Hi all, any of you folks know how to make an animated  pump jack? It is that oil pump they use to bring oil from underground. Looks sort of like a t-rex bobbing for apples :lol:

ok, it wasn't THAT funny :P Anyhow might be a fun thing to do some anti oil dependency theme, or just blow the darn thing up :)

Attached Link: pump jack

There's a .3ds version on sale at the linked page.. ...

 

Once in a while I look around,
I see a sound
and try to write it down
Sometimes they come out very soft
Tinkling light sound
The Sun comes up again

 

 

 

 

 

Looks like it would not be too hard to model, either in Bryce, or (shudder) one of the heretical apps. The linkages for animating it would be the most challenging part. I've often thought of them as looking like a T-rex too. :-)

Yes that is the challenge, and I am clueless on the animating part. (I assume it has something to do with parenting, or the likes) The other of just making a static model would probably be easily done by just messing around with various primitives. But of course static is like poser,  they just stand there, and that's no fun. 

Attached Link: Animating a simple steam engine

Found an intersting tut on hooking up mechanical linkages to simulate a steam engine in Bryce. Many of the same principles would apply to the kind of animation you would like to do. HTH,     Edmund

I know keyframes have something to do with it, but past that, we are not smart..;)

I wish I'd said that.. The Staircase Wit

anahl nathrak uth vas betude doth yel dyenvey..;)

Yes keyframes and use of the origin handle are the keys.  Brings back memories.

I once saw a pump near Avanal or Coalinga that was set up to look like one of those plastic birds you put next to a water cup where you put the birds beak in the water, let go and the bobbing action made the bird look like it was drinking. I think it was alongside I5 looking east.  

I saved copies of all the display pictures at the site I linked with a view to trying one...might be a good challenge...not official but fun.. ...

 

Once in a while I look around,
I see a sound
and try to write it down
Sometimes they come out very soft
Tinkling light sound
The Sun comes up again

 

 

 

 

 

Wish they had a model around here of one. Actually I am sort of surprised nobody has created one, considering oil is such an issue these days. Other than here at Rosity, CP, and Daz,  I am really not too comfortable making monetary transactions :)

Here's one.
http://www-c.inria.fr/gamma/download/affichage.php?dir=MECHANICAL&name=oil&last_page=31

Lot's of other tanks, Gas Pumps, V8 engines and more in this index. Have to animate everything yourself however.

Thanks electro for the link :)

And thanks everyone else for all your help with this also. This should get me on the right path for sure.

What happens to older Bryce threads here? Do they get deleted after time?

No, they roll down with no response and after 45 days they archive, which you can search for.

___
Ockham's razor- It's that simple

Ah ok, that's good then. I thought maybe they just tossed them :)

Quote - Ah ok, that's good then. I thought maybe they just tossed them :)

Not a chance...there's gold to mine in old threads.. ...

 

Once in a while I look around,
I see a sound
and try to write it down
Sometimes they come out very soft
Tinkling light sound
The Sun comes up again