Splat

I bought a copy of the 8996 Bionicle Skopio XV-1 which is basically all Technic parts. 8996 Bionicle Skopio XV-1 Inventory This set gave me a lot of red panels and another 96 treads. While this isn't a 'Technic' set (in my definition), I suppose that it isn't a system set either. As mentioned above, some of the larger (UCS) Star Wars sets have a lot of Technic beams, liftarms, and even gears. For example, the 10212 Star Wars Imperial Shuttle: 10212 Star Wars Imperial Shuttle Inventory

Also make sure that you aren't making the drive-train too tight.

The two dark grey gears have a round hole in the middle, so they spin freely on the axle. The red 'Technic Driving Ring' slides from side to side, and engages one (and only one) of the dark grey gears at a time. or (there are two similar versions of this piece, and it is called a 'Technic, Gear 16 Tooth with Clutch') So in dhc6twinotter's image above, the motor is either driving the pneumatic pump, in between the two gears (neutral), or driving the worm gear which rotates the turntable. Yes, the red 'Technic Driving Ring' is two studs wide. The two dark grey gears and the red 'Technic Driving Ring' in the middle is a total of four studs wide. In most (all?) official Lego sets, the 'Technic Driving Ring' fits over a 'Technic, Axle Connector (Ridged with x Hole x Orientation)' which then forces the Driving Ring to spin at the same speed as the axle/s going through it. The ridges on the Axle Connector help to keep the Driving Ring in place (keep it in 'gear' as it were). Therefore, when the Driving Ring engages one of the dark grey 16 Tooth Gear with Clutch, it also spins at the same speed as the axle. You can also see how these pieces work in this video: To use the Driving Ring, you need to use the 'Technic, Gear 16 Tooth with Clutch'. You cannot use the non-clutch version. Alternatively, the older Differential can also be used with the Driving Ring.

Now that the the 42010 + 42011 'Dragster Combi Model' instructions have been provided by DLuders, and have finally made their way onto the Lego Technic Website (here or here, but not on the Lego Customer Service Building Instruction page yet), I present my pictorial review of this model. I won't spend too much time talking about the boxes or parts as I have already covered those topics in my pictorial reviews of the individual sets (42010 Off-road Racer and 42011 Race Car). All pictures can be clicked on for a larger view, and are viewable in my Brickshelf folder (once moderated). Set: 42010 + 42011 Name: Dragster Combi Model Theme: Technic Year: 2013 Pieces: 231 (+100 spares) Price: US $39.98 (US $19.99 + US $19.99), CAD 49.98 (CAD 24.99 + CAD 24.99) Links: 42010: Lego Shop@Home (US) Lego Technic Website Lego Technic Instructions Brickset Bricklink Rebrickable 42011: Lego Shop@Home (US) Lego Technic Website Lego Technic Instructions Brickset Bricklink Rebrickable Pictures: Brickshelf (once moderated) Related Reviews: 42010 Off-road Racer 42011 Race Car The Boxes The back of both boxes shows the Dragster Combi Model, and states 'This building instruction only at: LEGO.com/technic'. This message is also reiterated in the building instructions for each set, as well as the supplementary booklet that comes with both sets. Building Instruction The instructions for this 'Dragster Combi Model' don't come as a printed booklet with either of the two sets, but must be downloaded from the LEGO.com/technic website, via this direct link to the PDF, or via this link provided by DLuders. The PDF is listed as a 7.77MB download, and contains 45 pages. The quality of the PDF is a lot better than the quality of the A Model instructions of either set, and, as is typical for download-only B Model instructions, these instructions feature a white background which will save ink/toner when printed. Random page from the instructions (Page 41, Step 28): Pieces To make this 'Dragster Combi Model' you will either have to: pull apart both the 42010 Off-road Racer and 42011 Race Car sets, buy another copy of each set, or already have the pieces available in your collection. The last option might be a bit difficult at the moment as both of these sets contain new pieces. For details of the new pieces, please refer to my previous pictorial reviews (42010 Off-road Racer and 42011 Race Car). I took the second option, and bought another copy of each of the sets. The pieces from 42010 Off-road Racer (on the right) and 42011 Race Car (on the left): The build This 'Dragster Combi Model' uses more pieces than either of the A Models, so there are slightly more pages of instructions, and a few sub-models, but it has about the same difficulty as the A Model of either set. In my previous pictorial review, a request was made by Lost_In_Noise to have some shots of the build process. So here they are... (remember that you can click on each picture to see a larger version) Page 4, Step 5, and Page 5 Step 8: Page 8, Step 10, and Page 13 Step 15: Page 16, Step 18: Page 24, Sub-model, and Page 25 Step 19: Page 28, Step 20: By turning an axle, which turns a worm gear, which then turns one of the new 8 tooth gears, the driver's cage opens and closes. Page 35, Step 27, and Page 40, Sub-model: The sub-model also features a mechanism using a worm gear and the other new 8 tooth gear to enable to rear wing/spoiler to be adjustable. Page 45, Step 32: The completed model. The Dragster Combi Model I like that TLG added the shift indicator light into the cockpit of the Dragster: Spare Pieces The 42010 Off-road Racer contained 160 pieces, with 7 spares. The 42011 Race Car contained 158 pieces, with 6 spares. That adds up to a total of 331 pieces for both sets combined. The 'Dragster Combi Model' has a total of 231 pieces (if I counted correctly), utilizing about 70% of the pieces from both sets, and leaving 100 spares left over. I would have liked to see a higher percentage of parts used, and would have liked to see both pull-back motors used in this model. All Three Models Conclusions First of all, I would like to re-state that I wish TLG would release the instructions for the B Models and Combi Models' at the same time that the respective A Models sets are available to purchase! The instructions for this 'Dragster Combi Model' only became available about one month after I had already received my copy of the 42011 Race Car. I'm not sure that the wait was worth it either, as this model is a little bit disappointing in a number of ways. Although the combined model uses more pieces then either of the A Models, it only uses 70% of the total number of pieces available, and I was hoping to see both pull-back motors used at once. This model is also heavier that either of the A Models, which means that it doesn't perform as well either. 42010 Off-road Racer: low-pile carpet = 9.60m (31.45'), smooth tiles = 11.50m (37.75') 42011 Race Car: low-pile carpet = 7.85m (25.75'), smooth tiles = 8.55m (28.05') 42010 + 42011 Dragster: low-pile carpet = 5.65m (18.55'), smooth tiles = 6.30m (20.65') If you want the best performing model, I suggest getting the 42010 Off-road Racer. I think TLG did an okay job with the use of colour in this model, and while I didn't use the stickers, most of them look okay in the combined model (see below), except for the stickers on the rear wing/spoiler which look a little bit out-of-place. This model does have some nice details though, such as the engine air intakes and exhaust pipes, shift indicator in the cockpit, and even 'pedals' for the driver. However, while this model is easily recognisable as a dragster, it is still out of proportion when compared to real dragsters. The back is way too big, the chassis isn't skinny enough, and the rear tires aren't large enough. On the plus side, it is nice that both of the extra features (opening/closing of the driver's cage, and the adjustable rear wing/spoiler) can be controlled via axles sticking out the back of the vehicle. So given the above comments, is this model greater than the sum of it's parts? I would have to say 'no'. If you can only afford one of these sets, I would choose the 42010 Off-road Racer. If you can afford both sets, I would keep them built as the 42010 Off-road Racer and the 42011 RaceCar. If you can afford to get two of each set, then the 'Dragster Combi Model' is still an ok model, but I don't think that it is a 'must have'. As always, you're opinion may vary.

Nice work, @TheQ. I also like these small models that are packed full of features. To prevent the winch from unwinding, you might want to consider using a worm gear in there somewhere. Worm gears have the advantage that they can't be back-driven, and they can reduce the speed of the drive-train quite a lot in a small space. Eg. when coupled with an 8 tooth gear, the output speed will the 1/8th of the input speed. Sariel's Gear Tutorial talks about the properties of worm gears (about half way down the tutorial). A worm gear could also be used to slow down the steering too. If the scale is getting larger than you wanted, you could turn it into a larger forklift that lifts shipping containers, although they tend to have 2 wheels at the back. I look forward to seeing your finished model.

Thanks to everyone that has provided comments and feedback With such a small set, and only the one or two functions in the set, I didn't really think that lots of photos of the build were necessary, but I will keep it in mind for future reviews. Thanks for the feedback. At the time of this review, the instructions for the alternate model weren't available, but now that they are (thanks DLuders), I will do another pictorial review in the next few days. Thanks DLuders for sourcing these instructions and making them available to us. It looks like the worm gear and the new 8 tooth gear are used to open/close the cage on the dragster, and adjust the back wing/spoiler. They aren't used in the drive-train at all. Also, only one of the pull-back motors is used in the dragster model. I also ordered two of each set, so I will make the dragster and do another pictorial review in the next few days. I agree that missing Technic instructions is a recurring problem. If Lego are going to release printed building instructions in their sets, and then instruct us to go to the website to download the extra instructions, then, in my opinion, the website should have these extra instructions available before the sets hit the shelves. I agree that both the 42010 Off-road Racer and 42011 Race Car are fun little sets. Not too many features, but at this price range that is to be expected, and there are some nice pieces in both sets. As Meatman mentioned, this set doesn't have any steering - it is simply a pull-back and let-go set, and depending on the surface you are using, it should go in a straight line, or over jumps, etc.

Following on from my review of the 42011 Race Car, I now present to you my pictorial review of the 42010 Off-road Racer. All pictures can be clicked on for a larger view, and are viewable in my Brickshelf folder (once moderated). Set: 42010 Name: Off-road Racer Theme: Technic Year: 2013 Pieces: 160 (+7 spares) Price: US $19.99, CAD 24.99 Links: Lego Shop@Home (US) Lego Technic Website Lego Technic Instructions Brickset Bricklink Rebrickable Pictures: Brickshelf (once moderated) The Box A fairly standard looking Technic box, measuring 26cm x 14cm x 6cm (10.25" x 5.5" x 2.4"), which is slightly thicker than the box for the 42011 Race Car which was 4.5 (1.8") thick. The back of the box is exactly the same as the box of the 42011 Race Car, and shows you how you can combine the two sets together to create a Dragster. The left side features French (translated as 'The off-road buggy') and Spanish (translated as 'Off-Road Racing'). Front and back: Top and bottom: Left and right: Boxes from both 42011 and 42010: The Contents One small bag of pieces One medium bag of pieces One larger bag of pieces What looks to be a new pull-back motor for 2013, the same as in 42011 Race Car Four Tire 43.2mm D. x 26mm Balloon Small loose in the box One sticker sheet A supplementary booklet (12 pages) A single building instruction book (48 pages) New and/or Interesting Pieces Four of the new smaller panels, numbered 21 and 22. The Lego part numbers for these in blue are 6022764 and 6023035 respectively. Close-up pictures of these parts can be seen here and here What looks to be a new pull-back motor. I don't have any previous ones to compare, but it looks similar to Pullback Motor 7 x 5 x 3 (Motor 6) or Pullback Motor 8 x 5 x 3 (Motor 6a), although it has different mounting points. What looks to be a new Technic, Gear 8 Tooth, as shown in my 42011 Race Car Pictorial Review. Six Dark Bluish Gray Technic, Axle and Pin Connector Hub with 2 Axles. While not new, these were released in 2012 and have only appeared in four other sets so far. Two Black Technic, Panel Fairing Small Smooth Short #1 and #2, but I wish that these were blue instead Two Black Technic, Panel Fairing Small Smooth Long #3 and #4, and again, I wish that these were blue instead Four Black Tire 43.2mm D. x 26mm Balloon Small One Light Bluish Gray Technic, Gear Worm Screw Blue pieces! While not a whole lot of them, it is nice to see beams in a colour that isn't LBG, DBG, Black, Red or Yellow. The Blue Technic, Liftarm 1 x 9 Bent (7 - 3) Thick is quite rare, having only appeared in one other set before, back in 2002. As the chassis of the Off-road Racer is blue, the seat in this model deviates from the standard blue seat, and is red. The full list of parts can be seen on the inventory page of the instructions, or on the Bricklink inventory page. Sticker Sheet There are eight stickers on one sheet. The sticker sheet is 10.5cm x 8.3cm (4.1" x 3.3"). I did not apply the stickers to my model. Supplementary Booklet The booklet has 12 pages, and shows a few 'play' situations together with the 42011 Race Car, some pages showing other sets in the 2013 line-up, and the back page shows how the two sets can be combined (similar to the back of the box). This is the same booklet that was also in the 42011 Race Car set. Click the images if you want to see larger pictures of the pages. Building Instruction Book The building instructions are fairly standard, presented with part call-outs and the typical light blue background. We get the new graphics on Page 2 reminding us to sort our pieces, which was was also seen in the 42011 Race Car Pictorial Review, and we still get the GEWINNE! kid on the back page. Only some pages are shown here (there are 48 pages in total), and the instructions can be downloaded in PDF format from the Lego website, although the resolution of the PDF is quite poor. Page 7, Step 2: Here we have a mistake in the instructions, but hopefully my copy of the instructions were just part of an early batch and this will be fixed soon. It was easy enough for me to guess what was supposed to happen, but I hope kids in the target 7-14 year-old range don't have too many problems with this. The PDF instructions that are downloadable from the Lego website do not show this error, which suggests that TLC is already aware of the error. Page 17, Step 14: Half way through the build process. Page 43, Step 28: The completed model. Just like the 42011 Race Car, there are two pieces shown left over in the last step of the instructions, one Worm Gear and the new 8 Tooth Gear. Page 46: The inventory page, showing all of the parts and the Lego Element IDs. The Race Car Apart from the pull-back motor, the only other feature of this model is that the cage at the top can open up. Spare Pieces There are seven spare pieces, but just like in the 42011 Race Car set, the only two gears in the set are spare pieces (one Worm Gear and the new 8 Tooth Gear). They are shown in the last step of the instructions, and I can only imagine that they are used when combining this set with 42011 Race Car. The rest of the spares are fairly standard pieces. Conclusions This is only a small Technic set with 160 pieces (two more than the 42011 Race Car), but it is just in time for Christmas so I can imagine this set ending up in lots of kids hands on Christmas morning. With it's slightly larger wheel diameter, this set travels further than the 42011 Race Car: 9.60m (31.45') vs 7.85m (25.75') on low-pile carpet, and 11.50m (37.75') vs 8.55m (28.05') on smooth tiles. The larger diameter wheels also mean that this set takes slightly more space to pull-back than the 42011 Race Car: 1.07m (42') vs 1.02m (40'). So which set is better, the 42010 Off-road Racer, or the 42011 Race Car? Aesthetics: Personally I think the 42011 Race Car looks better, but this is a very subjective opinion, and your opinion may vary. I am glad that we are seeing some more pieces in blue though. Performance: The larger diameter wheels on the 42010 Off-road Racer clearly enable it to out-perform the 42011 Race Car in all of my tests. Functionality: Both sets have the pull-back motor function, although the 42010 Off-road Racer also has the cage at the top that can open. Parts: Both sets feature a very similar set of parts. The 42011 Race Car has two extra panels (Red Technic, Panel Fairing Small Smooth Short #1 and #2), whereas the 42010 Off-road Racer has six of the Dark Bluish Gray Technic, Axle and Pin Connector Hub with 2 Axles and blue beams. It is a close call, but personally I like the 42010 Off-road Racer just a little bit better. Unfortunately TLG hasn't released the building instructions to make the Dragster by combining the two sets yet, but I look forward to building it and seeing how it performs once the instructions are available. Update: The building instructions to make the 'Dragster Combi Model' are now available here or here or here (thanks DLuders). Update: My 42010 + 42011 Dragster Combi Model Pictorial Review is now available. Hopefully I have covered most angles, but if you want any more photos or info, just let me know.

I've had a 'dead' shock absorber in my 8081 Extreme Cruiser set. Then end of the spring wasn't formed properly, so it didn't go together properly, and it then deformed the end of the black shaft. The shock absorber wouldn't stay together, and the spring was putting sideways pressure on the shaft, so the suspension wasn't smooth at all. I just took a photo of it, sent it to Lego Customer Service via their online form (including my Lego ID and postal address), and they sent out a replacement part fairly quickly. Mine was an obvious physical problem, but convincing Lego that one spring is softer than the others might be a bit harder to explain, but I have found Lego Customer Service to always be helpful.

I remember this being one of the last sets that I saved up and bought with my own money before going into my dark-ages, so this set always has special meaning to me. I must have built this set a dozen times or more, as well as the B-model and numerous other MOCs just using the pieces from this set. Good memories. This set also has Ackerman steering geometry which made it really nice to steer, despite it's large size.

I don't have any 2 x 4, 2 x 6, or 2 x 8 Technic plates with me, but I do have a 2 x 4 Brick. With the wider teeth, the new 8 tooth gear cannot sit in the middle of four studs at all. If you're happy for the gear to sit above the studs (like most other gears would), then it should spin smoothly, but further testing may be required.

Not much more to add than what DLuders and Conchas mentioned above, except that a larger version of the parts page can be seen here: http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/slfroden/42011-Race-Car/027.jpg

Thanks everyone for your comments. These are 2013 models, so they should be coming out either late this year, or within the first half of next year. More info here. I have made a jump that is about 30cm (12") high, and while the car doesn't go flying through the air for too long, it does stay together in one piece when it lands. The only thing that might need adjustment is the rigid hose at the front, and this is what holds the front of the nose in place, but only slight adjustment. Everything else is pinned together fairly well. I paid US$21.99 + sales tax. I bought it from Toys'R'Us which has a reputation of being a little bit overpriced, so you might be able to get it cheaper once it is more widely available. I agree that the design of the new 8 Tooth Gear should help keep it located between liftarms, and it also seems to have quite a lot of 'clutch power' when put onto black and LBG axles which should also help keep it in place.

A few days ago the Toys'R'Us (US) website briefly had the new 42011 Race Car set for sale, but they seem to have removed it now. I was lucky enough to place an order, and I got this set delivered to me on Friday. I present my pictorial review of the 42011 Race Car, including a few pics of the new pieces. These photos were taken in a rush without my normal photo setup, so I apologize if any of them are a bit blurry or a bit dark. All pictures can be clicked on for a larger view, and are viewable in my Brickshelf folder (once moderated). Set: 42011 Name: Race Car Theme: Technic Year: 2013 Pieces: 158 (+6 spares) Price: US $19.99, CAD 24.99 Links: Lego Shop@Home (US) Lego Technic Website Lego Technic Instructions Brickset Bricklink Rebrickable Pictures: Brickshelf (once moderated) The Box A fairly standard looking Technic box, measuring 26cm x 14cm x 4.5cm (10.25" x 5.5" x 1.8"). The back of the box shows you how you can combine this set with set 42010 Off-Road Racer to create a dragster, while the left side feature the word 'Race Car' translated into French and Spanish. Front and back: Top and bottom: Left and right: The Contents One small bag of pieces One larger bag of pieces Two x LBG Technic, Liftarm 1 x 15 Thick loose in the box What looks to be a new pull-back motor (I don't have any previous ones to compare) One sticker sheet A supplementary booklet (12 pages) A single building instruction book (48 pages) New Pieces Four of the new smaller panels, numbered 21 and 22. The Lego part numbers for these are 6022750 and 6022752 respectively. What looks to be a new pull-back motor. I don't have any previous ones to compare, but it looks similar to Pullback Motor 7 x 5 x 3 (Motor 6) or Pullback Motor 8 x 5 x 3 (Motor 6a), although it has different mounting points. What looks to be a new Technic, Gear 8 Tooth The new smaller panels have two pin holes on the sides, and an axle hole at the end. The pull-back motor takes about eight turns to wind it up, and with the diameter of the wheels on this model, that equates to about 1 metre (40") of pull-back required. This appears to be a new Technic, Gear 8 Tooth, and it has the marking '4' and '01' on the sides of it's teeth. Previous 8 Tooth Gears have looked like theses (image from Sariel's Gears Tutorial): Sticker Sheet There are 12 stickers on one sheet, and the grey in the pic is actually a shiny silver. The sticker sheet is 10.5cm x 11.4cm (4.1" x 4.5"). I did not apply the stickers to my model. Supplementary Booklet The booklet has 12 pages, and shows a few 'play' situations together with 42010 Off-Road Racer, some pages showing other sets in the 2013 line-up, and the back page shows how the two sets can be combined (similar to the back of the box). Building Instruction Book The building instructions are fairly standard, presented with part call-outs and the typical light blue background. We get the new graphics on Page 2 reminding us to sort our pieces, which was was also seen in the new 10233 Horizon Express instructions (review), although we still get the GEWINNE! kid on the back page. Only some pages are shown here (there are 48 pages in total). I'm sure the full instructions will be available on the technic.lego.com website soon. The Race Car Spare Pieces There are six spare pieces, but interestingly the only two gears in the set are spare pieces (one Worm Gear and the new 8 Tooth Gear). They are shown in the last step of the instructions, and I can only imagine that they are used when combining this set with 42010 Off-Road Racer. The rest of the spares are fairly standard pieces. Conclusions This is only a small Technic set with 158 pieces, but I can imagine this appealing to kids that want to race their friends (as shown in the supplementary booklet). I don't have any previous pull-back motor sets, so I can't compare the performance of this model vs others, but on low-pile carpet this model would go an average of 7.85m (25.75'), and on smooth tiles it would go 8.55m (28.05'). Upon releasing the car on tiles, the rear wheels seem to spin a tiny bit, so the model could do with a little bit more weight over the rear wheel for better traction, or it could just be that my wheels were getting a bit dusty/fluffy after running on carpet. Aesthetically the race car looks quite nice, which wouldn't have been possible without the new smaller panels, and it's good to see little details added such as the drivers seat and steering wheel, the engine details, and the rear light at the back. Apart from the pull-back motor, there aren't any other functions in this model (no steering, suspension, etc). I'm interested to see how this set combines with 42010 Off-Road Racer (it looks like it uses both pull-back motors), and how the new 8 Tooth Gears perform. Update: The 'Dragster Combi Model' only uses one pull-back motor. Update: My 42010 Off-road Racer Pictorial Review is now available. Update: My 42010 + 42011 Dragster Combi Model Pictorial Review is now available. Hopefully I have covered most angles, but if you want any more photos, just let me know.

@Icetron - 4125550 can be had for as low as 9c US in black on Bricklink, but if you want then in any quantity you will have to pay about 42c US each (for 96 or more), plus shipping. I only used the grey 8 x 12 baseplate in my CAD drawings. In reality, that piece is only available in green, but you could also use standard plates (rather than baseplates), and use anything as long as it covers the same area. eg. 2x(6x24), or 4x(6x12). When I put them into my Ikea display case, I didn't actually use a baseplate at all. The front edge is a little bit flimsy, but can be reinforced with some 1x10 plates underneath the front. Unfortunately the price and availability of pieces fluctuates, but it was a reasonably cheap display stand when I made it a year and a half ago. Take my design as a starting point, see what pieces are cheap and easy to come by now, and just adapt it to suit your needs. Once you have a stand that you are happy with, please post a photo so that we can see what you came up with. Good luck

@Icetron - Yes, those two elements are similar, but 4125550 is 4 times as wide as 609126, so you would need 4 times as many (18 x 4 = 72) as you mentioned. You might have to make some further modifications to the design so that everything is supported properly too. = 4 x The only reason I used 4125550 is because it was available online at Pick A Brick (PAB) at the time, but unfortunately it doesn't look like it is available there any more. 609126 does look like it is available at PAB for 15 cents US each - listed as Brick W. Arch 1X1x1 1/3. I only have enough pieces for 8 series, so I'm not sure what I am going to do now that we know that Series 9 (and possibly more) are going to be released.

Congratulations Milan I've admired your work for a long time, and really look forward to seeing what you design next.

For anyone that has been using TinySRC to automatically shrink their images, please note that the new Eurobricks forum software may cause all of your images to appear broken. The work-around to fix this is to replace the second double '//' with a single '/'. Old code: http://i.tinysrc.mobi/320/240/http://www.pressrelations.de/presseservice_material/pressemitteilungen/pics/454593_20116150436342593.jpg New code: http://i.tinysrc.mobi/320/240/http:/www.pressrelations.de/presseservice_material/pressemitteilungen/pics/454593_20116150436342593.jpg I have updated the instructions here. Update: It looks like TinySRC is no longer offering this service anymore

Hi zskylar, nice work on that airbrushing I don't like to modify Lego myself, but perhaps this could also work by printing onto adhesive paper/plastic and using them as stickers on the panels.

Thanks for posting the photo. It looks like you solved the problem yourself As you mentioned, the pivot point for the 3x3 L liftarm was in the wrong place - it needs to be through the outer-most hole. Enjoy

Hi zskylar, welcome to Eurobricks, and I'm glad you had fun building my water strider. As allanp mentioned if you can upload a photo to the internet, and then post the picture in this thread we can all take a look and see if we can identify the problem (and I'd love to see a photo of someone else building my creations). Try creating a Brickshelf account or Flickr account (both free), and when creating a post use the 'image' icon to insert the photo into the post. There are a lot of useful tutorials here. Without seeing a photo, I can only guess that you might have some of the pieces oriented the wrong way around. Pay special attention to Step 9 and Step 35 of the instructions where the Technic, Liftarm 1 x 2 Thick with Pin Hole and Axle Hole are added. (Click images to enlarge) Also, as the main mechanism in my water strider is based on Sariel's Octopod design, the photos on his website may also help (link). Let us know how you go... Thanks parda

There have been a number of MOCs that are large road graders. Here are a few of them: by Techymind by Benny3000 by Nico71 by Trawson89/ trawaify/ Trawson21 by Nathan Bell SeTechnic also ran a competition last year to build a road grader (link). Vehicle: I'd like to see a large RC forklift, perhaps a mix of PF and pneumatics/compressor, a return of the air tank, a two or three section telescoping lift, and some mechanum wheels/omniwheels/vector wheels (link , ).Non-vehicle: I'd like to see some sort of RC walking animal, like a six or eight legged insect/spider.

@Multiverse - Yeah, that's a tough one. Like you, I like to keep my figs in Series order, and in the order that they were on the sheet included in the packs. Of course I designed the stands before Series 5 came out, and who was to know that the Lizard Man's tail would be so long? This is a photo that I took when I had Series 1-5 (click to enlarge): As I mentioned in this post: There are a few possibilities though: Remove the Lizard Man's tail for display purposes Have all of the figs on an angle, so that they all look uniform, yet they should all fit (might be difficult with the figs with dresses though) Create a little hole in the row behind to allow the Lizard Man's tail to slot into so he can stand straight and face forward Instead of , use (I haven't tested this to make sure it fits though) Something else...? Let us know what you decide to do... PS. Thanks for the credit on your Flickr page

@pong0814 - Haha, I had to laugh when I saw Chewbacca playing tennis, with a blaster in hand. The others are great too.

InDesign is probably the better tool to use for multi-page documents, but I'm more familiar with Illustrator, so that is what I went with. I think the Illustrator format is a proprietary Adobe format, but Illustrator itself can open a wide range of files, some of which may be an open format. For example, you could create an SVG file (XML based), which could then be opened in Illustrator. But, as mentioned above, you might be better off creating a format that InDesign can work with. InDesign has the InDesign Markup format (IDML) that seems to have the format specifications readily available (based on XML). You could then use InDesign to tweak this IDML file as needed, and export to PDF. There are also a few libraries that you can use, such as IDMLlib and PDFlib that you may be able to use if you are coding things yourself (although I have never used these before). This question on StackOverflow might help: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/3853510/any-kind-of-external-idml-viewer Or you could skip Illustrator and InDesign altogether, and just go straight to PDF somehow.