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CP5670

Eurobricks Dukes
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Everything posted by CP5670

  1. CP5670
    This is great, especially the version with the cap. As you said, there is a lot of truth in PhD comics.
  2. CP5670
    I've had some MISB sets that were apparently stored in smoky environments and the pieces had traces of dirt on them (which came off easily, but they were also discolored in some cases), but nothing like the substance you are describing.
  3. CP5670
    Another one is the 1x2 panel, which has been replaced by a version with rounded corners. The new piece looks ugly if you have several of them in a line. The same thing seems to be happening with the 1x4 bracket, with rounded versions showing up on Bricklink. I don't understand the point of some of these changes. In some cases, it's obvious that the new version of the piece has its benefits (like the reinforced macaroni brick, and even the new fire piece), but others seem completely unnecessary.
  4. CP5670
    The LHC in general is a very cool concept but this particular model looks bland to me too. It's not quickly recognizable, and even after reading the description it doesn't look much like the real thing to me (which itself is far from distinctive, basically a large pipe). The larger version he made is much more impressive, but would obviously not be suitable for a set.
  5. CP5670
    I think this is good news. I like the fact that the new owner is an AFOL and community insider, and the BL site does need a facelift and more regular maintenance/bug fixes. The site's cookie expires after a day or so, after which it automatically dumps everything out of your cart. I use BL frequently and this has to be the most irritating glitch on the site, especially for large orders that I need to plan out carefully. I hope the new management fixes long standing issues like this.
  6. CP5670
    I like this model overall despite its flaws. It came with a large number of containers, printed parts and minifig widgets, and had a very large cockpit compared to most ships. I made several mods to mine: filled the rear panels with black windows to give it a more solid look, raised the canopy by one plate to allow extra minifigs to fit more easily, and moved the steering wheel and slope on the rover so it's more like a typical vehicle (and also looks a lot better when it's mounted on the ship).
  7. CP5670
    I used a raised baseplate once in this model. It usually isn't necessarily to cover the entire floor with bricks. As Kivi said, it's good enough to make sure the center and at least two of the edges are supported. Long beams made of interconnected Technic bricks are good for keeping it rigid, enough so that the baseplate is not the main thing supporting the weight above it.
  8. CP5670
    I mixed and matched colors randomly as well, and it was always due to a lack of enough parts in a single color. I liked to build large models that used up a substantial part of my whole collection, so it was hard to have enough of any one color. I kept the colors symmetric when possible (e.g. both wings on a plane would be the same color), but otherwise used anything I had available. I do this too, but usually in black. Black is my "default" color that works reasonably well for most purposes, and I make sure to have stockpiles of everything in black. For the final model, I get the colors I intended from Bricklink.
  9. CP5670
    I like to see interesting mechanisms in Technic models more than strict realism as such. A realistic model is usually but not always mechanically complex or fascinating to build. The 8880/8448 comparison is one example of this, with the latter being more realistic but less complex in a number of ways. In this respect, I would also have 8868 and 8455 as my top choices, but would rank 8480 and 8043 after those two. For me, what really puts 8868 on top is the alternate model, which adds a lot to the overall package of that set. It's very rare to see an alternate model that introduces entirely new concepts to Technic like this one did.
  10. CP5670
    Thanks. I like to try and keep true to the original themes in these models, especially with the color schemes.
  11. CP5670
    BUMP This vehicle now has a trailer and fighter to go with it (sort of inspired by the three-piece Model Team sets like 5591). I made these things quite a while ago, but only got around to taking pictures recently.
  12. CP5670
    The studs on that piece are odd. Not only do they not have the Lego logo, but they seem to be slightly smaller than regular studs and have very weak clutch power with bricks. They were used in engines with the old 2x2 pistons, but it doesn't seem like the logo would have brushed against anything.
  13. CP5670
    This is a nice fleet. I like the blue and orange one the best. I don't have this set, but have the very similar Magic Flash.
  14. CP5670
    I just try to avoid using batteries whenever possible, and use long cables tethered to models if needed. Hooking up a speed regulator or control center (and using the PF battery box as a pass-through) is the best way to get a consistent 9V output. As Philo's graphs show, the motors are much more powerful at 9V than 7.2V.
  15. CP5670
    Some of my favorites are 8868, 8480 and 9396. 8868 was probably the best one since it introduced entirely new mechanisms, which have still not been seen anywhere else in Technic. 8480 and 9396 were unusual concepts (submarine and intermeshing rotor helicopter) that haven't been done better by any other set, and had fewer but very different functions from the main models. Many of the universal and multi-model sets also had good alternate models, but it was unclear which one was the "main" model. The largest one shown on the box was often different from the one they advertised in other places (e.g. for 8485 the T-rex was shown as the main model in S@H catalogs). Most Technic B models are simply cut-down variations on the main model, or have very similar but reduced functionality. It's rare to find genuinely good ones.
  16. CP5670
    I use Brickshelf only. It has an archaic interface but I like the "no strings attached" nature of the site. You can put up as many images as you like, at whatever size you want. It's also focused on Lego only, which makes it easy to search for things that others have made. Flickr's commenting system is nice but I find the interface otherwise cluttered and annoying. Most of the stuff I see on there is not organized into folders either, so when you find a picture of a MOC it's hard to find any more without sifting through everything in the user's photo stream.
  17. CP5670
    In some ways, I like the alternate model better than the main one, even though it has fewer functions. That intermeshing rotor setup is extremely cool to watch in action, especially with a high speed motor. Both models have too much friction in the collective pitch control though. I think I replaced a few of the friction pins to make that smoother.
  18. CP5670
    That's interesting. In the US, you can get the prices right away but only if you call them on the phone. You need to have all the part numbers ready as well. I use that service occasionally for buying rare-ish parts in large quantities, but find that it's often easier to just go through Bricklink.
  19. CP5670
    Actually, looking at my model more closely, it appears I had done exactly that. I made this change several years ago and had forgotten exactly what I did.
  20. CP5670
    I just switched the 16t gears in this and this step with an 8t and 24t. It makes the engine pistons move much faster.
  21. CP5670
    Great mods. I'll have to try them out on my 8880 as well. I made some other simple changes to mine, like moving the suspension assemblies higher (so the wheels sit closer to the body) and increasing the gear ratios in the overall drive train. I find that the chain works a lot better if you use one less link than the manual says, so that it fits tightly and contains no slack. Your solution of removing the chain altogether is probably ideal though.
  22. CP5670
    It might just be the size of the 8L stop axle. They are increasingly using the stop axles everywhere these days, to the extent that some recent Technic sets include more of those than conventional axles.
  23. CP5670
    I like the look of the Technic models in that era too. They weren't intended to look entirely realistic, but instead had stylized appearances that sort of represented real vehicles but had their own artistic touch. The lack of a proper slewing function in this set is a bummer. I didn't realize that. I tried adding this into 8421 but haven't found any simple way to do it without making major changes to the chassis. One problem with a lot of studless models is that small modifications like this are harder than they should be.
  24. CP5670
    The new crane looks really nice, a great successor to 8421. It doesn't bring much new to the table over 8421, but I like the look of that model a lot in the pictures. That recovery truck should also be interesting. I'm guessing the motor is used to run a compressor, which should make it a lot more interesting than the typical medium-size motorized set we have gotten in the past. Pneumatics are much closer to hydraulic systems than LAs and are more realistic. On the other hand, I only care about realism up to a point with Technic. What I'm really looking for in Technic models are interesting mechanisms. Some of my favorite Technic sets in the past (e.g. 8094) have had nothing to do with any real vehicle.
  25. CP5670
    I still use MLCad too. SR3D is far more powerful and sophisticated, but the interface and controls are awkward. I spent some time with it and set up a lot of mouse/keyboard shortcuts for the various commands, but still found it clumsy to use. MLCad's controls are more like a standard 3D modeling program. Building with actual parts is always faster though, especially with Technic.
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