suffocation

How about building 42100 but you have to use at least forty thousand parts, seven controllers, no more than two motors and you get to 3D-print your own stickers?

I don't have a problem with it - I'm always wary of purists. History has taught us a thing or two about that line of thinking. Then again, if I ever caught someone putting parmigiano instead of ricotta salata on their pasta alla norma, I'd feel compelled to frown at them with mild disapproval. (For those unfamiliar with British culture, this is akin to wishing someone Montezuma's revenge for life.) And if I caught them pairing Amarone with anything other than meat & cheese I'd go on the internet and complain bitterly while turning two blind eyes and two deaf ears to the country collapsing around me.

The link has the instructions for the original model and the biplane.

Hope this helps: http://lego.brickinstructions.com/lego_instructions/set/852/Helicopter (notice how the helicopter was built in 20 steps, whereas today it'd be broken down into at least 200 to accommodate little Mr Numbskull).

Will pick up a few next time I'm in Ticino.

I brought it up because a few posts earlier it emerged that 42099 has pendular suspension, which requires a couple of tricks to be truly effective. Obviously the planetary hubs are far more interesting and, hopefully, have a better pivot point than the current portal hubs

Assuming the shocks are mounted 2.5 studs from the central pivot, the most travel you'll get on a 23-stud-wide axle is 1.5 studs on either side, which seems pretty disappointing for a crawler. Moreover, the shock absorbers would be constantly compressed. A much better solution is something like this: I used this on my first rough terrain crane and it worked superbly - the shock absorbers were uncompressed at rest and the axle had 5 studs' travel on either side.

The shock absorbers had better be mounted on a pivot to enable long travel, otherwise the suspension is going to be risible.

_

My building "skills" get worse by the day, possibly because I keep switching back and forth between Sagrantino, Passito and Nero d'Avola. Come summer I'll be guzzling local craft IPA by the gallon and my blood will have been replaced by a steadily oozing sludge of pork fat and alcohol, so the most I'll be able to moc will be a pin in a box.

The red crane (42082) is a great build and a nice throwback to the "let's see how much fun we can squeeze out of a single motor" spirit. Do be prepared for bucketloads of colour vomit, though.

Love the write-up and the pics - I think you could make drying paint sound exciting Like JGW3000 - and many others, I bet - I'm also looking forward to your next build. What are you planning on?

Thanks to everyone for the precious feedback Is this any better?

My 4-year-old-nephew is far keener on playing with Lego than rotting away with a dumbphone in his grubby mitts, so I thought I'd build him a tow truck to mess around with. I've tried to keep it small and simple so he can be his adorable destructive self and I can fix any damage in just a few minutes. It was my first try at this scale, so I was miles out of my comfort zone. I also had only a week to build it so he could have it for his birthday. I couldn't fit any suspension but I did manage to cram in the following motorised functions, all driven by 1 M motor: - side outriggers - rear outriggers - tow fork adjustment #1 - tow fork adjustment #2 - front winch - crane rotation - crane lift/lowering - crane winch All the functions are activated by eight independent two-way switches, so no need to mess around with the battery box to change direction. The front winch is fitted with a linear clutch so that it can be extended manually even though it is driven via a worm gear. There's a fake 4-cylinder engine (in the cabin, so the driver gets to breathe lots of flowery fossil fumes) connected to the rear wheels. Oh, steering - obviously - and opening cabin doors. The truck looks like a steaming pile of rhino dung but it works pretty well, which was my main concern. Will shoot some better pics and a video as soon as the weather clears up. Constructive criticism is welcome as always.

Thanks for sharing, mate! Of all the builds you've completed, which did you find the most challenging? And which the most inspiring?

Loved this set since the first "leak" ("oh noez, sum1 at tlg pubblisht a piksher by misteak! phire the philanderer!"). Gonna get it first to see if I can motorise it and then to tear it down as beautiful, dark-blue MOC fodder.

The Ancient Greeks figured that out thousands of years ago

I've never been to either of the two, so I can't help you. If I had to take a shot in the dark I'd go for Utrecht, were it only because you can't go wrong with the Netherlands

That's it!

I hope there's a cure for your illness, my friend. Meanwhile, yes, Lego can indeed be therapeutic. I've supported your forklift on Ideas - I love everything about it and the old-school wheels make it look especially aggressive.

Well said, my friend. That's the very reason why I always build (and tear down!) by trial and error instead of using Lego software - the last thing I need is even more hours glued to a bloody screen.

http://sariel.pl/2009/01/subtractor/

Fully agree with @BrickbyBrickTechnic. Also, if you can still find it from a non-scalper, 42055 is another outstanding parts pack.

I think 8860 had a handful of hoses thrown in for engine detail. On another note, it's good to see a shift away from the chromatic emesis afflicting graceless lumps like 42070.

Why, why oh why had I missed this topic until now? Everything about this build screams awesomeness