Pin, axel, - color - retoric question

[AOW]

Hello all,

I was wondering if there is any kind of difference between pins and axles that is related to their color.

I remember in old days that pins black and grey they actually were different.

Since the introduction of modern technic parts I noticed that there are a lot of variation in color of the same items - but is there really a diffrence ?

Example - in old days all axel were in black, now they come in gray, black, red ...

Pins - old black - now are in blue as well, etc...

Thank you and regards

Olaf

[Jim]

Axles have different colors based on their length.

Even length = black

Uneven length = grey

Two long = red to distinguish it from the black 2L pin

Grey pin is frictionless

Black pin is with friction

Blue pin is with friction, but the 3L is blue to distinguish it from the 2L variant.

There are some "new kids on the block" with dark grey or tan colors.

The color scheme TLG uses is to have as less confusion as possible.

[Hrafn]

Also, while the blue 3L pin has friction, the tan 3L pin does not.

[AOW]

thank you both Jim and Hrafn now it is starting to make sense for me

Best regards

[Captainowie]

They look kinda out of place in a predominantly yellow/black/grey model, but it really does make sorting them after disassembly so much easier.

[Milan]

I noticed that some gray 3L and 5L axles are easier to mount, dismount (have lesser grip) compared to black counterparts.

[8BrickMario]

In some models, like the new Homing Spider droid, the pins aren't chosen well. The use of grey frictionless pins on its legs made it extremely flimsy while the black friction pins would have made it posable and allow it to stay that way.

[freakwave]

  On 6/4/2014 at 8:59 AM, Jim said:

Grey pin is frictionless

Tan Axle-Pin is frictionless as well

Some time during a long winter evening I drafted the evolution of the Technic-Pin...

Edited June 4, 2014 by freakwave

[8BrickMario]

There's now the new pin (friction) with pin hole on one end:

[AOW]

freakwave are the dates accurate in your Technic Pin Evolution? I just wonder on the black standard pin

[Zerobricks]

The old black pins were a nightmare... Anyway there may be some exceptions to this rule, you can find gray frictionless 3L pins or black friction pins with crossaxle in older models. Also the color of half pins is sometimes gray and sometimes blue but they are always frictionless.

The funny thing is that this part...I never know if its frictionless or not because some have frictions, while others not:

And its cousin:

Edited June 4, 2014 by Zblj

[8BrickMario]

Since those pieces are meant to attach to multiple pinholes, friction doesn't matter. You could test it out with only one pin attaching to a pinhole to see.

[Zerobricks]

  On 6/4/2014 at 7:47 PM, 8BrickMario said:

Since those pieces are meant to attach to multiple pinholes, friction doesn't matter. You could test it out with only one pin attaching to a pinhole to see.

I did test many, and some have actual friction and some dont....they seem to be inbetween usually.

[N-4K0]

  On 6/4/2014 at 7:49 PM, Zblj said:

I did test many, and some have actual friction and some dont....they seem to be inbetween usually.

I experience that as well. It feels like they're somewhere in between friction and non-friction. A little friction, but less than friction pins.

[Hypo]

  On 6/4/2014 at 7:47 PM, 8BrickMario said:

Since those pieces are meant to attach to multiple pinholes, friction doesn't matter. You could test it out with only one pin attaching to a pinhole to see.

friction does matter. They are useful for simple but massive steering solutions.

[Erik Leppen]

I have always thought that the 3 x 3 part with 4 pins was meant to be frictionless and all versions with friction are actually errors. After all, official sets use them for steering, for which a frictionless variant is simply better. Also, when the part was new it was frictionless.

[freakwave]

  On 6/4/2014 at 7:36 PM, AOW said:

freakwave are the dates accurate in your Technic Pin Evolution? I just wonder on the black standard pin

Those dates, I took from Bricklink. There are other color variants for the Axle-Pin, like white.

What makes you think so?

[AOW]

  On 6/5/2014 at 6:41 AM, freakwave said:

Those dates, I took from Bricklink. There are other color variants for the Axle-Pin, like white.

What makes you think so?

ok, no problem , now I noticed that the picture of each pin is not accurate with the date line as it should be concider the point where the line begins stronger :) For example : technic pin 3/4 (32002) from the picture looks like was introduced in 1987 when actually was "born" in 1995... so now it is clear to me :) Thanks for pointing it out :)

Regards

[freakwave]

  On 6/5/2014 at 7:09 AM, AOW said:

ok, no problem , now I noticed that the picture of each pin is not accurate with the date line as it should be concider the point where the line begins stronger :) For example : technic pin 3/4 (32002) from the picture looks like was introduced in 1987 when actually was "born" in 1995... so now it is clear to me :) Thanks for pointing it out :)

Thanks for highlighting this. I see what you mean, I based the dates on BL some time back. But now I noticed that BL has changed their date presentation recently. Now they state it like "in use from to". It used to be one figure.

When I did the time-line I made the line thicker when it actually appeared in sets, so it looks like I have to revisit BL for all of those pins again :-).

[JM1971]

In the old days grey bushes and uni joints were always splitting where the axles connects, the black pins are very tough in comparison, it almost seems like the different colours have different strengths.

Edited June 5, 2014 by JM1971

[AOW]

freakwave - actually your table is very usefull if you look in to as history report of the Technic Pin evolution :) thanks :)