DarkShadow73

Wish it was available retail in stores around here, TRU doesn't have it, and I hate shipping costs and their taxes are higher than my state's are I have 1 copy of it, wanted a 2nd one to play around with claws and make it into a grappler to hold logs and such...only place to buy it here is Lego S@H thus the shipping and such...I have 2 Lego stores, but I'm way in between, one in Detroit, MI and one in Chicago, IL, but I'm about 150 miles away from each and with fuel I'd probably end up with the same cost as if I had it shipped directly from S@H ...

That is why I love this forum, the modifications to make some functions work better. I take them all and for the most part it makes a model better...

@Alasdair- Just to name one set, the 8419 Excavator, there is play on the axle where the 8-tooth meets the worm gear and the 8-tooth has to much axle to slip up and down with, making the set somewhat difficult at times...same thing with the 8043's turntable, that little 8-tooth gear that turns the table seems to always slip up and down not meshing securely with the turntable gear...

Something about the Power Puller set that keeps cropping up that makes me now somewhat interested...

The days of the transparent covers are long gone...believe they ended in the late 90's... In many sets there are pitfalls to pneumatics over LA's...say the 8455, it is one of my favorites, but the constant pumping of the pneumatics is a pain but it looks great on a shelf...as far as LA's they have their place in many sets and do a lot of functions w/ PF added that are unbelievable...just my take

I agree with Gene - what really is the best method to attach the hoses without damaging them or killing your fingers trying to jam them on?

I actually have a line on a used space shuttle, still high priced but not over the top compared to others used on BL or eBay, and luckily the seller is in my city, but only uses eBay for selling, but he has to verify all the parts are there and has a family so it might be a while before I might get it, and with finances tight its probably for the best anyway...but he has it and I've bought a few other used sets from him and he keeps his parts in top-notch condition as noticed by the used sets I have bought from him. He told he'd leave it off of eBay with promise I'd buy it from him once he does an inventory count. Keeping my fingers crossed, still looking for the elusive high-priced 8880 Supercar though...

@me00rjb - I've built so many models that had this problem with the mating of the 8-tooth gear 'slipping' out of contact with the opposing gear...if I could I'd buy a bunch of them and put them in place of the 'old' 8-tooth gear, but with this gear brand new likely it will command high prices on BL, and in short demand right now I'm sure

I do believe this is the first set that had so many issues with instructions for b model even with DLuders never-ending liaison with TLG

@Blakbird - the pneumatic tubing does make it look more realistic to the true to life excavator, much like the 8455 and 8439/64/59 does, but the drawback is the pumping and pumping of the air pump...on the cranes, such as the 8421 or the 8285 wheel lift, it isn't as much of an issue since they have very few pneumatic functions.

What are you getting tomorrow(weli a couple days later now)? The 42006? It really is a fantastic model, though one thing I wish is that TLG had made a couple modifications like they did with the 8294, mainly raising the tracks up in the middle on with part # 42610 with the small gray wheels to make the tracks rise, but I suppose its easily accomplished...haven't built mine yet but I'm sure I can modify that simple task

I just can't stop looking at your dump truck, you are a true artist in the Lego Technic world...I honestly without a doubt have never seen a more realistic, eye-catching truck...wish I knew of a chrome plater around here, but then again I don't have all the parts that would be needed to build your truck...

2 problems I've had, 1 my fault...first on occasion with larger sets (8455 for example) sometimes I end up cutting on a slight angle, but I suppose that's fairly common. You think you are straight on with a knife, and it comes out a bit askew...2nd issue is after a long time the tubing tends to dry-rot, especially if exposed to dry, sunny conditions for too long, that happened to one of my 8464s On a sidenote - have had the issue of trying to force tight tubing on nipples of the valves or T pieces and actually have split the tubing lengthwise on a few occasions...good thing models such as the 8455 give you a ton of extra tubing to use and I purchased a while ago from Lego Education a couple of bundles of extra tubing, so I've got plenty of extra...funny thing and I don't know if you all noticed the blue colored tubing like what was used in the 8464/59/39 is an easier fit, don't know why as compared to the black and gray tubing, but it has in my experience...but I also learned the trick from somebody on this forum long ago about dipping the ends of the tubing in water then putting them on the nipples, it works...I used to use a 3-in-1 oil with a needle end, but was always afraid it might breakdown the tubing or ABS plastic...

All I can say is WOW!! Fantastic dump truck...

Used to be a strictly Space-themed guy until I saw that 8448 Supercar, and I was in awe of Technic after that. I don't bash the SW theme, but Space themes kind of went out after Lego acquired the license for SW. I used to think studded plates was ugly, though w/ the 8448 the sleekness on the outside hid the studded parts, but I realized how many good sets I missed out on, and for the most part now I have all I wanted with the exception of a couple, the space shuttle and 8880 Supercar...plus those older sets had, for the most part, a lot more gears and such and that really interested me in how it all went together as they did in the 8448, esp the transmission, I was amazed at all the clever design in that tranny...so at an expense on some MISB, some used, I put my list together of what I wanted...did I get jacked a few times, yeah I probably did, but unless money starts falling off trees, I won't be seeing the 8480 or 8880 anytime soon...

@Bricksonwheels - are all those chrome parts really Lego? Don't take me the wrong way, I'm not questioning, just wondering. I've never seen so many chrome parts, and really shiny ones at that. I know some here have tried or did chrome-plate some of their parts. Either way, that is one impressive dump truck. Living in the US/Canada, most of trucks are not cab-overs anymore, that kind of went out in the 70's and early 80's for long-nose trucks, that's why last winter I was glad to see TLG made the long-nose 9395 and 9397.

Betting some of the fairings and specialized type orange parts were pretty hard to get...funny thing is I have a couple of Unimogs (haven't even built the darn thing yet). I'd open a 2nd window and check BL parts inventory on it, I'm guessing maybe that the right size fairings you needed to duplicate them on your orange exc. You didn't miss out on much in my estimation, it was like a mini-me of the 8421, just not as easy to operate, I put on the PF elements, but the string never quite would wind back on the reel without going off track, a major PITA, though the black wheels were nice....the b model harbour crane was the model I liked better than the crane, though I took the wheels off the 4 'bases' of the harbour crane and added just a bunch of bushings, I cracked my knee on the underside of the table it was on one time and the darn crane took off over the side before I had a chance to catch it...being Technic didn't lose too many parts off it, but the wheels came off, and some 1/2 and full bushes took their place so it wasn't as likely to move, plus I got 8 black wheels to use on a other models, a nice change from standard gray rims Now the long wait until end of July. We just got the 1H, now its 6 months til the 2H...

Come on man, you're right up there with MOCs...would like to meet you personally some day, along with many other talents in this forum...bet its Technic heaven. Seriously a lot of you guys could be Lego designers and should be, I've been amazed at what I've seen these past 2+ yrs I've belonged to the forum, was just a lurker for a long time before that...even back 5 years ago, it was build out of the box (at least for me), maybe customize a bit and that was it, little did I know what most all of you can whip up, so I give credit where it is deserved, along with a bit of inspiration for me...I've loved Technic for a long, long time, but never dreamed of designing and building a creation of my own...I haven't done a lot, no engineer here, but I have a few models that 2 yrs ago I'd never have thought possible for me to do...would love to share some pics, but feel I'd be shrouded against the masters of design... Chripes, makes our weather here look crappy...and for the most part it is...especially this time of year...

Interesting to know the origin of the dozer...never knew these facts... Guess living in the city all my life, I have never seen such a machine, the one in the top pic...

Heck Alasdair - I'd come visit you and show off some of my creations, but you are way across the pond from me in the USA... @Blakbird - and here I thought since you reside in the US that it 'might' mean Birmingham, MI...that wouldn't be out of the question for me, I'm only about 160 miles from there...

I know I already commented on this topic, but it seems the latest sets that are retired, aka 8275, 8285 and 8421, and oddly the 8288 (maybe because of its uniqueness) are commanding more than the older sets. I still think the 8466 is probably my oldest set with high value. I own all of the above sets sealed, except the 8275 which I built the inspirational model and modified it to add a cab and redid the jaws in front and hid the unsightly wires in back from the IRs, motors, etc, is an excellent stand-alone model if mods are done. Makes a great forestry grabber for cutting and holding trees like in one season of Ax Men, that gave me the idea. With the jaws re-done it can pick up nearly anything and grab it tight and lift. I own an 8853 Front Loader (also called an Excavator for some reason) from 1988, and it rivals the 8453, and is kind of in-between scale-wise the 8439/59/64 and the 8453 or 8283 b model. I got it for $25 USD from a BL seller back in late September and all old-school. Nice set really...but I noticed it has risen in value exponentially since he sold me the used copy. He had one MISB and listed it for $299 on BL.

I agree, the 8264 Hauler is my favorite too, too bad its not 'leak-proof' if you put sand or model train ballast in it, and also that it doesn't have a back liftgate, but overall it is a large model and fits perfectly with most all loaders and excavators... I'm actually hoping TLG produces a larger dump truck that is RC(a long shot I know). They have produced tons of excavators, loaders, etc, but the only dump trucks they have produced are the small 8415 in 2005 and the 8264 in 2008. On a sidenote, I am looking for a large grader as well with PF, the 8451 b model is the only one I can recall and that was a decade ago...

me00rjb - what do you mean by 'old style'? Just curious...

My bad, the desc on the TLG b model at S@H didn't indicate that it could be made into a dozer, I honestly don't know where I got that info from. Definitely an agricultural machine...

You would think being a new part it would garner high prices...just like the claws for the 42006 going for insane prices...