[CADA] CADA General Discussion Topic

[astyanax]

10 hours ago, 9v system said:

i have a couple of GBC modules i would love to get made into sets

 

10 hours ago, amorti said:

 wouldn't pin your hopes on a GBC module though. There's never been such a set from any maker, so either it's an untapped market, or much more likely there is no market for it.

 

1 hour ago, howitzer said:

Closest thing there is to a commercialized GBC is probably PV Productions' alternates for Lego sets, which of course are only instructions rather than complete sets. GBC's typically also seem to be a finicky things, especially the cooler ones, so they would probably be too hard for too many people to get working correctly so they'd be disappointed and cause too much trouble for the company making them.

I can recommend PV Productions, have built some of their contraptions for the Bucket Wheel Excavator and Rough Terrain Crane. Great fun with a group of friends, since the modules compose.

I can see the point about them being finicky, but it's definitely an interesting build experience, with multiple funky mechanisms all driven by a single motor. From that perspective, perhaps brick vendors don't want to burn their fingers here. On the other hand, my YT channel has quite a few Lego supercar videos, but my video of one of PV Productions' GBCs has by far the most views... so popularity seems to be there.

[howitzer]

5 minutes ago, astyanax said:

 

 

I can recommend PV Productions, have built some of their contraptions for the Bucket Wheel Excavator and Rough Terrain Crane. Great fun with a group of friends, since the modules compose.

I can see the point about them being finicky, but it's definitely an interesting build experience, with multiple funky mechanisms all driven by a single motor. From that perspective, perhaps brick vendors don't want to burn their fingers here. On the other hand, my YT channel has quite a few Lego supercar videos, but my video of one of PV Productions' GBCs has by far the most views... so popularity seems to be there.

Yeah, I didn't mean at all to criticize PV Productions' products, just point out that GBC's in general tend to be either uninterestingly simple or complex and finicky. PV Productions has found a great niche in that they don't have to invest in manufacture of parts nor logistics of distribution, but instead they can have someone else (=TLG) to do that part and they can just sell instructions for their stuff, which is much less risky while still enabling them to create awesome stuff for the public to buy. Considering the nature of GBC's, it's hard to see TLG or any other brick manufacturer investing in original purpose-built GBC sets. On the other hand, there's a number of marble runs in the market, such as Gravitrax, but those are made with purpose-built parts and are much simpler than Lego GBC's in every way. They save a lot in costs with their limited selection of specialized parts so the sets can be large enough to be interesting and fun while still being affordable and high quality.

[nerdsforprez]

On 2/5/2022 at 9:15 AM, Gimmick said:

Is there an alternative link for instructions? I only found this but it's ridiculously slow and in chinese, no matter what language I chose :<

Anyone know of a site with instructions for Mould King models?  I don't mind paying.  I would buy the sets but I have enough pieces out of real Lego (more or less) to build the models I want to with the pieces I have.  

[efferman]

16 minutes ago, nerdsforprez said:

Copy King models

Most of them should be available on Rebrickable.

[thekoRngear]

2 hours ago, nerdsforprez said:

Anyone know of a site with instructions for Mould King models?  I don't mind paying.  I would buy the sets but I have enough pieces out of real Lego (more or less) to build the models I want to with the pieces I have.  

The best models from Mould King are (usually) the ones available on rebrickable as MOCs. The original instructions have no errors. So if you have parts for one certain specific model i.e., the MK 19008 Tow Truck then get the instructions from Rebrickable (it's a Lucio MOC).

Edited February 23, 2022 by thekoRngear

[Therion]

Here you can find several pages with instructions for various chinese brands:  https://www.yourwobb.com/pages/library

[whitepen]

1 hour ago, Therion said:

Here you can find several pages with instructions for various chinese brands:  https://www.yourwobb.com/pages/library

Thanks!

[fosamax]

I think that posting links for instructions that are available as premium (lucioswitch, loxlego, didumos for example) on rebrickable is not the way to handle that topic which should be used only for talking about Cada models.

That being said, there's some instructions that are eventually interesting without spoliating the original creators of some mocs but it's up to the moderator to give their own opinion.

Edited February 23, 2022 by fosamax

[nerdsforprez]

Thank you everyone for the responses.  

 

 

[TheRacker]

I just got the Cada dump truck by Eric Trax, and it is a fantastic model. I ordered from their official store because I wanted to see the packaging, and it only took 6 days to ship to the US. Free shipping, no import duties. The box it came in was amazing, on the level of UCS Lego sets. However it's probably not worth the ~$50 I could have saved ordering it  from another site without the original box. 

All of the pieces were there, plus about 40 extra 2L and 3L pins and 20 extra 1L with stud pins. I also ended up with 2 extra 3L with 2L axle pins, and 1 extra 5L half height beam with axle holes on either end. There's a decent chance I missed them in the instructions, but everything works and it's sturdy so it's fine.

As for the building experience, other than the higher density of steps per page, I felt just like I was building a Lego set. Eric did an amazing job with designing sub assemblies that then attach to the larger model to get secured. No questionable or delicate or "illegal" building techniques. 

Parts quality was also really impressive. For 99%(yes I actually mean only 1/100 aren't quite perfect, but still good quality) of the pieces their is no discernable difference in quality from Lego. Clutch power and pin snappiness was all all there. The only real issue was some axles, mostly the 2L ones, were a bit inconsistent with their clutch strength. Depending on the part you place them into or their orientation, it can feel a bit loose, but never enough to fall out. Other times they gripped very tightly. Often just rotating the axel 90 degrees would make it grip much stronger. But even at their loosest, they would still not fall out or prevent you from completing the model. And I just build the Technic Land Rover and had about 3 2L axles feel a bit loose as well, so it's not like Lego is the paragon of consistency. 

My biggest gripe is that the remote's main two levers don't have any real travel. The look like you can push them 1cm forward and back, but they are really just clicky buttons that hardly move when you pressure them forwards or backwards. So you can't really turn the steering wheel, you end up just applying pressure in the direction you want to turn. I wish they moved more like the PF remote levers do. Other than that I wish the instructions had a 1:1 picture of the small linear actuators and how long they are supposed to be extended when assembling the steering mechanism, because currently you have to trial and error extend and retract them to get them to the right length to put it together. Not a problem for experienced builders, but it's still something nice to have for clarity that Lego does.

All the functions work great, and the model itself looks just like the Liebherr hauler it's based on. This definitely won't be my last Cada set. 

[J159753]

4 hours ago, TheRacker said:

I just got the Cada dump truck by Eric Trax, and it is a fantastic model.

Absolutely. I bought 42114 when I saw a foolishly good price, and was deeply disappointed by it as a model (Iet alone a flagship!). Great parts pack, deeply frustrating model. But this CaDA set was eye-opening. How decent suspension and drivetrain can eke so much more performance out of a motor less than half the volume of 42114's Control+XL. The steering with linear actuators was so pleasant, controllable and powerful. And the braced joint between front and trailer was so stable despite using just a small turntable, not a large one (it's significantly more stable than Efferman's mod of 42114's dire original design).

Note to Lego. Please use the fancy Control+ capabilities for things that actually need them, rather than creating torque-sapping, space-requiring gearboxes that irretrievably hobble the wider dynamics of a set.

 

4 hours ago, TheRacker said:

Clutch power and pin snappiness was all all there. 

Hmm. I'm not quite so positive. I had a number of pieces that just didn't have the necessary clutch. A few axle & bush combinations, however they were rotated. And the 'Axle and Pin Connector Perpendicular 3L with 2 Pin Holes' were consistently too loose to hold 1x1 round plates (e.g. rear lights). But by and large it was good, certainly a major improvement over Brunoji's CaDA car I bought over a year ago where there were widespread clutch issues.

 

4 hours ago, TheRacker said:

Other than that I wish the instructions had a 1:1 picture of the small linear actuators and how long they are supposed to be extended when assembling the steering mechanism, because currently you have to trial and error extend and retract them to get them to the right length to put it together. 

I had the same issue when I got to this stage, and spent ages twizzling them until it was just perfect with no undue tension and pressure. And then felt a right idiot when I realised that however I put it together, the linear actuators' internal clutches would sort it out the first time I actually tried using it!

 

Round of applause to Eric Trax, and to CaDA. This set is a class act.

 

PS, has anyone tried the new Cada Master bulldozer?

Edited February 23, 2022 by J159753

[eric trax]

On 2/23/2022 at 6:15 PM, TheRacker said:

for the building experience, other than the higher density of steps per page, I felt just like I was building a Lego set. Eric did an amazing job with designing sub assemblies that then attach to the larger m

 

On 2/23/2022 at 11:09 PM, J159753 said:

Round of applause to Eric Trax, and to CaDA. This set is a class act.

Thank you guys for your opinions. I was building the model knowing that it would become a set. I knew it had to be more solid and modular than mu custom models. I'm glad you enjoyed the building process 

 

On 2/23/2022 at 6:15 PM, TheRacker said:

The only real issue was some axles, mostly the 2L ones, were a bit inconsistent with their clutch strength.

 

On 2/23/2022 at 11:09 PM, J159753 said:

I had a number of pieces that just didn't have the necessary clutch. A few axle & bush combinations, however they were rotated. And the 'Axle and Pin Connector Perpendicular 3L with 2 Pin Holes' were consistently too loose to hold 1x1 round plates (e.g. rear lights).

I have discussed this with the CADA. I know that at the time of the premiere of the kit, the factory had already received a moulds of 2L axles.

 

On 2/23/2022 at 6:15 PM, TheRacker said:

This definitely won't be my last Cada set. 

I'm sure it won't be the last. If you like this set you will definitely buy my next one 

[dmaclego]

On 2/26/2022 at 5:31 PM, eric trax said:

I was building the model knowing that it would become a set. I knew it had to be more solid and modular than my custom models.

Then perhaps I should warn the potential buyers of my new CaDA set that I built it hoping - as usual - to merge Technic with Model Team style, which means parts of it are not as sturdy as typical Technic builds. But hopefully better looking than typical Technic builds ;).

 

Edited March 2, 2022 by dmaclego

[amorti]

On 2/15/2022 at 11:47 PM, 9v system said:

has anyone been successful with getting their designs made by CaDa? i have a couple of GBC modules i would love to get made into sets

 

On 2/15/2022 at 11:49 PM, amorti said:

There's never been such a set from any maker, so either it's an untapped market, or much more likely there is no market for it.

Well, just to prove me wrong MouldKing did just release a GBC set (MouldKing 26004).

Turns out it's an official licensed MOC, which is nice :)

Quote

The first GBC set by Mould King, 26004 Rainbow Stepper, is authorized by me.

https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-25851/Berthil/rainbow-stepper/#details

[gyenesvi]

1 hour ago, dmaclego said:

Then perhaps I should warn the potential buyers of my new CaDA set that I built it hoping - as usual - to merge Technic with Model Team style, which means parts of it as not as sturdy as typical Technic builds. But hopefully better looking than typical Technic builds ;).

Wow is this something recently released? If yes, how come that it's released just after the Lego version? Is CADA now making pimped up versions of Lego sets? Not that I don't like it, it's just a bit weird. But sure it has a number of pretty interesting features. Besides the subtractor based drivetrain (are the top sprockets driven?), I like the use of micro motors for the blade tilt. Does two of that have firmly enough power for the task, or are they just okay-ish? Looks are also nice, though I never had problems with the Lego one. The double-sided controller is also an interesting one, and this would be a really good parts pack for CADA electronics.

[LvdH]

1 hour ago, dmaclego said:

Then perhaps I should warn the potential buyers of my new CaDA set that I built it hoping - as usual - to merge Technic with Model Team style, which means parts of it are not as sturdy as typical Technic builds. But hopefully better looking than typical Technic builds ;).

I hope the little gaps in the system parts is a user error, not a design or quality error. 
 

I’ll update the index later.

[brunojj1]

7 minutes ago, gyenesvi said:

Wow is this something recently released? If yes, how come that it's released just after the Lego version? Is CADA now making pimped up versions of Lego sets? Not that I don't like it, it's just a bit weird. But sure it has a number of pretty interesting features. Besides the subtractor based drivetrain (are the top sprockets driven?), I like the use of micro motors for the blade tilt. Does two of that have firmly enough power for the task, or are they just okay-ish? Looks are also nice, though I never had problems with the Lego one. The double-sided controller is also an interesting one, and this would be a really good parts pack for CADA electronics.

It´s quite a decent parts pack in fact. Check out the CaDA store. It has been released along the Lego version to satisfy the needs of the unsatisfied. CaDA would never ever make pimped up versions of Lego sets or stolen MOCs, but rather deliver a good alternative.

[gyenesvi]

8 minutes ago, brunojj1 said:

satisfy the needs of the unsatisfied

Yeah, that's kind of what I meant by pimped up. Not copying the model, but kind of redoing the whole idea with more accurate technical details, a different approach to looks, and without the expensive license. I do think that's a useful direction, what I found weird is the timing, though I guess one could not say that it would violate anything. It made me curious though how much time is required to redo an idea, it seems to me that this was pretty fast (I am guessing it was only started when Lego announced the CAT).

[2GodBDGlory]

Wow, that's a pretty awesome set! It looks great, has plenty of electronics and parts for the price, and has fairly realistic functions. Are the linear actuators for the front blade equivalent to the XL Lego ones? This is looking like some kind of golden age, where we can buy a product with the quality of the top MOCs, the convenience of official sets, and prices not too much above the legitimately shoddy knock-offs out there!

2 hours ago, amorti said:

Well, just to prove me wrong MouldKing did just release a GBC set (MouldKing 26004).

Turns out it's an official licensed MOC, which is nice :)

https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-25851/Berthil/rainbow-stepper/#details

Is this the first time they've actually licensed a MOC? It seems like a better business strategy to me, since I suspect AFOLs are willing to design sets pretty cheap compared to an employee, and pirating the big fancy MOCs backfires because the main market for them is the same group of AFOLs who are much more likely to realize a set is pirated than the general public.

[amorti]

20 minutes ago, 2GodBDGlory said:

Is this the first time they've actually licensed a MOC?

No, they seem to throw sets out with/without license pretty much at random. I suspect that if the MOCer agrees easily at first time of asking they'll get a few beans thrown their way but if not, they just shrug and make the set without approval anyway.

[dmaclego]

1 hour ago, gyenesvi said:

Wow is this something recently released?

Yes, some two weeks ago. And contract for this model was signed very early 2021 so it has nothing to do with LEGO Cat. But, admittedly, it is mostly yellow ;) .

1 hour ago, gyenesvi said:

are the top sprockets driven?

Yes, they are.

1 hour ago, gyenesvi said:

Does two of that have firmly enough power for the task, or are they just okay-ish?

CaDA micromotors are super-strong compared to old 9V LEGO micromotors (and much faster). Paired with linear actuators, they provide plenty of power.

1 hour ago, LvdH said:

I hope the little gaps in the system parts is a user error, not a design or quality error.

I hope so, too :). So far the quality of CaDA bricks has been more than satisfactory. The prototype I received was fine but I haven't built the production sets they sent me yet, so cannot vouch for those. But stay tuned - my "designer review" should be done this weekend.

And regarding "design errors" - please, think of this model as a MOC, not a good ol' LEGO set. CaDA is much more liberal about non-standard building techniques - and I love it. On the other hand, the long gone basic solutions - like using Technic bricks (and not mostly liftarms) or the almost forgotten hinge plates (offering so much more freedom than click-hinges) - are also welcome, which I admire. Generally, I used pretty much every technique I know to achieve the LOOK, while not losing the functions.

 

25 minutes ago, 2GodBDGlory said:

Are the linear actuators for the front blade equivalent to the XL Lego ones?

Yes, they are. And they are all black :).  Also, I'm glad the four standard actuators used for the ripper now come in yellow. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to convince CaDA to produce small actuators and micromotors in yellow or black.

 

[2GodBDGlory]

2 hours ago, brunojj1 said:

It´s quite a decent parts pack in fact. Check out the CaDA store. It has been released along the Lego version to satisfy the needs of the unsatisfied. CaDA would never ever make pimped up versions of Lego sets or stolen MOCs, but rather deliver a good alternative.

Are you sure they wouldn't release modified Lego sets? I'm pretty sure they did it regularly in the past, and while they seem way better now, the excavator in here: https://decadastore.com/collections/construction/products/cada-construction-equipment-fleet-c65001w-c65005w looks like a pretty close copy of Lego's 2021 Heavy-Duty Excavator. I haven't found any other things on there that look copied, but this one disappoints me.

[Bartybum]

4 hours ago, 2GodBDGlory said:

Are you sure they wouldn't release modified Lego sets? I'm pretty sure they did it regularly in the past, and while they seem way better now, the excavator in here: https://decadastore.com/collections/construction/products/cada-construction-equipment-fleet-c65001w-c65005w looks like a pretty close copy of Lego's 2021 Heavy-Duty Excavator. I haven't found any other things on there that look copied, but this one disappoints me.

It’s not copied, it’s an original design. It has a far larger footprint than 42006

Edited March 2, 2022 by Bartybum

[2GodBDGlory]

21 minutes ago, Bartybum said:

It’s not copied, it’s an original design. It has a far larger footprint than 42006

Oh, I wasn't talking about that set, I meant 42121. I'm comparing them now, and CADA has definitely made changes, dropping the part count from 569 to 467 (Maybe mostly because they don't include rocks?), but there is some pretty clear "inspiration"/copying in several parts. They're definitely not as shameless as some, but it's still a shame.

[TheRacker]

On 2/26/2022 at 8:31 AM, eric trax said:

 

I'm sure it won't be the last. If you like this set you will definitely buy my next one 

Can you mention when your next model is expected to release?