Blakbird's Lego Technic Collection

[DLuders]

@ Jennifer Clark: Are your fantastic models still intact at your home, or have they been taken apart (or, heaven forbid, given away)? Do you think that the "studless" style of building is easier or harder than the "studded" style you did?

[timslegos]

@ Jennifer Clark: Are your fantastic models still intact at your home, or have they been taken apart (or, heaven forbid, given away)? Do you think that the "studless" style of building is easier or harder than the "studded" style you did?

I would like to piggyback on your questions and ask my own.

First of all your work in legos really inspired me to build MOCs! The compact skid steer and excavator were the first MOCS i ever made, and i almost completely copied them! I learned a lot about motors and pneumatics and technic parts.

Are you going to be making any new MOCs? Or have you slipped into the dark ages ?

tim

[nychase]

I have to be honest.

I am 27 years old, a successful working professional and I swear you wouldn't know my lego habits if you saw me on the street or even had a conversation with me. But at this moment, on this forum, I feel like a little girl afflicted with beiber fever (or clark fever rather). I am absolutely thrilled that you are hanging out in the background and I think I speak for everybody that we would love to see you continue to create. It is quite obviously a talent that few have at your level and the world is really a better place with your creations. Your website and specifically that crane are the single reason that I stayed remotely connected to legos through my dark ages and eventually what pulled me back in. I can't tell you the amount of times I vacillated on emailing you and asking if I could just buy the Baldwin (I assumed a 4 digit number). Nevertheless, I will stop gushing (for the moment).

My god we hijaked what was supposed to be and ode to Eric.

[dhc6twinotter]

Despite what you are reading in this thread, USA based Technic fans are not only a tiny minority of the general public, they are also a tiny minority of AFOLs. My displays at BrickCon get virtually no interest. There just isn't much interest in Technic in the USA. I clearly need to move to Europe. Which country will have me?

I noticed that at other events as well. It's such a shame. I think it's one of the best LEGO themes, and I really wish there were more Technic builders in the USA. I'm the only Technic builder in our LUG, and I always look forward to meeting the handful of other Technic builders that usually show up at the conventions.

I think all of us US Technic builders should get together and make a trip to LEGOWorld or whatever in Europe.

Edited January 18, 2012 by dhc6twinotter

[Blakbird]

My god we hijaked what was supposed to be and ode to Eric.

Hijack away! The new topic puts me in good company.

[Paul Boratko]

From all of the shows that I have done the response from the public has always been extremely positive... I even got to sign an autograph at Brickworld 2010 which was completely overwhelming to me...

However... It always seemed that the actual people that display at the shows are stuck into their own theme and they are primarily the ones who I have had negativity from in the past... I have the upmost respect for every style of building, in fact as I have said before, most of my favorite models are not even in the Technic theme...

You can easily see how unpopular Technic is with the other builders because if you ever look at videos on youtube or Pictures taken from shows by them, they almost always leave out the Technic stuff...

Edited January 18, 2012 by Paul Boratko

[Jennifer Clark]

@ Jennifer Clark: Are your fantastic models still intact at your home, or have they been taken apart (or, heaven forbid, given away)? Do you think that the "studless" style of building is easier or harder than the "studded" style you did?

They are all still here, except for the original red crane that I disassembled many years ago, before building the others. A couple of them don't work properly anymore, however, due to broken 9V mini motors. These are embedded so deep in the models I am not confident I could rebuild them if I took them apart to replace the motor :-)

For studded and studless building, I don't think one is easier than the other. They both have their strengths and weaknesses, and in the latter stages of my model building I had started using both systems to get the best of both worlds.

Jennifer

First of all your work in legos really inspired me to build MOCs! The compact skid steer and excavator were the first MOCS i ever made, and i almost completely copied them! I learned a lot about motors and pneumatics and technic parts.

Are you going to be making any new MOCs? Or have you slipped into the dark ages ?

Glad you liked the models :-)

No new MOCs on the horizon I'm afraid, I don't have time nowadays to build models of that level of detail. At the moment I enjoy the models others are building!

Jennifer

My god we hijaked what was supposed to be and ode to Eric.

Thanks for the compliments Nychase! It was the initial post about Eric's collection that got me reading this thread too. It truly is incredible.

Jennifer

[Sariel]

You can easily see how unpopular Technic is with the other builders because if you ever look at videos on youtube or Pictures taken from shows by them, they almost always leave out the Technic stuff...

I also sometimes feel that part of the community views the Technic line as some kind of aberration. It's as if people who build things that look shy away things that work. I remember once having a discussion with the Brothers Bricks crew who said plain and simply that they ignore Technic MOCs on a principle because they, quote "don't understand how they work". Which means that if a model looks good, everything is fine, but if it for example looks good and drives, it should be sprinkled with the Holy Water or something.

But then I view Bionicle line as an aberration, so who am I to complain? ;)

On a more cheerful note, good to see you around Jennifer :)

Edited January 18, 2012 by Sariel

[kris kelvin]

I also sometimes feel that part of the community views the Technic line as some kind of aberration.

Yes. That is so true

[AndyC]

I also sometimes feel that part of the community views the Technic line as some kind of aberration. It's as if people who build things that look shy away things that work.

I think it's just one of those things, some people appreciate the aesthetics of LEGO and Technic sets, even studded ones, just look different. Finding an appreciation for what they do as well as how they look is, I think, something a bit more subtle that is possibly lost on many. Just as someone who adores fine oil paintings might look at the work of Picasso and not see the appeal, lots of AFOLs who like System building just can't see the appeal of Technic. Doesn't make either of them wrong though, vive la difference! (or something).

[Sariel]

some people appreciate the aesthetics of LEGO and Technic sets

I'm talking about MOCs, not sets. Technic MOCs can follow aesthetics that is very different from that of the sets.

[AndyC]

I'm talking about MOCs, not sets. Technic MOCs can follow aesthetics that is very different from that of the sets.

Indeed, but even with MOCs things made out of Technic parts just have a different look to System styled models, it's just an inevitable consequence of the different parts used (even though there are as many artistic styles to Technic as there are for System)

[Sariel]

No offence Andy, but either I am being very unclear, or you are missing the possibility of building a Technic model with entirely System body. That's the case I was talking about all along - a MOC that looks like a system MOC, but has Technic functions.

Exhibit A:

Exhibit B:

Edited January 18, 2012 by Sariel

[Alasdair Ryan]

No offence Andy, but either I am being very unclear, or you are missing the possibility of building a Technic model with entirely System body. That's the case I was talking about all along - a MOC that looks like a system MOC, but has Technic functions.

Sariel you are being very unclear.

Has Andy heard of 'model team' that use basic lego and technic together?

Edited January 18, 2012 by Alasdair Ryan

[AndyC]

Sariel you are being very unclear.

Has Andy heard of 'model team' that use basic lego and technic together.

Yes I have.

Thing is, the people who avoid "Technic" will generally admire Model Team sets or the above MOCs that Sariel posted in the same way they will any generic System MOC. Even most AFOLs wouldn't classify those models as Technic from an image alone and, conversely, you see a number of Technic builders complaining that 'Model Team' style models are in the wrong forum when posted here. You can, of course, build models which cross the boundary but the litmus test is the way most people are likely to respond given a photo and the question "System or Technic MOC?" - very few creations won't tend towards one or the other.

[Alasdair Ryan]

Thing is, the people who avoid "Technic" will generally admire Model Team sets or the above MOCs that Sariel posted

I don't.

Edited January 18, 2012 by Alasdair Ryan

[nychase]

Yes I have.

Thing is, the people who avoid "Technic" will generally admire Model Team sets or the above MOCs that Sariel posted in the same way they will any generic System MOC.

unfortunately thats somewhat true. Two of the most influential builders currently posting on this thread are guilty of this being true. If you look through the history of both JC and Sariel you can see that the finishing (model team or system) touches were what evolved whereas the root skill set of technic building was there all along. If everyone responded favorably to Technic mocs there would be no reason to defend a creation by covering it up so that it looks like any other system creation.

Don't get me wrong, I love some of the brothers brick creations especially the lego truck...but thats more of just how expensive it was to build rather than the skill it took to build it. In contrast, Sariel's wrecker from last year or JC's Baldwin are truly exquisite precisely because they look like system MOC's but can actually perform every function they look like they can perform.

I agree with Andy though that unfortunately the skill involved or even the engineering background required doesn't hit home with enough people to be interesting on a larger scale.

This is really why Model Team needs to be brought back. It was the bridge I crossed at age 7 moving from city legos to model team to full on Technic from there on.

[timslegos]

I think all of us US Technic builders should get together and make a trip to LEGOWorld or whatever in Europe.

That is such a good idea! How many other US lego builders are there? If we all went together we would have a blast.

tim

[me00rjb]

I just spent at least 5 minutes just staring at your model in absolute awe. You have not ruined the model at all and you have managed to enhance it with the addition of 4 IR receivers. I am truly impressed.

Thank you - although clearly I take no credit for the overall good looks of the original! The bits I have added stick out like a sore thumb to my eyes, so I’m glad you think it still looks ok! I built the doors and wing mirrors out of bricks as well, rather than cutting the what are now very rare doors Jennifer used originally.

Wow she is beautiful! i dont know how you managed to fit all those receivers in?!

tim

That was the hardest challenge I set myself – placing them wasn’t too bad, but finding room for the converter wire connections with the 9V cables was a nightmare! And it resulted in having to build a custom enclosure behind the cab to conceal the receivers for the chassis.

Indeed!

I read these forums from time to time to see what's happening, and was surprised by Richard's model!

Brilliant achievement, and I think it's marvellous that you've upgraded it to use the modern Lego parts. I look forward to seeing more photos and perhaps videos of it working, especially with the newer components.

I realise the use of custom components on the one I built is not to everyone's taste, but if I remember correctly, I wanted to build the model without too many compromises while staying within the limits of what TLG might realistically do in terms of new parts :-)

Jennifer

Now I’m the one who’s surprised!

I’ve also just noticed that it’s almost 10 years since you posted the original on your website. I can’t say I’ve been working on my version for that long, but as soon as I saw it I knew I had to build it myself!

I’m very pleased and slightly relieved that you approve of the modifications. I’ll be sure to post some further pictures once I’ve completely finished it. It’s nearly there now and the lifting cylinder was the last big hurdle. I don’t have a lathe myself, but luckily I know someone that does. I tried to design my linear actuator in the style of the Lego version, so in that respect it’s not a million miles away from what is now available (albeit metal and not plastic). It fits directly into the Lego linear actuator bracket, so no modified Lego parts are involved. The only modified parts at all are the ones that interface with the lead-screw that drives the boom extension.

I agree that these concessions to an all Lego solution result in a far better model, that can actually be precisely positioned and lift a decent sized load. Plus it gives me an excuse to mix engineering and Lego, so things have come full circle as no doubt Lego is partly to blame for me becoming an Engineer in the first place!

In terms of operation, it should be identical to the original. I have not modified any of the transmissions, I’ve just plugged the IR receivers in rather than the custom RC system you used. It works well so there was no need for any modification!

Now if only I could figure out how you braced the gearing in the mini-excavator, and convince Eric to share his CAD file for the JS220, I’d have a full set!

Richard.

[Tobbe Arnesson]

Jennifer: I tried to send a welcome back to you but the PM-message is not active yet (you need more posts). I just wanted to say it's a pleasure to see your name again!

[Blakbird]

I propose a contest in which the Eurobricks Technic readers try to identify all the MOCs on my shelves by looking at the pictures (there are larger versions at Brickshelf). I think all of them have been presented here in this forum at one time or another, so they should be recognizable. According to my records, there are 30 of them. Bonus points for getting both the designer and the model name. The winner gets..... nothing. Except the admiration of their peers.

I guess nobody cares about identifying the MOCs. Apparently I needed a better prize.

[nychase]

I guess nobody cares about identifying the MOCs. Apparently I needed a better prize.

Ok, see... I think that I have an unfair advantage if I were to name them all. But truth be told... I don't actually know about that white/blue semi with the chrome stacks. I obviously know all the HAN's (5), The Grazi's (2), Barmans V8, The technomecha (Sell the white one?), JC's Excavator,The annihilator, Crowkillers cars, NK Cars...though I think there are some cars I don't know for sure who designed them.

I notice you don't seem to have Sheepos Bugatti or 911 (Hint/Nudge/Hint). I have two sets of 8448 wheels just waiting for Sheepos cars.

That being said, you also have quite a few B-Models on display. Combine Harvester, T-Rex/Helicopter,Submarine, both 8288 variations.

[me00rjb]

I guess nobody cares about identifying the MOCs. Apparently I needed a better prize.

I'll have a shot then! I can only get 27 :(

1. Annihilator, CP5670

2. Truck 8x4 Low-loader, Designer Han

3. Articulated Hauler, Designer Han

4. Dump Truck 10x4, Deisgner Han

5. Drawbar Trailer, Designer Han

6. Wheel Loader, Nico71

7. US Truck, 2LegoOrNot2Lego

8. Tow Truck, grazi

9. TeknoMeka, Brian Cooper

10. Prinoth Leitwolf, Designer-Han

11. V8 Engine, Barman

12. Jeep Rubicon, Sariel

13. Silver Car, Nathanael Kuipers

14. JS220 Excavtor, Jennifer Clark

15. Little Devil, Jurgen Krooshoop

16. Zonda, Erik Leppen

17. Delux Supercar, Crowkillers

18. Concept Car, Nathanael Kuipers

19. Roadster Supercar, Nico71

20. Sunbeam, Jurgen Krooshoop

21. Big Foot, grazi

22. Skidsteer Loader, Jennifer Clark

23. Lamborghini Murcielago, Crowkillers

24. Lamborghini Gallardo, Crowkillers

25. Lamborghini Countach, Skyliner

26. Black Dragon, Jovel

27. Avatar Samson Vehicle, Barman

What did I miss?

Richard.

[Blakbird]

I'll have a shot then! I can only get 27 :(

What did I miss?

Wow, that was fast! Everything you listed was correct. I don't have the "master list" in front of me at work, so I'll have to guess at the missing items. One of them is a second Teknomecha which I don't even have built yet so you didn't miss it. Another one is that I counted Han's 8x4 truck and lowboy trailer as two. That gets us to 29.... Ah yes. The last one is Nathanael Kuipers' Jeep Hurricane.

[me00rjb]

Wow, that was fast! Everything you listed was correct. I don't have the "master list" in front of me at work, so I'll have to guess at the missing items. One of them is a second Teknomecha which I don't even have built yet so you didn't miss it. Another one is that I counted Han's 8x4 truck and lowboy trailer as two. That gets us to 29.... Ah yes. The last one is Nathanael Kuipers' Jeep Hurricane.

I think all we can deduce from this, is that I spend far too much time on the internet, and not enough time building!

Ah yes, I see the Jeep Hurricane now you mention it - I thought that was an official B model for some reason the first time I looked, not quite sure what though...it looks a bit like a hot rod from that angle.

So what else is on the list to be added to the MOC hall of fame?