40035 Rocking Horse

 

  • 40035 Rocking Horse

    Posted by Huw, 22 Nov 2012 09:53. Filed under Pick of the week.

    Rocking Horse Here this year's other Christmas polybag: 40035, Rocking Horse.

    It's a bit disappointing, frankly. The horse is a nice shape, but doesn't have a printed eye piece: I've added one here which improves the look considerably.

    More importantly it doesn't rock: what's the point of a model of a rocking horse if it doesn't rock! Of course we can guess why it doesn't, because getting it to is actually quite difficult with the LEGO parts palette available.

    I played around with bits of technic tubing and other flexible parts yesterday to try and make something that would, and not look terrible, but I didn't succeed.

    Do you have any ideas how to get it rocking?


    16 comments, latest one posted 6 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)
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Comments

Posted by CamberbrickGreen in United Kingdom, 22 Nov 2012 10:13

Only from starting afresh completely: build upside down to the mid point for using curved bricks at the base and then use multi stud bricks- to build the top onwards the right way from that point.

Actually will this model allow the curves at the absolute bottom with the plates on top before the hooves go on?

Posted by CCC in United Kingdom, 22 Nov 2012 10:26

How about using 4x1 plates on the bottom instead of the 10x1s. It still won't rock, but it will tip a little easier.

If you want it to properly rock, the remove the 6x1 brick and the 10x1 plate from the rocker, then place the curved slopes together. There will be overhang of the runner over the curved parts, but it should rock a bit.

Posted by icey in Denmark, 22 Nov 2012 10:27

Sandpaper?

Posted by DrDaveWatford in United Kingdom, 22 Nov 2012 10:29

"Do you have any ideas how to get it rocking?"

Play it some Metallica - that should do it.

Posted by Huw in United Kingdom, 22 Nov 2012 10:52

LOL :)

Posted by maques in Hungary, 22 Nov 2012 10:56

Hmm, use 2x http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=75c20 (or longer?) and attach to 1-1 http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=4085 [a/b/c/d] at the ends?

Also Def Leppard's Let's get rocked could help...

Posted by Graysmith in Sweden, 22 Nov 2012 11:01

I actually completely disagree about the eyes. I find those eye pieces incredibly tacky and un-LEGO-like. With such a simple design, adding eyes give it too much detail that looks out of place.

As for getting it rocking — besides Metallica — I'd imagine any reasonably-working solution takes quite a lot of pieces and/or advanced techniques.. Which is probably why LEGO didn't make it rockable.

Posted by Delatron in United Kingdom, 22 Nov 2012 11:25

We saw this in the catalogue and my wife made it up from the photo (not bad for a non-FOL!) and instantly lamented the lack of rocking action. However she is mad for Christmas decorations so I think ours will end up on the tree anyway.

Posted by marvuk in United Kingdom, 22 Nov 2012 11:47

Might be possible to do something with boat studs? http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=2654

Posted by TheDesuComplex in United States, 22 Nov 2012 14:14

Maybe replacing the support plate on the bottom with two more of the curved slope would help.

Posted by ramon123 in United Kingdom, 22 Nov 2012 14:19

Its simple instead of altering the legs its on, Put it on a axle and add another base plate, think of a see saw.
should work nice.

Posted by meccanotwitch in United Kingdom, 22 Nov 2012 18:19

What about some vintage 4.5 volt train blue curved rails?

Posted by duck585 in United States, 22 Nov 2012 21:33

Inverting the rocking bricks and adding some red slope pieces might help!

Posted by CzechMate in Australia, 23 Nov 2012 01:42

Use the upside-down 2x2 pieces with are round-ish, that should do it.

Posted by Brickmatic in United States, 23 Nov 2012 21:42

In order to get a rocking motion you need to have a continuously curved surface. In other words, the pieces can't flatten out in the middle. Even if you remove the plate, the center will be flat. So I suggest you use a SNOT technique with http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=61678. The rocker will be 8 studs long and will work. But then you have a visual problem because the horse is 12 studs long. So instead of replacing the original rocker with the new functional one, your best bet is to remove the bottom plate and mount the new rocker between the rails of the original rocker. Space it so that the horse rests and rocks on the inside piece, but the outside rails remain for visual effect.

EDIT: Put together a model of a working rocker in LDD and it looks good! Also pretty straightforward to put together.

Posted by EveryNowAndZen in United States, 25 Nov 2012 11:45

P'raps try a clip at each end, holding one of the long, flexible Technic rods under each side of the platform?
Oh, and I'd put some Diablo Swing Orchestra or That Handsome Devil in the mix.

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