The LEGO Boost Idea Book
Posted by Huw,
The LEGO Boost Idea Book is the latest of Yoshihito Isogawa's titles to be published by No Starch Press. It contains instructions for building 95 robots and mechanisms using just the parts in 17101 Boost Creative Toolbox
Once you've got bored with the official Boost projects, grab a copy of this book to discover what else you can do with it.
It's divided into three parts. The first deals with building machines that move using just the motor in the hub, the second with constructing mechanisms powered by the external motor and the last goes into using the sensors to build more complex models.
In part one you'll learn how to move your model with wheels, with suspension, with legs and like an inchworm. Part two will show you how to add reciprocating mechanisms, chomping mechanisms, grippers, wings, shooting mechanisms and much more to your model, and part three will show how to use the sensors and build more sophisticated machines such as vehicles with steering, rocket launchers and line drawers.
Each project is illustrated using photographs of the completed model and, if necessary, sub assemblies, which will enable you to build it. There are no step-by-step instructions but they are not needed because everything is clear in the photos. There's also a parts list and, where needed, the Boost code required to program the model.
As I said when I mentioned this book in a previous article, Yoshihito's books are among the most useful I own. The Technic and Power Functions ones are my go-to references when I'm building Great Ball Contraptions and want to figure out how solve a problem. I've not yet build one using Boost but I'm tempted to now, having been inspired by this book.
There's no doubt that Boost is a great product, but one that seems to have been neglected somewhat by LEGO since its initial launch, so this book is perfect if you have one and want to breathe new life into it.
It's available from Amazon.co.uk for £17.22, Amazon.com for $16.34 and directly from No Starch Press where you'll receive a free e-book when you buy a printed copy.
Thanks to No Starch Press for providing this book for review. All opinions expressed are my own.
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6 comments on this article
Hi everybody,
The producer of this book "nostarch.com" is currently still running the BlackFriday/CiberMonday promotion with code "FRIDAY42".
I have just bought the digital version of this book with 42% discount for my kids.
Thank you Huw!
I really enjoy looking through Yoshihito Isogawa's models on his YouTube channel; I'm glad to see that he and No Starch are still producing idea books. Now all I need to do is get the Boost kit and I'll be set!
I'm not sure it's completely true that Lego have neglected it since launch. They have recently added extra things to build for each of the original projects in the app, and they have been fairly regularly adding tie-in builds with other kits - including the Creator Expert Roller Coaster set, where it uses the light sensor to only run the lift when a car is waiting.
Great review, if I hadn’t already jumped in and ordered it during the weekend this would definitely have triggered a sale.
I only wish LEGO would work harder to open up Boost and make it compatible with other programming languages, add backward compatibility with Mindstorms, and make it compatible with Power Functions. LEGO is literally built on backward compatibility.
Connect a 1968 brick to a 2018 brick? No problem.
Connect a 2018 Boost to a 2013 Mindstorms EV3? Good luck.
Got the Boost set with almost 50% off on black Friday from Amazon so I might get this book to see some of its potential.