MrDummy

Easy. Buy good camera with manual mode. Lock all settings (diafragma, speed and iso locked) and have light source that keeps same light brightness. Then you have for every photo same light. Auto mode is not recommended for good stop-motion movie. That causes some light flickering. You should know it already!

I have another LA numbers but same package numbers. Indeed 4638508 Not this side... Standard part number. Indeed above drive hole is another number: 38X0 All 4 LA's have this code. That is from 8043 set.

Confirmed barcode and another codes from my box, ordered by bol.com to the Netherlands.

You are right! http://www.peeron.com/cgi-bin/invcgis/scans/8888-1/?ct=1 and page 70 shows the clock with just one pointer: http://www.peeron.com/scans/8888-1/70 I have also this book in home, but pretty damaged.

Use kitchen scale for measurement. (one with 4-5 KG scale) That is good measure to check max press of LA's, or until clutch snapped.

And: now LA's are improved, a XL motor is not really needed. You can use it with M motor, which is smaller. Perhaps i can verify and build new gear design with 6x M motors in LDD or another lego cad.

I have changed both IR receivers, re-set channels and put connectors in. Now all motors work without problems. Yes it's small connection problem. But there is possible culprit. There is some pressure on beams because the small pin at the left, between IR receiver block and body. You can see it's not very straight. The pins looks okay in the manual to hold IR part, but it still makes some space, so it gives some pressure on the beams and some axles. After all, not nice solution. Remove the small pin lowers the pressure more and the blocks still fit good in the body. Now the beams are nice straight. The pressure on electric connections is also gone, hopefully it solves some connection problems. See the image: I have also modified arm immediately after finishing my 8043. This tip is given in another topic. :) The arm is also almost straight, thus max arm reach. Only the LA is not fully in. Perhaps need to modify the bucket rotation point, it moves a bit strange for me. Seems the bucket is not really designed for excavator because different mount points? For front loader, it's good bucket. Because 8043 has frontloader as B model, LEGO choose this big bucket to make both models possible. That is the reason to choose such big bucket in 8043 set. I have bought 8047, to see how fit the small bucket in the place :) And also later old yellow bucket. Both buckets have correct mount points for excavator use.

Well, 8043 has problems with old LA's thus all 8043 sets are pretty sure repackaged. From another models: not really idea, but i think they shall change all LA's in new sets to new LA's.

Lemme see: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=2950&in=S 4x4x9 bucket, it's available in Compact Excavator model 8047 http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=4700&in=S Very old 8x6 bucket. I got one in home from http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?S=8851-1 :) Can set it on my 8043 to see the result soon. http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=2951&in=S Technic Digger Bucket 8 x 10. This is found in earlier excavator from 2008 http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?S=8294-1 http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=2814&in=S Technic Digger Bucket 8 x 14 with 7 teeth, seems a bit smaller. http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=32030&in=S The used bucket in 8043. It's Technic Digger Bucket 10 x 18. 4x4x9 is only bucket you can get it from 8047, otherwise there are older buckets. If you have nothing old in home, you can try 2008 version which is a bit smaller.

The motor for gear switch doesn't need much rotations. And to make rotation speed a bit lower, the high friction is needed in de gear axles. That is what i think. Otherwise it goes too fast and you hear high clack sound. Not very nice solution. The motor must work harder to switch gear, and that means higher power consumption. Update: When testing mechanism and motors almost-built 8043, 1 motor seems already "doa" because 3 motors are working normal but one wont. I have checked for stalled gears, but it's not. I don't feel any motor vibration. Soon i shall check with direct connect battery if it's indeed dead or not. The new LA's can lift the arm with some ease, thus that is good. I hear only a bit higher noise from wheels.

I'm also started with building 8043. At the end of book 1, there is strange design choice. Step 35 on page 79 shows the strange piece. I must take blue piece for the axle rotation support. But you know the blue piece is with friction ridges, it rotate with more friction. There is also another piece in the box, a tan colored piece, but smoother and better made for rotation use. Wrong piece: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=43093, not made for rotation use! Correct piece: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=3749, better for rotation use. Why should designers choose for such type? The blue piece shall wear more off when it's many used. It rotate also a bit heavier. What do you think? Update 1: the another piece also in step 44, book 2. In right axle is also light-grey item with friction ridges used. This gear switch part is thus with high friction.

You have throw many pieces in one box.... that costs pretty much grinding/search time, exspecially many small pieces. If you buy for example toolcase with many boxes inside, you save more time, perhaps one hour! This is good example: or with bigger room or with customizable areas

Funny fact, it runs on M motors, not XL motors. Another similar motorized but bigger and expensive model has 2x XL motors. This is smaller version.

i have order on Bol.com (116,99 Euro - with 27% off much cheaper and free shipping action to NL) and it's not in stock. They wait for new boxes at 1 november 2010, thus i receive over one week new box. I can preview the new box and give you the box codes. :) Have old PDF manuals to compare both differences.

Thanks for all. I have follow registration process on main page LOWLUG. I filled all fields in and send away. I receive the activitation email and has done it. Then i get a email my registration is in waiting line because moderator must give permission at my registration. Normally it should be done in 24 hours. Next day, there is no answer. I re-register again on main site, but i get message it's already registered and moderator should check it soon. Thus waiting again. Oh yes i have used contact form page abut my registration. I'm not very sure what is going on by LOWLUG site... I wait now 24 hours again en lets hope somebody from site take a look at my registration. Sure, i visit both forums! There are also some Dutch LEGO forums, but they're pretty dead. Actually, the Bol.com news is what i want say on LOWLUG forum. The free shipping, no matter which item you order, is nice!

Hello, i'm MrDummy from the Netherlands. I'm just 34 years old, thus old LEGO fan. I have played LEGO since child years, but have not now played for long time it because my another busy hobby. Now some interesting LEGO Technic model 8043 come out, and i want buy one! I have still old LEGO items in my home storage :P Hope new LEGO items are much nicer, especially remote controlling and new motors. Let's see if 8043 is wonderful toy for me! Actually i'm searching for Dutch LEGO fans who has registered on LOWLUG.NL site. I have registered at Dutch LEGO forum, but the registration activation is already more than 24 hours delayed, and i want tell some good news to LEGO fans. Today, the registration is still not activated (after 3 days!) and i'm thinking moderators are too much busy with LEGO WORLD in Zwolle. The good news for Dutch fans are in Dutch below. The excalvator (type 8043) 27% off is on Bol.com with free shipping to Netherlands. Not sure it's also free shipping to other Europe areas. Bol.com has 30% (max) off for all LEGO items. But it's on Dutch pages, that is why i write below in Dutch: De website www.bol.com heeft twee aanbiedingen: tot 30% korting op LEGO én gratis verzendkosten. Echter gratis verzenden duurt tot 27 oktober, en dat is bijna voorbij. De 30% korting is echter "maximaal" want feitelijke korting varieert steeds. Gelukkig Bol.com verkoopt ook 8043 met 27% korting! Dat is 116,99 Euro, welke precies overeenkomt met Bart Smit en Intertoys 10% korting actie: ook 116,99 Euro. Echter ik ben bij beide winkels geweest en het is uitverkocht. Ze kunnen niet zeggen wanneer het weer op voorraad is. De actie loopt eind oktober (Bart Smit) / 7 november (InterToys), dus dat is vrij moeilijk om te zeggen dat voorraad op tijd komt voordat 10% actie voorbij is! Dit heeft te maken omdat pakket 8043 opnieuw nagekeken wordt ivm nieuwe onderdelen en dus komt het voorlopig nog niet in de meeste winkels tot eind oktober of zelfs langer (tot wel 5 weken) op sommige online winkels zoals Wehkamp. Met Bol.com ben je alvast verzekerd van mooie LEGO graafmachine en het wordt ook nog gratis verstuurd. Dus het is je kans om toch goedkoop aan graafmachine te komen. Hij komt als nieuwe pakket (met nieuwe onderdelen dus) uit vanaf 1 november 2010. En waarom moderators op LOWLUG.NL enorm traag en niks reageren, is de vraag. De 24-uurs tijd is verstreken en er klopt iets niet. Hopelijk kunnen aantal fans uit Nederland even achter komen wat er mis gegaan is. Ik kan niet direct contact opnemen met de forum beheer.