Blakbird

Well, that's Box 1 done. That was a lot of work. The best I can do until the real thing comes off backorder.

Thanks all. Glad to hear that some of you still remember me after my extended absence. I managed to put together an LDraw file of 42079 in only a day so I thought that was pretty good. It's amazing to me that a set of this size has almost 1000 parts.

I thought it might be interesting to drop in a new photo with no explanation and see what kind of commotion it caused. I was right. So here's what's happening and what's not happening. I do find myself interested in working on the site again. I've written about all the models up through 2001, and I have at least pictures of the models up through 2016. My primary method involves building each model, creating a complementary digital model, taking photographs, and making animations of each function. Most of that is no longer possible because I don't own the models anymore. So I'm not seeing any way to complete 2002 forward without access to the physical models. For models 2017 and later, not only do I not own them now, I've never owned them or built them. That makes it pretty much impossible to write about them in any intelligent way. If I had access to free review copies of the models like some other people I could make it happen, but I was never in that elect group. What I can do is at least make some nice group renders of the models that came out each year. The picture I posted was the models from 2017. Some of the models from 2018 did not exist in LDraw yet so I fired up my trusty old MLCAD, refreshed my memory on how to use it, and created them myself. It was fun. So I've now got pictures for 2017 and 2018. I'm working on 2019 but a lot of models are missing and creating the files takes a long time. I use the LDraw system of CAD tools. I model in MLCAD, view in LDView, and render in POV-Ray. Any kind of "active" feature on the site is pretty much out because I only use straight old HTML. No scripts or cgi. "Scale" doesn't really mean anything in Technic because there's never been any consistency. Every model is in it's own scale. The only time they were close is when they were using the Technic figures which forced them into a certain scale to make them fit. I do list the dimensions of each model though. If you want to visually compare the size of any two models, you can do so by downloading the LDraw files which are provided.

Hmm. Quite ugly in my opinion. Not a fan of the lime green at all. I know I'm dreaming, but based on the car shown at the auto show the old metallic green from 8466 would have been perfect. Of course I'll probably still buy it.

Here are the models I have left along with the average Bricklink prices from the original list. Reasonable offers entertained. Model Designer Parts Value Ferrari 458 BrunoJJ 2,046 $760 BMW M4 DTM BrunoJJ 2,027 $441 Mercedes C63 DTM BrunoJJ 2,210 $424 Phantasm GT Crowkillers 2,003 $283 (Titanium Chrome Wheels) Vampire Crowkillers 1,925 $378 (Red Chrome Wheels) Deluxe supercar Crowkillers 1,850 $382 (Black Chrome Wheels) Assassin Crowkillers 1,827 $291 (Built in blue and white with police lights) Rugged Supercar Didumos69 2,741 $378 (FST NML) Zonda Erik Leppen 1,615 $258 Audi R8 Fanylover 1,839 $367 (Built in blue) Tow Truck 5571 Grazi 3,969 $1,173 Alfa Romeo 4C Jeroen Ottens 2,134 $509 Black Dragon Jovel 1,641 $328 Sunbeam Jurgen Krooshoo 2,177 $419 Koeniggsegg CCX Jurgen Krooshoo 1,967 $303 Simple Supercar Lipko 2,336 $300 V12 Coupe Lipko 2,113 $277 Icarus Madoca 1,906 $493 (with SBrick) Predator Nathanael Kuipe 1,797 $325 (Orange Chrome Wheels) Koeniggsegg One:1 Pvdb 3,021 $388 Aventador AnniversarStefan Pendula 2,575 $436

Most everything is gone now, but there are a dozen or so supercars left if anyone is interested.

Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!

The GBC modules are all gone. This topic has been dormant a long time so I haven't been updating the list. There are still a handful of MOCs left so I could update the list if here is still interest.

Interesting thread. Since there are LDraw files available for every model (and many B-models), it is pretty easy to make comparison pictures without even owning the sets. In the beginning of Technicopedia, I took photos much as you are doing. I would line up all the cranes, for example, and snap a photo. There were several drawbacks to this: You need to own all the models You need to have all the models assembled You need to have space not only to arrange them, but to get far enough back to take a photo and get them in frame You need to repeat all of that every time a new model is added to the category As time went on, it was no longer possible to take a photo that included all the models in a large group, so I switched to virtual pictures using LDraw. You might say this is cheating, but it does a good job of comparing all the sizes as long as you use the same camera for everything, and also makes it MUCH easier to add a new model. I owned all the models up to 2016 but don't have physical copies of anything since then.

Just discovered this model. Wow! I thought I had stopped building MOCs but I might have to make an exception. I haven't done any renders in quite a while, but I'd be willing to give this one a go if you like. I think we could do some interesting things with perspective and comparing the scale to other models.

You just keep pumping out cool models. The last time I made a "Lox compilation render" it had 6 of your masterpieces, but I suspect it has become significantly out of date by now. Let me know if you want me to update it with any of the new models.

As a display model I think this thing is very good looking and would be a welcome addition to my car shelf. My major concern is the stickers. Looking across the history of Technic models, virtually every time in which white was used in the stickers, those white portions disintegrated into a finely granulated pile of gooey morass within a year or two. In a case like this where the stickers are a huge part of the look of the car, and in which the looks of the car are the main point, I'm worried it will turn from good looking into hideous in a couple of years. I guess that happens to all of us.

After a whole lot of sifting through Google search results, I found it. It is by Brian Alano. It is very much like the original Akiyuki train motor but with some additional strengthening. I have no idea how I found it originally. I worked really well though so I recommend it.

Thanks, but sadly that's not the one. The one I'm looking for is much older. It is not studless, just a slightly modified version of the original. The reason I'm looking for it is so that I can rebuild my parts back into the train. I didn't realize I had lost the instructions for it when I took it apart.

Hello all. Interesting to drop back into my own thread after all this time and see what has been going on. I've been away too long and have forgotten some things so I'm hoping someone here can help me out. I recently disassembled my original Train/Crane module. This is the huge one with the crane that lifts the hopper off the train to fill it. When I first built this module I had problems with the little train. The structure wasn't very strong and it tended to come apart when under stress from driving the crane. Someone came up with a stronger version (possibly derived from an Akiyuki later version) than what I used in my original instructions and I converted my build to this newer design which was much better. Sadly, I cannot find any record of who made that improvement or where the instructions for the updated version are. I know they existed at one time because I used them to make my conversion. Anyone remember or can provide a link?

I don't have any special wisdom, I'm afraid. Old rubber bands are almost impossible to keep intact. It's the stretching that kills them. If you want them to last, just don't install them or at least remove them when you aren't using them.

I don't think TLG would have any interest. They already have a vault with all the sets so they don't really have need of my collection. So far as I am aware, they don't have anything assembled though. You got me there. I completely forgot about 8217 when making that statement. As for the continuing viability of Technicopedia, I may yet find a way to continue it in some form but it would require the help of the community since I no longer have the sets to photograph and I am not buying the new sets.

Yes, I still have it. I am in Germany for the next two weeks so I can't show it or ship it at the moment, but it looks exactly like Sheepo's photos except with RC BF Goodrich tires. Please continue by PM if interested.

For the moment I am keeping the supercars. I have a nice, self-contained display for them in the house. (Also, no one was buying them)

The sets are all on Bricklink. This thread lists only the MOCs.

I've updated the list of MOCs available on the first post. I've crossed out those that have sold or I decided to keep. Everything else is still available. I also added a couple of Akiyuki GBCs that I didn't realize I still had. I really don't want to have to part all of these out so make me an offer! It's too bad about the shipping costs and taxed in Europe or I think many more of these would have sold.

Interesting discussion. While recording the history of the brand writing Technicopedia I had a lot of time to ponder the changes over the years. In the beginning there was obviously more of a sense of new discovery because the designers were just figuring out what could be done with the system and in that sense were in the same boat as the fans. Every new set had never been done before. To a certain extent this happened again when the switch to studless happened, but that was a gradual shift that occurred over a period of about 10 years. Besides the nostalgia for childhood, I think another factor that makes new sets seem less exciting is that everything has been done before so there's nothing new under the sun. Even the introduction of new parts is only going to make small incremental changes possible in any new set. The Internet has also drastically changed our expectations. In 1982 the set you bought in the store was probably vastly better than what you could make or what you saw your friends make. Now you can see what the most talented fans in the world have made every single day and it is not a fair comparison because there is no constraint on what a fan can build since it doesn't need to be a marketable product. Like comparing a girlfriend to a wife. Regarding B-models, I would be willing to guess that they result in virtually no incremental sales which is why there is not much focus on them. By this I mean that hardly anyone will decide whether or not to buy a set based on the quality of the B-model. That said, I think it has been a long time since we have seen a truly excellent B-model. I'm thinking of the 8480 submarine or the 8862 combine or the 8868 garbage truck. These really showed off what you could do with the parts in the kit. I also miss the pure creative goodness of the universal sets. Think of something like 8062 which was relatively inexpensive yet had 7(!) really ingenious models to build. It seems like this concept has moved into Mindstorms. As for the recent trend towards giant sets, I guess I'll have to take the blame (credit) for that. Look back at the posts over the last decade and you'll see that whenever TLG was looking for feedback on the future I was asking for $300 sets or "UCS style" Technic. Now we have it. I don't always use my immortal power for good, but when I do, we get cool LEGO stuff. Next time I'll work on the color vomit.

It is blue like the sea. I will call it Chiron Greyjoy. "What is dead may never die."

That is awesome! It would be even better if you were taking me along though. I will just miss you. I will be Germany (which for an American is pretty close) most of May.