General Part Discussion

[Ngoc Nguyen]

15 minutes ago, Carsten Svendsen said:

The pins don't seem to "snap" and they look physically different as well when I compare them

The pins seem to be slightly bent toward one side instead of being straight. I bought 2 42128 and 1 42129 and they all have pins like that.

[howitzer]

2 hours ago, Carsten Svendsen said:

Thank you, I promptly went and bought the Heavy-duty Tow Truck 42128 and I there is something I have to ask.

Is it me, or is the plastic different? The pins don't seem to "snap" and they look physically different as well when I compare them. I'd rather not mix them in with my existing pins if they are indeed different. The liftarms seem to be extremely shiny as well which is strange.

Is this a result of LEGO switching to plant based materials?

The black pin has been updated, it no longer has the central slot, which enabled the snap. This makes it somewhat tighter fit, which means stronger connections at the expense of making it harder to pull out. If you remember the original black pin from the 80's, this new version is not as tight as that, but somewhere between the original and the one that was in use for decades. YMMV if it's good or bad, I don't personally care much either way.

[Carsten Svendsen]

2 hours ago, howitzer said:

The black pin has been updated, it no longer has the central slot, which enabled the snap. This makes it somewhat tighter fit, which means stronger connections at the expense of making it harder to pull out. If you remember the original black pin from the 80's, this new version is not as tight as that, but somewhere between the original and the one that was in use for decades. YMMV if it's good or bad, I don't personally care much either way.

I see, it just doesn't feel right, like something's missing. It is so satisfying to hear it click every time it goes together. Now it kinda takes the joy away. It's alright though, I have tens of thousands of the older style pins, so I don't think I'll be keeping these new ones when I disassemble my models again.

[MajklSpajkl]

I hope this is not  a repost...

https://www.lego.com/en-us/product/medium-angular-motor-88018

I guess we can expect it in the new powered up sets coming after NY.

[howitzer]

22 minutes ago, MajklSpajkl said:

I hope this is not  a repost...

https://www.lego.com/en-us/product/medium-angular-motor-88018

I guess we can expect it in the new powered up sets coming after NY.

I have 4 of those motors, they came with the 51515 set which I bought a bit over year ago.

[MajklSpajkl]

2 hours ago, howitzer said:

I have 4 of those motors, they came with the 51515 set which I bought a bit over year ago.

Ahhh...silly me, I thought those were actually new.  

[Void_S]

Hey-hey, white Defender wheelarches are coming! 60350 Lunar Research Base has one of them, at least. 

 

[2GodBDGlory]

Nice! They do already exist from that Mindstorms set, but this should make them quite a bit cheaper!

[deehtha]

18 minutes ago, Void_S said:

Hey-hey, white Defender wheelarches are coming! 60350 Lunar Research Base has one of them, at least. 

 

Those have been available since 51515, but nice to see them used elsewhere, and not as a wheel arch

[howitzer]

Yeah, I have two of those from the 51515 set, but that's definitely a NPU and should bring them more widely available (I've tried to shop for two more when making BL orders, but none of those shops I'm interested in otherwise have had them).

[Void_S]

6 hours ago, deehtha said:

Those have been available since 51515, but nice to see them used elsewhere, and not as a wheel arch

Ouch, sorry, I have never seen them there... Really, it's great to see them in other sets. I remember debates on the possible use of such specific-shaped parts when Defender was only revealed, and you know, the use of wheelarches as just arches was never mentioned yet 

[astyanax]

4 minutes ago, Void_S said:

I remember debates on the possible use of such specific-shaped parts when Defender was only revealed, and you know, the use of wheelarches as just arches was never mentioned yet 

Yes I remember too, and it was the same discussion with the Porsche fenders, but we've seen many examples of alternative usages already. Here's one of my favorites:

https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-11816/Charbel/the-mean-machine/

[howitzer]

11 hours ago, astyanax said:

Yes I remember too, and it was the same discussion with the Porsche fenders, but we've seen many examples of alternative usages already. Here's one of my favorites:

https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-11816/Charbel/the-mean-machine/

That's nice, though not the first time I see such a usage of fender parts. I also used one for my TC20 entry behind the seat as engine cover.

[astyanax]

@howitzer Sorry for not mentioning your creation as "one of my favorites"! I hope we can still be friends...

[howitzer]

10 hours ago, astyanax said:

@howitzer Sorry for not mentioning your creation as "one of my favorites"! I hope we can still be friends...

Haha, I didn't expect you to. Just wanted to add it here to show how these parts have surprisingly many alternate uses, beside covering wheel wells.

About the aforementioned Lunar Research Base, while the usage is nice, I wish they had done a bit more to make it flow better with the rest of the building. Maybe some bricks to continue the bottom tips on each side so that it wouldn't look like it was just slapped and left there.

[1gor]

It looks like El Toro loco has those connectors in orange 

https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=11455&idColor=11#T=C&C=11

 

 

[astyanax]

I don't recall seeing this new technic part here before...

[Mr Ogel]

28 minutes ago, astyanax said:

I don't recall seeing this new technic part here before...

That's irony - why do we need to check some weird Disney sets for new technic parts? Can't wait for the first Duplo set with exciting new technic pieces....

[Jim]

1 hour ago, Mr Ogel said:

That's irony - why do we need to check some weird Disney sets for new technic parts?

Because this part will probably be released in a Technic set later this year. I'm sure it wasn't designed for the Disney set  

That is usually how it works.

So you know one of the sets will probably be white 

[howitzer]

2 hours ago, astyanax said:

I don't recall seeing this new technic part here before...

That's a really weird part. I mean, I can see it being useful but at the same time the way it's designed screams of POOP. Why the bushing-like axleholes and not just continue the connector style middle-part all the way to the ends?

[vascolp]

If you look at the sets where they are used, as part of a lock mechanism... I wonder if they were produced exactly for that purpose ...

[Bricktrain]

at least you could cut it to make the 3 parts it would have been made from

[SNIPE]

2 hours ago, Bricktrain said:

at least you could cut it to make the 3 parts it would have been made from

[gyenesvi]

That seems like a weird part, not really the one that I would have picked as the most important missing one from the technic selection.. I wonder what's the use case for it that cannot be built from the 2 parts + axles that exist already.

4 hours ago, vascolp said:

If you look at the sets where they are used, as part of a lock mechanism... I wonder if they were produced exactly for that purpose ...

Where did you find those use cases? Do you have some pictures?

[MP LEGO Technic creations]

5 minutes ago, gyenesvi said:

Where did you find those use cases? Do you have some pictures?

It can be seen here:

And there: 

Edited December 4, 2021 by MP LEGO Technic creations