An AFOL evolution - one year down the road

[D3K]

A little over a year ago, I rediscovered the joys of LEGO Technic building, after a 15 + year "dark age", and to mark this occasion, I thought I'd show you where I was and where I am today in regard to creating with this wonderful tool that is LEGO Technic!

Mostly just my MOCs, but also some tips and tricks I've found to be helpful in regards to building both with bricks and digitally.

Like I've said in other topics earlier. it all started when I bought the 9392 Quad Bike for the purpose of modelling it in a CAD program we used at school at the time, to try some different techniques in regards to kinematics and assembling multiple components in the software. I never got around to finish the 3D model, but my interest in LEGO Technic was back in force!

Shortly thereafter, I bought the 8053 Mobile Crane, and after that, a used 8043 Motorized Excavator.

Around this time I started also to get to know that LEGO had come into the digital age, and discovered EuroBricks.

Let it be known, that when I started browsing these forums, I had absolutely no ambition to make complicated MOCs myself! The new studless style of building things seemed very different from the studded style from my childhood, and quite frankly seemed extremely complicated!

However, with the parts now at hand, and experience from building these sets, I set about to modify the 8053 a little, and this is the result: My very first custom creation:

It was of course very pleasant to make something technical like this, and see that it worked just like I intended!

I then bought an 8069 Backhoe Loader, mainly for the parts, as I wanted to try and make some sort of remote controlled car!

So, here is my very first studless MOC, a car of sorts:

Although not exactly a good looking thing, I used the parts at hand to make suspension for both the front and rear wheels, a working steering wheel, steering via a vertically placed M-motor, and drive via two M-motors connected via a differential to even out possible differences in speed from the motors.

I was fairly satisfied with the result, but there were heaps of things I wanted to improve on, and this is when I discovered

Man oh man, if there had been something like Bricklink when I was young!

This of course opened up a whole new world of possibilities, and made it possible to implement the mods I wanted in my RC buggy

As you can see, I also made a trip to my local hardware store to get some organizers

Around this time I started a lot of projects that I for different reasons did not finish, among others a tracked carrier

A small race car

And I made a holder to take better pictures and videos with my phone

I made a studless reimagining of my favourite set from my childhood

And I made a (at least I thought so at the time ) very ingenious 4x4x4 chassis with multiple speeds forwards and backwards

I didn't at the time know this kind of mechanism had been made by anyone else already, so I felt pretty smart!

I also made a small, very ugly, pneumatic loader. with a way too large bucket

This is also around the time I discovered LDD, and started using this in the design process.The ease of use, and speed at which one can build things digitally with LDD is unrivalled. I feel this is a great tool, especially when designing more complex mechanisms involving many gears and axles, as you can colour code the different drivelines for easy modifications.

The way I've done it lately, is to start building in real bricks, improve on the design using LDD, rebuild in real bricks, improve in LDD, and so on and so forth.

My biggest project up until then was my first iteration of a SwingLoader

I was very proud back then, but felt it could've been done better... who would know it would be over a half year till I got around to improve it

I continued to make stuff in LDD, amongst other things this wheeled excavator chassis

And a container stacker, which I also built in real bricks

I later built a small red RC Race Car

Driven by two XL motors and featuring full independent double wishbone suspension in a fairly small package, it was fun and fast, but unfortunately very fragile.

Building a fast, not too big RC car that works very well is still on my to do list!

Later I made a military vehicle on top of Effermans brilliant 4x4 chassis.

It was supposed to be an Mercedes Geländewagen MB290 "Multi Light", a lightweight off road car (more a weapons platform) we used in Afghanistan.

This was my first MOC where it was more form than function, as it featured a lot of loose parts, but I'm still happy with the result!

If I'd built it now, I would've tried to make it smoother looking in regards to all the holes

I then went straight back to building yellow construction equipment again, this time a small RC Tracked Loader

I was so satisfied with this one, that I decided to make instructions for it!

Easier said than done, I discovered MLcad and LPub, and ended up with instructions that were by no means perfect, but understandable, and I think someone might have built it, but I'm not sure...

Next came the long postponed revamped SwingLoader Mk II, complete with far better instructions, and incorporating better looks and better solutions to most of the mechanical sides of things.

Looking at the picture I realize I didn't take a picture of the final version!

Anyhow, were now in the present, I hava a couple of projects going on, among them this:

Which is soon to be finished (waiting for some parts)... Will make a proper presentation, and hopefully even a video this time around (!!!) when it's 100 % (or in reality probably closer to 99 %)

And also the eluding fast race car I was talking about, has to be built!

So to sum it all up:

-It's great to be building again

-EuroBricks forums have fantastic, helpful and insightful users!!!

-Use LDD to design and improve on complicated mechanisms, colour coding different functions and the likes

-Don't give up too easily

-Ask for help, learn from others!

And even though most of us are concidered by society to be adult...

-Leg godt!!

[Lakop]

That tow truck looks briliant. You've been very busy.

H

[jantjeuh]

That tow truck looks great, can't wait for the final presentation!

[skriblez]

Nice write up and that towtruck looks very nice!

[Rishab N]

I can't wait to see the final version of that tow truck

[timslegos]

You have built a lot in one year! I look forward tot he tow truck as well.

tim

[rm8]

Visible progress by this pictures. I have done a big count of models in 1 year!

[JM1971]

Once that bug bites enjoy the ride, great mocs.

[Gee]

Some very useful stuff D3K, as you intimated in my thread. Nice to see that you can go from pre-Dark Age studded building to post-Dark Age studless MOCs in the time you have and be building some of the cool vehicles you have!