All the fun of the fair! Want to play the game and win prizes? Let 2A2A know you love her clever, functioning CLAW_MACHINE project by cheering her on and congratulating her for reaching the big 10K!
ABOUT YOURSELF
- Who are you?
I’m Anna Chen.
- Where are you from?
I’m from Hong Kong.
- How and when did your interest in LEGO products come about?
I have loved playing with LEGO bricks since early childhood. I had one of those “red buckets” of LEGO bricks from the 90s.
- What does the LEGO hobby mean to you?
I like LEGO building to relax and get my mind off adult stuff, like my day job, world news, etc.
- What is your favorite LEGO theme (current or past)?
I really like the Ideas theme, because it is a platform where LEGO fans from around the world can share their fun ideas and love for LEGO creations, and creativity is celebrated. I also like Disney theme, and it seems LEGO Friends sets are getting better every year.
- What is your favorite official LEGO set ever? Why?
I like a lot of the Ideas sets, such as the Piano, Ship in a Bottle, Starry Night, etc. I can’t really choose a favorite from these!
ABOUT YOUR PROJECT
- Where did your interest in this particular model come from?
I live in Hong Kong and love traveling to Japan, Korea and Taiwan. There are a lot of Claw Machines in these places, and I am kind of obsessed with them! Sometimes I need extra luggage for the trip back home, just for the plushies and prizes! I find it quite surprising that a LEGO claw machine set does not exist yet, considering how popular claw machines are, and how many wonderful sets with intricate mechanisms there already are (Piano, PacMan, NES Mario, etc.). So, I want to make it happen with this project!
- How long did the process of making the project take and what did you have to research?
It took a few weeks on and off, when I had free time from my job and other duties. I researched the inner design for claw machines, but realized almost all have two extra motors/actuators for the claw drop (the string), and on the claw itself for opening and grasping. Considering the size and cost of LEGO motors, it seemed less feasible to copy the design of real claw machines into the LEGO model. So, I looked into 3D printers, trying to do more with fewer motors, and have the actuators working from the frame instead of on the claw.
- What special challenges or frustrations did you face creating the model?
I’m really not that good with technical designs and mechanisms, so it took some time to figure out the inner structure for the model. I ended up making the two-direction adjustment mechanism for the claw, referencing some simple 3D printer designs. This sets the position for the claw in x,y plate.
For the claw drop, I tried to fit an “extend and grasp” mechanism similar to the Bionicle set Cahdok & Gahdok (8558). It kind of works, but to fit the mechanism inside, the model would need to be quite a bit bigger than the model I submitted in the original project post on Ideas, and the external appearance would be less appealing, too. So, I ended up not including these in the project. Nonetheless, I believe a simple x,y platform, plus a grasp mechanism like I mentioned, can be paired with great appearance by professional LEGO designers, if the claw machine is lucky enough to be turned into a real set.
- How long did it take to complete the model and your Product Idea to reach 10,000 supporters?
I remember it taking a few weeks at least. The project took just over a year to get 10,000 supports, so the time taken to gain supports was definitely longer than the building time.
- How did it feel when you reached the magic 10,000 votes and how long did it take?
I feel incredibly lucky and thankful to have so many LEGO fans supporting and liking the idea of a LEGO claw machine! I really hope it can become a real set, because I know a lot of people who love claw machines and would be very happy if there was a LEGO model we could build and play with at home.
- If you built your model digitally, what software did you use to build and render your model?
I use Bricklink Studio for draft and rendering images of the model. It is wonderful in terms of parts and color availability. The one thing it lacks compared to physical building is testing mechanisms and physics intuitively. So, for the initial design and rendering for the Ideas project, Studio works great. However, for testing the claw drop and grasping, I took apart the Bionicle set (8558), made modifications, and
tested with physical parts.
