Zazck

I wonder how Lego support would react if you told them you have created an impossible situation with your Technic pieces - knowing how good their customer service is, and taking into account that you are supposed to be able to take apart the pieces you have put together, they would probably compensate you with free pieces. Anyone wanna send them over a little present?

The examples shown above are impossible to take apart by hand, and only official Lego parts were used in them. As stated before, any frame with fixed holes at least two studs apart can be abused with axle connectors and axles, and even if the frames wouldn't exist, one can still create impossible situations using 2l axles to "lock" the build in place. Here is a nice moc I made in LDD - maybe a birthday present idea for a Lego enthusiast?

I would think this is why Lego generally avoids making too many fixed frames for Technic, because any piece which has fixed holes at least two studs apart can be "broken" with methods like these.

Basically I need to know how stuff works. My ultimate goal is to understand a bit better how the universe works, so I'm currently studying physics to achieve that goal. I'm usually not content in just knowing the answers, but I also want to know why and how. This is why I also enjoy building Technic and creating mocs of my own.

Only Technic, leaning strongly towards the newer studless models with the few odd studded flagships here and there.

Hello Studless. Something which has helped me tremendously with studless building is to pay real close attention to the model when you are building it from instructions. Don't rush with the build - maybe even spend several days building a model, letting your brain comprehend what you are actually doing. The designers at TLG are really good at getting a lot of stuff packed tightly, so you will learn a lot if you just examine the instructions carefully. You can also download most Technic instructions for free from TLG site, if you want to examine models you don't actually own. For suspensions, 8110 and and 9398 (I assume you mean this with 9383) have good examples of live axle-type suspensions, while supercars like 8070 and 8448 have examples of independent suspensions. For levers, once again the 8110 has some nice examples in the claw and boom. Other sets like the 42006 you own and its big brother, 8043, have some nice linkages too. Another good way to get some nice lever/linkage designs is to watch videos and pictures of real construction equipment. But the best way to learn is no doubt trial and error - theory and reading can only get you so far. Actually attempting to build something teaches you about what you can do and what you can't do with Lego (is there anything you can't do?) and which parts you should use on which situations. Building stuff gives you experience on different solutions, information which your brain can use later on, which in turn makes you a better builder. They say you need to do something 10000 hours to be good at it, and while this is probably more or less an urban legend, it's nevertheless a nice idea how you can be good at anything if you give it enough time.

Thanks for bringing this to my attention. I didn't test my L-motors before completing the build of 9398, so I thought this sound was normal and/or caused by me using 1,2v rechargable batteries. I now removed the motors from the build, and the other motor seems to be working ok, no weird sounds or anything, but the other one makes that high-pitched noise, and also the rotation speed of the motor is not really constant, but varies a bit. There is also a slight smell of burnt electronics coming from the motor, so I'm definately contacting TLG about this. Maybe there have been some problems with the production of these motors, because you still can't buy them separately, and they are "out of stock" on the Lego missing piece site? Who knows. Electronics are of course much more complex and more prone to error than simple plastic pieces, but receiving broken pieces out of the box really isn't up to Lego standards, and to me screams of faulty or rushed quality control.

Since your problem is solved, I think I can slightly highjack this tread. Did anyone else notice the slight mistake in the manual of 9397 Logging Truck? Page 46 of the 9397-1 pdf manual, step 11 and onwards. Pics included. I just want to confirm I'm not seeing things here. (Driving ring extension is meshed with the red driving ring - this is impossible, since the axle connector underneath the driving ring is blocking the way. The driving ring extension should be meshed with the 16-tooth clutch gear instead.)

8480 - Space Shuttle - Theme: Technic A-Model LDD Version: 4.3.5, Brick version: 835.4 LXF file download Errors: Piece missing in LDD, but replaced with similar: 6048b Arm Piece with Pin, 2 Fingers and Finger Grooves replaced with 6048 Arm Piece with Pin, 2 Fingers 6217b Arm Piece with Pin, 3 Fingers and Outside Thread Grooves replaced with 6127 Arm piece with Pin, 3 Fingers 4757 Electric, Plate 2 x 4 with Contacts replaced with 3020 Plate 2 x 4 3704 Technic, Axle 2 replaced with 32062 Technic, Axle 2 Notched 2711 Technic, Plate 1 x 5 with Toothed Ends, 2 Studs and Center Axle Hole replaced with Technic, Liftarm 1 x 5 Thin 4262 Technic, Plate 1 x 6 with Toothed Ends replaced with Technic, Liftarm 1 x 6 Thin 4265b Technic Bush 1/2 Toothed Type II replaced with Technic Bush 1/2 Smooth 3651 Technic, Axle and Pin Connector replaced with 32013 Technic, Axle and Pin Connector Angled #1 4273 Technic, Axle and Pin Connector Toggle Joint Toothed replaced with 44 Technic, Axle and Pin Connector Toggle Joint Smooth x187 Technic, Gear 24 Tooth (Old Style with Three Axle Holes) replaced with Technic, Gear 24 Tooth (New Style with Single Axle Hole) 731c05 Technic, Shock Absorber 6.5L, Complete Assembly - Normal Spring replaced with 731c04 Technic, Shock Absorber 6.5L, Complete Assembly - Hard Spring Piece missing in LDD, but replaced with similar looking custom piece (grouped for easy removal): 6637 Electric, Fiber Optics Element 2838c01 Electric, Motor 9V 5 x 4 x 2 1/3 Micromotor assembly http://www.bricklink...Item.asp?P=2983 http://www.bricklink...Item.asp?P=2986 http://www.bricklink...Item.asp?P=2985 6631 Technic Changeover Plate 2847c01 Electric 9V Battery Box 4 x 14 x 4 with Dark Gray Base Complete Assembly 6551c01 Electric, Pole Reverser / Polarity Switch with Center Part - Complete Assembly All wire endings (but the one in the micromotor) replaced with 2x 3022 Plate 2 x 2 Piece missing in LDD and not replaced: x71 Rubber Belt Small (Round Cross Section) - Approx. 2 x 2 x37 Rubber Belt Medium (Round Cross Section) - Approx. 3 x 3 x165 Electric, Fiber Optics Cable All stickers. All electric wires. Miscellaneous errors and collisions: PDF manual page 14. Replacing Technic, Plate 1 x 6 with Toothed Ends with Technic, Liftarm 1 x 6 Thin forced me to move the white 1 x 3 and 1 x 4 plates one stud backwards. PDF manual page 20. Only three Light Gray Technic, Axle and Pin Connector Perpendicular can be put between the nozzles. PDF manual pages 30 and 36. Arm Pieces with Pin will not "click" in LDD, but seems visually ok. PDF manual page 39. Shock absorber clips slightly with the axle, because it cannot be adjusted in LDD.

An idea how to eliminate slip on the switch side, driving ring inside a differential. The axles are joined at the center of the differential with an axle joiner, part 6538. Similar configuration could probably also be used on the output side to completely eliminate any slip. Red axle = input, blue and green axles = output. Edit: Realized it can't really eliminate slip on the pulling side of the axle. Still, might be useful to some. Alternate version. Gears cant slip when pushed.

Only advice I can give is to not mix up old gray and new gray items. Otherwise the best way in my opinion is just to sort the parts according to their type. If you one day decide to sell sets, it's not really a big time sink to sort the parts into sets if you already have them sorted by their type.

You should also take a look at the 8049 b-model - it has a rotating pneumatic claw. You could replace the finger screw/gear with a micro motor to make it fully motorized. The desing seems to be somewhat similar to the one allanp posted, except the central micro motor is replaced with a pneumatic cylinder, taking advantage of the freely rotating rod of the pneumatic cylinder.

Hydraulic (and pneumatic) cylinders have less force when working in tension, than working in compression (better explanation found at http://www.technicopedia.com/8868.html). With Lego, it's easier to make the cylinder's power stroke work in compression when it's installed horizontally, as opposed to installing it vertically. One technic piece that has the cylinder in the claw installed horizontally is the 8443 Log Loader. The 8868's claw is pretty weak, because the power stroke works in tension rather than in compression.