Teddy

Dear Holodoc, I'm not sure if Lego will use the old exchange rate for the battery box. But good quality rechargeable batteries are expensive. For example 6 good AA 2700mAh (this mAh number is the most important part! Indirectly gives the lifetime of the batterie with a single charge. The higher the mAh the better) NiMH batteries will cost you about 6x5Euro=30Euro. And that would be only to put relatively "long-life" rechargeble batteries in the current Technic sets. If i'm not mistaken the technologie in the Lego battery is slightly more advanced than that of the NiMH batteries. And therefore slightly more expensive. So the battery alone will cost 30+ Euro in any shop. So My guess is the cost for Lego is around 15+ Euro per batterie unit. The other cost will be the recharge circtuit and the container box and Legos profits. So all in all, changing the train tracks to batteries will be verry expensive for Lego fans even if we could build something costum made. Kind regards, Teddy

Dear Osakana, normal unrechargeable AA batteries are only initially 1.5V, verry quickly the voltage will drop. That is why you can replace them with rechargeable 1.2V AA batteries. Normally in a battery box of Lego (like in the technic sets) you can put 6 AA batteries, amounding to 6x1.5 = 9V. But this 9 Volt is only initially! The combined batteries will verry quickly converge to around 7.2 Volt, and stay there untill the batteries are empty. That is why you can also put 6 rechargeable AA batteries in the battery box, amounding to 6x1.2 = 7.2V. Now if we replace the entire 6 AA box by a single box. It is reasonable to expect at least 7.2V of a rechargeable battery. Lego provided us with 7.4V so that is more than sufficient. Kind regards, Teddy

Dear jaredchan, I really like this design. It is clean, solid and well executed. And it holds it own inbetween the Green Grocer and the Cafe Corner. The interior is amzing and the furnature is really well made. So thumbs up from me. Thanks for sharing. Kind regards, Teddy

This is great DNL, Have you added an extension to the front of your baseplate? The old trees are gone, but I can see some new sprouts on the corner. The main building is just great and executed perfectly. The courtyard buildings are really great as well. (just checked the flickr folder) They contain some interesting techniques. The tower under construction is a great addition to the overall activity in the castle. The crane does seem to be held together by gravity? Or am I misunderstanding something? The wooden mason`s scaffold is nicely done. Keep it up and thanks for sharing. Kind regards, Teddy

Dear shinohara, thanks for your compliment. You're too kind. Kind regards, Teddy

ahh Legoist... You just gotta love our (Alien)cat for all his great MOCs.

Dear Hinckley, Great stuff. I really like the combination of all the different techniques you've used. Must have been quite a puzzle to get it all fit togheter as it does. The end result is just a stunning replica of the original. I'm impressed. All round quality work. Kind regards, Teddy

Great updates CGH Good call on tiling the interior of the hold. The stern is really well doen and looks great. Keep it up, buddy. Kind regards, Teddy

Great work SlyOwl, I really like the scene above water, but I love the scene in the ocean. Those "water creatures" look really interesting. But what's up with the shark on the left? Its teeth are on his head?... Realy stunning creation all togheter. Keep it up and thanks for sharing. Kind regards, Teddy

Yep, I've experienced the same problem. But all the linked photographs are still here for all to see on EB. So I'm not sure what happened... Are the deeplinked BS photos still visible here on EB, when they are gone on BS? (maybe stored somehwere on the servers of the EB site?) Kind regards, Teddy

Hi TheBrickster, thanks for sharing these photos with us. They can be a real source of inspiration. It must have been quite some work to make this nice compilation. And I do hope you will share similar work in the future. The stuff written below is part of my confusion about the location of the photos on the fora, given the topic of the photos. So I really want to emphasize I do not whish to stamp on your work in any way or form and I do praise the effort you've put in and highly appriciate you making such a nice tour. Huh,... old?....Castle?....authentic?... 1927 sounds like a "brand new" house to me. Heck, my grandma is even older than that house. But let me just check the English dictionary for a loop hole anyway. I've had other confusions about words I translated before. Hmm; 1,2, and 3 sound familiar, but I guess it could be called a castle under definition 4 and 5. I'm not sure if in most dictionaries of other languages defenition 4 and 5 are present for the respective alternative word for castle as defined under 1, 2, and 3? Although, I'm still wondering if a better place for this nice photoshoot would actually be in the town and train forum, rather than the history forum? But as I said before, nice photos and thanks for sharing TheBrickster. Kind regards, Teddy

I agree with Blueandwhite, I've written something in a different topic, but i guess it is more appropriate here: So, to enter this discussion. I would buy elves sets either: -if the sets contain usefull parts at a reasonable price -if the elves themself can be turned into a human faction. -if the elves have usefull torsos or other usefull accessories But I think I would not buy multiple copies of a set of them. If it would give another knight faction I would buy multiple copies. But that is just me and my two cents. Kind regards, Teddy

Thanks blueandwhite, do you have any preleminary photos of your new castle? Or do you prefer to keep it a secret untill its finished? Kind regards, Teddy

Dear all, I just wanted to enter the discussion. I'm relatively happy with the current castle line. The minifigs are great and the sets contain a lot of usefull parts. I've actually bought all but one set of the entire new castle line up untill now. I'm not a big fan of fantasy, so I took all the trolls, dragons, skelletons, and wizzards and stored them in a seperate plastic container somewhere. The dwarfs mine I consider to be "fun" and put it on a shelf for all to see. The medieval market village is fantastic, in my humble opinion, so that is on a more prominent shelf. Of the other sets I used the parts for my own MOCs. Or stacked them as parts in my brick store containers. As far as they are design wise. I think they are great if you are into fantasy. Since I'm not I don't fancy them that much and use them as usefull parts packs. The only thing missing as far as i am conserned is an other human knight faction. As far as Klaus-Dieter's ideas. I can only agree with him. I've had simular ideas for a long time and that was what inspired me to make my own modular castle. I wanted to see if it could work and what the challenges would be. If Lego desides to market something similar, I'm sure I will buy them as long as my Lego budget permits. Kind regards, Teddy

Hi Errorist, I love what you have done so far. Are there any plans you are following in regards to the shape of the vessal? Any frigate in particular of which you are building the hull? I think I know what you mean about the stern. The bow looks verry good. Keep it up and good luck with your exams. Kind regards, Teddy

Thanks for sharing Zasilator, those are great! Fantastic mini/ micro designs. Kind regards, Teddy

Dear Mark, Great schematic. You use a couple of current mirrors to power the outputs. I assume S1 and S2 are switches which are controlled manually? Or did I miss something? The flickering light is a great option as well. In your schematic you state the voltage drop is 0.2 V per saturated C-E junction. Which shouldn't be a problem I guess. I doubt if the battery box can even sustain 9V. Normally rechargable batteries converge to a slightly lower voltage. I do have a small question after looking in the datasheet of Motorola of the BC327 PNP here Appearently the voltage drop of the saturated C-E junction heavily depends on the loading of the transisitor and the base current appears to be relatively high when a large current is required. Do you have any idea what the power dissipation is of a single schematic? And what the power dissipation is when schematics are cascaded 2, 3 times? For instance when the motor is running on full speed lets say unloaded, stalled and in typicall use? I'm just wondering how often the battery box needs to be changed. Keep up the nice work. Kind regards, Teddy

This is absolutely beautyfull. I actually like the Lego version better than the original. Kind regards, Teddy

Well..., God works in mysterious ways.

yes, you are right: As a finishing touch, God created the Dutch

Wow, thanks buddy. My buildings inspired you? I consider this a huge compliment. Kind regards, Teddy

Hi CastleLord, you're welcome. I'm not trying to nitpick. I'm a fan. Maybe I should work on my formulation a bit... You do know I'm Dutch.. So, like all Dutch I'm brutally honest. Like what you did with the surroundings so far. Kind regards, Teddy

hmm, that is an interesting option as well. But that would require two PF receivers per train, each on a simular or different channel. But I'm not sure how the interlock circuit can be build from standard pf pieces. And how bulky it will be inside a train. Kind regards, Teddy

This is looking fanatstic Cap'n Blackmoor. you could use the same thechnique as CGH for the planking since you already have the bricks in place. Here is a link: arrr a link you say? Here the effect on a larger surface: arr a surface you say? Hope this helps. By the way I like what you did with the exterior a lot. Any chance I could get to see an overview picture a little bit zoomed out straight at the MOC? Kind regards, Teddy

The video is brilliant! Could it be I heared the same song in Germany a while ago? Any Germans here on the forum who can enlighten me? Kind regards, Teddy