Splat

8865 was the first Lego Super Car that I bought when I was younger, so this set holds a special place in my heart too. I must have built and rebuilt it about 100 times. I'm impressed by your version, and I'm amazed that you could fit all of those features into it, and it looks great! Nice work

Congratulations on getting all of the details to work, and your video explains them very well. I'm sure kids would love seeing your hamster running around in its wheel.

Great GBC. It is always nice to see an original GBC module.

@Lego_GBC_NL - I'm glad that you liked my GBC module, and even more glad that you took the time to recreate it yourself. LDraw/MLCAD file: I find that LDraw files can either be optimized for building steps, or for showing functions, but it is difficult to do both at once. In this case I created the LDraw file to show the functions, but I'm happy that you could follow them and build the complete GBC module yourself. Balls: I am actually using official Lego Soccer Balls in mine, which is why yours work just fine too. I'm using the ones that came with the Friends sets recently, so they are orange with the soccer ball pattern and the small hole in them. Timing: I love differentials. Everywhere where I thought that there might need to be some adjustment for timing, I made things easily adjustable so that there isn't a need to do anything tricky like rotating a gear by one tooth, etc. The differential can take a little while to get in the correct position, but once it is there the worm gear holds it in place nicely so that the timing remains as it should. Automatic Motor Shutoff and Alarm System: Everyone seems to really like this feature. Cranks – pulleys – strings – rubber bands: As you can imagine, the creation of a GBC module goes through a lot of iterations to get things working 'just right'. Some things that were implemented in previous versions are no longer needed in later versions as other small changes have been made since then. The rubber bands are an example of this. Before I had all the pulley system finalized, the rubber bands were needed, but in the final version they may no longer be needed at all. I just kept them there because I had already tied knots in the string, and in my version they do stretch just a tiny little bit. I must admit that the string and the rubber bands (and the clear plastic cup that I used in the video) are the only non-official Lego pieces that I used. I have a spool of string that I bought for only a few dollars that is very close to the Lego thin string, but I didn't realize that my GBC module would have trouble with the medium thickness Lego string. I'm glad that you realized what was happening and got that working. Nice trick with the round plates 1x1 (part #4073) to hold the string in place. I use that same trick with official Lego sets that use string because it makes disassembly easier. For example, if there is a hook, I thread the string though the hole, but then use the 1x1 round plate attached to the hook to pinch the string and hold it in place. Spanner Wrench / Screwdriver (part #4006): During development I tried many different pieces here. I found the Spanner Wrench / Screwdriver to work best for me in an earlier iteration, and just left it like that from that point forward. If you found that the 3L Axle works better and holds in place better, that is great, and I'll have to try that on mine too. Really, for this piece it was just a matter of 'whatever works'. The only reason that this whole section is included is because I found that sometimes the balls would shoot out of the hopper too quickly, so I had to add this extra 'timing' mechanism to ensure the balls make it onto the 'ladder' at the correct time. The horizontal yellow bars near the hopper are also there for the same reason - to guide the balls if they shoot out too quickly. 1x9 Black Technic Liftarm: I must admit that this was me being a bit lazy. That 1x9 Liftarm 'should' be connected at the bottom for better stability, and that was the original plan, but I was trying to get this GBC module finished in time to show at a public expo, and it seemed to work ok without it being connected at the bottom, so I just left it as it was. This piece is also buried deep in the model, so it is difficult to modify quickly. The LDraw file is faithful to the physical model that I made. You could either: connect it in some way at the bottom; replace it with a 1x5 Liftarm as you suggested; or even a 1x11 Liftarm and modify the axle at the bottom; or leave it as it is (which is what I did). Once again, thank you for taking the time to rebuild my GBC module, taking the time to appreciate all of the little details that went into making it, and taking the time to provide your review/feedback/video. It always feels good to see others recreating my models. PS. Since you gave me credit for the model and provided links, I'm happy for you to keep your video on YouTube.

These are some tips that work for me: Try to do as much as you can in-camera first. Use a seamless backdrop. Depending on the size of the model, this can sometimes be as simple as using a piece of white flexible poster paper that you prop up against a wall. As others have mentioned, try to light the backdrop more than the model. Try having your model backlit a little bit. This will typically force you to expose the photo for a bit longer to get the model exposed correctly, and that will also expose the background more, getting it closer to white. Use a tripod and manual settings on your camera. Use a small aperture to maximize the depth-of-field so that the entire model is in sharp focus (this will help when post-processing). Use a low ISO value to reduce noise in the darker areas. I try not to use the Auto White Balance feature if I'm taking a series of photos (which I usually am). Use the Custom White Balance feature if needed. If you are shooting RAW, this can also be changed during post-processing. Did I mention to use a tripod...? With a small aperture and low ISO, your exposure times (shutter speeds) are likely to be long unless you have really bright lights/strobes/flashes, so a tripod is a must. Also use a remote shutter release or use the timer feature on your camera to reduce camera movement when taking the photo. At the moment I am using Paint.net (free) as my photo editor, but I have also used Photoshop in a similar way in the past. Select the background using the Magic Wand tool. If your subject is in sharp focus, this should be easy enough. Also select any shadows that are on the background. Use the Levels Adjustment to change the Gamma and Input/Output Levels until the pixels directly around your model are pure white, while still keeping the shadows. Invert the selection so that you have the model selected. Use the Levels Adjustment to get the model looking the way that you want. You could also use the Contrast/Hue/Saturation/Brightness Adjustments if needed. Select any remaining areas of the background that are not pure white, and use the Paint Bucket tool to make them pure white. Resize the image to the final size (remembering that the maximum size allowed on the Eurobricks forum is 1024x768). Apply some sharpening if needed. Modify any of the above steps as needed to get the result that you are after. Some samples:

I have created an Off-Road version of this Monster Truck: I took off the 'Tumbler' tires, and put the original balloon tires back on. I also changed the drive ratio: I removed the differential, and am now using a worm gear and 24-tooth gear to drive the rear wheels.

Nice mechanism, and nice build overall. I agree with Rohan that smaller leg movements might help make things smoother. I know that you mentioned that you don't have too many Technic parts, but perhaps you could replace the Wedge Belt Wheel/Pulley (in the video version - part 4185) / Liftarm 1 x 2 Thick with Pin Hole and Axle Hole (in the LDD images - part 60483), with this piece if you have some: Engine Crankshaft - part 2853 This would give you a half stud offset instead of a full stud.

Thanks Cornersruns, however in this case I didn't want to use any filler or thick glue as the crack in the Pneumatic Pump was so small. I wanted to rely upon capillary action to draw some of the thin Super Glue into the crack.

Last week Lego sent me a replacement pump, so I have tried to fix the old faulty pump. Hopefully the tiny drop of Super Glue will be a long-term solution. Thanks to everyone on Eurobricks and YouTube that provided comments and suggestions.

Nice work Rohan (and team). It looks like most modules were running fairly smoothly, with only a few hiccups. Sorry I couldn't be there to see it in person.

As your first MOC since your darkages, this is great. I'm not an expert, but most excavators that I've seen have the arm centered, and the cab to the side, which would help with keeping everything balanced. Is it possible to cover up the middle section of the arm with some panels? The rest of the excavator is nicely covered up, so this looks a little out-of-place to me. There is a Preview button in the toolbar when creating a new topic or replying to a topic - it is the last icon/button on the right.

When troubleshooting pneumatics it is usually a matter of isolating elements to work out which elements work and which ones don't. Having the manometer helps a lot too. I submitted a request to Lego's Broken Piece Service, but I just got an automated message back saying that the part is no longer available, and my request was cancelled. I have now submitted an email to Lego (that hopefully a person will read and action) asking if I can get a replacement or a substitution for a similar part. And now I wait again...

Thanks everyone for your feedback and suggestions. I decided to get out my macro lens and a close-up filter for my camera to see if I could take a picture showing the hole/crack. Keep in mind that the width of the pneumatic pump is only 7.9mm (0.31"), so the crack is really tiny, but still allows air to leak. I know that I've already shown the leak in the video in my initial post, but another way that I tested for the leak was to pressurize the system and hold the pump up to my ear. The air coming out can clearly be felt on my ear lobe and ear drum (obviously don't do this with high pressure or high volumes or air). I have contacted Lego's Broken Pieces service for a replacement. Their website says that they don't have this piece in stock and they may offer an alternative, but they should respond within a few days. In the comments of my YouTube video I got the following suggestions: tape - I don't think that tape will be able to handle the pressure of Lego Pneumatics (up to about 45psi). hot glue - I love hot glue, but it isn't the best at sticking smooth surfaces together. It doesn't react with materials, but rather the hot glue seeps into fibers of materials and, once cooled, friction holds it in place. superglue - This is usually a thin liquid, so it will seep into the crack using capillary action (as allanp mentioned). It is not a 'filler', but the crack that I have is so small that I think it will work ok. two-part epoxy - This is a lot thicker than superglue and can be used as a 'filler', but I don't think that it will seep into the crack too well. Maybe I could use some superglue and, once that is cured, I could add a thin layer of two-part epoxy over the top of it. I'll wait until I hear back from Lego before doing anything else.

Nice build. Very Compact considering the number of features, and this little guy has a lot of character. The only thing that bothers me is the IR Receiver that has been added on to the side and is sticking out a bit.

Hi everyone I need some help to troubleshoot an issue that I'm having with a Pneumatic Pump. It has a leak, but I don't think that it is the piston or the one-way valve. I think that there may be a tiny hole in the black casing. Please watch this short (2 min) video for details: Has anyone experienced a similar problem, or have a solution? I was thinking that I could use some glue (hot glue / super glue / two-part epoxy) to block the hole, but I didn't want it to seep in and block the air flow completely. I've had this pump for a few years, but I think this is the first time that I have actually used it. If this is a manufacturing defect, do you think Lego would replace it? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

Hi zux, the body of the truck itself is: 11 studs wide, 24.5 studs long, and 11 studs high. Once the wheels/tires are added the outer dimensions are about: 29 studs wide, 29 studs long, and 16 studs high. So it is basically a square! If you measure from the wheel centers rather than the outside edges, then it is about: 18 studs long (wheel base), and 22.5 studs wide (axle track). So it is wider than it is long. It was supposed to look more like an RC Stadium Truck rather than anything that you would normally see on the road.

A few years ago I created a modification to the 42005 Monster Truck set, where I motorized it and made it RC (IR), but tried to keep the geometry as close to the original set as possible (see topic here). I always liked the design and size of the body of this truck, so I have used it again, but this time I have completely removed the chassis and the drivetrain, and inserted a new one. This truck uses: the Lego Power Functions Rechargeable Battery (8878) to power an SBrick which controls a 9V Buggy Motor (5292) for drive and a Power Functions Servo Motor (88004) for steering. The truck is controlled remotely using Bluetooth via the SBrick and SBrick Android App on my mobile phone. This truck features: large suspension travel Ackermann Steering and positive caster steering geometry. The tires (56908c03) are the tires that were first seen in the Batman Tumbler set (76023). Even though the wheels are so far apart the truck has a short wheelbase, and thanks to the Ackermann steering geometry and differential in the rear it has a fairly tight turning circle. The front suspension uses a single shock absorber (731c05) with a setup similar to the 8081 Extreme Cruiser set from 2011. The rear independent suspension uses two hard shock absorbers (731c04), one each side. Here's a video to see it in action: Although the Monster truck uses a Buggy Motor, I couldn't give it full power without the battery and/or SBrick cutting power to it. I could only go at about 70% of max speed. I didn't have much space for gear reduction (apart from a 20-tooth gear to 28-tooth differential), so the output doesn't have much torque when using such large tires. Because of this, the truck takes a while to get to full speed, and slows down when hitting an incline or going off-road, which kind of makes the large suspension travel a bit pointless. I might see if I can gear it down some time in the future. I still continue to have a lot of trouble with the SBrick too. I finally have a version of the SBrick Android App that seems to work ok, but despite being only a few feet away and with nothing else around to interfere with it, it would still lose connection with my SBrick regularly. Hopefully BuWizz will be better, and be able to power the Buggy Motor better too. My BrickShelf Gallery with larger images (once moderated) Any constructive feedback/comments/questions are welcome.

Hi LucyCol, thanks for letting me know It's always nice to have my Lego models/photos/videos featured on other websites.

Thanks. I thought that you would like the drivetrain images The distance that the string moves is dictated by the cranks. I used 'Technic, Liftarm 2 x 4 L-Shape Thick' because a Liftarm 4 was too short, and a Liftarm 5 was too long. However, the Liftarm 2 x 4 L-Shape is just a fraction too long too, so when the ladder reaches the top of it's movement the rubber bands stretch ever-so-slightly. You can see this in the video at 1:56 (https://youtu.be/XQCGHxT8XaE?t=1m56s), but is only a very slight movement. Before I had finalised the design, the rubber bands were needed more, but I could probably get away without using them now. If I make it to BrickVention I could bring the parts needed and build it there if I have time (I have already bought my tickets to the convention, but still need to finalise things in the US before moving back to Australia). Thanks Lego_GBC_NL If you do end up building it, please post a pic or video for us to see.

Hi Everyone. I have created an LDraw/MLCad file of my GBC module. >> Download Here << While creating this CAD file, I noticed a few things that I would like to change in the model, however I have kept the CAD file matching the model at this stage. While I have added steps in the CAD file, the file is mainly organised with submodels that make it easier to organise rather than build. That is, submodels are added whenever there is an odd angle change, and the drivetrain is separate from the frame and electricals. The toughest parts to make in MLCad were the chain/s and the string/s. The chain links don't quite line up, so on the bottom the links are slightly out of alignment. I think that I did a pretty good job with the string, although I did need to add lots of submodels in the CAD file. In the following image you can see how the GBC breaks down into 4 distinct sections: Here are a few more images of each section and their drivetrains: If someone would like to download and review the LDraw/MLCad file and let me know if any changes are needed, that would be appreciated (I'm sure there are a few mistakes that I missed ). >> Download Here << This CAD file provides enough information for me if I ever wanted to rebuild the "To and Fro" GBC module, but if someone wants to turn it into a full set of instructions, please do so, and add a link in this topic. Any constructive feedback/comments/questions are welcome. My Brickshelf Gallery with larger images (once moderated)

Yeah, this is an oldish laptop. Thanks for helping though.

Hi Roland. I am still running v1.6 Alpha 4. I updated the main.cfg file as suggested in your FAQ. When opening LDCad, I can now see the screen (no more black area), but as soon as I go to the Nested tab it freezes for a few seconds, and then the same thing happens as before where the interface items (menu/toolbar/compass/etc) disappear again. This happens in both 32 bit and 64 bit. I have already gone ahead and made my chains and string in MLCad. They don't line up 100%, but are close. I should be finished with the MLCad file in the next day or so.

Hi Roland. I am trying to use the Technic Chain template (part 3711). I'm running Windows 7 64 bit, OpenGL 2.1.0 (I don't have permissions to update this). I have also downloaded/unzipped v1.6 Alpha 4 and tried both 32 bit and 64 bit versions, but all I can see is the status bar and all of the rest of the screen is black. I can still mouse over items and see the description in the status bar, but I am basically running blind.

Hi Philo. I tried to follow your advice, but I'm having a lot of trouble with LDCad (v1.5). I don't find the software very intuitive at all, but I'm sure that I just have to get used to it over time. I read through the documentation and thought that I would try to create a chain. As soon as I add a template part (chain) and then go to nested mode, the software bugs out and half of the interface disappears, including the menu, the toolbar, the compass, the pin, etc, making the software even harder to use. The same happens if I try to edit the chain submodel directly. I can't see the little yellow spheres that the documentation says are needed to be able to create the custom sized chain, so I can't resize my chain at all. For the time being I think that I'm giving up on LDCad.

Does this help? Under normal load, the tan spider gears within the differential spin at the same speed but in opposite directions, but the differential cage doesn't spin. Under excessive load, the clutch slips, causing the spider gears to spin at different speeds, and that causes the differential cage to spin (a tiny bit). When the differential cage spins, it tuns the 16-tooth gear down the bottom, which rotates the black 2L liftarm, which moves the yellow liftarm and the other black 2L liftarm on the left, and that is attached to the first switch (which turns on the alarm). The tops of the switches are linked so that only one switch can be turned on at a time. Let me know if you have any further questions. For a purely mechanical solution, would something like the mechanism in this ladybug work? I have a few other ideas too, but I'd have to build them to see if they would work. I'll see what I can come up with. PS. Are you going to Brickvention in Melbourne in January 2017?