dhc6twinotter

Great review and excellent pictures! I bought this set a few months ago, and I really enjoyed putting it together. In my humble opinion, it is one of the best $40 sets in a long time. For the price, I'd give it a 5/5. I have issues with the chain as well. That is my only complaint.

Wow...these are awesome, especially the last one! I've always wanted to build one, but I would have no clue how to do the programing. I need to get one of these NXT sets!

I'm glad I could take those pictures for you all. I'm glad I was finally able to contribute something useful to this great forum.

Ok, here are a few pictures I took. Sorry the lighting isn't the greatest. The guts. Notice the round circuit board has two round rings around it. One ring is ground and the other is hot. The rings contact the two metal tabs on the backside of the case (pictured on right) And the LED:

I opened mine up a few months ago. It's a bit tricky, but not hard. It just snaps together. There is indeed only one very small LED that spins around. It's a clever mechanism. If you all would like, I'll take it apart again and take a picture.

The supercar and backhoe look like some pretty good sets. I think I'll have to pick them up once they hit the shelves (If they aren't too expensive). Neither set is as good as comparable sets from the past, but still worth buying. And about the supercar, a real 6 speed gearbox would be nice and would be more realistic, but I've got no complaints with LEGO using it to switch between functions. I think it would make for a more interesting build. The model not being 100% realistic doesn't really matter to me since I would take it apart within the first month anyways. I'm disappointing that the helicopter doesn't appear to have any kind of variable pitch rotor blades or rotor tilt function. Bummer. Anyways, it looks like there are some good sets coming out!

This is awesome. This is at the top of my list for all-time favorite MOCs. Great details! I love the Twin Otters (hence my username). Are there any pictures of the variable pitch prop mechanism?

The panels are available on the U.S. LEGO replacement parts page. Look for set 7160 (Drop Ship). http://us.service.lego.com/en-US/replacementparts/default.aspx The pneumatic cylinders weren't on the 9641 parts list. Only the pneumatic valve and T-connector were available. You could still email or call and see if they have it.

The wheels (tires and rims) came out to $25.12, which included shipping. I think bricklink was pretty close to that too, but the prices I found on there did not include shipping. I have to re-order the wheels since I didn't respond within 15 days. doh! I used this link: http://us.service.lego.com/en-US/replacementparts/default.aspx Enter the set you want the parts from, and send in a request. It'll take a few days for them to reply, and once they do reply, they give you 15 days to pay. There is a catch though; LEGO won't let you order a part in quantities more than what was included in the set. So, for example, you can't order 5 wheels from the Offroader set since it only came with 4. Now, I don't see why the customer service rep couldn't just double your order when you call and send you 8, so maybe it is feasible. I'll have to check when I place my order. I'll resubmit my request for the wheels and see what happens.

Years ago, I used Lego Direct to order 6 sets of wheels from the 8446 Monster Crane Truck. Back then, the wheels were very cheap. The only downside was that they only accepted checks, so it took a while to get. However, recently I placed a request for 4 wheels from the 8297 Offroader. They were cheaper than bricklink, and Lego now accepts credit/debit cards for the orders. I haven't gotten around to placing the order yet, but I'll probably do that in the next few days. Anyways, just my $.02.

I tend to build things that function and look as realistic as possible. I also want my projects to work properly, so any mechanisms I build are constructed as simply as possible. This usually means using motors instead of gearboxes. For example, my current project was displayed at Brickfair, and it worked ok (I think CP5670 saw it there). I was in a rush to finish it in time, and it did have some issues. I'm currently rebuilding parts of it, and I want it to work right before posting a build thread here or taking it to any other shows. Properly working functions, as well as esthetically correct model are my primary concerns when building a model, and I will try to accomplish this to the best of my ability. Just my $.02.

I like the red one! Looks good! I was thinking the same thing!

I'm a big aviation nut, so when I couldn't come up with any creative name to use, I just picked one of my favorite aircraft, the de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter:

This is an awesome build! I never knew John Deere built anything like this. Interesting contraption. I'd be interested to how the PF and pneumatics are tied together. Like the music too, btw.

Page 1 of the instructions are no longer listed on the LEGO website. It makes me wonder if there are more changes than just the new actuators.

Fantastic! That is a lot of cheese. The fuel cell is a nice detail. Are there any pictures of the engine? Nicely done! Growing up, the Herbie movies were some of my favorites, especially Herbie Goes Bananas. Fully Loaded was pretty good too, especially since Lindsey Lohan was in it (she looked better then...now she's just trashy).

Awesome! I love all these crane builds! Makes me want to do one now. Millan, any idea on how you are going to build the steering mechanism with the 4 modes?

This is great! I remember seeing it at brickfair, and I wish I had spent more time checking it out. Great detail!

Well awesome! I'll be watching this thread. I've often thought a Technic cement truck would be a fun build. Looking forward to your build. Any idea on what truck this will based on?

Thanks! And here I thought I came up with something new... How well did this joint work for you guys?

Well I'm really hoping LEGO doesn't stop selling this set instead of re-releasing it with the fixes. I would be really bummed. I've been planning to purchase this, but I'm waiting for TRU to restock. Maybe this issue is why my nearest LEGO store isn't carrying it. I was surprised when they said they didn't have it in stock and wouldn't for a few weeks. I've been really impressed with LEGO's costumer service over the past year or so. I really hope they get the bugs worked out of the model, but if not, I'll still be happy with the set. Its got a lot of great parts, and that is the main reason I plan on buying it. Most sets I buy stay built for a week or two before I take them apart and use the pieces for something else. So as long as the motors aren't defective, I'm happy.

Well, that's a great idea! That should be even stronger! Only problem I see is that the pin with center hole has friction ridges. It would probably still work, but it may not spin as smoothly. It's a great idea, and worth a try! EDIT: I gave the above method a try, and the friction ridges on the pin with hole have a negative effect and make it harder to spin the axles. It's a fantastic idea, and I wish it would work better. If only the pin with hole had no friction ridges...

Paul, I think the only way for it to fall apart would be if the blue pins worked themselves out, or if the base of one of the bars broke off. The bars are probably the weakest part. Overall, it seems pretty strong, but I haven't built a model to test it on (probably won't for a while--too many other projects). If LEGO made a "Technic, Axle Connector Hub with 3 Axles" using 4 axles instead of 3, that would be even stronger.

Hey Everyone, When I placed my last Bricklink order, I ordered the "Technic, Axle Connector Hub with 4 Bars" piece. I thought it was a cool piece, and I figured maybe I could make something useful with it. Right before bed last night, I came up with a u-joint that is much stronger than the LEGO Technic u-joints. It works very well, and can bend about 45 degrees. Daniel

Well awesome! I'm glad it worked out! I really like where you are going with this build, and I really like the idea of 6x6 with all wheel steering. I'll be watching this buildup!