Aqualize

So... this became the first project that I pledge to back on kickstarter. I haven't thought what I will build with it but I pledged for 4 plates. I hope more people see this and also back it so it can be done! Just to clarify if you don't know (no offence): This is not a donation (i.e. giving something without any (physical) in return) but more like "we give you this money and you will produce and deliver this item to us". Right know there are 57 backers. Extrapolating from the money that has been pledged it would require ~128 backers in total to reach the goal. With cuusoo one needs 10 000 supporters for TLG to review and maybe produce it. And you then have to pay money for it anyway. I don't think TLG would sell it much cheaper. I pledged $90 for 4 plates. That is $22.5 including shipping per plate. Personally I don't think this could reach 10 000 on cuusoo and I don't think it fits TLG to produce any set with it. Lego is about making something from small pieces. So I much more like to back it with kickstarter than support it (for free) on cuusoo. Far from impossible. But sometimes the part of building with lego is not the goal. When I see a big base plate and hear it is about robots I think of all the hobby and university course robots with some wheels and something for navigation, like this one: http://www.parallax.com/Portals/0/Images/Resources/Contests/2010RFDesign/exproboplat4-L.jpg It is beneficial to have a plate where one can just mount whatever important computer components and don't worry so much about the structure of holding them together. And MinuteBot was about enabling people to make robots fast.

Me too (just registered). I voted because I think Lego Technic products are too much scale models of real vehicles. As for a little change I want something that is not based of a real world machine.

Well I appreciate the workings of it, but it isn't really a forest crane. At least modeled after some real life machine. Calling it a heavy load truck with crane would suit it more.

A piece of mechanical art. I like how he/she has built it together with parts that do not normally show in technic sets.

Thank you! That one has a more reasonable price than "Infrared Link Sensor" on bricklink (with minimum order and shipping costs making it quite expensive). I somehow have gotten the impression that the "Infrared Link Sensor" can only control 3 channels. Or was it something with the software maybe? I will be using Lejos, not lego standard software. If that is true (and I really don't know) it means that this PFmate is even better.

As wiseman points out, studded technic builds from ground up (at least official models). Studless have a building process that is more interesting and "3 dimensional". E.g. 8868 Airtech claw rig that I have. You really put bricks on top of bricks almost through the whole building process. I prefer studless building.

I have the NXT 2.0. Use the robotics invention kit (or what it was called) at the university for real-time programming-course a few years ago. My own NXT I've not gotten around to program much (I have leJOS NXJ on it). I don't think I will run out and buy the next mindstorms but I would like to point out some expectations I have. Control more mindstorms motors (rotation aware). We are now used to PF and can control 8 motors at the same time differently (or more if they are on the same channel), we require a cheap and easy way to do this. The cheapest IR link sensor on bricklink costs $80 and there are totally only 8 pieces available. It is to expensive today I think. Separate control unit and battery box. Perhaps move to PF battery box, there are 6 AA batteries in both, why have more types of battery boxes than needed. I presume and expect that they keep the open philosophy so groups implement their own OS's. The control unit needs to be expanded in term of processing power. Compare to what a smartphone is capable of. If I remember correctly the NXT brick have some 32 or 64 kB memory. It wouldn't cost them anything to get a tenths or a few hundred megabytes nowadays. Also I don't know what processor it is exactly (but some ARM-variant, right?). They have come quite far also so they should be able to update it significantly.

I like tractors too. But what annoys me is that is not possible to make a realistic bigger tractor because the wheels are too small. http://brickset.com/detail/?Set=8284-1 and http://brickset.com/detail/?Set=8063-1 have this problem, the rear wheels are way too small. Backhoe diggers in JCB style (smaller, not like here in northern europe where they handle terrain better) is possible because the have smaller wheels proportionally. No one would be more happy than me if TLG made a big wheel that agricultural tires (no, we don't want balloon wheels on farm tractors!) that are sufficiently big to build really complex models. And btw, shouldn't you be wishing for a Valtra tractor? We need a new backhoe loader! Will probably not get it in 2012. But to make it stand out from all the previous models it can be modeled (or licensed) after Huddig 1260B 'Muddy Mary'. It is simple a terrain backhoe loader (articulated steering) where the big wheels has been replaced with tracks. Looks brutal, doesn't it?

This is a good read for anyone interested in Lego motors (including the PF variants): http://www.philohome.com/motors/motorcomp.htm

I guess A "tow truck" is something like a 8285. And a "pick-up tow truck" is the smaller kind, a pick-up truck with towing capability. For the tracked crane I would hope for something big and PF. I refuse to twist a little knob gear for eternity to raise the hook.

For other vehicles I built and using the more advanced remote I find it hard to use it for steering. At least without any more than a simple gear attached directly over each control. I don't have any lego trains but I think it works good with those because you don't need to change the level so often. Steering on the other hand is a precision task. Edit: I'm gonna build this design http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=3860559

Scan bricklink once a week or so and test availability of parts, store it and use it say if parts are rare or not. Just an idea.

I don't know why it isn't "standard" today. I watched a youtube video with a RC "car" with this screws. Funny thing with it is that it worked equally well on water as on other surfaces.

I guess/think they follow these rules (as it was a LugPol competition): http://www.bricktrucktrial.com/article.php3?id_article=132 3.4 and 3.8 answers your questions. A nice website, worth checking out.

In a store in Sweden I found these sold as "Tactix", orange instead of yellow. The 22 bins (your picture is of a 25) costs equivalent of €14.60 :) And I still thought it was a bit expensive. I agree with you that they are the best, you can remove the parts easily to have them close when you build or move up from small bin to medium bin if you have bought many more parts and they do not fit in one small bin. I also appreciate that when the lid is closed it won't open even if the box falls down to the floor. I have some boxes (Tactix, I guess they are sold as Stanley as well) with movable compartment walls. But every now and then they move up and pieces infiltrates their neighbor. I use these for medium sized pieces. For big pieces like long liftarms, panels, wheels, etc. I have these in varying sizes. Of course with the lid on when I don't use them so dust doesn't pollute my dear pieces :)

Seems like you all in Poland don't do anything else but build great lego trial trucks and race ;) Looks like great trucks. I only wished there was a bigger community around here for that thing.

On a side note, from reality. This is an old promotional video where a Fordson tractor was fitted with screws instead of wheels. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBjlSJf4274

Finally had time this weekend to build the 8110 :) Regarding the stiff steering. I sinned... I modified the part that causes the problem ("Red Technic, Pin Long with Friction Ridges Lengthwise and Stop Bush"). A snap-off blade utility knife and 10 minutes and the Unimog was "fixed".

Those wheels must be perfect for skid-steering as they are reasonable big and don't have that good grip. Perhaps you can modify the base and build a bobcat (-ish) loader? And then you need to start practicing running the MOC :)

Great site. But I'm a bit amazed that I don't have 100% for even building any of the last years tiny technic models. And that (ignoring colors) the first 7 official sets where all > 574 pieces (smallest being the 8264 Hauler) (I entered the following, maybe have a few more minor sets) 8043-1 (2010) Motorized Excavator 8047-1 (2010) Compact Excavator 8049-1 (2010) Tractor with Log Loader 8069-1 (2011) Backhoe Loader 8071-1 (2011) Lift Truck 8110-1 (2011) Unimog U400 8258-1 (2009) Crane Truck 8274-1 (2007) Combine Harvester 8284-1 (2006) Tractor / Dune Buggy 8295-1 (2008) Telescopic Handler

I'm from Sweden, just updated the profile with that now. edit: To not go off-topic and against EB selling policy I've continued via PM after reading the below post

With "glass buffer" I found one listing on ebay, but they are the wrong size. I found materials.nl / schepro.com with the same picture. Maybe where you got your buffer's from IRL. I put the item in the basket and when I switched to english language of the site it says it has a €150 minimum order value, and I had to pay that plus shipping (total €175). Safe to say I didn't sign up to see if were they can send it abroad... Thanks anyway.

Still awaiting video :) A few days ago I received 240 thread links (bricklink order) adding to the 74 from 8043... I've started building small machines but the grip is a problem. I went to the biggest book store (and office materials) I know of around here but they didn't have rubber bands in size "10" (as someone wrote was ideal) and they couldn't special order them :( I went to a hardware store but they didn't have these. Neither could I find it on ebay. Gekke Ted, on the photo with lots of these there is a label. Is it some article # for this items or names? Googling such information can sometimes give results on finding the product, any help with that would be very much appreciated :)

But keep in mind number of reviews also... (but it proves the point that he is not the only one not thinking 8110 is super great): 8265 - 4.6 out of 12 reviews 8258 - 4.7 out of 21 reviews 8043 - 4.6 out of 10 reviews 8110 - 4.2 out of 2 reviews So the 8110 could very easily climb if only a few people joined in and rated it 5/5

I like the forklift idea as wheel, to introduce really long pneumatic cylinders. I would like it to be modelled after some smaller forklift running on batteries! No fake engine but PF batterybox and motors for driving. It fullfills the ambition that I think TLG has with their flagship models as of late - that it should be useable in playing. A heavy roadgrader (with front, middle and rear implements) could be fun too. But it would be yellow...