
7. Wheeled Suspension System - P.204-240
8. More complex Transmission - P. 251-276
9. Mechanical Catapult

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Fun Zoo Ideas

• RoboDog Ideas
  • EV3 Puppy by LEGO.
  • NXT Puppy (from nxtprograms.com). You may also incorporate walk the dogs ideas using the touch sensor.
  • Puppy head
• Robo Frog (from the zoo book)
• Sumo Mantis (from the zoo book)
• Black-widow Spider
• Holonomic Drive
• From nxtprograms.com :
  • Dog Sled Team
  • Dolphin
  • Santa and Rudolph
  • Rattle Snack
• A claw extending to both sides.
• Sal's ClawBot.
• Refer to the The LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Zoo!—New from No Starch Press