nychase

Faster...Than...David....WOW! Umm usually about two years for the flagships and even the smaller items. Additionally, you can usually get sets from Lego Shop at Home for about 50% or maybe 40% off when they are at the end of their production run.

And here I am gonna throw a monkey wrench in the fold when everybody was just starting to agree... NOT labeled as Technic and most certainly IS technic. Has functions, no system pieces and very few bionicle parts. Thoughts?

I respectfully disagree Anio. I have this set built sitting on my desk at my office in NY and I can tell you that all of my guests/clients/tenants love to see the legos that I have on display (unlike eric usually only 2 or 3) and have especially loved this V8. Everyone knows what an engine is but the few (read: "system") folk who don't, enjoy the very easy way to understand it when I can slow it down to 120rpm and they can see every revolution. To say that the model isn't very technic is absolutly absurd. There is functional chain (for timing), actual correct use of cams heck even the Fiber Optic is perfectly suited for its job as a distributor. http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=42705 Though I would personally prefer larger, the V8 could certainly start a string of UCS technic based models. As for a more on-topic comment. I grew up in the midwest and the only reason I even was introduced to technic was because we had a foreign exchange student (german go figure) who saw that I enjoyed legos but was mystified why technic was so hard to obtain here in the states circa 1991. So she started sending them back to me every once in a while. I never understood why the full gamut of model team was available (which I love) but it was so hard to locate technic at toys r us (the best option and frankly still the best option for an in-store purchase). I have never been to any conventions because of what the rest of the americans say on this forum about lack of technic attendance. I enjoy technic because I have a very mechanical brain. Im not an engineer per se but my daily job requires me to constantly analyze a situation and "design" the best outcome. I don't MOC however, but don't think that diminishes my love of Technic or my commitment to the brand. My forte is not as a builder but I am the guy willing to plop down 400 bucks on a UCS set. Oh...and speaking of a 5000 piece set, does that mean 1000 black pins????

Theres no "hint, hint" about it at this point. I've been just short of verbal assault with my "hints" Ashamed...you shouldn't be. I own 7 (though 2 are NIB) and I have never actually built either model. I have frequently told myself that I need to build it but for whatever reason I just can't find the time. I spend more time collecting and less time building. I figure by the time I am 60 and arthritic, I'll suddenly have the urge to build (and it will be too late).

Its that video that really looked old...

Keeping in the A/V world theme... I most certainly have a pillar of bricks holding up the center of my way to heavy media shelf. Without it, the glass just bows way too much. The funny part was, when I was brainstorming on what to use to prop it up I was thinking..."I need something modular but vertically strong so I can get a really good fit...hmm...." I'm not proud of the 30 mins I wasted before even considering the plastic parts I have a whole room dedicated to.

I had asked too about a week ago. Ya know what else is "out of production" the yellow 5x11 panels. Just look at the BL prices. Skyrocketed. I am not proud of the prices I have recently had to pay to get some of the black bushes. Average was .60 for 100 of them. They REALLY need to have these back.

Soo...I guess I am gonna be "that guy" since this thread kinda died with unfinished business. Jennifer, if you are reading this...do happen to still have any more detailed CAD files of the Baldwin. I assume that it was part of your building process since Eric was able to rebuild the JCB using its CAD files. I ask, and annoy, because much like 8440 was Eric's draw back into lego, your crane was the single link I maintained through my dark ages and what was ultimately what brought me back. If not, how do you think the crane feels about overseas travel in the name of research? Richard, I think that you and Eric should organize a trade, JCB CAD for your more modern Baldwin CAD.

For better or for worse I am getting married in June. Now, business reasons aside (for which there are many) you can be sure that my lego collection (which grows by the day) is most certainly part of the prenup we are working on. The irony of course is that Legos will be the very catalyst of the impending divorce. Then again, my friend has pointed out that its all for not if I die...in which case estate planning is in order. Maybe ill just donate it all to Eric's Lego Technic Museum.

I am 90% sure that it will use the 8297 wheels like eric mentioned. I called today to order some (for Han's 6x6) and they didn't have the tires at all. But then she said...well didn't say directly.. that I should call back soon because they might have a similar part out soon. To me...that means that the rock crawler will have them. And if you haven't noticed...lego does everything they can to use existing molds and interconnecting parts. Sticking with tires that fit on the 56x34 3 spoke rims (like they did with the Unimog) will likely be a longer term trend.

Ok, see... I think that I have an unfair advantage if I were to name them all. But truth be told... I don't actually know about that white/blue semi with the chrome stacks. I obviously know all the HAN's (5), The Grazi's (2), Barmans V8, The technomecha (Sell the white one?), JC's Excavator,The annihilator, Crowkillers cars, NK Cars...though I think there are some cars I don't know for sure who designed them. I notice you don't seem to have Sheepos Bugatti or 911 (Hint/Nudge/Hint). I have two sets of 8448 wheels just waiting for Sheepos cars. That being said, you also have quite a few B-Models on display. Combine Harvester, T-Rex/Helicopter,Submarine, both 8288 variations.

unfortunately thats somewhat true. Two of the most influential builders currently posting on this thread are guilty of this being true. If you look through the history of both JC and Sariel you can see that the finishing (model team or system) touches were what evolved whereas the root skill set of technic building was there all along. If everyone responded favorably to Technic mocs there would be no reason to defend a creation by covering it up so that it looks like any other system creation. Don't get me wrong, I love some of the brothers brick creations especially the lego truck...but thats more of just how expensive it was to build rather than the skill it took to build it. In contrast, Sariel's wrecker from last year or JC's Baldwin are truly exquisite precisely because they look like system MOC's but can actually perform every function they look like they can perform. I agree with Andy though that unfortunately the skill involved or even the engineering background required doesn't hit home with enough people to be interesting on a larger scale. This is really why Model Team needs to be brought back. It was the bridge I crossed at age 7 moving from city legos to model team to full on Technic from there on.

I have to be honest. I am 27 years old, a successful working professional and I swear you wouldn't know my lego habits if you saw me on the street or even had a conversation with me. But at this moment, on this forum, I feel like a little girl afflicted with beiber fever (or clark fever rather). I am absolutely thrilled that you are hanging out in the background and I think I speak for everybody that we would love to see you continue to create. It is quite obviously a talent that few have at your level and the world is really a better place with your creations. Your website and specifically that crane are the single reason that I stayed remotely connected to legos through my dark ages and eventually what pulled me back in. I can't tell you the amount of times I vacillated on emailing you and asking if I could just buy the Baldwin (I assumed a 4 digit number). Nevertheless, I will stop gushing (for the moment). My god we hijaked what was supposed to be and ode to Eric.

I just spent at least 5 minutes just staring at your model in absolute awe. You have not ruined the model at all and you have managed to enhance it with the addition of 4 IR receivers. I am truly impressed. If you read my above posts than you would know that my lego collecting has culminated around eventually building that model. Do you care to give up the CAD file that you used that was mostly complete? I can't think of a greater gift to the lego (technic) community then to eventually get full CAD's and instructions for this truly legendary model. I also couldn't imagine engineering this model...the time it would take...

With regard to insuring... I have... a few sets... much like Eric and what I have encountered is the following. You can insure them in a few ways but a separate declarations isn't really practical for insurance so you really wont notice a difference vs a standard homeowners policy. Unlike my fiance's ring which travels the world... legos don't usually "travel" with me neither are they a huge theft target given their relative high weight and size vs value (assuming a common thief). But, while I haven't actually had a claim I can tell you that I have been reassured that I would get back every cent that I could prove each model was worth. In this regard, Bricklink is invaluable. Because it has a rolling 6 month avg with documented sales prices I can easily prove the "going rate" for each of the models. This is especially important because for many models the value is greater than the sum of their parts (5571 flirts with that line quite a bit). Where you lose...and will always lose (investment or insurance) is with MOC's. MOC's have no value exceeding their avg part value (which didn't stop me from building the lubriciously expensive "Grazi's Tow Truck") What this also means is that for me to really get my money from a claim I need to inventory my parts collection...which despite extreme organization would take months.

Ive asked Eric about the JC models. I believe his response was no...not yet. He mentioned the Baldwin (which I believe is one of the greatest technic accomplishments ever)and how he had half-finished the CAD's for it but hadn't devoted the time to finishing. I would absolutly love to build that Crane, its largely the reason I both stayed away and came back to legos. Knowing that someone out there could do that when I couldn't figure out a silly dumping mechanism that I was satisfied with really discourged me. Nevertheless...there are some considerations with that Crane. A) lego still never made 1x6 thin beams in white (10 years later) B) You could try with LA's Now, but the boom mechanism was the lead screw C) Its still just so awesome I still fell like a replica would be inferior. Consensus? Not to take away from Dluders but the model I am referring to is HERE

Ditto Though I have already persecuted him for such an expensive turn in my life. As always I am happy to help in any way that I can.

This is a direct Quote from that thread mentioned earlier. "For the bulk of the parts I have them in these containers. Stanley makes three kinds, although the other two "professional" ones allow for the cups to be removed (certainly easier for emptying) they are not resizable and thus are less helpful when you have vastly different quantities of items. I also have a few of those old Technic cases from the universal set for the more rare parts. The rest of the bricks? well thankfully after reading this I finally have a solution I can live with. The bins that are mentioned previously as being "shoebox sized" are still available from walmart for a still reasonable $1.07 a bin (link). I purchased these for the bricks and other items that are just too large for sorted containers" Now, since then my collection has still grown and I have found those same boxes mentioned enourmously useful for organizing and storing the collection while still being able to move it quickly (say I want certain parts from one box on the left of me instead of right). I have 19 of those stanley boxes. I keep other less used stuff in some large tackle boxes (wheels/tires).

And to think that I just feverishly clicked that link all in the hopes of seeing if 1996 was posted. Oh the pain.

If only we had new things to see on that site... I still have no idea how all of the 8480 shuttle functions work

It was one of the first questions I asked this board. I also asked Eric (Blakbird) what he does since I consider him the defacto king of Technic collecting. To answer...I personally have all the pins needed for each model in my collection stored with the respective model. I ALSO, have a separate bag of the new pins for each model so when I build/display it I don't have to curse the lego gods for ever making that pin. Its not like each one of us doesn't have a few extra thousand of those pins.

I can see it now, Sariel taking his talents to levels that none of us could acheive. Good thing he tends to share his technical conquests with us! I can actually imagine a HD Sariel write-up documenting all the steps needed to properly attract "the blonde lady". "...I found her to be lightwieght, compact and extremely durable design"

If only I hadn't just collected the needed parts! I see that Eric went with Blue...I went with something a little darker!

To avoid Siegfried calling me out for shamelessly bumping this fantastic MOC I actually have a legitimate question for Sheepo. I know that you are using the RC buggy motors which I have been researching a bit and I was wondering what kind of speed can the car actually get up to? They certainly have the power, so with the sequential gearbox I have to imagine you could get the thing moving pretty quick. I ask because I saw someone else's F1 Moc and it actually went pretty quick with that motor(I realize he wasn't dragging around another 3400 parts, 7 motors and two lithium batteries). Just thought I would ask if it hits 190mph...since you said the car was very much like the original

For what its worth. I also GREATLY appreciate DLuders work. I mean, I would never spend the time to look through every single posted JPG. But thanks to someone elses SHARED hard work, I can now do what I like to do best...which is of course to recreate great MOC's. Make no mistake...this MOC will forever be known as Benny3000's Studless 8868. Be careful with your words by the way. Trying to take credit away from a post-processor like DLuders devalues the entire process which allows the rest of us to easily and faithfully reproduce these creations. Would you dare tell Eric (Blakbird) that he shouldn't be posting renderings of peoples MOC's on his brickshelf? Last I checked, DLuders post didn't say "hey guys...look at this sweet model that I have the instructions for". He gives every ounce of credit where it is due. Back to topic... @Benny3000 -- Whats with the studded bumpers on a totally studless model? I ask because I intend to build this so if your intent was to pay homage to the original then for that reason alone I will honor it.