DLuders

Did TLG say "why" they wanted the images removed? It can't be that they expect MegaBlocks to produce something similar. There's GOT to be a reason. Jacking-around AFOLs (the very people with the money to buy these sets) makes for poor customer relations, in my opinion.

Have you been to a Lego convention and seen the "Rube Goldberg"-type Lego "Great Ball Contraptions" (GBCs) passing a ball around? The devices are built with key Lego Technic pieces. Part of the attraction of Lego Technic is to see the GEARS and MECHANISMS, and these contraptions sure provide that. The website http://greatballcontraption.com/ dares one to dream, "How complicated a way can you transfer Lego soccer balls from basket to another?" There are these GBC standards that ensure that one AFOL's module can properly interface with another. They are usually built on 32x32 Lego baseplates. There are lots of ideas on various GBC designs. The sheer variety of possibilities boggle the mind. Here are two of the better GBC videos out there:

Well, whung's photo got "taken down" from Post #1 at the request of The Lego Group . This is the second time this has happened; Amazon.com Japan had a picture that was taken down too in June. What's the deal with this set? Is the design still changing? I don't recall having so much secrecy with any other recent set. Anyway, whung's photo was reposted by VWBeetle on this Brickshelf gallery: http://www.brickshel...y.cgi?i=4576615 . If you're thinking about buying this set, recommend copying the image to your hard drive because TLG seems to be on a purge campaign!

@ Jurgen Krooshoop: Here's some more information about the Lego Mindstorms Drum Machine NXT-606: http://createdigitalmusic.com/2010/07/26/brilliant-lego-mindstorms-drum-machine-nxt-606-new-video/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+createdigitalmusic+%28createdigitalmusic.com%29

Spending too much time in front of your computer? Neglecting your chores? Well, get up and move! Lego Technic men can boogie too!

Legoland California (USA) has this model of the Sydney Opera House. The rumored new model can't be THIS big, can it?

I like your sense of humor, grohl! Can you make your astronaut do the "Lego Macarena"?

@ eMHA: Here's the direct link to the YouTube video: .

This LDD Contest Voting Notice prompts all Eurobricks members to select the best Lego Digital Designer (LDD) Contest entries. Superkalle wrote, "Each member who registered on Eurobricks before June 3rd, 2010 can vote. Members who joined after that date are ineligible to vote. Contestants may not vote for themselves, but are welcome to vote for other entries if they want. The voting will end on the 12th of August at 21:00 CET." Of note are these three Lego Technic builders that we know -- Silcantar, Zblj, and LegoDejc: In the "LDD ONLY" Contest Category : Theme: Technic Designer: Silcantar EntryID: 139 Name: Chevy Pickyp More pics and info: http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=42617&view=findpost&p=756977 LDD .lxf Building file: http://mocpages.com/user_images/17928/1276565642m.lxf In the "LDD+REAL BRICKS" Contest Category : Theme: Technic Designer: Zblj EntryID: 226 Name: Off-road truck More pics and info: http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=42617&view=findpost&p=753087 Theme: Technic Designer: LegoDejc EntryID: 227 Name: Crane Truck More pics and info: http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=42617&view=findpost&p=768941 Theme: Technic Designer: Silcantar EntryID: 228 Name: 1932 Ford Model B Roadster More pics and info: http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=42617&view=findpost&p=770534

Wow -- a meter-long Lego Technic truck! Yes, please do take more pictures to highlight the features you mentioned. At first glance, the modules at the front of the trailer LOOK like they could be multiple Lego Power Functions Battery Boxes. Are you SURE that this beautiful MOC cannot be motorized? Maybe they use these Foremost Commanders in the Alberta Tar Sands area north of Fort McMurray, AB, Canada.

Losing track of time while building Lego? You can make this real Lego Technic Clock mechanism. On the website http://staff.science.uva.nl/~leo/lego/clock.html , Leo Dorst posted drawings on how to make it -- they're reprinted below. Thiagot5/ T5 made an excellent video which has on-screen ANNOTATIONS that explain how it works. CLOCK HANDS -- "The two hands of a clock need to turn on the same axle, in the same direction, with the minute hand 12 times faster than the hour hand. This minimum setup achieves these objectives nicely. The crucial part is the 16-tooth gear with the round hole in it, found in the Super Car and other LEGO TECHNIC® sets": ESCAPEMENT ASSEMBLY [Cogged Gears] - "I have three different designs for escapement wheels. Since each takes a large number of similar parts, you may need to choose carefully (you want to pick the one that gives you the best excuse for buying more LEGO!)." See http://staff.science.uva.nl/~leo/lego/escapement.html for all three designs with detailed pictures, explanations, and Parts Lists. CLOCK COGWHEEL ASSEMBLIES (two to choose from) -- "This cogwheel permits you to raise the weights of a clock without affecting its running; the proper way to mount the weights is sketched on the drawing for the complete clock": "Here is an alternative design, using more modern (1997) parts and waiving the need for the large gear (which is rather rare in sets)": TOTAL CLOCK -- "Then, when you have all the parts, you may want to build the actual clock. I have not done this, but Eric Harshbarger went all the way (with his own different designs for the internals) and built a real-size Grandfather clock! .... "This is a flat clock, with (apart from some detail in the hands assembly) all axles in one plane. This is done for clarity; it is obviously possible to make everything more compact. I have labelled gears on independent axles by different colors. "The weight you will need depends on the friction; a weight of 2-5 kg should suffice. The LEGO chainlinks will not take much more anyway; when you try this out, put a pillow on the floor underneath your weight, it prevents dents! In my version, the weight drops quite a bit, and I can not really run the clock for longer than an hour before it needs to be raised. If I could let the chain take more (for instance by two parallel chains), then I could overcome more friction and therefore put in a larger delay. But I doubt that the friction can be overcome enough to require recharging only once a day. Hey, it's only LEGO; this is just the principle. But let me know how long you can make it run... "As weight for the pendulum you can use a standard Lego weight, or a LEGO motor. You need to adjust the period to your needs. "Not all of you may have as many large 40-tooth gears as this example requires. You can replace them by more smaller gears, of course. As long as the total gear ratio is close to the one here, you can do the rest by adjusting the pendulum weight. But the more gears, the more friction!"

Before Lego MINDSTORMS and Power Functions, there was the Lego Technic Control Center II. Set 8485 (released in 1995) had an ANIMATRONIC DINOSAUR as one of its alternate builds. Consisting of 1,093 pieces and costing US$219 at the time, the dinosaur's movements could be programmed. Toyshansolo/ Brucewaynelego posted the video below to display its capabilities. It has Technic Flex Cables in its neck. One can hear the dino producing a roar! Did anybody have this set (or still has it)? If so, could you provide some additional insight into the Control Center II's functions (which seemed quite advanced for the Year 1995)? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AytevjfrgkM Blakbird's detailed review of the 8485 Technic Control Center II set: http://www.ericalbrecht.com/technic/8485.html .

In case you missed this from last summer, Marvin G. posted many pictures and details about his Lego Technic 1:7 scale SuperCar. DETAILS: * More than 3,000 LEGO parts * Two months of building * Length: 64 cm (~25 inches) * Width: 25 cm (~10 inches) * Height: 17 cm (Normal); 15 cm (lowrider) (6-3/4" and ~6" respectively) * Weight: 2.8 kg (6.2 pounds!) FEATURES: * All-Wheel Drive * 5 Speed Gearbox with Reverse * Working V-12 engine * Working Brakes and Handbrake for each wheel * Electric LED Headlights * Differential Lock (for middle Differential) * Pneumatic Convertible Top * Independent Adjustable Suspension (Lowrider) * Gullwing Doors * Openable Hood NOTABLE LEGO TECHNIC PARTS USED: * 4 Light bricks * 2 Motors * 4 Pole reversers * 1 9V battery box * 5 pneumatic cylinders * 2 pumps * 5 Valves / switches * 10 shock absorbers * 3 Differentials * 4 Transmission rings * 5 universal joints Here are just a few of the 43 PICTURES available on MOCPages ; be sure to visit that site to get a full appreciation of this SuperCar!

I like it! The currently-available Lego Technic 8045 Set (Mini Telehandler) "B-Model" is a "Trike" motorcycle with 117 parts, so I'm guessing that your 8045 Mod will have extra parts if you decide to make a yellow-and-black version. I like the white-and-black color scheme of your motorcycle. Although I like LDD Manager to create parts lists, if any of the parts have an "Import Error" then one may have to use 8045's Peeron Parts Inventory to know what parts you need to buy from Bricklink.

The Lego Technic Set 8461 (Williams F1 Racer) had all-blue stickers: http://cgi.ebay.com/Williams-F1-Racer-8461-lego-decal-sticker-sheet-/390097039581?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5ad39870dd .

The Toys R Us USA online store has restocked the Lego 8043 Motorized Excavator: http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4057231 . Alas, they don't ship to anywhere else other than the USA. I ordered my son's copy of this set from them, and it arrived a few days ago in good shape. Price is US$199.99 (before applicable sales taxes) -- Free Shipping. This set still is not offered by Shop.Lego.com to USA customers, so this is the best option to get one right now. The local Toys R Us retail store doesn't stock large, expensive sets like this.

@ Zblj: Well, you asked for it -- Lego Guillotine Instructions on MOCPages

@ Jetro: I like that video! I found the "Making Music with the NXT" on the Domabotics.com website: http://domabotics.com/makingmusic . It has a link to download sample pages. "Looking for new and exciting activities to extend your LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT system? "This book will take you, step by step, through the construction and programming of a variety of fun and engaging musical instruments. Each chapter addresses a different way to make music, and provides suggestions for further projects. Chapters include: Onboard speaker Rotation Sensor Ultrasonic Sensor Percussion Instruments Drums Trumpet "Complete building instructions for the Trumpet and Xylophone player"

If you are not using LDD v3.1 in "Lego Universe" mode, you need to check out this Eurobricks post . LDD's LU mode has ~1,400 bricks in its parts pallette; more are coming in September 2010 with the release of LDD v4.0. To ease your frustration, check all of the useful topics in the LDD Index Thread .

If you need the two CDs that originally came with the Lego Technic Turbo Command 8428 set, you could get them here: http://cgi.ebay.com/vintage-LEGO-8428-Technic-Turbo-Command-Disc-1998-2CD-/200498660431?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2eaea6c44f .

It's summertime in the Northern Hemisphere, and folks are cooking on their outdoor barbeques. Need a light? These deviant Lego bricks have morphed themselves into Lego Technic Flamethrowers! As the saying goes, "Don't Try This At Home!" I guess these folks had too many bricks on their hands.... TheKaspall's MOC: David Hyman's MOC (story, pics, and videos on MOCPages and 10 photos at Brickshelf ):

"The NeXT Blues" is a song by Lego Mindstorms NXT bricks playing a group of real musical instruments! "Organfairy" explains: "First of all: I didn't pay for all this myself! The MindStorms phenomenon had it's 10 year anniversary recently and through my involvement with MindStorms I was encouraged to do a new music video. The materials were borrowed on the condition that the MindStorms team could use the result it if they wanted too. The "band" is inspired by another YT featured robot band called "the Trons" and this is the LEGO version of it. The melody the robots - and me dressed in NXT colours - are playing is called "the NeXT blues". Please note the lights in the keyboard. I though about making a semi-circular keyboard like J.M.Jarre's. But it's hard to make a circular interface from square bricks...." Don't have any real instruments? Peter Cocteau programmed his Lego Mindstorms NXT brick to create programmable drum music. He explains his "NTX-606" creation (and offers the downloadable program) on NXTasy . Highlights: -Monophonic sample based drum machine -24 percussion and Fx sounds -Sampling rate: 8Khz -memory: 96 measures -control: 2 rotation sensor +NXT buttons -hacked loud speaker to mono output: jack 6,35mm -Editor: NXT-G -Real time operation I wonder what musician "Jurgmeister" thinks about these videos?!

Here is The Lego Group's own "Lego Timeline" company history: http://www.lego.com/eng/info/default.asp?page=timeline . There is also this 19-page downloadable PDF document entitled "LEGO Company -- Facts and Figures". It has some introspective discussion about the Year 2000 timeframe: http://cache.lego.com/downloads/aboutus/LEGO_company_profile_UK.pdf .

Yes, I was thinking "HiTechnic" too. You can read all about the HiTechnic products at http://www.hitechnic.com/ .

I looks real good. Are you using Lego Digital Designer (LDD), LDRAW, or some other program for your design renders?