evank

My favorite part is the classic, studs-on-top, 16x1 technical beam. They are strong and I use them for the frames of almost everything that I build.

I miss the days when you could pop into Radio Shack and buy "For Dummies" books about such things. :)

I work at a university and teach a course in the history of computing. I explained to my students that this method is analog, not digital. I like you idea of calling the plates/racks "strips", because people tend to think of them as punch cards, which are digital -- the comparison just confuses things. However I am also starting to design a simple Lego punch card method, which different mechanical actions in/out of the holes would make a robot behave as desired -- I'm not saying it would be Turing complete :) but still fun to build.

Any? Probably a high-end replica of a Shelby 427 Cobra. Currently my fun car is a Miata, which is a good everyman's alternative. :)

I thought I was "too old" for Legos when I turned 13. But at 42, I discovered set 9700, Technic Control Center.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. I liked it, but I'm sad that now a zillion people are going to grossly misunderstand the real Antikythera device. Started watching Asteroid City, turned it off after 20 minutes. Terrible.

Doh! I had to cancel my trip to Brickfair. Apologies to anyone down there who wanted to see my giant engine and transmission.

Lego suggested this idea 43 years ago :) for a crane model, as explained in the "Idea Book" that year (#8888). I have a YouTube video about it, explaining how I used the same idea for a simple robot.

Thanks, I'll check it out! I see now. Personally I like to build exclusively with Lego parts that were available during my childhood (1970s-1980s).

Sometimes I go onto eBay or Facebook Marketplace, and put in "incomplete Lego" as the search term. You can also use "bulk Lego" as the search term. Both are good ways to get a lot of random parts inexpensively.

1980s computers, running, restoring my Miata.

This is pretty cool, I'll have to try using one sometime.

LOL ... They're really not that rare. You can always find some on Bricklink or eBay for a reasonable price. They are always advertised as-is / untested, but as I said, they almost always work fine. Also there's a schematic on my website if anybody wants to try building one! https://brickhacks.com/9750.php

Yes! I've handled a few dozen Interface A boxes since I discovered it in 2016, and almost all of them worked perfectly. Same for the power supplies and computer cards. Failures are rare and easy to fix.

Unfortunately the video doesn't mention any of the 8-bit stuff from the 1980s. :(

Thank you Sylvain.

A lot of companies merely pay lip service to their own history, if at all. It's sad. Lego * could * have an amazing history website!

Brickworld Chicago was a success for me (I won Best Mechanical). Now I'm preparing for Brickfair Virginia. Is anyone else from this forum planning to go there?

I'd like to learn how to use Stud.io but I have very little spare time. Which are the best Youtube tutorials that get right to the point? I do have some CAD experience but it's obsolete (AutoCAD, circa mid-1990s).

I wish they'd make a retro series, with re-releases of all the Expert Builder sets from the 1970s-1980s. Tamiya did this with their 1/10-scale electric RC cars.

I have my father's Lionel trains from the 1940s-1950s -- his favorite childhood toy. I'm planning to set them up later this year, and thought it would be fun to include some Lego -- my favorite childhood toy. Any ideas for how to do? Maybe a bridge or some buildings, to scale with the trains.

A moderator asked me to post here because I put something in the wrong section. I've been in the forum for a couple of years, mostly in the Technic section. About me, if anyone's interested: - I'm 48 and from New Jersey - I have a new-ish Youtube channel called @TechnicallyEvan - I'm the admin of two Facebook groups, "Square Pistons" and "BrickHacks" - In the show circuit of U.S. events (Brickworld, Brickfair, Brickfest), I'm known as "the engine guy" for my giant V-8. - My website is www.brickhacks.com

I have my father's old Lionel trains (1940s) set up in my man cave. I am thinking about adding a Lego monorail. But instead of buying official tracks, I'm planning to use vintage technic beams (Expert Builder period), attaching a bunch of hinges and rack pieces, and it's off to the races. Has anyone else done this?

I don't remember my first set. I think I started with just a box of random Lego pieces that were hand-me-downs from older cousins. This was in the 1970s. But I also don't remember ever NOT having Legos. It seems like the toy was always my favorite thing as a child. Now I am older :) but it's still my favorite thing!

I'll turn 49 this year.