DLuders

Does your 8860 Arctic Rescue Unit model (380 pieces, vintage 1986) come with the small red vehicle too?

If you are a "Lego Purist" and want to use an official Lego balloon, you could get some from this single Bricklink vendor.

@ Thelonious monk: As an experiment, do you think your boat could float if you inserted a balloon into its hull and inflated it? I can't tell if there's enough room for the balloon to conform to the internal structure of the hull:

Zblj's Brickshelf folder for the Panther has been made public.

@ Tacker: You can get one via Bricklink.com . Visit this Help page to see how that site works!

@ Lasse D: You are one talented Lego builder! We enjoy seeing your creations -- keep up the great work!

Here are more pictures of Zblj's Lego Technic Panther Rock Crawler Offroader (to aid in making the rollcage and to see various details):

TLG offers SOME of their Technic sets with Power Functions, because their Market Research tells them that SOME people want to be able to drive/operate their sets via Remote Control. There's lots of competition in the high-end Toy Industry; modern kids don't necessarily get satisfaction rolling a non-powered Lego Technic vehicle across the floor (when there are MANY remote-controlled toys in the same store aisle). AFOLs represent for only ~5% of all Lego purchases; most modern kids don't even remember the classis "studded" Technic sets because they weren't even born yet. If you have extra Battery Boxes that you don't want, open up a Bricklink store and sell them for a few coins.

@ dfs473: You could "Deeplink" the new LDD .lxf file, using the procedures here.

@ matias bentsen: Thanks for tracking this down! Lasse D wrote, "It was exhibited at LEGO World Copenhagen 2012, but unlike normal MOCs, the Model Team creations were used by the kids throughout the opening hours. I had two trucks (basic versions of the FAW Jiefang 6x4 trucks), some trailers, containers and this crane. Another exhibitor, Klaus, brought the ships, and lots of containers."

@ Zblj: Whoa, that Lego Technic Rock Crawler IS fast! Do you know how long it can run on the two Lego LiPo Rechargeable Battery Boxes, before it slows down and needs to be recharged? It's good to have the combination of the 22969 Power Puller "Wheel 62mm D. x 46mm Technic Racing Large" on the Unimog's 92908 portal axles: From Barman/ Barman76's Flickr photoset: Too bad the upcoming 9397 4x4 Crawler does not do the same thing; it uses the smaller 8297 Off Roader's wheels:

@ BachAddict: Blakbird's LARGE photos are in this Brickshelf gallery, but they are too big to place directly into his original post. The maximum allowable picture size on Eurobricks is 800x600 pixels. Since the time Blakbird did his review, he changed computer servers; that's why the image links are broken.

I think the proportions look fine:

@ gilby: They look good! Can you post your Lego Digital Designer .lxf files, using these procedures?

bobko69 / Bob Kojima posted this of his Lego "Rolling Ball Clock" -- "This clock is based on the Arrow Handicraft Deluxe Rolling Ball Clock that was popular in the 80's."To tell the time read the hour from the 3rd row of balls. For the minutes add the 1st and 2nd row of balls together. On the first row 1 ball = 1 minute. On the second row 1 ball = 5 minutes. "My friend Chris Scheuerman asked me if i had ever seen a rolling ball clock before. He told me that he just got one and that i should come take a look at it and try to make one out of LEGO. I never did go over and look at his clock. In fact my clock was built strictly from pictures found on the web. I have never seen one of these clocks in person. I spent about 2 months making this moc and 1 month fine tuning and debugging. "The ball holding, balancing, tilting, and logic was simple to make. It did take a few bricklink orders to get enough ribbed tubbing and soccer balls. The lift mechanism is what stumped me. I thought about it for about a month before i came up with a design that i thought would work. It still took a lot of tweaking to get it to work correctly. The real clock has a rotating arm that lifts the balls up to the top. I was originally going to copy the same rotating arm, but i would have needed a very long arm because of the height of the ball logic. So i went with the chain lift mechanism. It turned out very well. "During debugging improvements were made like adding extra guard rails so all the balls would return to the ball holder and not the ground. One problem that i have not solved yet is the lift mechanism is not 100% accurate. Very rarely, 2 balls are lifted at the same time or no balls are lifted at all. But i think that the no lifts and the 2 ball lifts even then selves out because after running for 3 days at Brickfest PDX it was only about 1 or 2 minutes off. "34 Photos and [MLCAD] instructions can be found here: http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=73767 ."

Akiyuki posted this of his latest Lego Great [basket]Ball Contraption -- a "basket shooter" for which he says "I will upload internal mechanism of this module some day."

Elias Iten mentioned that his Lego Technic Detachable Ropeway (ski lift) will also be displayed at "Bricking Bavaria, on April 12-15 in Germany, Munich" -- http://www.bricking-bavaria.de/2012/bb2012/legoae-kidsfest-bricking-bavaria-2012 , as well as on "March 17&18 in Switzerland, Sihlbrugg" -- http://www.steinchenwelt.ch .

[bUMP] ISOGAWAYoshihito posted this of a "Lego UFO That Cannot Fly". It is a simpler version of the Automatic Synchro Drive (which changes direction when striking a wall or fence). Pictures appear on his website.

Markwilliams5409 posted this short of his Lego Technic 9397 Logging Truck with three sets of log trailers, and a big brush guard on the front:

@ Philo: I created a PDF Parts List (using Laix's LDD .lxf file and LDD Manager) -- you can download it via SkyDrive here. The Mini Forklift uses 174 parts.

Hmmm, I wonder who made the Lego Technic Container Crane? I checked Barman's Brickshelf folder, and I don't think he made it....

This Lego Easter Egg is 30 cm (12 inches) high. Download the Lego Digital Designer (LDD) .lxf Building Instructions file via SkyDrive at https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=5641cce2a1cc0886&resid=5641CCE2A1CC0886!280&parid=5641CCE2A1CC0886!279 . Download the PDF Parts List at https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=5641cce2a1cc0886&resid=5641CCE2A1CC0886!281&parid=5641CCE2A1CC0886!279 . You can recolor each layer yourself (to create different designs) by using the Lego Digital Designer's "Select by Color" tool. Recommend using that same tool to select and "drag out" each layer, to make it easier to build (since LDD's Building Guide mode jumps around and builds several layers of digital bricks at the same time).

The U20 looks good so far!

@ Hedgie: Nice car! Could you share your Lego Digital Designer (LDD) .lxf file, using these procedures? Your Donkervoot model looks close to the real thing (in silver below):