DLuders

@ Superkalle: I just tried LDD Manager for the first time on Zblj's Lynx Trial Truck 10 model, and it generated a parts list in no time! It's a great time-saver; I used to pore over each and every page of the LDD Building Guide Mode to tally up each individual part. When I once had to spend 3 HOURS making a Parts List, now LDD Manager can do it in less than 5 minutes. Thanks for all the work you did on this software!

Great credit is due to "bpavsic" for making a MONSTER TRUCK (Trial Truck 006) in Lego Digital Designer and in real life! It's not easy making an LDD file of a Technic MOC; only Zblj (and now bpavsic) seems to be proficient at this. The 4-wheel-drive truck uses 2 ea. Power Functions XL motors and 1 ea. Medium motor, and it has full suspension: http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=431866 . After you view the 16 photos on that Brickshelf gallery, be sure to save the LDD .lxf file -- you can build this MOC using LDD's building instructions! YouTube video: .Lego Digital Designer .lxf File: TTB006_Model.lxf

As you noted in Peeron.com ( http://peeron.com/inv/parts/6191 ), Part 6191 ('Brick 1 x 4 x 1 & 1/3 with Curved Top') has not been made in a Brown color, or included in any official set. It would appear that the single Bricklink vendor who has it is the only source for the part. If you REALLY want it, you'll have to deal with him/her ( http://www.bricklink.com/store.asp?sID=516...itemID=17410636 ). The cost of $2.70/brick may be warranted due to its rarity. Bricklink doesn't list Brown as being one of the "Known Colors" for Part 6191: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=6191 , so if it REALLY EXISTS, then Bricklink and Peeron need to be updated.

Are you familiar with the free PicToBrick software http://www.pictobrick.de/en/pictobrick.shtml ? You can take any digital picture and "pixelize" it into Lego tiles. I've used it, and it's great!

@ Paul B: If you want PDFs on Technic Building INSTRUCTIONS, then here's the site for you: http://us.service.lego.com/en-US/BuildingI...ns/default.aspx [NOTE: Click on this link TWICE to get past the default Lego homepage). That Lego Customer Service website has MOST (but not all) building instructions for the various sets. Use Blakbird's excellent Technicopedia ( http://www.ericalbrecht.com/technic/ ) to easily find the numbers for Technic sets. If you want PDFs of Technic Building TECHNIQUES, e-mail me at LudersDG@MSN.com and I'll send you various items I've downloaded over the years (but can't recall where I got them exactly).

@ skaako: Are you familiar with the RCX "Updated USB Tower Windows Drivers" available from the website of "Philo" (Phillippe Hurbain)? Maybe it's possible to alter the CODE behind the USB Tower, and make your wireless setup even better. Check it out his webpage http://philohome.com/sdk25/sdk25.htm .

In the TECHNIC theme, I predict that there will be a "Super Car III" set -- one which is a FLAGSHIP with ~1,500 parts and Power Functions driving motors. It will have full remote-control steering and 2-speed transmission, independent suspension, gullwing doors, V-8 or V-10 engine, etc. -- a worthy successor to the 8880 "Super Car" set from 1994 and the 8448 "Super Street Sensation/ Super Car Mk II" set from 1999.

The "Goonies" movie was set in Astoria, Oregon USA (not too far from here). Can you IMAGINE a Lego Minifig of this fellow?

There are several Lego Digital Designer (LDD) official set building instruction model files available from this thread: http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?...st&p=727293 . If you scroll down the "Index of Sets", you can see several LDD .lxf files for the "Castle" and "Modular Buildings" themes. If you don't have Lego Digital Designer, it's available for free download. Read all about it at the "Lego Digital Designer Index Thread" http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=39841 . To get some TEMPLATES on which to build your creation, go to the Lego DesignByMe Gallery http://designbyme.lego.com/en-us/Gallery/default.aspx (press this link TWICE to get past the Lego homepage). Use the dropdown menu to search for "Buildings" -- maybe there are some castles and medieval structures available to modify. For the PIRATES theme, there are quite a few sets with instructions and parts inventories catalogued at http://peeron.com/cgi-bin/invcgis/psearch?...&limit=none . You could type the term "Castle" into the Peeron.com "Search" box to come up with a similar list. Building instructions are available at http://www.brickfactory.info/ . Happy hunting!

The 8049 "Tractor with Log Loader" pneumatic set ( http://shop.lego.com/ByTheme/Product.aspx?...;cn=57&d=70 ) is roughly the same scale (1:18) as the 8274 Combine Harvester ( http://shop.lego.com/Product/?p=8274 , which says it measures 17" (43 cm) long). See the Tractor with Log Loader animation at http://technic.lego.com/en-us/Products/default.aspx .

@Kalapixie (Melody): Lego did not discontinue Pneumatics. In fact, there is a current Set #8049 "Tractor wih Log Loader" available now for ~$US60. If you go to this Lego Shop at Home (S@H) website http://shop.lego.com/ByTheme/Product.aspx?...;cn=57&d=70 and select YOUR COUNTRY in the dropdown menu at the top-center part of that webpage, you can have one delivered to you this week. There is a nice animation of it at http://technic.lego.com/en-us/Products/default.aspx . If you need Lego Technic PNEUMATIC pieces or older (discontinued) sets, go to http://www.bricklink.com , select "Catalog" from the dropdown menu at the top of that page, and type in the word "pneumatic" . You can see what is available from the Unofficial Lego Marketplace worldwide! Instructions for MOST Lego sets are available from either http://www.brickfactory.info/ , and parts inventories are available from http://peeron.com/ . Happy hunting!

I recently took photographs of a Lego car ~4" wide x 8" long x 2-1/2" high, and tried various things: 1) Taking a flash picture of it inside a white bookshelf (to get even lighting via flash "bounce" off of the white surfaces) 2) Outside on a porch railing 3) Outside on the wet underside of a canoe 4) Outside on a wet hood of a car. The best pictures were the ones taken OUTSIDE on wet surfaces (to provide a "mirror image" of the Lego car). Cloudy days would provide more even lighting than bright sunshine (when shadows may be troublesome). Any daytime outdoor lighting situation will be MUCH BETTER than taking flash pictures inside. The "depth of field" (range of focus) will be better, and the colors will be more vibrant. The secret to taking a good picture is to take LOTS OF THEM. With digital photography, the extra "photos" don't cost anything other than your time. I must have taken 60 pictures of my Lego car before settling on the best 8 pictures.

Here is a video of the V-8 Engine in action: .

Ever wished that you could get a Lego TECHNIC T-shirt that you could be proud to wear? I've been to Legoland California twice, and to 3 regional Lego shows in the Pacific Northwest of the USA, and there just isn't very many different LEGO T-shirts available with designs suitable for AFOLs. Nevertheless, here is a good source of TECHNIC T-shirts: http://www.characterplanet.co.uk/retro-bra...s/cp-10189.html : Does anybody know of any other sources?

If you look at the Lego Shop at Home (S@H) website http://shop.lego.com/ByTheme/ and make sure that "Ireland" is selected in the dropdown menu at the top-center of that webpage, you can see what sets are available in Ireland. I'm not sure what theme you're interested in -- good luck!

Here's one of four TECHNIC models that can be built from the 8022 TECHNIC Starter Set -- an airplane. Taxiing the airplane's wheels on the ground turns the propeller. The 117-piece set from 1993 can also build a race car, a robot, and a tow truck. See the page-by-page building instruction scans at http://www.brickfactory.info/set/index.html if you want to build any or all of these models with spare parts that you already have on hand. Modelling the airplane in LDD 3.1 wasn't too bad; the main challenge was to mesh the various gears and rotate the canopy into alignment. Due to a lack of TECHNIC parts selection within LDD 3.1 "LEGO Universe Mode", I had to substitute 32013 for 3651 TECHNIC Connectors, and the smallest-available wheels that had a TECHNIC axle hole instead of the proper 3482c02 wheels. Image from Instructions Image from Bricklink Big Size image Extra images: here, here. Lego Digital Designer (LDD) .lxf file: 8022_Airplane.

Barman has posted photo-sequence building instructions of his highly-detailed V-8 ENGINE made from Lego Technic parts. The first of 11 PAGES' worth of photographs starts with http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery....=289023&n=0 . There is even a subfolder that shows how to use a Power Functions M-Motor to automate the pistons using RC. Blakbird's Brickshelf folder has renders, MPD file, the PDF parts list, and a detailed readme.txt description of the engine: http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=373965 . Blakbird wrote, "This is a MOC designed by barman (http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=276743) which is a working model of a V-8 engine. It does not actually produce power, rather it is powered by a single electric motor which turns the engine. A 9V train speed regulator serves as a throttle control to adjust speed. I built the MPD file from scratch using the photographic instructions produced by Barman. - Crank Shaft: This is a crossplane crank shaft (4 crank pins at 90 degrees orientation). The crank pins are arranged in the order of a "standard" American V-8 engine. - Pistons: The 8 pistons are each made from a pair of Model Team wheels. - Cam Shafts: This engine has 4 overheads cams, 2 in each head. Each pair of valves (intake and exhaust) open at the same time and are 180 degrees out of phase. - Valves: There are 32 valves. The upper valves (nearer the valley) are intake and the lower valves (nearer the motor mounts) are exhaust valves. - Rockers: The 16 rocker arms are spring loaded via blue elastic bands (not pictured) to close the valves. Contact with the cam shaft roller drives them down and opens the valves. - Distributor: The distributor uses a Technic fiber optics element to simulate the firing of the coil. The power for the fiber optic light comes from a separate 9V battery pack so that it does not change intensity as a funciton of motor speed. A chain (fan belt) driven by the harmonic balancer rotates the fiber optic element. Pneumatic tubes represent the spark plug wires and run to each cylinder through a series of looms. The spark plugs enter through the top of the head suggesting that this V-8 is a hemi. - Heads: These images show the heads with the cams, rockers, and valves installed. - Block: The engine block is constructed almost entirely from studless beams and angle connectors. The water jacket looks a bit leaky. - Intake Manifolds: There are two intake manifolds which each contain 4 individual single barrel carbeurators. - Exhaust Manifolds: The exhaust manifolds are equal length headers which are made up of 2x2 round plates placed over a flexible axle. - Fan: There's a 6 blade fan with a significant pitch constructed from a pair of 3 blade rotors. It is driven by the same shaft which drives the distributor. - Flywheel: The back of the block holds a bell housing containing a flywheel represented by a motorcycle wheel. It could be argued that this is actually a torque converter, but I can't tell without seeing the transmission. "So how big is this thing? Take a look at (size.jpg) [sHOWN ABOVE] and you will see that it is huge; as big as the 8275 bulldozer." Does anybody want to drop one of these V-8s into their next Technic MOC?

"Primus" has another way of increasing the diameter of Lego Technic tire/wheel combinations -- use 3L Technic Pins with Friction: http://www.flickr.com/photos/prhymus/4115727593/ .

"grohl666" made this Lego Technic parrot using just the parts form the 8294 Excavator set (pictured below). The parrot's head can turn and gears flap the wings made of Technic treads. There are 12 pictures on his Brickshelf gallery http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=360680 ; a few appear here: "Polly want a cracker?" Well done, grohl666!

Although TLG is the world's largest tire manufacturer BY VOLUME, it only has a certain number of tire models (from http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=318746 ): [NOT SHOWN: the green 47349c04 "Wheels 72 x 34, with Lime Tire 72 x 34 Balloon Offset Tread" ( http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemInv.asp?P=47349c04 )]. If you want larger wheels for your MOC, here are some ideas to consider: 1) Use RC wheels. You can "fix" a Lego Technic Axle into a round hole using this technique (from greatlemon's Brickshelf folder http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=338030 ): 2) Make a BIG Technic Wheel. From 212001's folder http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=488767 : 3) Build Even LARGER Wheels. quilkin has some good ideas on his folder http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=422395 : 4) Strengthen Your Balloon Tires. Fill in the empty space inside your balloon tires so that they can take more weight and not "crush" (from jerry-m's gallery http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=4257829 ): 5) Make Omnidirectional Wheels with Smaller Wheels. Go forwards and SIDEWAYS with these composite wheels (from klima94's gallery http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=4446779 ): 6) Stretch Balloon Tires to Larger Diameter. Make a fat balloon tire into a tall, skinnier tire. "Ultra-stretched 94.8 x 44 balloon tires 54120" (from REDNAXELA74's gallery http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=388260 ):

The "Curve Bridge" by "bardian" was selected as the May 2010 Lego Technic Challenge winner: http://technic.lego.com/en-us/Competition/...ontentid=186883 .

I like your use of the green 47349c04 "Wheels 72 x 34, with Lime Tire 72 x 34 Balloon Offset Tread" ( http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemInv.asp?P=47349c04 ). The massive tires measure 3.75" (9.5cm) wide and ~13 studs across! They came with the 8675 Outdoor Challenger set (seen below), but your MOC is much more impressive! Climbing a 55-degree angle slope is no easy feat.

As noted in this EB post 3 weeks ago, the new battery box WILL come in handy!

I think that you should sell them on eBay, to get worldwide exposure. I just did a search using the terms "Lego Custom Set", and got 111 hits ( http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nkw=lego+cust...3286.m270.l1313 ). This fellow had good luck selling instructions for his custom aircraft creations: http://shop.ebay.com/hancocksh73/m.html?_n...from=&_ipg= .

My son built the 8458 Silver Champion alternate model, and likes it a lot: