LEGO Technics Machine Produces True Braided Rope

We love a good LEGO build as much as anyone, but Technics takes it to the next level in terms of creating working mechanisms. And nobody takes Technics as far as [Nico71], as evidenced by his super-fast Technics rope braiding machine.

The last time we saw one of [Nico71]’s builds, it was also a LEGO Technics rope-making machine. At the time, we called it a “rope-braiding machine” and were taken to task in the comments since the strands were merely twisted to make the final product. [Nico71] must have taken that to heart, because the current build results in true braided cordage. That trick is accomplished by flying shuttles that are not attached to either of the two counter-rotating three-spoked wheels. The shuttles are transferred between the two wheels by a sweeper arm, each making a full revolution with one wheel before being transferred to the other. Each shuttle’s thread makes an intertwining figure-eight around the threads from the two fixed bobbins, and the result is a five-strand braided cord. The whole machine is mesmerizing to watch, and the mechanism is silky smooth even at high speeds. It seems like a much simpler design than the previous effort, too.

You’ve got to hand it to builders like [Nico71] that come up with fascinating machines while working within the constraints of the Technics world. And those that leverage the Technics platform in their builds can come up with pretty neat stuff, like this paper tape reader for a music machine.

Thanks for the tip, [Gavin]

24 thoughts on “LEGO Technics Machine Produces True Braided Rope

    1. I recommend buying legos in lots on ebay. Loads of people sell them by the pound. Buy from a few different sources, and you’ll have a wide assortment of legos for *far* below the sticker price.

      1. I have thousands of Lego parts! I actually have all the directions too for the different “sets” I bought for my then young son. He was into Legis until he was about 14! I have the train set & the monorail set, among many other sets that I can’t recall!! I would really like to sell these Lego pieces and parts to someone who does things like what’s in this video and article! So cool!

      1. I find it strange that the refusal to use lego instead of legos disappears when talking about technic, but you have to put that extra s somewhere right?
        its just lego technic. singular and plural. you don’t need to keep adding s to everything.

    1. Also, everyone who says ‘LEGOS’ when referring to LEGO bricks deserves to be shot. Sorry – we’ve been polite about up until now, but it’s been a long time coming and frankly you guys brought it upon yourselves.

      1. The general rule, possibly law, is that brand name trademarks (like LEGO) are adjectives, not nouns or verbs. So it’s a LEGO brick, Kleenex facial tissue, Xerox copier, etc. In English, the adjectives don’t inflect with number, so it’s LEGO bricks, Kleenex tissues, Xerox copiers, etc, not LEGOs, Kleenexes (or Kleenices), Xeroxes, etc.

        LEGO Technic is also a brand name, so it’s LEGO Technic gears, LEGO Technic beams, LEGO Technic parts, not LEGOS Technic or LEGO Technics.

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