Author Topic: Another idea for a new Playmobil construction system  (Read 10962 times)

Offline playmofire

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Another idea for a new Playmobil construction system
« on: May 27, 2010, 19:03:00 »
Here are my ideas for what they are worth.

To start with I haven't gone down the route of trying to combine Steck and System-X as I think they are two different to be made compatible in any real sense of the word, so I've gone the route of a new system, or maybe a similar system to Steck is nearer an accurate description.

The flexibility of a construction system is directly related to the smallest unit of the system.  The smaller the unit, the more flexible the system.  At one extreme, a system such as Lego is very flexible because the basic brick unit can be combined in lots of different ways to create buildings of different sizes and designs.  At the other extreme, a system where there are, for example, four walls and a roof which can only be combined in one way and cannot be examined is quite inflexible.  I've gone for the idea of two basic units, a full wall and a half wall and a range of connectors to allow different shapes and angles in a building. 

The basic wall  and half wall units can be produced to different designs, e.g. sold walls, walls with doors (square topped or round topped doors, single width or double width doors), walls with a window or windows, walls with different styles of windows, e.g. house size or shop size, walls with a door and window combination and so on. 

There is further flexibility in that the wall surface can be varied, smooth, brick, stone, timber and plaster and so on.

Attached are sketches of the basic wall and half wall design.  Construction is by the tab and slot system, similar to Steck.  I've shown two tabs, but there could be more, although I think not fewer.  The dotted lines on the left hand side of the unit indicate the slots for the tabs for joining on another unit.

The dotted lines on the top and bottom indicate slots to allow vertical connection for two storey buildings or for a floor or for fitting a roof unit.  The connector would be a cross shape.

I'm off now to sketch the connectors to allow corners and joins at an angle other than 90 degrees.
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Offline playmofire

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Another idea for a new Playmobil construction system
« Reply #1 on: May 27, 2010, 19:46:00 »
A couple of connectors, a 90 degree one and a 45 degree one.  They're not drawn to scale compared with the wall units and the 45 degree one shows up my lack of design and drawing skill and no doubt can easily be bettered in quality.

The views are top views and the dotted lines show where the end slots are for connecting to wall units.  There would also be a slot in the top and bottom to allow for floors on additional walls but I've omitted these as it would have made the already poor quality drawings completely incomprehensible.

Clearly, other angles for connectors could be created, e.g. 35 degree, 60 degree.
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Offline Wolf Knight

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Another idea for a new Playmobil construction system
« Reply #2 on: May 27, 2010, 21:30:36 »
Briliant thinking Gordon! Cost efficitne I think!!

What pieces are to fit at the side of the walls? I can understand where the tabs will be inserted but the longer dotted lines need a bigger part. Have you made a design of it?

Offline playmofire

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Another idea for a new Playmobil construction system
« Reply #3 on: May 27, 2010, 21:44:01 »
Briliant thinking Gordon! Cost efficitne I think!!

What pieces are to fit at the side of the walls? I can understand where the tabs will be inserted but the longer dotted lines need a bigger part. Have you made a design of it?

Thank you, Panos.  Cost efficiency was certainly something I had in mind.

Do you mean on the top and bottom of the walls?  I'll post a drawing of that tomorrow.
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Offline Wolf Knight

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Re: Another idea for a new Playmobil construction system
« Reply #4 on: May 28, 2010, 18:32:10 »
Thank you, Panos.  Cost efficiency was certainly something I had in mind.

Do you mean on the top and bottom of the walls?  I'll post a drawing of that tomorrow.

Both actually...

Offline playmofire

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Re: Another idea for a new Playmobil construction system
« Reply #5 on: May 28, 2010, 19:05:31 »
Both actually...

I'm working on them now - well, actually revising my first set of sketches of the connectors to include a side view as well as an end view.
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Offline playmofire

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Re: Another idea for a new Playmobil construction system
« Reply #6 on: May 28, 2010, 19:53:54 »
Right, here is my idea for connecting walls vertically for multi-storey buildings.  This method is a simple one where, for example, a building is wanted with rooms two wall heights high.  I have another connector where a floor is needed between the lower storey and the higher storey.

The connector is a cross shape end on, the vertical arms fitting into the slots on the bottom of the upper wall and the top of the lower wall.  The horizontal arms lie between the two walls like the meat in a sandwich.

Because there are full wall units and half wall units, there will also need to be full and half size vertical connectors.

I'll do the sketches for the floor unit next.
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Offline Wolf Knight

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Re: Another idea for a new Playmobil construction system
« Reply #7 on: May 28, 2010, 19:56:28 »
Oh ok now i see it!! Its a good idea!!! And one that can make the four way connector for castles become reality!!!

Offline playmofire

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Re: Another idea for a new Playmobil construction system
« Reply #8 on: May 28, 2010, 20:01:52 »
Oh ok now i see it!! Its a good idea!!! And one that can make the four way connector for castles become reality!!!

Your four way connector is certainly possible as it is a variation of the wall vertical connector, although it will have to have male and female sides.  That is a disadvantage of having male connectors at the right hand end of the wall units and female at the left hand end.  I think there will also be implications for a connector for fitting internal walls.
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Offline Wolf Knight

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Re: Another idea for a new Playmobil construction system
« Reply #9 on: May 28, 2010, 20:13:38 »
Your four way connector is certainly possible as it is a variation of the wall vertical connector, although it will have to have male and female sides.  That is a disadvantage of having male connectors at the right hand end of the wall units and female at the left hand end.  I think there will also be implications for a connector for fitting internal walls.


not necessarily...if the tabs are only designed for the bottom of the walls to fit the floors, then the slots for the connector can be neither male nor female as, perhaps, the connector can slide into place? (with what to hold it you'd might ask...) I kinda think of thesingle battlements getting into their place between the double battlements...but that would not make a strong structure would it?

Or, what if all walls are male and connectors be female?  .... that is now the case is it not?

Oh i think I am too much tired from work to think... 8} 8} 8}