DLuders

Hmmm, as recently as this past Monday (October 25th), I got an e-mail from Steve Witt that had this below his signature block: Steven Witt Community Development Lead Coordinator LEGO Universe

LEGOpachinko just posted of a small Lego Technic Flight Simulator. The joystick is free to rotate the model airplane on all three axes to produce pitch, yaw, and roll motions: It may be large enough to support this nice "LEGO plane working flight stick and aileron technic mod Propeller Power 6745" by "bbqqqbbqqq". The shows its realistic functions:

I'm not surprised that Anders Gaasedal Christensen (Goose Valley) apparently is no longer a Lego Technic Designer. His (original, failed) design for the 8043 Motorized Excavator must have cost TLG a lot of money to fix (via the Service Packs). Maybe the reason that the 8043 does not appear in the Holiday 2010 Catalog is that TLG wants to "cut their losses."

On the Lego Technic Designers Blog, there was an announcment today about the NEW Lego Technic Marketing Manager, Casper Thingholm: "October 29, 2010 Hello... I am Casper and I am the new Marketing Manager for LEGO TECHNIC. Hello... I am Casper and I am the new Marketing Manager for LEGO TECHNIC. As you have probably already figured out, Monica has moved onto another exiting product line in LEGO, and I have taken over here responsibilities in the Technic team. Things are moving quickly here – and I am getting up to speed on all the activities that are going on. One thing I can promise is that the level of activities in the Technic project team is amazing. The guys here are really working on some amazing stuff. In August we launched four new products that are all very different and cool – hopefully, you have already seen them. The 8051 Motorbike is a very nice model with a working drive chain that powers the moving 3 cylinder engine. which I really like. The B-model is also a Motorbike that is really cool. We also launched the 8052 Container Truck which is powered with Power Functions that drives the linear actuator to raise and lower the container or to unload and load the container from the back of the truck. Then we launched the realistic 8053 Mobile Crane with the all wheel steering and its telescopic crane arm that extends up to 23.5 in. (60 cm). This is truly an amazing model that can also be upgraded with Power Functions, nice! Finally, we launched the 8043 Excavator which is also a incredible model and the remote controlled power functions are super cool. If you do not already know this one, I encourage you to check it out in the Products section. So, there are some real nice opportunities to have fun building the new products from LEGO Technic during the winter days that are just around the corner – and many hours of fun playing! Happy Building!" Here is his Lego biography: Casper Thingholm Nationality: Danish Nickname: CT My motto: Get Challenged Now… About me: I am the Marketing Manager on LEGO Technic and love working with these fantastic models. Technical building has always been of great interest for me and is now a part of my job which is very cool. What I do outside LEGO: In my spare time, I spend a lot of time with family and friends. I also like to work with mechanical stuff just for the fun of it. My all-time favorite product: The 8258 Crane Truck because it is very big and really cool. Best Creation I have ever made: The 8053 Excavator which is also a fantastic model and the remote controlled power functions are super cool. Most challenging creation I did was: The 8258 Crane Truck, which was my first ‘big’ model

Since all of the dome's strut "spokes" are in compression (except for the bottom-most ring, which is in tension), I believe that one could make the dome out of these elements. The axles should not "pull out" from their connectors, due to their light weight. Pictured left-to-right and top-to-bottom, they are: 2695 "Wheel 30mm D. x 13mm (13 x 24 Model Team)" 41532 "Hinge Cylinder 1 x 3 Locking with 1 Finger and Technic Friction Pin" 30553 "Hinge Cylinder 1 x 2 Locking with 2 Fingers and Axle Hole On Ends" 2 ea. (typical) Technic axles, such as the 3737 "Technic, Axle 10" 6538c "Technic, Axle Connector (Smooth with x hole + orientation)", placed between the two axles

Here is a YouTube video of a 3-speed LPEpower transmission being tested on a treadmill: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jFfQtachI8&feature=player_profilepage

On his Flickr photostream, JonPalmer shows how to build a BIG Lego geodesic dome. His instructions and insights appear beneath each picture: "Geodesic domes are awesome. They were invented by Buckminster Fuller, who was also awesome and could probably disintegrate Chuck Norris just with his brain. They house your corporate sponsored educational-funtime rides at Epcot and protect the last forests of earth, floating free in space. In the future, the futuristic skin of geodesic domes will be the only thing that comes between the computer-controlled utopia you call home and the irradiated wastelands beyond. They're nice on the moon too. It was a great LEGO model to make; it could be packed down relatively well, transported and set up at a show without too much trouble." DIFFERENT STRUT LENGTHS: "After I had the lengths of the struts for my dome from the calculator, I ran over to Dave Eaton’s awesome LEGO Scale Converter and turned everything into LEGO units or stud-lengths. This wasn’t quite as easy as that though, as there was some trial and error with the actual LEGO model’s struts to really nail down the right lengths for them. Ultimately I ended up with only 5 strut lengths for my dome because 2 of them were so close in length it was easier to fudge it than try to build the difference. These are the 5 different struts that make up my dome: In total from small to large, I needed to build: - (30) 16-stud long struts (A) - (30) 16.5-stud long struts (F) - (60) 17-stud long struts © - (100) 19-stud long struts (B,D) - (30) 20-stud long struts (E) To make the 16.5 long struts I used Technic part 32124 and jumpers to get the half stud offset. I’m sure there are other ways to do this. This is a total of 250 struts. You would double this to make a sphere." HUBS: "Learning the dome geometry was one thing, but building it with LEGO parts as cheaply and efficiently as possible was a totally different problem. After a few months playing with different parts I came up with a solution that (I think) is about as inexpensive and cleanly built as you can get with LEGO elements. If I didn’t lose you a few paragraphs ago here’s how I built the dome. Each hexagonal hub is made up of (1) LEGO part 2695 and (6) of click hinge part 483. There are 85 of these hubs on my dome. Most have 6 of the click hinge/pins in them, though the hubs at the base only have 4 pins each." PENTAGON HUBS: "The pentagons (there are 6 on this dome) are built differently. I started with five no. 5 Technic angle connectors, held together with five 3-length axles. This build is fudged a little. You have to slightly force them to connect to make a pentagon, but I haven’t had any problems at all with them." ["Gambort" noted that "I may be wrong but I reckon you'd be able to pull this off with technic click hinges 30552 and 30561 too which might even be a bit nicer...."] TRIANGLES: "Here is a shot of 3 of the longest (20 stud) struts forming one of the 10 largest triangles on my dome. This triangle is represented in purple (E) in the diagram from Desert Domes. It’s also worth noting that these 10 large triangles are the only equatorial triangles on the dome." A STAR SECTION: "The same pentagon, with (10) 17-stud length C struts added. This forms a 5-point star shape and I usually keep all 6 of these stars together and stacked when I pack the dome. I hope this is at least a little helpful for other builders. I would love to see more domes or spheres be built. Experiment with different strut types, lengths and dome sizes. If you come up with a more elegant way to make the basic construction please post your idea or model. Good luck! If anyone has any questions at all please let me know in the comments and I’ll do my best to answer you." Well, andy_0306uk did just that on HIS Flickr photostream! You can build a Geodesic Dome as big as this one:

As many know, "Sariel" (Paul Kmiec) is a prolific Lego Technic builder. Over the past few years, he has built 12 different tanks that display his advanced modeling skills. He will soon be releasing released his latest Leopard 2A4 Tank that is chronicled on http://sariel.pl and Sariel's Facebook page. In the meantime, Here is a review of his previous tanks (any of which would be a great addition to one's collection!) Click on the links below to see the narrative, pictures, and videos of each tank. Although the older tanks have been taken apart (to build newer MOCs) and there are no Building Instructions available, the photo documentation allows skilled Technic AFOLs to possibly re-create them. From newest to oldest, here they are: Leopard 2A4: -- Sariel to release this soon released this! Stridsvagn 103 S-Tank 2: T28 Super Heavy Tank: Video: http://www.youtube.com/user/searme#p/u/28/KCDoIcpY3eI LeClerc T6 Main Battle Tank: Video: http://www.youtube.com/user/searme#p/u/43/rQ68RIHP6Rk Abrams M1A2 Main Battle Tank: Video: http://www.youtube.com/user/searme#p/u/73/ZJYUNHah9mc Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank: Video: http://www.youtube.com/user/searme#p/u/74/ryMDQO5_0t4 Greyhound Tank: Stridsvagn 103 S Tank: Videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/searme#p/u/109/pzyxTFwgK_o and http://www.youtube.com/user/searme#p/u/108/x-6kFyJtYkA Mark I Tank: Video: http://www.youtube.com/user/searme#p/u/117/l4nwYsU8m0M Valiant General Purpose Tank: Video: http://www.youtube.com/user/searme#p/u/122/qCONeesAIlM Medium Tank: Video: http://www.youtube.com/user/searme#p/u/134/ea4RY5w42BM Scout Tank: Video: http://www.youtube.com/user/searme#p/u/135/oVzVVf10JTg

Here's a YouTube video to introduce you to the subject: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9C8sFQcWH4 . "Laurens200" (Laurens Valk) has several videos on a YouTube channel of the "LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT 2.0 Discovery Book" -- "Discover the many features of the LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT 2.0 set. The LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT 2.0 Discovery Book is the complete, illustrated, beginner's guide to MINDSTORMS that you've been looking for."The crystal clear instructions in the Discovery Book will show you how to harness the capabilities of the NXT 2.0 set to build and program your own robots. Author and robotics instructor Laurens Valk walks you through the set, showing you how to use its various pieces, and how to use the NXT software to program robots. Interactive tutorials make it easy for you to reach an advanced level of programming as you learn to build robots that move, monitor sensors, and use advanced programming techniques like data wires and variables. You'll build eight increasingly sophisticated robots like the Strider (a six-legged walking creature), the CCC (a climbing vehicle), the Hybrid Brick Sorter (a robot that sorts by color and size), and the Snatcher (an autonomous robotic arm). Numerous building and programming challenges throughout encourage you to think creatively and to apply what you've learned as you develop the skills essential to creating your own robots." , "the autonomous robotic arm from the LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT 2.0 Discovery Book. Full step-by-step building and programming instructions are available in this book". " " video: .Detailed description about the book: http://www.nostarch.com/nxtdiscovery.htm . Requirements: One LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT 2.0 set (#8547) Features: •A complete introduction to LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT 2.0 •Building and programming instructions for eight innovative robots •50 sample programs and 72 programming challenges (ranging from easy to hard) encourage you to explore newly learned programming techniques •15 building challenges expand on the robot designs and help you develop ideas for new robots Who is this book for? This is a perfect introduction for those new to building and programming with the LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT 2.0 set. The book also includes intriguing robot designs and useful programming tips for more seasoned MINDSTORMS builders. Learn more: http://discovery.laurensvalk.com . Table of Contents Chapter 1: Collecting the Equipment for Your Robot Chapter 2: Building Your First Robot Chapter 3: Creating and Modifying Programs Chapter 4: Working with Programming Blocks: Move, Sound, and Display Chapter 5: Waiting, Repeating and Other Programming Techniques Chapter 6: Understanding Sensors Chapter 7: Using the Touch, Color, and Rotation Sensors Chapter 8: Shot-Roller: A Robotic Defense System Chapter 9: Strider: The Six-Legged Walking Creature Chapter 10: Using Data Hubs and Data Wires Chapter 11: Using Data Blocks and Using Data Wires with Loops and Switches Chapter 12: Using Variables, Constants, and Playing Games on the NXT Chapter 13: Snatcher: The Autonomous Robotic Arm Chapter 14: Hybrid Brick Sorter: Sort Bricks by Color and Size Chapter 15: CCC: The Compact Chimney Climber Appendix: Transferring Programs to the NXT with USB or Bluetooth View the detailed Table of Contents (PDF). View the Index (PDF).

For those (like me) who were misled by the "LDD 3.1 download" label on the webpage http://ldd.lego.com , be advised that LDD 4.0 can be downloaded from the NEXT webpage ( http://ldd.lego.com/download/ ). Simply running LDD 3.1 won't bring up the 120-MB download; go to http://ldd.lego.com/download/ .

I'm not surprised that there are so few flexible pieces. They're tough to model in 3 dimensions.

From the Lego Education website, it says "The E-Motor is a 9V motor with an internal gearbox. Its 9.5:1 gearing ratio provides a maximum torque of 4.5 Ncm and approximately 800 rotations per minute without load. It also functions as a very efficient generator." It's been "Out of Stock" for months, but I read somewhere that it will be available at the end of 2010. On this Eurobricks post, here is some additional information from Mortymore: Also, Conchas wrote the following on TechnicBRICKS:

On the TexBrick website, there is a 3-section telescoping boom (with a jib) that has these details: From http://www.gaasedal.dk/eng/Mobile_Cranes/Grove_GMK4075.html :

legoMan104 just posted some "Lego Technic #8458 silver truck PF Instructions". He shows how to MOTORIZE the 8458-2 (B-Model) "Silver Truck" with Power Functions elements:

Matcham11 posted of the 10214 Tower Bridge being built in a stop-motion, quick time-lapse version. The first 30 seconds of the video starts out slow, but then the pace picks up considerably. There sure are a lot of those "cheese slopes" !

@ rjk1977: If you look at this Eurobricks topic, and scroll half way down that webpage, you'll see some pictures and a diagram of a 3-section boom. Perhaps you could adapt those ideas into your 4-section boom....

Here's a that "pliikli" just posted for the 8043 B-Model:

On his Flickr photostream, "Orion Pax" posted pictures of his new, small Optimus Prime transformer. He wrote, "Since it´s his and also my 30th Anniversary and I needed to build one in the new scale I decided to build my latest Transformers. Anyway, I thought I just give it a try. As you can see on the comparison shot he is much smaller than the big brother and still has plenty of details to be happy about. "I used lots of parts/technics on him I never used before. I will leave some notes all over the pictures to let you guys know ;) I´m not sure if I will build another trailer. "It´s nice to have for presentation needs but when it comes to storage....I try to keep as much models as possible intact but the dust on the shelfs has another plan."

@ Cpt. Postma: From your Flickr photostream, I noticed that there is an 11-year gap between this "Baby Twin Otter" MOC and your other creations. Did it take 11 years to create this magnificent aircraft, or did you "take a break" from Lego Technic? Please say that you won't ever disassemble this masterpiece!

Very well, please ask TLG about these concerns: 1. Will TLG ever issue a Lego Technic "Ultimate Collector Series" (UCS) set, like it has for other themes? 2. Has any Lego set been produced from the Lego Cuusoo concept? If so, what were the set numbers? 3. Will a Technic set ever be produced in an ORANGE color, instead of the usual Red or Yellow? 4. Will there ever be a successor to the 8880 Super Car (produced in 1994) and the 8448 Super Street Sensation/ Super Car Mk II (from 1999)? Is the upcoming 8070 Technic set (to be released in 1H2011) meant to be that car? 5. When will Lego Digital Designer 4.0 be released? It was going to be released in September, then in October, but there's only 5 days left in the month. Some features were incorporated into the Lego Universe game (released on October 8th), so why the delay? Thank you.

@ Zblj: This is a nice little MOC! I made a Parts List using LDD Manager, and deciphered the small number of LDD "Import Errors" of parts not in the LDD 3.1 parts pallette (see below). The only thing I'm not sure about is the Power Functions battery box. Did you use the standard 54950c02 "Electric 9V Battery Box 4 x 11 x 7 with Orange Switch and Dk Bluish Gray Covers Complete Assembly Power Functions", or the smaller 8878/ 84599 "Electric Battery Box Power Functions (Rechargeable)"? Bricklink Part Number/ Bricklink Name (Quantity) 58123c01 / Light Bluish Gray Electric, Power Functions Receiver Unit with Dk Bluish Gray Bottom, Complete Assembly (1 ea.) 54950c02 / Electric 9V Battery Box 4 x 11 x 7 with Orange Switch and Dk Bluish Gray Covers Complete Assembly Power Functions (1 ea.) 58120c01 / Electric, Motor 9V Power Functions Small with Dk Bluish Gray Bottom (2 ea.)

Hah! I knew somebody could make one -- "Ferrari 599 Limo" (from http://mocpages.com/moc.php/233202 ):

"From: To: ludersdg@msn.com Date: Mon, 25 Oct 2010 10:40:36 -0400 Subject: RE: Lego Ambassador Nomination from Each Eurobricks FORUM? Hi there, I appreciate your question concerning the Ambassador Program. For how groups will be represented it will continue like it does now and Eurobricks currently has an Ambassador with copmike. If Eurobricks chooses him to continue as the groups Ambassador then he will still be in the spot for Eurobricks. Steve Steven Witt Community Development Lead Coordinator LEGO Universe

@ Mickael Sjöstedt: Very well, I will use the Eurobricks "Embassy" Forum. I am not suggesting that you should be REPLACED as a Lego Ambassador; I'm suggesting that someone (who shows more interest in Technic than you do) SUPPLEMENT you as an ADDITIONAL Lego Ambassador. I have sent an e-mail to Steve Witt of TLG that simply says: "Hello, I'm a member of the Eurobricks Technic Forum and was wondering if there may be a nominee from each FORUM for a possible Lego Ambassador position: http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=47767 . There is some disagreement whether the HUGE Eurobricks online community only gets to nominate ONE ambassador, or whether the disparate themes (each a LUG) could possibily nominate their own. The details are within that post. Please advise; thank you. -- David Luders Spokane, Washington USA" I am awaiting his response.

On his Flickr Photostream, TheElement1 posted a cute "Night Fantom" car that has a working V4 engine, Power Functions drivetrain, and steering. You can't get much smaller than that and have all of those features! Video: .