CP5670

The first one does actually have the best box. TLG was still using the see-through boxes with flaps and parts trays back then, while the later copies have the crappy modern boxes. That's probably the biggest difference between them though.

8459 is a great set. It has plenty of functions packed into a moderately sized model. The engine with its 4WD drivetrain is a great addition, especially since engines were less common in the 90s than today. I like how the cab steering wheel works as well. That being said, I like the newer 8265 even better. LAs are often of questionable value over pneumatics but in this case, they resulted in a more mechanically complex model. As for 8462, I like that set too. TLG was trying out something different in 1998 and all the Technic releases that year had a distinctive, futuristic look. As a space head, I loved that style, but they have never done it again. The model is a bit simple but is exceptionally well built and lightweight for its size. It was one of the last fully studded models and is a good example of how strong things can be built when you use both studded and studless (pin and axle) connections together.

This assembly looks even worse than most of the things in this thread. These come preassembled out of the box (at least they used to), so there is no question about whether they were designed to be taken apart or not.

I did respond to your post in the other thread.

This is arguably the best new Technic piece we have gotten in a long time. It opens up lots of possibilities. The square shape for the hole is an interesting choice, and not what I think most of us expected. It would still be useful for putting a rotating axle through, maybe using these to hold the axle in place. If it's like the larger turntable, I know what you mean. The plastic feels lighter and less shiny than the ABS on the old studded turntables.

Some interesting concepts here. I like to run this model from an external compressor (which I can hook up to different models), but it's nice to have an all-in-one solution. There should definitely be enough space for one if you remove the manual pumps. It's a 2003 copy of the set. Many 2003 sets across a variety of themes had the 99 age limit, obviously as a subtle nod to AFOLs. They stopped doing it in 2004 though. The Technic box art was also changed to be black in 2004 and the design is still in use today.

I'm pretty sure there is no middle hole on either side of the turntable, which also suggests that the center of the turntable is hollow. As the TechnicBricks post said, a pin hole there would make this piece far more useful than an axle hole. I think the frequency of the largest and most complex models has also gone up in the last few years. In the past, TLG typically released a very complex flagship model every other year, followed by a less complex but still substantial model the next year. This was also reflected in their prices. However, we're now getting both kinds of models every year. In general, TLG releases a lot more sets per year than they used to, across all themes.

I meant on the tow truck, 9395. It looks to me like there are arrows shown under the steering wheel in the small picture. It could be a transmission switch given the red color. Irrelevant to what? I know the claw could not have been powered by the motor but they could have placed the control closer to the base of the turntable and turned it into a more interesting mechanism. This used to fairly common in Technic at one point.

I think the new turntable is the most interesting part of next year's lineup. Those would useful for many different purposes. I have mixed thoughts about 9397. It's definitely better than the other non-flagship PF models we have seen in the last few years and that one motor does quite a few things, but it doesn't really bring anything new to the table. It looks like either a modification of 8285 (minus the doubled rear wheels) or a crappier version of 8258. I also don't like how the claw's control knob is right next to it. It's not even remotely comparable to 8868 IMO. I like the look of 9395 a lot but it could have had more functionality. As far as I can see, the wheel lift has only one degree of freedom and doesn't even articulate. This year's backhoe had a lot more functions at a similar price point. I can't tell what that switch in the cab does though, so maybe the model is more interesting than it looks. I guess they finally ran out of 8000 numbers. 9300 used to cover the Dacta/Lego Education sets at one point, so it's at least not too far off.

Awesome model. It's good to see unusual concepts like this built out of Technic. I especially like how it can perform complex actions by combining different motor functions.

I think they started using this newer tubing in 8421 back in 2005. I'm not sure if it's necessarily better or worse than the older kind (both types are far better than the 80s tubing, which damages pneumatic parts). It may be less prone to developing kinks when bent at sharp angles. There are Bricklink sellers carrying pneumatic tubing but it's usually pretty expensive. There are third party alternatives out there that work well. I got a long coil of some unlabeled stuff on ebay several years ago that is similar to the old tubing and which I still use.

That black 12V motor is pretty obscure and hard to come by. I think it only appeared in one supplementary set in 1980. I don't know if it's all that powerful either. I remember someone on Lugnet saying that it uses the same core as the 4.5V motor (which is pretty wimpy), but runs at a higher voltage. Maybe someone can compare it with the XL or RC motors? (with appropriate gear reduction, perhaps using those old gear blocks they had back then)

This thing looks very interesting. What is the Interface B? Is that the 9V Control Lab Interface? That makes more sense anyway. The 4.5V system was replaced by the 9V one in 1990, so these units would have been obsolete by that point.

Yes, I've also found the RC motor to be the most powerful of all. It does eat through batteries quickly but you can run it off a train speed regulator or control center at the full 9V output. It has an odd shape but the high speed makes it more useful than the PF motors in many situations.

I don't believe it actually flies either. It does seem to be too stable for something that heavy. The propellors are also powered by a Lego geartrain from motors in the fuselage, and there is no way the Lego axles and gears would take that kind of strain if they were spinning fast enough for it to fly. Still an excellent model though, and a well made video as well.

The sets were in fact made in a different production run each year. You can tell which year a set was made in from the catalogs they came with or from pieces that underwent minor revisions, and sometimes the boxes or manuals had small changes too. Some themes did appear in the catalogs with a reduced selection of sets in the third year of the theme's life, and it was apparent that they were just trying to clear out stock at that point. TLG gradually shifted from a 3 year timeframe to a 2 year one in the mid to late 90s.

Interesting article, but it's a little funny that people are saying it would be good or bad for TLG to win. I don't care about the outcome of some company's legal fights one way or another. This already happened several years ago, and it has less to do with clone brands than the fact that most consumers simply can't tell any difference in quality.

The main difference back then is that TLG had each set in production for about 3 years, so the Space theme releases overlapped and there were a couple of themes available (and advertised) at any given time. Today, if they release a new theme, they usually end production of the old theme altogether. Also, most of the 80s/90s themes were obviously intended to exist in the same universe and complement each other, whereas the modern themes like SP3 and AC don't really fit together.

Age: 25 Age you started building: 1 Country: USA Occupation: mathematics/engineering researcher Married: no Children: none Does your spouse or child/children build: N/A Do you have close friends who build: not very close ones, but I know several people well from Lego events Do you build together with your friends: no, I usually build alone Do you regularly attend Lego conventions: yes (mainly Brickfair once a year, although I want to start attending local LUG meetings too) How much money do you spend on Lego product a year: about $500, mostly on Bricklink orders (used to spend much more but my collection has largely topped out now) How much time do you spend building/playing a day: 1-2 hours on average, more on weekends Favored theme/themes: Space, Technic, City Do you primarily collect retail sets, build MOCs, or both? both Did you experience a "dark age": not really If yes, what age did you enter your "dark age": N/A What age did you exit your "dark age": N/A Other hobbies (other toy collecting, sports, drawing etc.): PC games and modding and PC hardware In your own words what makes Lego bricks so special: I like how you can not only create practically anything, but do so quickly and easily. There are more advanced construction systems out there (using wood/metal/paint/etc.) but none allow you to create polished, playable and functional models with so little effort. May I PM you with a request for a personal interview: yes

I'll need to try that out, thanks for the idea. A tissue over the flash might make it usable at close range. This is a small point and shoot camera though, and the flash is in fact quite close to the lens. This is probably a good thing for that particular picture I posted though, which involved sticking the camera into a 6x6 opening with just barely enough room for the lens to fit in.

I have an SD870 and it's decent. It can take good pictures but has the same issues that most small cameras have, although I've gotten used to its limitations and learned to work around them to some extent. I almost always have to use flash to get a completely sharp picture indoors. Any unflashed image has some degree of blurriness, regardless of the ISO sensitivity or if it's on a tripod. The flash makes some colors look odd but I find that sharpness is more important than color accuracy in pictures of Lego. The built-in flash is weak and doesn't cover the whole frame uniformly, but I often move away from objects and zoom in on them to correct for this. I still haven't found a good way of getting pictures of dark, enclosed areas like this though. It's hard to get external lighting inside or point the camera there from a tripod, and flash is useless at close range. I usually resort to taking 10 or so identical, unflashed macro images at ISO 200 or 400 and just taking the least blurry one. Any ideas for these kinds of pictures?

I like pretty much exactly the same themes that I did as a kid: Space, City and Technic. I've expanded a bit into other themes like Aquazone, Model Team/Creator and Trains since then, but I liked those earlier too and was just never able to get any sets from them.

I was in the same situation some years ago. I still have lots of MISB sets in storage, but now it's more due to a lack of time to build them than a lack of space. I do break out a set every now and then and stopped adding to the collection a while ago, so the pile is at least slowly getting smaller. I always got the sets with the intention of keeping them, so I am not concerned with them "losing value." I stick to MISB sets since I am usually too picky about brick quality to gamble on used ones, but I also got most of them 7-10 years ago, when ebay was less popular than today and the prices were generally lower.

Mine looks great too. There are no problems with the tires or flexible axles. However, this particular set does have an issue with the shock absorbers, especially the front ones. They tend to bend over time due to the angle they are positioned at and the fact that they are just barely strong enough to hold up the model. I added an extra shock absorber on each wheel, similar to 8880, which fixes this problem nicely.

The hacking minigame is not that bad in itself, but you have to do it constantly and it does get repetitive, especially if you want to maximize XP and see all the emails. I thought it was at least better than what other games like Bioshock or Mass Effect do for this though. Out of curiosity, how come you didn't like the first map in Deus Ex? Most people consider it to be a great introduction that showcases the game's "play it the way you want" philosophy.