Another idea for a new Playmobil construction system

[playmofire]

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?

I don't think it would and it would only work with castles.  People may want a four way connector with a civilian building.

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

Yes, it is but it means that you need connectors to join up each wall section, something I was trying to avoid for simplicity and probable cost saving.

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

Time for bed, then.  I will sketch a four way connector tomorrow and will post the floor unit in the post I am about to write.

[playmofire]

A floor unit next, which will also need to be in full width and half width units.  It could be adapted to also be a base unit, although as it is designed at present it would limit the size of any building front to back. 

The floor unit acts as both a floor between two storeys and as a vertical connector for the upper and lower walls.  The top part of the sketch shows the side view of the floor section.  The lower part shows a floor section in place (the hatched shape) between the front and back upper and lower walls.  The need for front and back walls to support the floor unit made me realise that there is also a need for a simple support unit with the same function as the Steck open frame pieces - just to form a cheap way of strengthening a building and supporting a floor where there is one.

It also occurred to me that the only construction for which walls at an angle other than 90 degrees are needed is a surrounding wall such as the curtain wall of a castle.  Therefore, there is no need for a number of corner connectors of different angles as I suggested above but only a 90 degree one and a hinged one which could be set either to any angle or have built in settings, e.g. 25 degrees, 45 degrees, 65 degrees and 90 degrees.  A sketch is attached.

[socrates]

Wow... Playmofire, this is an impressive piece of work.
I disagree that the only occasion to use other than 90 degrees is for outer walls. There would be several especially big buildings for that this would be interesting... But something like this (especially for the floor pieces) is quite difficult to design on the scratch, I think.

I like your steck system. But what is the benifit to the old steck system? The two sizes we also have in the old system. You are substituting the connectors basically, but how do you realize a T-connection? I need a connector there but then two pieces with a T-connector would be wider than the big piece, wouldn't they? 

I would love to see prototypes of your system, especially your idea with the floor connectors is intriguing as you would really get a smooth high wall without any transitions. Would probably look pretty cool for castles... 

Your new pieces are great. Thanks for your effort here.

best,
socrates

[Wolf Knight]

Playmofire I like your solution on the floors!!!

[playmofire]

Wow... Playmofire, this is an impressive piece of work.

Thank you, Amir, after all the work you have done your words are very much appreciated.

I disagree that the only occasion to use other than 90 degrees is for outer walls. There would be several especially big buildings for that this would be interesting...

You may well be right it was just that, having suggested different angle corner connectors  I could only think of a use for them with castle outer walls.  The hinged corner connector would solve all situations but might be expensive to produce and not blend in 100%

But something like this (especially for the floor pieces) is quite difficult to design on the scratch, I think.

I like your steck system. But what is the benifit to the old steck system? The two sizes we also have in the old system.

The benefit is that it is double skinned, there is an inside wall surface, an air gap and then the outside wall surface and this would allow different textures or colours inside and out, e.g. stone work outside and smooth plaster inside.

You are substituting the connectors basically, but how do you realize a T-connection? I need a connector there but then two pieces with a T-connector would be wider than the big piece, wouldn't they? 

Good question which I've been thinking about.  It is possible and I hope to draw a sketch today.  Basically, it means a  two more wall units rather than a connector.

I would love to see prototypes of your system, especially your idea with the floor connectors is intriguing as you would really get a smooth high wall without any transitions. Would probably look pretty cool for castles... 

Your new pieces are great. Thanks for your effort here.

Thank you again my friend.   

best,
socrates

[playmofire]

Playmofire I like your solution on the floors!!!

Thanks, Panos.  I quite like it myself as it will give much more rigidity than the system used with Steck.

[playmofire]

Here's an idea for allowing the fitting of an internal wall.  Basically, there are two external wall units involved, one has a male connector for connecting to another external wall and an internal wall, and the other has a female connector which allows connection to an internal wall and another external wall.  This has also given me two other ideas, a redesigned right angle corner connector or an external wall which has a built in right angle corner connector.

I thought of a way of making a mock-up wall unit which I might try.

[skypurr]

This is very impressive work Gordon, 
I look forward to seeing your mock up wall unit.
What is the height of the wall pieces - would you envisage them about the same as steck or higher?  Also would there be roof pieces to fit if they were used for houses say?

Elaine

[playmofire]

This is very impressive work Gordon, 
I look forward to seeing your mock up wall unit.
What is the height of the wall pieces - would you envisage them about the same as steck or higher?  Also would there be roof pieces to fit if they were used for houses say?

Elaine

Thank you, Elaine. 

A wall unit is 16cm long (excluding the tabs) and 12cm high, i.e. the same as Steck.

There would be roof pieces to fit, utilising the slot in the top of the walls.  I hope to do some drawings shortly. 

[Wolf Knight]

This is progressing great Gordon!!! More difference in the connecting pieces, more connecting possiblities, is that right?