Beginner questions

[Dody]

Hey guys i`m kinda new to the LEGO universe and enjoying mostly the Technic ones ..so i have a few questions if anyone is kind enough to answer :) :

1 What are LXF and LDR files ? ( i would like to build in the future this one 

and i noticed in that post some of this files mentioned .

2 What is the easyest way to buy the parts for a custon Technic like this ? 

Thanks ,,,,,,, have a nice day 

[weeble1688]

LXF files are Lego Digital Designer (LDD) files and LDR files are LDraw files.  Both are Lego-specific CAD (computer-aided design) programs for making virtual Lego creations.  LDD is The Lego Group's official program, which is fairly easy to use but not well-supported or -updated anymore, and the native directions are a nightmare. LDraw is fan-run, which means part updates get done when people have time to design them (not a slam - people have busy lives!) and may be slightly more challenging to learn, but has an entire host of related programs to assist with making directions, etc. 

As to buying Technic pieces, my guess is probably either Pick-A-Brick on shop.lego.com or Bricklink.com, depending on what pieces you would need.  Not playing much with Technic parts, I am not the best person for this question.  I can say that most Lego Brand Retail Stores probably will not have Technic pieces on the Pick-A-Brick wall.  Hope this info helps you!

[Dody]

18 hours ago, weeble1688 said:

LXF files are Lego Digital Designer (LDD) files and LDR files are LDraw files.  Both are Lego-specific CAD (computer-aided design) programs for making virtual Lego creations.  LDD is The Lego Group's official program, which is fairly easy to use but not well-supported or -updated anymore, and the native directions are a nightmare. LDraw is fan-run, which means part updates get done when people have time to design them (not a slam - people have busy lives!) and may be slightly more challenging to learn, but has an entire host of related programs to assist with making directions, etc. 

As to buying Technic pieces, my guess is probably either Pick-A-Brick on shop.lego.com or Bricklink.com, depending on what pieces you would need.  Not playing much with Technic parts, I am not the best person for this question.  I can say that most Lego Brand Retail Stores probably will not have Technic pieces on the Pick-A-Brick wall.  Hope this info helps you!

Thanks for the answer .

 

[Robianco]

You also have the option of using Bricks and Pieces from Lego to order parts. BrickLink may seem daunting at first but once you get used to it you'll spend a lot of time and money there. Enjoy! :)

[ShaydDeGrai]

One other part source that is often overlooked is education.lego.com.  The "shop" tag has a category for replacement parts that usually includes bags of technic parts (lift arms, beams, gears, axles etc) packaged in bulk, as well as individual motors sensors and various Mindstorms accessories.  They're intended for replacement consumables for classroom use (where parts get stripped, broken, lost and stolen on a regular basis - I used to be an engineering professor, BTW) but, at least in the US, they will sell to anyone.  The only difference is that if you're not in academia (with a tax exemption number) they charge sale tax and won't take purchase orders.

The inventory varies and the prices often aren't that great compared to most BrickLink sellers, but things do change over time and every now and then you can buy up clearance lots in bulk at a good price.  It's not as precise as ordering exactly what you want through B&P or Bricklink, but if you happen to catch a sale it can be an economical and fast way to build up your collection with a variety of useful parts.

[zux]

First of all, if you intend to build more Technic MOC and not just the one created by Didumos I highly recommend using Rebrickable to store all of your sets and additionally ordered parts. This webpage is a huge help finding out the parts you miss. And it has a lot of other cool features. Like the MOC you've mentioned is not uploaded there, but you can used LDR/LXF files to create a custom list and keep track of what you are still missing.

Well, custom made models (MOCs) usually have a lot of lots of different parts in various colours, so it is hard to begin if you have no LEGO inventory yet. But don't be dis-encouraged by that as you will enjoy the MOC. So to help you with this journey I suggest into taking a hybrid approach:

1. you need to identify the most expensive parts or group of parts. Sometimes it is worth buying the whole set containing these parts or getting a large bunch of extra parts for a little extra money.

2. check the recent Technic sets to identify which one of them have the most of parts you need. This might not be easy or get you a lot of parts, but it works sometimes.

3. Last option is to buy missing parts on Bricklink. While the prices per piece often are quite good in the end you you'll spend there a lot. Depending on your budget, this might take some time, but it is still more cost efficient than buying more sets with unnecessary parts.

4. Substitute colours. Many parts come in different colours and MOC designers usually build with what they already own, but these might be a little expensive. You might want to explore other options, for example try building chassis in Light Bluish Gray instead of Black or have body built in different colour. 

[mocbuild101]

On 8/31/2018 at 11:13 AM, weeble1688 said:

LXF files are Lego Digital Designer (LDD) files and LDR files are LDraw files.

 MPD files are also LDrarw files