WoutR

Replying to myself, years later :-) The "target bricks" are now known to be Swedish in origin.

Congratulations! I wish you much luck and happiness together. I am happy to see you found the ring you were looking for, I know it was hard to find. Here are some of my recent finds: Yellow heads by WRme2, on Flickr Feeling green by WRme2, on Flickr Trans-red Power Miner by WRme2, on Flickr Swamp creature by WRme2, on Flickr Legends of Chima Ninjago head by WRme2, on Flickr

The items have just been reported to the BrickLink admins. It seems like this is a new and inexperienced seller, but this is not the correct place to sell his MEGABLOKS. If you find items like this, go to the "Problem" tab and click Item(s) for sale. If everyone reports them, we can all help to keep BrickLink clean.

We will have to look at the details in original sets with known origin and date to find the missing information...

As far as I know, no overview exists until we make one :) This is a good overview of the DANISH parts: http://www.historia.com.pt/legos/Textos/bricks/2X4brick_vs02.htm The Swedisch, Norwegian and Icelandic versions are not included. As far as I know.... - The Swedish GEAS/PRIMA bricks were made 1950-1955. First sold under the GEAS name, change to PRIMA around 1953. These names do not correspond exactly to the brick versions. The GEAS bricks were of the common "no logo" version. These are found in both Bakelite and CA. I think these have also been found in a PRIMA box. Later, the factury used the "targetbrick" mold. I think those have only been found in PRIMA boxes. - The Norwegian bricks started 1953. Initially using molds that were used in Danmark before. We have found the "no logo" version and all types of blockletter logos. The Long G Hatched and the slotted bricks with hollow studs seem to be Norwegian only. - The Icelandic bricks started in 1955 As far as I know they received used molds, I am not yet sure which type. (No logo again?)

I was looking at the instructions for the gears set 801. The axle-tube connection.is also being used. To me it is clear the axle was designed to fit that tube. I found out about the Danish designer in the mean time, but I also did not correct myself yet :) Thank you for the update! I think the LEGO Archives should also be looking for the Swedish GEAS sets (1950-55) :-)

Did you ever wonder why the technic axle is the size it is? I just found this video of a 1970 LEGO GEAR dealermodel I wonder if the axle was designed to fit within the tube of normal bricks.

The Brick Colorstream by Ryan/Eldeem as shown on newelementary is the most excellent LEGO color resource I know. http://www.newelementary.com/2015/03/lego-colour-chart-reference.html Here is how all those colors are represented on BrickLink: http://www.bricklink.com/message.asp?ID=903204

Yes, another very nice brick ... :) I hope more will be found, because I would love to have one (or a few)... I think it fits the Flickr page here: and since it was never officially released it is sadly not on my BrickLink list.

That Flickr page shows all the colors we have been able to find. If anyone knows of anything missing, please let us know. At the moment, I only know that your "Army Green" color is missing The Peeron color conversion list is a good resource, but it is outdated. I've made a huge list of LEGO-to-BrickLink color conversions last month. It can be found here: http://www.bricklink...e.asp?ID=868566 It is already slightly outdated, so be sure to read the comments below that message. (The odd blue mentioned above is shown on Flickr, but it is not included in this BrickLink list because I do not know what to make of it yet.. ) I have started on getting the errors out of the Clikits listings, I hope to post an updated version when those have been sorted out.

Sorry to hear that, but I respect your promise to keep it out of the public :) We'll just continue to be amazed by your funny parts, and be grateful that we get an opportunity to see those!

Yes please! Babble on for yonkers! (whatever that means ) I would love to read those stories. It's cold and wet outside, I'll start working on that hot chocolate...

Those first gears were developed by licence-holder Samsonite in the USA based on the LEGO wheel and the wheel holder brick. The later "Expert builder" gears were developed by LEGO themselves. I have no doubt that they were inspired by the Samsonite gears, but they were developed by different people. I think that explains why the holes do not line up.

Especially since there also are mold numbers at the bottom plate. For bricks these do not matter, but for plates we might have to take those into consideration. I did a quick check and it seems like these numbers are positioned in such a way that they do not interfere with the knobs. It's probably a design rule for the mold makers :) Not sure where all these numbers come from. You might be correct, but I am missing something here... brick height = 9.6 hole diameter = 5.0 bottom = 2.0 That leaves 9.6 - 5.0 - 2.0 = 2.6 mm for the plastic. That would suggest 1.3 for the top and bottom plate and not 1.35. Also... 9.6 - 5.9 = 3.7 4.9/2 = 2.45 3.7-2.45 = 1.25 not 1.35 You are welcome :) Thank you for the update to your website. Edit: I just noticed that zephyr1934 made an earlier reference to the 3709c! We both had the same idea.Also, if you ever want to update or rewrite your website (for any reason) feel free to use anything I said without quote or reference. I care about the information, not about the credits ;) I was thinking about two parallel technic beams/bricks with two non-aligned axles going through the holes. Those could be connected using the cardan connectors and a diagonal axle. That diagonal axle could cross the knob on top of a brick positioned in between. After the 5.8 height was determined, the "clearing the studs" theory could explain why they moved from the solid knob with embossing (like on the first technic brick 3709c) to the hollow studs (like on the later technic brick 3709a and all later beams) Here is a quick ASCII sketch: .....I.. XXXXXIXX Axle through hole .....I.. ..../... XXX/XXXX Axle clears knob on lower brick ../..... ..I..... XXIXXXXX Axle through hole ..I..... At first sight the center of the hole seems to be slightly higher. There is probably a good reason in the construction of this brick. https://www.google.c...tents/US3234683

I also have one. I usually read it one or two chapters at the time. It is one of my interests, but just as you say you can only focus on a limited amount of subjects at the same time. I hope we'll have lots of information for you when you finish upgrading your collectors guide. In a perfect world all that information would come together and strengthen eachother. One of the things I like about your guide is that it brings the detailed knowledge of many people together. Good luck! I hope you find a way to enjoy that nostalgia. And don't worry about overkill, I know I don't

Amazing people all around the world. I have met several of them (and often asked more questions than they could answer )

My German is good enough to read, but not good enough to speak or write. He writes in German, I answer in English :) Exploring the history of LEGO I have met many interesting people, and I will probably meet many more. I think we share many collector friends :)

I have been talking to the creator of that image. We have found out that there are two versions of the bricks with the Dogbone logo (mit Knochen). We started a discussion based on his comment on Flickr. The regular series has mold numbers 1 to 8 and has ejector pin marks on top of two diagonally opposite studs. That is the most common version of the Dogbone bricks and I believe it is Danish. There also is an alternate series. The inside looks almost exactly the same, but the mold numbers range from 1 to 10 and some of the slot positions are different. On top there are ejector pin marks on top of four (!) studs. He believed these might be Norwegian, but (for the reasons you mentioned) that is unconfirmed. The only other brick that I have seen with four ejector pin marks on top is the "target brick". That is why I believed they could be related, and then both could be Norwegian in origin. (The dogbone version does not have the extra plastic on top of the center studs). Since it is very difficult to be sure about anything, especially since collectors have been moving bricks and recreating sets, I tried to find a second opinion here. Maybe that box could have provided some additional "proof" for my Norwegian theory. I heard there are some colors that were found in Norway only. I do not yet know which colors these are (lemon yellow?) or how to find these bricks. Those bricks could provide important clues on the mold used, and knowing that we can draw conclusions about other bricks. My list of slotted 2x4 brick versions currently has 13 entries. Three of those might be duplicates, but I have not been able to confirm that yet. (I have some bricks in the mail, should be able to find out about one set soon...) If you want I can send you that list, I would appreciate your feedback.

Taking a closer look at the technic 2x4 brick I believe that the reason stated by Jamie Bernard in his presentation is correct for that brick. The brick with molded LEGO on top of the studs barely fits the flat bottom of that brick with "pat pend" mold markings. The holes seem to start immediately above the bottom plate. It is a bit difficult to look inside, and I can not say for sure there is not 0.1 mm in there somewhere, but at a first glance (and without opening one of those bricks) it seems to make sense. They could have prevented that by reducing the bottom thickness, but maybe there was a molding/engineering reason not to do so.

Maybe the reason was good enough when they were trying to design the new technic bricks as part of a complete system. Then clearing studs (any stud) would have been a serious requirement. Using the cardan connector it is possible to place an axle diagonally across bricks, the studs could easily interfere here. 1972-1974: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=9244a'>http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=9244a Since 1977: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=9244 Looking at the Bricklink catalog I also noticed that the first version of the technic brick was not the 1xn brick, but the 2x4: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=3709c http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=3709a Maybe that brick provides a reason. It is constructed in a different way. The first version of that brick had LEGO molded on top of solid studs, the later version had the hollow studs like later technic bricks.

Thank you for the update! You describe that 5.8 is needed to clear an axle above the studs/knobs. That would be a very good reason to move this hole up. I think these holes were initially not intended to receive knobs. Maybe it also explains why the knobs are hollow on top and not on the bottom. The text on to would have added extra height, and then they would have needed to move the hole even further up. This combination might have been the best compromise.

Page 2 of the presentation "Stressing the elements" by Jamie Bernard gives a reason for the odd postion of the technic hole. "The Center Point for the stud on the side of a System brick is 3.92mm from the top of the brick The Center Point for the hole in the side of a classic Technic brick is 3.80mm from the top of the brick The Center Point was moved up in order to accommodate the additional plastic needed around the Technic hole so that a stud can still fit in the bottom of the brick." http://bramlambrecht.com/tmp/jamieberard-brickstress-bf06.pdf

Gary, do you think this set might be Norwegian in origin? http://www.historia.com.pt/legos/Pt2/txt/ABBal/RB03.htm I have a theory that the "target bricks" are Norwegian in origin, but such theories are difficult to confirm http://www.historia.com.pt/legos/Textos/bricks/2X4_Targetbrick.htm

I am no specialist, but I'll try to answer your question. The first windows were flat pieces that fitted inside the slots of the old slotted bricks (see image above). Later windows were made with "wings" that fitted into the slots. http://www.bricklink.com/catalogList.asp?pg=1&catString=423&sortBy=Y&sortAsc=A&catType=P Around 1954 those windows were replaced by the windows with the fingers that fit between the studs. I think they were made in different versions until the late 1960s or early 1970s. http://www.bricklink.com/catalogList.asp?pg=1&catString=113&sortBy=Y&sortAsc=A&catType=P

Thank you for your quick and very informative reply! In the mean time, I noticed the similarities between the boxes of the PRIMA set and the red 1953-54 Norwegian (A/S Norske LEGO) box design (700/2 set) you posted earlier. Do you think the yellow box is a fictional design based on the red box, or is it a reproduction of a real set? I am trying to list the known versions of the slotted bricks. So far I have found 12 or 13 versions (PRIMA and GEAS were listed as two entries, I have no entry yet for the Norwegian, Finnish and Icelandic bricks because I do not know anything about them).