DLuders

@ VMLN8R: If you think that there's no difference between the two Power Functions IR RC units, and you could 8 different trains with one Power Functions (PF) remote, how would that be possible if the standard 8884 Power Functions IR Receiver only has 4 channels? The 7939 Cargo Train set (to be released in August 2010) only comes with one 8884 PF IR Receiver, so unless the RECEIVER has an 8-channel selector switch, how could one IR Remote Control unit independently control 8 different trains? Right now, if one places 8 different Power Functions MOCs within 10 meters (33 feet) of each other, one could only have 4 INDEPENDENT CHANNELS to drive them. I asked the 7939 reviewer (Holodoc) to clarify the 8-channel claim ( http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?...st&p=740643 ). We'll see what he/she says....

@ Holodoc: In regards to the 8-Channel Infrared Remote Control unit, does it REALLY have 8 different channels, or is it the same-old 8879 IR Speed Remote Control (with 2 sets of the same 4 channels) that's been out for a while? The exterior appearance of the 8-channel version (which you photographed and played with) looks the same as the existing 8879 unit. See the side-by-side comparison below. Maybe the insides are wired differently. Could you explain?

Halfway down the review of the upcoming 7939 Cargo Train set ( http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=41847 ), there's this picture and comment about an 8-Channel Power Functions IR RC: "TLC proudly presents the 8 channel IR RC, but for driving one train only, this steering is a bit oversized. The only functions you need is one steering wheel and the stop button. Driving a bigger layout is something completey different though. It's good to see that TLC implemented some spare functions here." This is the same set that will use the smaller (4x8x4) battery box that uses 6 ea. AAA batteries; see picture below. Will the 8-Channel Power Functions Infrared Remote Controller have any useful applications operating a complex Lego Technic MOC? Regular ( 58122c01/ 8885 ) PF remote controllers (pictured below) only have 4 channels. I don't believe that the new 8-channel IR RC unit is the same as the 8879 IR Speed Remote Control (pictured at the bottom-right of the set below). If it were the same, why would the 7939 reviewer make a big deal out of it? They LOOK the same, but are they really? Maybe the insides are different. Does anybody out there know for sure?

Here's a review of the 6270 Forbidden Island set: http://www.adequate.com/lego/reviews/Details/96.shtml . 6264 Forbidden Cove review: http://www.adequate.com/lego/reviews/Details/94.shtml . 6265 Sabre Island reviews: http://www.classic-pirates.com/sets/review...d-by-zorro.html and http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=30422 .

If the Chicken "walked the plank" off of one of these bridges, THAT would be cool....

Nico71 posted his yellow Mini Trial Truck (TT) on his Brickshelf gallery: http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=430688 . This creation uses one Power Functions XL and one PF Medium motor, weighs 950 grams. and sports an inline 2-cylinder (L2) fake engine and eLite light. The battery box (BB) is housed within the frame. It looks like a fun project to build and drive! Video: .Building Instructions (picture sequence of 72 pictures): http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=431825 .

One of the largest single Lego pieces must be the 54093 "Wing Plate 20 x 56 with 6 x 10 cutout" ( http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=54093 ): Even bigger is the 57789 "Boat Hull Unitary 74 x 18 x 7, Base" ( http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=57789 ): Can anybody top that?

Yes, the part that Davey identified above is the 57585 "Technic, Axle Connector Hub with 3 Axles" ( http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=57585 ). If you attach 3 ea. of the 6538c "Technic, Axle Connector (Smooth with x hole + orientation)" ( http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=6538c ) pieces I mentioned in my previous post, you have the option of attaching Technic Axle "spokes" to the ends to form the round turnstile bars.

You could make a woking inline 4-cylinder engine like this: http://www.nicjasno.com/node/559 . Nicjasno has posted instructions for it.

You could insert a long Technic Axle through the center of some 32125 "Technic, Plate Rotor 3 Blade with Smooth Ends and 6 Studs (Propeller)" pieces ( http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=32125 ), then mount long 1x Lego Plates onto the three "arms". You'll need some 6538c "Technic, Axle Connector (Smooth with x hole + orientation)" ( http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=6538c ) to stack the assemblies on top of each other.

The Netherlands is home of "Han", a prolific Lego Technic builder who has made BUILDING INSTRUCTIONS for 8 different MOCs: http://www.designer-han.nl/lego/ . Some are already familiar with his work, but he's built several new models in 2010. All of the following MOCs have MLcad Building Instructions, some have Excel parts lists, and some have Adobe PDF building instructions. Check out his website to see much more about these: Dump Truck 10 x 4 (2009): Drawbar Trailer, 4-Axle (2010): Prinoth Leitwolf NT with Power Functions (2007): ("NT" stands for NEW TRACK system) Prinoth Leitwolf OT (2006 - 2007): ("OT" stands for OLD TRACK system) Slurry Injection Trailer (2008): Tipping Trailer (2009): 8421 XL (2006): Mobile Crane Truck (1982): PLUS Original Mods for Crane Truck Set 8258, Dump Truck Set 8415, Off-Roader Set 8466, and Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano 1:10 Set 8145. A note from his "FAQs" page: "All files for download are compressed with WINrar; where can I find the decompression software? See http://www.rarlab.com for a free trail version. Or download freeware decompression software from http://www.7-zip.org (Microsoft Windows only)."

From now until the end of May 2010, you can vote for your favorite "Bridges" finalist in the May Technic Challenge: http://technic.lego.com/en-us/competition/voting.aspx . Young people came up with some non-conventional ideas; maybe there are some future Civil Engineers among the contestants! Here they are (in no particular order): "Curve Bridge" by bardian -- "It's a regular hang supension bridge in the shape of a curve. The suspension lines can be tightend with 4 pulley's." "The Tower Bridge" by almasipeti -- "My bridge is the model of the Tower Bridge. When a big ship comes, it can be opened like the real one in London." "Draw Bridge" by jayko543 -- "This 20 inch drawbridge can lift to allow boats through, then lower to let cars pass from side to side. The 2 battery boxes double as counterweights as well as power for the lifting motors. 2 IR receivers set on the same channel control the motors. So by using 1 remote, both sides of the bridge lift." "Power Functions Bridge" by rokreder -- "A bridge that can be opened. It is powrerd by an XL-motor, that drives two linear actuators, that move the bridge upp and down. There are two yellow beams that can be moved down to stop cars from falling into the water when the bridge is open." "Bridge and car" by savrem -- "Bridge and car". That tells it all! "The Grey Bridge" by eddiesimson -- "The Grey Bridge has been designed to carry loads of 5.000 kilos." [That's better than Mahjqa can do! ] "|Bridge" by edgars9727 -- "It can rotate 360 degrees. And one bridge part is pulling up." "Bridge in New York" by OkirikO -- "This bridge is equipped with a Battery box and Power Functions Light." "Bridge" by krickrac94 -- "It's a very strong bridge. I put on the roof 4kg, and It don't broken." "amazing drawbridge" by kbarkman -- "This is an amazingly strong drawbridge. You can turn the gear at the back to lift the drawbridge, then let it down again." The Lego Technic Designers Blog said this about this month's competition (from http://technic.lego.com/en-us/Designers/Blog/Default.aspx ): "Another round of the LEGO® Technic Challenge has launched and we have selected 10 new Finalists for all of you to vote on. "We can tell that bridges seem like a slightly harder, or maybe less interesting subject as we didn't have as many submissions as usual - or maybe its the sun and the heat that draws? "As always the selection is a very hard process for us as we have good models to select from, and we hope that you will enjoy the 10 selections we have made. "We also have our usual selection of Adult models, that among others from this month, will participate in the competition in October. "Thank you all for your submissions - stay tuned for the June round!" The blog doesn't have pictures yet of the AFOL entries.

Check out the real Jeep in its natural environment (from Blakbird's Brickshelf folder http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=430531 ). He has created 8 ea. cool renderings of Sariel's Jeep Wrangler Rubicon! I saved one for my computer wallpaper. Awesome, Blakbird! The scene looks like the North Cascade Range in the Pacific Northwest USA!

A77 posted his 13-SPEED truck transmission on his Brickshelf folder http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=418096 . I recall seeing a recent Supercar MOC with 7 speeds, but 13 SPEEDS can really get you down the road! He wrote, "13-speed truck transmission. Original version is used in my Lego 4WD Vehicle and Alternative Setup, containing _alter_ in file name, is for normal truck use with front-mounted engine and rear wheel drive." Long-haul truckers should be sure to check out the larger versions of these Bricklink pictures:

We'll have to check Chris Roach's MOCPages gallery http://www.mocpages.com/folder.php/48551 often to see if he keeps refining his Lego Optimus Prime transformer. Maybe he'll post LDD building instructions for his Version 4 MOC sometime. To see what it looks like, go to http://www.mocpages.com/moc.php/138937 for more pictures like this: . YouTube video of Optimus Prime Version 4 morphing from a robot to a truck: .

Maybe the real answer is NOT TO LIVE WITH the limited selection of Lego springs, but to GET SOME DIFFERENT SPRINGS from the McMaster-Carr Catalog, or some Spring supplier somewhere. More coils or thicker wire --> STIFFER SPRINGS. Does anybody know where to get suitable springs that could work on 6.5L or 9.5L Technic Shock Absorbers? Check out these possibilities: http://www.mcmaster.com/#compression-and-die-springs/=75e4ev .

Atr, I will try the toothed 1/2 bushing mod on my next creation. The video showed three different colors of Lego Technic Shock Absorbers, but there are more colors. Below is a chart that shows the decreasing spring resistance (in grams) of standard shocks. I can't remember where I got it from on the internet. As you noted, yellow is the stiffest (at 1300 grams), Dark Grey is next at 600 grams, then Light Grey at 520 grams and and Dark Turquoise is the weakest at 430 grams. I wonder if placing a toothed 1/2 bushing on a Light Grey shock will make it more stiff than a Dark Grey shock or not.... For the RED 6.5L shock absorber, Bricklink lists Part 731c01 as "Technic, Shock Absorber 6.5L, Complete Assembly (Spring Undetermined)", so I don't know what spring strength it has. The Dark Turquoise 6.5L shock is 731c06, "Technic, Shock Absorber 6.5L, Complete Assembly (Soft Spring)", but apparently it is not as "soft" as the Light Grey shock. The 731c05 6.5L "Normal Spring" shock comes in the "Known Colors" of Dark Grey, Light Grey, and Red. See http://www.bricklink.com/catalogList.asp?q=technic+shock for all of the possibilities.

@ Sariel: I re-downloaded the 53-MB .zip file, and saw Blakbird's 11-page, 393-KB PDF parts list at the very end of the documents enclosed. I missed a few items in my inventory, so now I'll use Blakbird's list to get my parts ordered. It is very detailed (with Part Number, pictures, colors, and Quantities). Sariel and Blakbird make a nice team! Thanks to both of you!

I'm collecting the parts needed to make Sariel's Lego Jeep Wrangler Rubicon model. When looking at his Parts List, I noticed some unfamiliar descriptions of certain parts. In order to get the missing parts from Bricklink. I went ahead and made an Excel spreadsheet that lists the Part Numbers, Bricklink Descriptions, COLORS, and quantities needed to complete the "genuine Sariel" model. There were 14 part numbers that were not quite correct. If somebody wants this list (in either Excel 2003 or Adobe Acrobat PDF format), e-mail me at LudersDG@MSN.com and I'll send it to you. If you want the Excel version, you can add additional columns to keep track of what parts you need, or have ordered from various Bricklink vendors. There's no point in "reinventing the wheel"....

I like its looks and off-road capabilities! Your video music is well done too. The "Ode to 8466" vehicle almost got high-centered at the top of the rock slab, but it got out of the jam with few problems. Your old sports shoes came in handy!

Here's what "Lego911" told me; he uses LDD all the time and creates lots of Lego vehicles with it. "The cheese wedge is next to a 1*1 tile (both upside down). The parts immediately above is a 2*2 'L' also upside down. The 'bottom' of the 'L' is then connected, 1 plate separate from whatever colour/part (sand green, I think) is above, using the 1*1 plate modified with the round 1*1 double side male part (with the double male part as the connected interface). The part I am talking about is used in its normal orientation to connect the fuel tanks of the model. The upside down parts are limited to those described above as being upside down."

After you show your unique MOC to your fellow AFOLs in The Netherlands, folks may want to build another one just like it, or something like this (from http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/sys...d/wolverine.htm )

Стилзкин = Stilzkin = Magnificent! Mahjqa's Flickr page has more about this incredible MOC: http://www.flickr.com/photos/28134808@N02/4611677366/ . I'm really impressed by the TORQUE it generates to rotate the bridge.

Blending the Lego RC unit with Power Functions motors seems to be the best of both worlds. One can operate the MOC outside in bright sunlight (without interference from the sun's infrared rays), and drive it further than 10 meters (33 feet) away from the transmitter. I like the "Technic Power" tires!

I work at a U.S. Air Force base where there are several different fire Crash Response vehicles. From the website http://www.olive-drab.com/od_mvg_vehicle_id_fire.php , are you making a P-15 or a P-23 truck? Either way, the real deals have awesome acceleration and power.