D3K

Finally! Need to get to my computer to see the pictures better, but so far it looks super sweet even on this small phone screen! Want more!:-D

The only one I can think of that looks like a Stalin's Organ is this onem a Ural truck by LForces. That the one? Not a tank chassis, but he made some tanks as well

Good to see people are already starting to post WIP topics! As for the counterweight discussion; if one can't get enough weight with a high number of battery-filled batteryboxes, then I think one might need to rethink the design I think I have found out what I am going to build; something like a Liebherr 81K fast erecting tower crane. Have already started to experiment with how to best build a super strong truss structure, and have landed on rough dimensions 7x7 studs for outer tower and 5x5 studs for inner (extending) tower. Boom with jib will be over 140 studs long if it is to be made to scale So I guess we'll have to see about that

Hmm, could probably be arranged.. I'd have to do some real life testing first, before adopting it to Lego.. I'll let you know how it goes

There's just so much to choose from. I for one can't decide between these: or or

Hmm, maybe I should have named it "Crane truck with recovery features" instead then Anyway, good to know, would have been an even worse shame to build something that turns out to not be eligible Roger that Hope to make something good, that is not to dependent on the parts already in the tow truck, as I haven't finished the LDraw file yet I seriously hate to be the one to start the whole "Well, is this allowed? Is that allowed? Can I do this? Or that?" discussion, but the way I see that formulation, is something like "build a type of crane that already exists or has existed." Or am I putting too much into it? Can I for example make a small mobile crane on a chassis similar to a walking excavator? As far as I know, that doesn't really exist in real life, but in yellow with contemporary styling, I can see it as a feasible product? Again, I am really sorry to ask this, but I read it pretty much as "No sci-fi crane", which I am absolutely fine with, but I'd hate to see all the entries being either mobile-, tower-, harbour-, or crawler cranes

Ooo, sounds interesting! I'm pretty bummed I didn't wait to unveil my Tow/Recovery/Crane truck till this contest was posted! Oh well, back to the drawing board

Well, it's well under way, I put together a small teaser video of the progress as of today: Being just about done with the front section and its functions, I first now realize how tightly packed this actually is! No part count yet, but it's a lot EDIT: Some more progress tonight:

So you're building a five axle mobile crane then?

There are basically three ways (at least that I can think of) to achieve this. 1. Different steering arm lenghts (as seen in the 42009) This is probably the easiest with today's parts 2. Have different gear ratios between the gears and the racks, by gearing up/down one or more of the gears driving the racks. This will have more play/backlash due to the extra axle and gears necessary. 3. Different gear ratios by using different sized gears on the racks. This is easier with the old, studded steering racks.

Again, thanks to everybody for the kind words! Thanks! Yeah, it's quite a handful Start with the lime green line (those are directly connected to the motor, and will all spin when the motor runs. Anyway, I have managed to cut down on some of the gears (well, at least two so far ) for the revised model I'm building in LDraw. Yes, I am currently rebuilding and stepping th ewhole digital file.. However, I got Metal Gear Solid 5 on Friday, so I've been a little preoccupied Probably more than 20 hours gameplay so far, and 21% completion. Best. Game. Ever. in case you were wondering... Sorry for off topic, I'll try to get some building done too

Congrats to the winners, both are truly deserving of the prizes! Great contest, really nice for everyone to build something outof the ordinary!

Well, that's how they do it on real cranes as well:-) What an amazing build! I'd like it even more if there was some more reach on the outriggers though:-)

It looks quite good, but seems somewhat "unfinished" compared to your other MOCs.. Like the highly visible IR Receivers and the blue 3L friction pins sticking out.. Most tracked loaders will look like the 8043 B-model, the same way most wheeled loaders will undoubtedly look like previous Lego wheel loaders, as they are the same thing.. I for one see very little resemblance with 8043-B except the fact they are both the same thing

I doubt we'll see a liftable cabin, as far as I understand, that is not a standard feature, but rather something you see as an option if you want your EW160 to be used as a materials handler. I am really having high hopes for this one! Anyone else noticed how all the pictures of the EW160 seem to have black hydraulic cylinders? I know yellow will go well with a model that is black and yellow, still, if they want to stay true to the original (it is after all a licensed set), I really hope they'll introduce black pneumatic cylinders!

Great build! It's a lot bigger than it seems initially! Not a super fan of all the studs on the tail boom, but it's a nice solution!

Heyy, that's a first Thanks for pointing this out, have seen a lot of awesome MOCs both Technic and System on that site However I had to giggle a little at the [...] vast array of Power Functions components [...] Yes indeed, all two of them!

As mentioned, it is a lot faster than MLcad, but if you plan to make instructions, there are some things you need to keep in mind. While it features stepping, .mpd support for submodels, etc, as far as I know, it doesn't have the "list" from MLcad (at least the version I use, but from what I understand, this has been implemented in a newer build?), nor the rotation step function. But I found it easy to build and step it in LDcad, and then use MLcad (or you can do it in LPub, if you're familiar with that) to rotation step. When I make instructions, I tend to export all from LPub as pictures, and then use MS PowerPoint or Publisher to arrange the final .pdf (makes it easy to add arrows, some helpful text, not having to dive too far into the more advanced functions of LPub). But I guess it all depends on how you prefer to work yourselves. If you already spent a lot of time becoming an expert in LPub, I don't see why not to use that knowledge to its full extent @Alasdair It's good to see progress already! Watching your stream reminds me very much of when I started using it, and how different I use it now Most notably, I used the 2D function a lot in the beginning, but now I hardly use it at all! Good luck, this is very interesting!

I say keep going with LDcad, it's quick to get a hang of it! Believe me, I have used MLcad a lot as well, and find LDcad to be probably ten times faster, and I am by no means an expert! But seriously; have a look into my suggestions, as I'm sure you'll find some of them extremely helpful and time saving. You can switch effortlessly between snap/no snap

Just throwing a couple of helpful hints in your direction Also (depending on what you're used with), you might find it helpful to go into the View menu and select "spin" for rotation control instead of "trackball" I too have used a lot of CAD (mainly Creo Parametric), and see very few similarities to Lego CAD software (except that you build something in 3D ) EDIT Maybe he meant he'd may even learn something Anyway, I'll check back in a couple of hours, hope to see some good progress both in the build and use of the software! How long do you plan to keep going?

Good to see you using LDCad! How do you find it? Hot tip: There are a lot of keyboard shortcuts that will really help you out. I especially use the following: "P" to turn the "pin" on/off "C" to center view on current selection 1, 2, 3, 4 to quickly switch between preset stepping (just saw you went into the menu to change that) ctrl + 1, 2, 3, 4 to change rotation stepping EDIT: You can also use the arrow keys to rotate the held selection in 90 degree increments, very helpful and a lot faster than switching to rotation mode on the pin (as I also just saw you do) EDIT 2: Also, the part snap feature works very good with most Technic parts in the library. I don't know how long you've been working on that assembly, but it could easily be built in less than a minute, gears alligned perfectly and all

This is very impressive! I first saw this topic on my phone, and as I was scrolling down I initially thought the model was built using the truss pieces often used in such builds . I didn't even notice the guy sitting next to it in the first picture. Then I scrolled further down, and see the first picture with it next to a car.. with a man on top Wow! Fantastic build! Parts of the truss structure seem a bit flimsy, but I haveno doubt that this was, as you say, a necessary compromise to save weight!

That looks pretty good, and performance isn't half bad either! Do you have some pictures of the more technical sides of it?

Again, thanks to all for the kind words! Thanks! And yes the crane can rotate infinitely Actually the weight of the model is VERY heavy, but I did have to make sure all gears and axles are free spinning. I was actually surprised that the L-motor was able to run all the functions, and even some simultaneously (as you can see from the video) Hi, and thanks! They're not my favourite kind of trucks when it comes to looks either, but I can see why they do it! And yes, the steering lock is different on the three steered axles, and the front two have Ackerman. Granted; the Geometry is not perfect, as can be seen from this picture: The way I understand it, ideally the green lines of both axles should converge in the centre of the differential. However, I also think that perfect Ackerman is seldom used in real vehicles, due to the dynamic forces at play when the vehicle is moving. This is also true to LEGO Anyway, it is an approximation, and it actually does come in to play when driving the vehicle around Thanks, and I'm glad you liked the 6x6. Sorry I haven't made any more "modules" for it Hopefully you have yourself perhaps? EDIT: Oh, and I do hope to make a slightly improved version of this truck, and hopefully instructions for it as well Thanks, and yeah, the digital models are great for showing off how things work, but also to help myself keep track of things! Yes indeed, I bet you do! Anyway, as promised, here's the video showing all the functions, hope it is satisfactory!

Thanks to all, as usual it makes me very happy that you seem to like it! Thanks, I'm pleased with the colour combination myself, and the few, but fitting, stickers also help alot I think Thanks man! Yeah, it is pretty similar in scale, form and function, but yet so incredibly different. This is my first large scale model of this type (by that I mean multiple functions from single motor and gearboxes) Thanks a lot, while I myself think it's still pretty far from Sariel's, most particularly in regards to looks. I hardly have any system bricks, so it's kinda difficult to get that level of details.. not that I'd be able to do it Anyway, I like a lot the Technic look of models, if done right You can, and I appreciate it! I too think this is one of my best ones, at least externally! Thanks! Not that long actually, and believe me it shows on the inside . I want to make a revised model, now that I have the looks and functions nailed... "cleaning it up" and building it around the functions. As it is now, it has some needlessly complicated geartrains and attachments due to me not being willing to dismantle larger portions of it to get inside to that one gear that need to be moved for better functionality. I'll publish an .ldr of the chassis and its functions for those interested in having a look, but I think it would be very difficult to recreate it.