1974

I bought those parts straight from a TLG employee (no, I'm not gonna name him/her). What the bleedin' <censored> is fishy about that? You buy LEGO through a vast network of distribution and sales, no? I don't. Others don't either. That is the way TLG do business. Blame them, not me/us I'd like you to retract that 'fishy' part. You have no basis to say that, okay?

That I find that very insulting! I have thousands of 'off' colour parts (even parts in colours never released, like 'army' olive green (no not that chima thing)) and hundreds of non-production parts (probably the greatest collection outside TLG as far as I know) and I can assure you there's nothing 'fishy' about them or how I got them! In fact, the way I got them is much closer to TLG than anything you have ever bought .. So, cool it with the accusations if you don't know what you're talking about I know other sellers with large stocks of 'off' colour parts and there's nothing shady about them either. Don't you think TLG monitors BL? If you want to question anything, question TLG and their ways of doing business Regarding the parks, TLG still owns the original one in Billund. I saw tan and sand green _decades_ there before they found their way into sets/parts. And there are still colours there that is not released It's plastic folks, you can do just about anything with dead dinosaurs, you know .. Ok, all that was just a tad negative, lemme lighten up the party with a nice part of mine you can go all 'ohhhh' about : And since I'm feeling in a good mood tonight (thanx beer!), I'll let you see this nugget ... These two are probably the most longed for SNOT bricks ever. They're are not a new thing, in fact they're about 15 years old. Way back then when we only had SNOT comming out of our noses, some smart TLG designer figured out these rather usefull bricks Never made it into production though (and yes, they ARE genuine LEGO bricks (LEGO stamped inside, but no number), they come straight from Billund) It's the plate with studs on both sides and the plate with inverted studs on both sides (<- for a lack of better term) (Yes, I know it's not the best picture, but my son is rather happy 'bout these bricks and it's only pic I made so far, but look closely and you can figure it out) Knock yerself out : Cheers, Ole

Still a very silly idea! But someone plunged 35 million DKR (that is like 6,5 million USD!!!) into this craptastic idea Danish article : http://epn.dk/brancher/mode/leg/ECE6599922/lego-belaerer-lego-udlejer-om-regler/ Put it into google translate and you'll learn several interesting things ..

This might make the mighty Burf up the ante, no? Paul, are you sure that that Simon does not get just a little economic help from TLG making those amazing vehicles? I'd like to see the car in the OT get it's top speed verified by a second source though But it's just still a real waste of money, imho. LEGO isn't made for stuff like that. But I'm sure we'll see a rocket going to the moon in just a short time (<-- note if you want to go the moon, better contact NASA instead of playing with LEGO) Never. It's plastic. For some pretty good reason real cars are not made of plastic

Nobody will want the new style boxes, There's be no market for them. I'm pretty sure of that

Also, 9VDC into the train regulator will give you a bad overall regulation. The wallwart is 9VAC, no? Put in 12VDC from your lab supply as the LM317 likes 3V above output, if you want to continue to use the 9V regulator

TLG are not selling bricks, they are selling a complete product. Boxes matters or they would not have invested a lot of time in making those new fancy Friends boxes

Not allways, here's my 8660 trans lid : Nice new techfigs, bended (argghh) skis and common technic parts I think TLG is actually making boxes smaller now, but yes, there's just too much air inside

They have many years of experience yes, but they also have many years of fvckking up. Multiple times. I'ts all public knowledge Idealogy is STILL the core at TLG, but profit must me made surely Edit: The 42000 is 700DKR at Bilka (danish wannabe Walmart) from officially 900DKR (LEGO S&H), so it's on sale

An LM317 does _not_ provide 2,2A, 1,5A max. A common misconception with standard linear VREGs is only to look at current output. One has to factor in the total wattage loss which must not exceed 20W <- and that's with some serious cooling to boot! So if you want to draw 1,5 amps with an input of 9VAC, which is about 12VDC at the lowest voltage output, I'm guessing 1,5V here - you have a loss of 10,5V/1,5A = 7W .. and that requires a pretty decent heatsink. Does the 9V regulator have that? If not, it'll go into thermal protection You could up the ante with a properly cooled bigger VREG but there's really no point in that when you got a decent lab supply right at your bench Use that to power the rails directly

It can actually change rapidly. Sometimes dealers are seen sets that won't it into production and are scrapped. Sometimes TLG makes a bad decision and are 'forced' into making sets rapidly (see current Ninjago) TLG produces a shitload of parts, many of them stored. To make a set 'back in stock' means programming the right robots, making the boxes etc .. that could well happen within 30 days given TLGs rather smooth running machinery Sometimes the sets are actually in stock but supposed to go to location X. X does not need them afterall = in stock at LEGO.com Also, the 42000 is on sale everywhere in Denmark (like the Unimog) Don't know if shops actually return them to TLG though if there's no sale?

I had a talk with a LEGO employee (does not matter who, but he knows about this stuff as it's his daytime job) some time ago and the actual costs of the LEGO parts are not that high. A box made like in the old days would significanlty up the price. On top that comes marketing, transportation etc etc ad infinitum - which all have their costs Also, the 'box machines' are not geared for those old boxes. I guess the parts where put manually into the lid? While we AFOLs might pay +10% for a cool box, he indicated "that would not be nearly enough" given TLGs current infrastructure/machinery But yeah, I spend countless hours "flippin' lids" at toyshops in the 80's And what I could see really DID have an outcome of what I did buy/wished for at christmas/birthdays Also, it was quite funny just _what_ parts where displayed in the upper transparant lid. Often some new parts, but it was mostly random as I recall? Todays, pseudo wanna be fliplids don't really work. At all

While I love 80's Technic sets, I did buy one recently for the measly sum of only 150 euros Now, why did I do that? The set is really nothing spectacular in technical terms, but it does include a lot of white beams/large plates, some rather rare and expensive windows, two 64mm cylinders (yes, I still like/use pneumatics V1), tech figs and other nice, though common, parts Even when I was a kid this set made us all go huh? Of course the Arctic theme/tech figs (ftw!) hit total homerun with us 10 year old kids and we loved/modded our 8660's into eternity .. but this one we never lusted for It's the 8680 of course : So why did I buy it? Well, I wanted to do a large tracked vehicle/base for that theme and this really had many good parts. I figured out just how much those white parts would cost me *new* anyway and this was not such a bad deal afterall And the fun of opening a set that old from my childhood is rather priceless to me (Also the stock of these old MISB sets will never go up, only down - so it's now or never!) But as a Technic sets I rate it very poorly, especially when thinking about cost/size

I luv the 8069 .. as a part package, must have picked up +10 of those on sale. Don't think I ever build one though Edit : I REALLY dislike the change from 3 to 6 pinhole (or is it the other way round?) hubs as I have a mix of them now. What is better I don't know, but they can't go on the same vehicle now, looks stupid, arghh Also, got more buckets than I'll ever need

But surely a lot of steeltubing and metal gears inside? Not really cool. Just loads of money

Seems like it includes the new Technic bits from the snowmobile?

By that reason, you could just MOC anything from the parts. I guess this thread is somewhat limited to the 'A models' only, no? I _do_ like the alt models though and it's one of the main reasons I buy old sets (MISB or not) with a box. I keep all my modern boxes flattened in the basement, but all the 80's boxes in my building room. Very good for inspiration The most dissapointing (Technic) set I have is the 42009. Outriggers can't lift the vehichle, gearbox too complicated, boom works poorly and can't lift worth a damn, motor severely underpowered and of course yellow is all the place as usual. I much prefer the 855 ..

I think the 6985 has the largest usable space inside

It does not matter Blackbird, Carrea124 and I just got into a fun discssion about LEGO history/catalogues All we want is for you to continue with Technicopedia, that's all Cheers, Ole I have no catalogues/pictures with the 8846 towing the 8845 before 1982. Do you have pics of that?

Well, I allready said it once, but Andy says what I think too. Would be the best of both worlds, I think I really have no more to add

That is true. They both had a yellow star in the 1985 catalogue with the note they'll be available in 'oktober/november 1985' .. but in the 1986 catalogue they had a _RED_ star along with 6750, 6780 and 6783 - Both 6750 and 6780 were released in 1985 'oktober/november' according to the catalogues. I do not actually remember if they were out in the shops at this time? Only the spacesets had a notice at the bottom, the 6480 and 6450 had a notice right next to the red star saying 'available in july' In the 1986 catalogue the 6750 and 6780 was to be available in 'the autumn' and the 6783 in 'september' (not much difference there?) The 6783 was only featured in the 1986 catalogue, not in the 1985 catalogue. Brickset says this set was released in 1988, but that is not true. It was out in 1986 (but not in 1985) None of the above sets had any star in the 1987 catalogue So, I guess you're right, there indeed was a problem with the Light & sound parts! Does anyone remember picking up those sets in 1985? Well, that settles a 28 year old mystery for me then about those wierd red stars Thanks Carrera124 (I'll try to ask my (former) LEGO designer friend about this, but I'm not sure he worked there in that period) Blackbird, sorry for the OT. But this LEGO history and I know you like that

Pins does not make the whole story. (Well, they sorta do with all this new fancy studless stuff, haha). I still feel they're very much similar builds. I own the lot now and I had most of it 30 years ago (or there abouts) and my opinion on this have not changed The only significant bricks added to the 8848 cabin compared to the 8846/8859 is the 1x2 bricks holding the roof. Yes, there's a bunch for the arches, but the 8846/8859 doens't have those arches They're all classicly build like every Technic set during the 80's. We could start counting plates'n'bricks but if we have different opions on this matter it would not get us much anywhere. We just disagree .. and that's fine with me So how about this Technicopedia update then?

No, the 8848 and 8846 are indeed very similar in construction Edit : 8859 similar as well

Allighty then .. Box says 1982 Manual says 1982 It's not listed in my 1981 catalogues, but it's listed as *new* in my 1982s And I can only find the 8846 in my 1982 Technic only catalogue, not in previous ones You got something I haven't Blackbird? Cheers, Ole

Yes, but if I have a box/instruction manual with a 1981 copyright it might help I also have a rather large collection of 80's catalogues (including all the specific Technic ones) I can have a look at I do remember having to choose between the 8844 and 8846 (pretty hard choice, I sorta regretted getting the 8844 for about 30 years until I got the 8846 recently), but was that 1981 or 1982? The 8846 feels very 1981 to me and fits very well with my 8844, 8848 and 8859 Blasted, work is very unimportant now .. must go home and solve great LEGO mystery Boss