Lipko

This is my experience as well. And even as a MOC designer with machine designer background (I only ever built one MOC, it was Crowkillers' Vampire, which was THE legend of that era), one of the most important design requirement that the end result have to look good on the shelf. At the end, these models (in the best case scenario) will end up on the shelf and on exhibitions and 99% of their complete lifecycle will be sitting on the shelf. Practically nobody will be actually interested how it was biuld, nobody cares how much fun you had while designing it. Another important design aspect for me is sturdiness, because I let kids play with my models on exhibitions. But the point is: the end product matters, building experience is a matter of preference. Having no colors in a build is a terrible experience for me, because it makes the building exhausting, most other builders hate colors. Can't please everyone. That's why I offer building instructions (if there's any) and 3D files freely. Being known is more important than making a few dollars.

Even the most popular MOC builders with 200+ sold instructions per model cannot make a living of it. I recall a thread a few months ago, and they said that they could make a living in the covid era, but it's gone now. Maybe you can try to apply/appeal to alternative brands, I don't know if it's enough to make a living. I consider myself a strong medicore designer, I made I think 7 dollars, and won an Unimog once here on Eurobricks. I can feel your frustration, my job is not that demanding but my family is. So (after 5 years of nothing), I design one model per year. A model costs me about 150-200 hours (rushed, not polished, not even digitized these). So yup, that's 150-250 hours per year I can spend on modelling, plus a few weekends participating in exhibitions. I even come to the idea that I will take my Lego parts to the exhibition and just continue to designe there. Either in the easier periods with a few/no visitors, or even as a show elemet: people can join me, help me, or just build something for themselves from the parts as an informal workshop activity.

You did not give the same inpression.

Well, a banner stating that the issue is known is a perfeclty valid situation in government applications in Hungary, so I from my point of view: Job finished and well done!

This function is a gag, and I simply feel this gag alone is not enough to justify the existence of this model. This is the single function and is not really engaging/possible to play with it more than actuating once. No point in looping it (like a galopping horse, or butterfly flapping its wings). And it doesn't look good. Compare it to some of Nico's kinetic sculptures.

I don't like this model at all. Has a function, yes, which makes it more of a kinetic sculpture, but doesn't look good enough to be a sculpture. But based on the comments, I'm alone with that, I guess I have a bad taste

This is super awesome, but somehow the photos are not on the level the model would deserve. Even the renders are messy... The shaping is mindblowing but it's hard to appreciate it because of the photo quality.

Not the liftarm, but the fact the headlight is a transparent and featureless dish. Something behint it even if it moves it forward, half stud may be enough without compromising the proportions too much. But maybe it's just me. I remember struggling with the headlight for my latest motorcycle for at least 10 hours and having like 3 major versions and who know how many sub-versions.

Beautiful model, my only complaint is that the headlight looks a bit cheap being that transparent. I know it contains actual light, but it just looks off in the otherwise awesome bodywork.

Thank you! The tables are also self made, they are relatively easy to assemble and transport, though horribly imprecise, I threw them together in a few hours, and I have no patience for handcraft.

Hi All, Just a quick video report about the latest Lego Exhibition event I attended in Hungary (15-16.11.2015). I made the "Technic petting zoo" as usual, and it went well as usual. I remade the backhoe from 10 years ago with an external manual pump, and also the walking crab with the windup mechanism removed. I was reculant about tossing my newest model, the motorcycle into the lineup, but it did surprisingly well.

I can ask him for you. But give me 1-2 days.

CUSTOM, non licenced. I wasn't talking about abot MOCs ingeneral.

Be honest, most Lego fans are not interested in custom design MOCs anymore. Even though it was the "standard" a decade ago, it became a niche. Ever wondered why Crowkillers disappeared and Madoca went silent for almost a decade? Even the more hardcore fans are only interested in licenced sets for their shelf.

Oh man, you are alive! I literally thought you passed away but never dared to check. And a very neat model! Great to have a legend back in business.

It's just the pump. I see no assembly reason why you couldn't use any type.

Updated the links, but I can't direct link pictures, and I don't have time now for proper hosting (Brickshelf login doesn't work, so I can't use that either)

Give me an hour to fix the pictures. They were facebook pictures... https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=3149187708565971&id=537365306414904

It's hard to say anything. Is it a management problem? Too much sets for too few employees? Too many and too long business trips and meetings just for some sweet talking with the license holders and most of the work time is occupied by that? It's that much harder to do licenced sets than custom sets (the answer is obviousy yes but I don't have much experience with that). I can't believe set designers are below medicore level, which these models suggest.

Thanks for the replies! The clutch cover position, which is a good indicator of the engine placement, is maybe a stud higher than most motorbikes I saw as reference. The saddle height also matches many bikes of this type. KTM Brabus was one of the main references I used. The biggest issue with the engine that it looks a lot like a V2 Ducati engine, but it's a V4. The piston angles are not realistic for a V4, and from the side it looks too small for a V2. And yes, the clutch cover for the V2 should sit much more towards the back of the bike. The belly of the bike is a tad closer to the ground than the references, but I saw designs like these too. Of course the clutch cover is fake, so the actual axle and also the cranckshaft sit higher than the shapes imply. But considering how unrealistic crancksaft layouts most Lego motorbikes have (like double crankshafts, totally misproportioned gearboxes, etc), it was an acceptable compromise. The gearbox sits where is should be, it is the gear shifing mechanism that pushes the whole engine higher. It would not be a confy ride, that's true, but this mimics more of a concept bike or outrageously customized bike, than a production bike. And for me looks much better than the fat TLG models.

Ambitious project! Though the wheels look a tad too small.

Hi All! After almost one year of struggle, the motorbike is finished. https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1ddjQtZBo4UZ39zK-uT3KtXG3sK02aJgz It's not based on a real motorbike, but loosely resembles Ducati naked bikes. Features: Suspension, with double wishbone suspension of the front (Hossack suspension) V4 fake engine with working timing belts 3+N sequential gearbox with proper switching order most handles "work" (they spring back) The struggle: I don't have time to write up a lengthy story that I usually do. To sum up the struggle: I didn't have any idea how motorbikes work before starting the project, I didn't even know how they look, so the layout and the bodywork went through several iterations, I think at least 200 hours went into this project which is ridiculous considering the scope of the project. The last struggle was about the color. I wanted a much more interesting and cool color scheme but there were always some parts missing in a particular color. Anyhoo: I'm okay with the result, but I still feel that I have no idea how motorbikes look... https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1qjjiSEQpIltBKJPTAkmSfDVAxOIB2YAk https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=17bFiIR6eySeYO2UlVv8vL2l2VNbKBlzO https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1iGdmvcNx5HYB885dIDYy30KT9tGvEvGl https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=154lGrRJavoSeaRKx36YymBYo9k-afAR3 https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1xVENCGiT819376qvnC06XU-dmRoW_CvN https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1Im9DKjeBOINe-wo9GxocG_HrlY67J7-x https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1Gtdn8of2HdvbLcftDRcNEl2B8pQ0Nl3C https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1VCNisFUfvX807rimtP7C0eQ4BUiekw3U https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1PMon4IuKtaMQgCqfSKR6Ws4bBI5yT4Al https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=10GUQ8N39CDUINVnhpi1-IEw7fCmDj5v5 https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1Hm-dVrkmg_sv0wB-EHMZlNaytc6l5m47 https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1gKcUUorHJF3BZt8XLOhMA5mPh43FLp75 https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1g7VF_xH6xIufiSX2jeb-OQFtuUy8YYgX https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1prWU-exrTh1obwu52rtWOz65PLXhAwGG https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1QZ7BLuX2og7KvAa2E1kTcm1321Xad5OC This is the WIP of this project. There were many more iterations than showen in the WIP, I can share some more WIP pictures and details if someone's interested. EDITED: I don't have time to properly host the pictures now, sorry for that. Mayme some time in the future...

Ackermann geometry is the very first thing I usually ditch when building suspensions. Maybe this will change it, thanks! (adjustability is the second thing, maybe you could come up with something applicable for that too :) )

Thanks for the tips, I saw a pretty good option: https://www.ebay.com/itm/126666469605 Pressure level is perfect, compact, they claim it's silent, etc. But my wife cobvinced me that a hand pump woul be more exciting for kids, so I will go for hand pump, or pumps.

Hi all! Can someone suggest a compressor (preferably non-Lego) that can be used witb the pneumatic system? I'm looking for a durable automatic compressor that can maintain pressure for several hours at exhibitions. Battery powered or plugin all welcome! Thanks for your anwers in advance! Máté