Ivan_M

You are awesome, I'm missing only ball with groove and swashplate with ring. I'm glad there are only 6L and 9L links as they are widely available (unlike 3L which are sometimes used in helicopters)

The boom is available in 3 variations - a solid piece (as seen in lego set), two piece boom and two piece boom with articulation (the upper part can slew +-30°). The arm is always in one piece and available in different lenghts - 2m, 2,45m, 2,6m, 3,1m and special arm for claw 2,95m long. The configuration is optional and varies on buyer - what kind of jobs he expects and of course what his budget allows. Shorter arm and solid boom have better tearout force while it struggles in tight space.

this is just jaw dropping, I wonder how strong are such builds in the end?

EDIT: Finished pictures and video: Finished model Finished model Finished model Finished model Finished model Finished model 42053 is very nice set but I cannot justify buying it when I have all the necessary parts in my collection. In the end I tend to be dissapointed by the official sets due to my overexpectations. So I decided to build by own Volvo wheeled excavator. As usually I build in scale to blueprints, this time the setter wasn't wheels as usually, but length of the main cylinders. This is primary to achieve the best movement range of the arm. In the end the wheels 49,5mm fit precisely and the scale is (my usual) 21,5:1. Width is 15 studs like in the set, wheelbase is 15 studs as opposed to 17 studs in set. I want it to have 7 pneumatic features: 1) bucket emptying 2) arm movement 3) + 4) two piece boom 5) cabin lift 6) front blade 7) rear outridges Additional features: 8) front pendular axle, steered by HOG 9) superstructure rotation by knob I started with the arm and 2-piece boom. The bucket is by far the biggest drawback of the build with its poor shape and mounting points. I have considered other buckets (I have all TLG produced) but this is the best out of bad. Maybe I will try to build better one from bricks in the end. Everything in real machine is very thin when translated to my scale so the arm is build from technic bricks, arm is 1 stud wide with some plating on sides for looks. The two section boom was quite a challenge due to width. I started with dual thin cylinders at the base but they struggled to lift the boom when it was in full reach. The whole boom had to fit within 5 studs so the first section is actually 2 studs wide and second section is 3 studs wide. Fortunatelly it is not very visible because it is covered by cylinders. The arm movement range is very similar to real machine, the only angle that is smaller is between booms due to the length of the old pneumatic cylinder. The next step was undercarringe. This was quite difficult as well, mostly rear outridges. The range of movement for small cylinders is very low and it had to fit in very little space. The reach is not perfect but it is acceptable. They are weak as kitten of course, fron blade as well, but I wanted them operated with pneumatics. There is also drawball connector to mount trailer behind the excavator. The front wheels use my usual setup with small hubs for great turning radius and ackerman geometry. The disadvantage in this case is that the wheels are mounted "wrong" way, with the shallow part facing outwards as opposed to rear. I can live with that however, I just cannot build without ackerman anymore. Last thing I have is the cabin. It is also 6 studs wide as in the set and it is quite similar to that one but more detailed. I have added brick build front lights and some greeblings. The roof is supposed to be yellow of course, I don't have the bricks yet. I'm now working on body. WIP - Arm reach WIP Arm folded WIP - Arm reach upper WIP - Arm reach lower WIP - Cabin WIP - Cabin

I like the eagle most, it seems the eyes are printed, this would allow creating large variation of brick build animal that will fit into the theme. Otherwise it is a bit let down. I wish there was less confrontation and more peacefull builds like starlight inn or bakery. I have not shown the pictures to my daughters yet (they are looking forward to current sets for christmas) so I don't have opinion from target audience, but they like the sets from 2015/16 most, while least favourite are sets with goblins and king..

I would say leave the digital file as the only available building instruction. I have only experience with LPub3D and for that you need stepped 3D model file. This mean that you have to place all the parts in order how they are build in real life, with sub-assemblies etc. This is obviously done part by part by human as no generator is good enough to make technic creations on its own. Making such stepped file takes much longer than creating simple digital file without steps. After making such stepped file you also have to set viewing angles, zoom, and lot of other tasks before generating PDF instruction file. If you still would like to learn it I would recommend using stud.io for making stepped file and LPub3D for PDF. How many parts is in? It is cool model, maybe if I can build it I might consider making PDF BI.

Truly awesome, I think this is the ultimate helicopter for now, till we receive some new parts (if ever). Even better if you are working on digital file, I would like to build it in future, when I collect the necessary parts.

If you really want secure connection you might try Efferman 3D printer bracket: https://www.shapeways.com/product/37J8ZR3KM/2x11-kombinierer-v2?optionId=61177427&li=user-profile

Well done! This is why I love EB

I don't understand what do you mean, I'm talking about this: the offset between left and right wheel is 1 stud and that is too much in smaller scale, the whole steering acts funny with it. I don't like half stud offset on steered axle as well (in this scale), it just brings too many problems. That is why I decided for non-driven steered axle with zero offset. Not really following the source material, I know, but I'm fine with it.

Interesting, but you have 1 stud offset between the wheels and that is too much for this scale

But that build was with 30,4mm wheels and 49,5mm tires. There is one wheel in that size with 3 pinholes for wheel hub, but I don't have them. Maybe I will try that when I return to this build

Yes I guess so, but it would require moving pivot point one stud to the centre. That would mean wider fenders. I realized that such model is working much better as motorized one and I really don't enjoy remote models as much as manual ones. That is why I abandoned it for now. I have to admit though that the performance with one L motor is amazing and the suspension is working like charm (on rear axles).

No it is not, I don't like axles with pivot point too far from wheel center. This axle is for truck 15L wide so driven and steered axle would be too big. I have put this on hold for a while but I can finish the digital file with rear axles and put it here

Seems like 16L

Because piece count would go beyond 4k with 62mm wheels and same level of detail.

Yes there is big incline to DBG generally, what was bulid in LBG in past (main frame) is now mostly DBG. I'm surprised that the frame 5x7 is first in black, I expected DBG first. There was #2 connector re-introduced this year (also last in 2005), I guess we will see some other DBG parts on Mack - either completly new or re-introduction. What comes in mind first is 2L pin joiner with slot: This part is not yet available in DBG, only the older variant without slot.

Looks massive, the things I don't like are added unsuspended weight (motors) and steering without ackerman geometry. I guess the first one is intended to increase performance but you have plenty of space for ackerman

Lego is all about compromise, with you attitude you would end up with clean table, because most of the builds are out of the reality. My point about the wheels and overal size of the rally car is that you can find a lot of models that are smaller, with more functions and less plastic, although the piece count might be similar or even higher.

So any transmission is more unrealistic than none? I mean 43mm wheels, not tires:

I disagree. I don't think such Technic models are impulse-buy or bought without study in advance. Target audiance of technic are kids old enough to look for review videos on youtube or to look for the reviews on brickset etc. And if such reviews are full of "seen-before", "nothing new" or "lack of features" I think that it will have some impact. Imagine there would be gearbox - it would be mentioned in every review that is is long time since we got that and how cool is that, that TLG is going to its roots, true succeesor to (insert reviewers favourite lego car set name)... \\edit, how I would approach rally car: 1) make it smaller, use 43mm wheels, this saves a lot of panels 2) put saved plastic from 1) into 3+R gearbox, if you are still short of budget drop more panels The current set is big, but empty. The emptyness is hidden by panels

That shower corner is perfect. It must be very different from ships as I don't see much snot here. I aslo like to floor heating and ceiling with lights, I hope your client will like it as much as I do

Mindstorms, wedo and boost are very different from usual sets. They are meant as educational and you cannot use them at all without some sort of computer first, unlike regular toy sets with PF. I also think that they are not generating much profit, if any. Unlike regular sets which are feeding the company and where every CENT matters.

Tatra front axle by Ivan Moc yes rubber connectors works very well in such setup. Thank everyone for suggestions

Yes that placing would be ideal but the scale doesn't allow it, the shock absorber would end in the middle of the cabin.