GEARS and corresponding axles - my main interest at this point

DingBEN

A NEWBIE...
NEW to Lego... yeah that sucks! I need to educate up so I know what to get!
I don't believe this is too hard, just need some guidance to go straight to the point
instead of searching and searching in the confusing 100s of sites!
I have mired meself in a massive messy search on countless sites, and still have not found
a clean complete list of all these related parts or know if and what is compatible with what?

THE SHORT OF IT...
I ONLY want to buy the parts I need... a few extras ok,
but NOT entire kits or lots with dozens if not 100s of parts useless to me!
For instance, I found a lot that had 2 gears I need, but many parts I will never use,
and countless figurines that my PROJECT will never use.
I do not want to go into the Lego parts trade business, don't even suggest it.
... buying a mess of kits or bags to hopefully luck up on what I need is not my idea of doing this...
... if that is the only solution, I will not use Lego.

I need a complete accurate LIST of the COMPATIBLE MOTION MECHANICAL PARTS

PROJECT...
What I am building may lead into a MASSIVE count of gears and such parts!
Until I have the complete and COMPATIBLE inventory of all that is GEARS and MOTION in Lego
I will not know how big my contraption stands to be!

2 great examples of Lego dictated size:
- The MISSOURI Battleship and - the Boeing 777...
The builders had to determine the final size of the project before-hand,
the size that the parts dictate to make a viable level of detail.

- 9-foot-long LEGO Boeing 777 airplane – BrickFair Virginia 2015


- 25 1/2 ft
LEGO USS Missouri WWII battleship – Brickworld Fort Wayne 2015


My PROJECT could be as small as 2 to 5 ft or as big as 10 ft and above,
I HAVE NO IDEA NOW! ... impossible to calculate until I am versed on the parts.

SCENARIO
Want to use gears to build a CAR LIKE mechanical scenario.
Not listing everything... but do read the PARTS LIST below, as you need to have in mind
some of the key pieces mentioned, to hopefully give me more precise accurate info.


UP-FRONT OF PROJECT...
- build an accurate complete list of all AVAILABLE COMPATIBLE MECHANICAL MOTION PARTS
and related if not listed(below).
If you know of such list, the better, please let me know where to access it!
Without some specifications, type/nomenclature I have no idea what to select in the stores.
I need to know what is compatible or not, and why!

PARTS LIST...
ESSENTIALLY ALL PARTS THAT have TEETH on them, NO MATTER THE REASON!
...just think ALL THAT RELATES to a geared scenario!
Axles and supporting parts like flanges, mounts, ... DriveSHAFTS, etc.
Engine parts, Transmission, Planetary gearing, Differential, Universal joints,
ALL TYPES of gears, Straight, In, Out, Side, Beveled, Worm, partial (arm)gears, ...

QUESTIONS...
- Are there more than one type gears/axles which do not agree with each other?
- What is(are) the best type gears to go for in MY SCENARIO?
- I have read that gears will strip and some of them worse than others... same with axles torsion!
Does anyone know where to find info on the TORQUE/FORCE that a Lego gear/axles can sustain nominally!

Once I have a complete list I will produce a parts inventory with pictures and specs
(Part Name/Num, teeth count, dimensions, usage, etc... price, ...)

That way it will be easy for me to add a qty to each part and place my initial order.

Thank you for any help
HOW' BOU' THA for an introduction, LOL.
...

DingBEN

hmmm after posting the above, I saw that the parts I am referring to are listed under the topicTECHNIC! ...but I don't see answers to ALL my questions yet.

Stragus

Nice projects!

Personally, I would recommend to first acquire in hand just a few gears of all modern types, to quickly get a good feel of the combinations:
http://www.brickowl.com/catalog/lego-parts/technic/gear

I don't know of external resources on the topic... Very simply put, normal gears mesh with each other, gear racks, worm gears and turntables (and old differential gear casing). Single and double bevel gears can mesh at a 90 degrees angle (and with new differential gear casings). Double bevel gears can also mesh straight on. Knob gears can only mesh with each other, straight or 90 degrees.

There's a ton of parts that can participate in "mechanical motion", and since you need a structure reinforced by beams to sustain torque in the gear train, you should look at the first 5-6 pages of all Technic parts:
http://www.brickowl.com/catalog/lego-parts/technic

A few notable parts:
http://www.brickowl.com/catalog/lego-universal-joint-3-61903
http://www.brickowl.com/catalog/lego-linear-actuator-10-15-61927
http://www.brickowl.com/catalog/lego-technic-turntable-new-with-hole-base-and-black-top-50163
http://www.brickowl.com/catalog/lego-technic-gear-4-knob-32072

I have twisted plastic Technic axles and broke gears with a torque of about 100 N.cm (a stalled PF XL motor geared down by 3:1). Knob gears, with strong bracing, handle torque at a 90 degrees angle better than bevel gears.

I have also used custom-made steel gears and axles, but you then also need aluminum/steel Technic beams (otherwise the axles under torque just eat into the plastic)... I wouldn't recommend that route if you can avoid it.

Hoddie

"The Unofficial Lego Technic Builder’s Guide" from No Starch Press would probably help you a lot. Costs about £15 if I remember rightly but if you're embarking on a big project it's probably worth it. Covers gears and most of the other things you mention in great detail.

ISBN 1593274343 or 9781593274344

Might even be available in pdf from the publisher, pretty sure I had a pdf copy at one point.

TheSkirrid

Also check out Sariels website [http://sariel.pl/ ] and books for gear ratio calculators, gearbox, mechanical adders and subtractors, differentials and more. Basically any LEGO gear and axle is compatible, except the very early coloured gears [aka Samsonite/Expert gears]. Also, as mentioned above, even non-gear items like turntables , and some large wheels [e.g. 64712], will have toothed surfaces that can also be used.
Also check out some of the bigger Technic MOCs on Rebrickable, all have instructions, and most are free, just browsing the instructions for a complex model can give some good inspiration.

Hoddie

Remember also that Duplo has some Technic-like pieces including gears, at bigger scales than system. It might be possible to use them in some way.

DingBEN

Thanks all... this is great.

I had struggled to get information and now this site turns out to be the best.

On this BrickOwl site, parts can be grouped in the way I am able to see quickly what is available for a particular type part etc., with clear pictures and full naming and numbering.
I really do not have to create my own list anymore... this site has the right approach!

@Stragus... your info on torque is priceless.
Finally someone who can give me the nuts and bolts of this understanding.
Much obliged to you, sir!

...and all of you are awesome, providing me with clues that are exactly what I seek,
precise, technical and beyond the average vague descriptions I have been getting.
I am more than appreciative to have gotten such great responses.

Yes, I know this is just the beginning, and more will come, but I was giving up on Lego,
using many other sources which provided but surface info, the Lego education site being my first turn-off.

I am amazed at this turn-around, all due to some dude on YouTube
who passed this BrickOwl link to me! @Rogem

Thank you all.