DLuders

[bUMP] In addition to the 25 alternates shown in the original post above, bymanstudio added 5 more MOC alternates to the Lego 4094 set, to make 30 alternates total! On his , he added:"26. Frog 27. Paper Airplane Launcher 28. Battle Tops 29. Pendulum Clock 30. Catapult I put this extra part to this set for more playability: - Rubber Band Large x2 - Axle Size 12 x2 - Axle Joiner x2" He's now only ONE MOC away from Grohl's 31 alternates that were built for the 8271 set....

@ Rodeown: This Bot Bench article on the upcoming Mindsensors Glidewheel-M says "The GlideWheel-M will cost $29.95 when it goes on sale." Xander wrote, "The mailman brought me a cool new toy to play with this afternoon! It’s the Mindsensors GlideWheel-M! These are so cool, you can now use the Large XL Power Functions motor with the same degree of accuracy as an NXT motor. The GlideWheel-M is just a single unit thick and fits very nicely onto the motor. You can mount it in any orientation you like. It’s really easy to use; if you know how to use an NXT motor, you can use this." In response to some of the comments there, he added "It’s acts as an encoder but I think it uses the same technology as the upcoming angle sensors they’re planning to release with a similar package....just use them as a regular motor. Easy as anything!

Technicmad (Nathan Thom) recently posted these two new Rebrickable features on his Blog: "There are several new features I’ll talk about here, with all of them pretty tightly connected. It’s taken some massive backend code rewriting to enable these features which is why there have been no other big updates in a while." "MOC Designer -- The MOC Designer page is where you can submit your creation so the rest of us can build it. It’s been around for a while, but now has several improvements. "Adding parts to your MOC has been simplified as much as I can. There is also a lot that happens behind the scenes to analyse the parts in your MOC to make sure it is buildable in real life. Designers commonly create MOCs in Lego Digital Designer or similar tool using parts in colors that you can’t actually buy anywhere...." Read more about it, and see his demonstration pictures here. He also added a feature for "Private MOCs -- A new feature that is now available are Private MOCs. These are MOCs that any user can create for their own private use. The full functionality of the MOC Designer shown above is available for Private MOCs...." Again, read more about it on his Blog.

@ Tomik: Thanks for sharing your Building Instructions! As usual, they are very well done.

@ efferman: Hey, where have you been lately? The original 8855 Prop Plane (first picture below) has the Technic Figure, different engine, and different pontoon struts:

Technicmad (Nathan Thom) has added Designer-Han's Articulated Hauler 6x6 to Rebrickable.com's MOC page. You can build your own, using the PDF Building Instructions and Parts List available there. His Dump Truck 10x4 has been added to Rebrickable too: The Dump Truck 10x4 has been submitted to Lego Cuusoo -- click on the Cuusoo logo below to show your support:

@ dokludi: Your allows Technic AFOLs to compare the driving abilities of your MOC with the new 9398 4x4 Crawler set. One can see how your MOC (made WITHOUT the upcoming PF "Large" and "Servo" motors) compares to the 9398's new PF components. HobbymediaIT's is on the right, showing the 9398 set at Toy Fair 2012. You can actually play BOTH videos below at the same time; recommend starting the leftmost video at the 1:00 point and then starting the rightmost video: It seems that the proportional steering of the new PF Servo Motor is more precise in the orange/white 9398 4x4 Crawler. Also, it seems to be geared for faster driving speeds than the red replica....

@ Sariel: It's nice to see your LUGPol Trial Truck videos! The April 2012 Polish Truck Trial topic you were seeking is here. @ others: The LUGPol Trial Truck Championship Regulations are posted (in English) here. @ Sariel: What is the difference between your LUGPol Trial Truck Championship events and "Cross-Country" events? I could not find any "regulations" for the "cross-country" events....

I don't have any proof of this, but perhaps The Lego Group wants to SEE (keystroke by keystroke) how users of Lego Digital Designer use the software. There may be a keystroke logger function. Since we all agreed to the License Agreement, maybe TLG's LDD programmers see WHAT we want to build and HOW SUCCESSFUL we are in building it....

As shown in this Eurobricks post and Rebrickable, you could make a Lego Hoberman Sphere (to form a 3-dimensional head shape). Put some eyes, nose, and mouth on the sphere and you've got an (adjustable-size) Lego Technic Head! You already wrote that you "really fancy building one of these!" anyway.

On his website, Sheepo is seeking input about POSSIBLY publishing PDF Building Instructions for MOCs like his Lego Technic Land-Rover Defender 110, Porsche 911, Mini Cooper, and Bugatti Veyron Lego Technic models. Please go there to answer these questions: "Lego Instructions Survey" "Please take few minutes to answer this poll. Thanks. "Before that, please read these lines: - Of course everyone will can see the complete part list before to get any instructions. - Everyone who has get an instruction will have a full technical support for any questions about that model. "After a lot of request about my MOC's intructions, I think this could be moment. The easiest way to distribute them is throw a .PDF file. To know if the effort worths it I ask you to fill this survey as sincerely as possible. Thanks a lot. "Are you interesed in building MOCs? "Are you interested in building some of the MOCs showed in the website sheepo.es? "Would you like to have instructions for building the most important MOCs showed in the website sheepo.es? "Do you prefer the models with all functions MOTORIZED, or you think that will be fine if you can get instructions for more simple version with all MANUAL functions? You must think that less parts and motors means it will cheaper to built Maybe to avoid some legal problems, I must change some light details of the bodywork and the name of the models(leaving the rest intact), Are you even interested in the instructions? "You should realized that doing intructions requires a lot of work, would you be willing to pay to get the intructions? "Talking about intructions in .PDF, choose the price you think is correct. To get a reference, the Porsche 911 has around 3600 parts, the Veyron around 3000, the Land-Rover Defender around 2800 and the Mini around 1800. Would you be willing to pay "<10 €/$, 10-20 €/$, 20-30 €/$, 30-40 €/$, or >40 €/$ for: * MOTORIZED version's MOC with around 1500 parts * MANUAL version's MOC with around 1500 parts, * MOTORIZED version's MOC with around 3000 parts * MANUAL version's MOC with around 3000 parts."

"I must warn you, allanp, that using MY 43363 HELMET may interfere with "The Force"!"

On his Flickr photostream, V&A Steamworks posted this picture on his "Penny Farthing" bicycle. Note his use of (diassembled) Lego Technic Universal Joints to attach onto the Hailfire Droid wheel: From the "comment" boxes that people posted on the Flickr photo, V&A Steamworks (Guy H.) wrote, "YEP, the big droid wheel is 'tensioned' by the outward squeeze of all ( 8 ) spokes. The two spoke sets are offset at the middle pivot to also create some left/right tension and hold the whole connection true. It took a while to debug ( I tried a couple of other approaches that I wasn't happy with ). The final one shown here works like ACES. The U-Joints are a bit of a pain to disassemble...." The 10288 Connector could be used for a "bicycle wheel" or "Ferris Wheel"-type setup, where stacks of the 10288 Connectors could be rotated SLIGHTLY to allow numerous spokes to go outwards from a common center:

@ Theo van Vroenhoven: Yes, you could probably re-create the model -- fourlord did it in Lego Digital Designer (LDD) on this Eurobricks post earlier in this topic. Just be sure to credit Nathanael Kuipers when done!

I cannot access the LDRAW.org website either. I'm getting this error message: "Fatal error: mysql error: [2000: mysqlnd cannot connect to MySQL 4.1+ using the old insecure authentication. Please use an administration tool to reset your password with the command SET PASSWORD = PASSWORD('your_existing_password'). This will store a new, and more secure, hash value in mysql.user. If this user is used in other scripts executed by PHP 5.2 or earlier you might need to remove the old-passwords flag from your my.cnf file] in CONNECT(qs829.pair.com, '****', '****', peeron_postnuke) in /usr/www/users/peeron/ldraw/PostNuke-0.763/html/includes/classes/adodb/adodb-errorhandler.inc.php on line 77"

@ dshreyas: If you are going to frame your 96x96 mosaic anyway, recommend gluing the Lego 628 X-Large Gray Baseplates onto a thin plywood backing (to prevent flexing). Many Lego mosaic MOCs use 1x1 Plates instead of 1x1 Tiles (to keep the cost down). The 1x1s have good "clutching" power onto the baseplate -- you don't need glue (which would probably ooze out behind the 1x1s and create a mess).

@ captainmib: If you're still open to suggestions about your Space Shuttle crane arm, recommend replacing the oversized Technic Turntable with the smaller, mini turntable (Bricklink parts 99010 + 99009). The large one is perhaps too big for this scale, and is taking up valuable room. As seen on this TechnicBRICKS article, the mini turntable can rotate via an axle passing through the lower section: ...and there is room in the center to pass a free-spinning axle: ...or a Linear Actuator (full size or mini LA): AVCampos continued by saying that "We can have a U-joint, axle joiner or other wider-than-axle elements partially inside the turntable:"

That's Paul Boratko's Lego Technic Porsche 997 GT3 (described on his webpage). It was discussed on the Eurobricks topic titled "Looks like Paul did it again...", and it features: "•6 speed transmission •"Hand of God" steering system with functional Dash Steering Wheel •Flat 6 Rear mounted Engine •Full Independent Suspension •Opening Hood, Doors and Trunk"

@ captainmib: What do you have in mind for the NOSE of your Red Star Space Shuttle? There is this (non-TECHNIC) 87613pb004 "Aircraft Fuselage Curved Forward 6 x 10 Top with Space Shuttle Pattern" that is too small for your MOC:

@ captainmib: I like the red-hot underside of your Space Shuttle! I believe that the manual operation is controlled by turning the (wheel-like) rear engine nozzles -- very clever! Are you trying to keep your MOC 100% Technic? If not, there are Lego 4x4x6 Quarter Cylinders that could form your cargo doors. The Canada Arm on the real Space Shuttle is attached to the side of the Cargo Bay; this may be difficult to replicate in your model since there is not a lot of room left: The 8480 Space Shuttle set seems to be about the same size as your MOC:

For those not familiar with Aanchir's Lego Technic Sprocket Wheel Template, here it is (on this Eurobricks post): "LDD file (includes sprocket wheel wrapped in 6 tread pieces, straight length of 12 tread pieces, and green alignment tool) User's Guide (step-by-step instructions, including tips on avoiding snags)." From Aanchir's Brickshelf gallery, his User's Guide says: "Hi! I'm Aanchir, and I created this template. This template is for building models on LDD that require part 57520 (the small sprocket wheel) and part 57518 (the tread). To use this template: 1) Download the file 2) Remove one or more of the tread pieces that surround the sprocket wheel so that it's no longer a complete loop. I recommend removing one of the 60-degree tread pieces so there's a horizontal tread to connect to. 3) Connect as much extra tread as you need. A chain of horizontally-placed treads is provided for you to use or copy. WARNING! Clips on LDD do not like to center correctly! There will usually be a left or right offset, which can do a lot of harm if all of your clips are offset in the same direction. The chain of tread pieces may not be lined up at both ends! To avoid this, use the green alignment tool included in the file. Place new tread pieces on every other pin, then place tread pieces on the pins in-between. The alignment tool is entirely in green so you can use the "color select" tool to select all its parts at once. If you need to use green parts in your actual model, feel free to select the tool and change its color to something a color you will not be using. 4) Once you have the length of tread you need, you will need it to wrap it around the other wheels of your model. ALWAYS use the hinge tool to ensure the tread is wrapped snugly around each wheel. It may help to paint the treads TRANSPARENT so you can see how they align in the grooves. 5) Some sets and MOCs will have some "sag room" on their treads, or will have wheels that have to be rotated to align properly. I am not yet equipped to deal with either problem, but perhaps you will find your own solution. If the alignment goes smoothly, the last hinge rotation will make your length of tread link back up at the ends. Congratulations! You're done! I hope this template proves useful."

The model looks a little bit like a Dodge Charger R/T Daytona: Another angle of his chassis from his (NK DeSign-er) Flickr photostream:

Hurrah -- I just pre-ordered my copy through No Starch Press! Blakbird helped with the book proofreading, and Conchas wrote the Forward to the book. This kind of book has been needed for years!

@ Lost_In_Noise: From Blakbird's Technicopedia, one can see other Technic cranes (except for the 8258) next to the 8466 8446: