5000-brick motorised LEGO model of the popular Twister amusement ride, also known worldwide by various other names including the Twist, the Sizzler, the Gee Whizzer, the Grasscutter, the Cyclone, the Cha Cha, and the Scrambler.
Three clockwise rotating suspended carriage assemblies with four carriages each are rotated anti-clockwise around a central core. The opposing rotation of the carriages to the core result in a sweeping sensation for the riders and the illusion that the carriages are going to collide with each other. Larger versions of the ride have the whole thing mounted on a raised platform.
All modern versions of this ride support the rotating carriage assemblies with lower and upper arms connected to the central core and use a double wheel/tyre mechanism on the lower arm that rotates the carriage assemblies as the arms rotate around the base of the core. Much older versions of the ride only used upper support arms containing gearing that rotated the carriage assemblies from above and this is what I've done on the LEGO model since it avoids tyre slippage and is a nice use of Technic gearing from a single motor.
My version of the model also includes an elevation mechanism that can raise the carriages so that they rotate on a slightly tilted axis. I'm not sure if any Twister has ever done this. Certainly none of the modern ones do, but I seem to recall seeing one in the 70s that did. Or perhaps my mind is playing tricks with me. Either way, this is LEGO, and the LEGO version elevates, so there!
The Video
I don't normally start with a video, but the video was really the whole point of building this model, so here it is:
Quoting Builder Allan
Oh this is just SO absolutely brilliant!! Where to start... Ok, so overall details are excellent, this build really has that 'fun fare' feel to it with all the lights and bright colors. The mehanism is an ingenious piece of engineering work, everything moves the right way. Even the carts have that fast-slow swing to them as the real ones does. Up-down movement of the main arms... i actually thought all versions of this ride did that? Or maybe the ones i've seen have mostly been the older version. I think i have seen the platform-version somewhere before too. The platform tilts and rotates with a wobble during a ride on that version if i remember correct. Anyway, a fantastic build - now all you need is a whole fun park. That would be a great theme :-)
Thanks! It was vitally important to me to get the movement right, which is why I started by animating a 22-piece test-build first to make sure the minifigs experienced the correct movements. I've seen a few other attempts at this online with real LEGO and most of them totally had the wrong movement.
As for your tilting platform, are you sure you are not thinking of the Wipeout ride?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wipeout_%28ride%29
Oh this is just SO absolutely brilliant!! Where to start... Ok, so overall details are excellent, this build really has that 'fun fare' feel to it with all the lights and bright colors. The mehanism is an ingenious piece of engineering work, everything moves the right way. Even the carts have that fast-slow swing to them as the real ones does. Up-down movement of the main arms... i actually thought all versions of this ride did that? Or maybe the ones i've seen have mostly been the older version. I think i have seen the platform-version somewhere before too. The platform tilts and rotates with a wobble during a ride on that version if i remember correct. Anyway, a fantastic build - now all you need is a whole fun park. That would be a great theme :-)
you can, I m 43, and it s more difficult, but, the oldest astronaut was 48, it s practice and shaping, the first thing to do is get back on a swinger seat [balancoire] in a park, at first you won t feel so good, but, keep at it, your stomach will adapt, it s just that it used to be faster when younger, as for your piece, it s more than ldd alright, as it looks as good as candy, all the different cam angles and diff options are a delight, bravo!
Quoting Tim C
Very clever. This is one of my daughter's favorite rides, though I admit that as my age increases, my ability to endure this particular ride decreases. Well done.
Thanks! Was always one of my favourites too, despite its simplicity. Sadly I too cannot ride any of these any more.
Very clever. This is one of my daughter's favorite rides, though I admit that as my age increases, my ability to endure this particular ride decreases. Well done.
