General Part Discussion

[DrJB]

Well, one must have certain information to spout such nonsense about

I mean grownups don't just make things up do they?

Have a nice day!

Those micro-motors would have a much higher value if they were still in their sealed bags ... After a while of collecting large amounts of Lego parts ... I'm at a cross-roads as I won't have time to use them all in a mega project (as I was initially hoping). Question is: So, you have many micro-motors ... but what do you do with them? Simply collect/store them in boxes? Also, something else to think of: the cables/interfaces for those micromotors are getting rare, and in old ones the rubber becomes brittle and falls apart ... so, you may have many motors, but difficult to find cables for them.

Edited November 6, 2014 by DrJB

[1974]

Those micro-motors would have a much higher value if they were still in their sealed bags

Bricks/sets in bags and boxes have zero value to me

After a while of collecting large amounts of Lego parts ... I'm at a cross-roads as I won't have time to use them all in a mega project (as I was initially hoping)

I take my time. I don't do mega projects, exhibitions etc. My biggest MOC is my Blacktron base and that sits on 8 32x32 baseplates and have, I guess, less than 10k bricks

Question is: So, you have many micro-motors ... but what do you do with them?

I build with them Rail crossings, minor (as they have no torque) moving parts like doors, revolving radars, lasers etc in my Space stuff, cranes in my Town MOCs

A 9V batbox + cables, lights/sound doesn't take up too much room and I can fit them easily

Simply collect/store them in boxes?

I buy to build only, why would I put them in a box? That's not what LEGO is about

Also, something else to think of: the cables/interfaces for those micromotors are getting rare, and in old ones the rubber becomes brittle and falls apart ... so, you may have many motors, but difficult to find cables for them.

I have +500 cables in various lengths and as many electrical plates + several hundred lights, loads of bat boxes/sound bricks/motors and optical cables, so I don't worry much

Besides I have a healthy selection of old 12V/4,5V light/motors that I also like to use

Cheers,

Ole

[__________________________]

You mean the metallic silver ones? Yeah, these are quite expensive. I fear the used ones are scratched.

Probably the most expensive non-electric parts I own are 4 x 19L black soft axles in excellent condition. Or are the power puller tyres more expensive nowadays? Got four of those as well, found an 8466 for cheap You just gotta get lucky with those.

Power puller tires are $30 each!

[DrJB]

Bricks/sets in bags and boxes have zero value to me

I take my time. I don't do mega projects, exhibitions etc. My biggest MOC is my Blacktron base and that sits on 8 32x32 baseplates and have, I guess, less than 10k bricks

I build with them Rail crossings, minor (as they have no torque) moving parts like doors, revolving radars, lasers etc in my Space stuff, cranes in my Town MOCs

A 9V batbox + cables, lights/sound doesn't take up too much room and I can fit them easily

I buy to build only, why would I put them in a box? That's not what LEGO is about

I have +500 cables in various lengths and as many electrical plates + several hundred lights, loads of bat boxes/sound bricks/motors and optical cables, so I don't worry much

Besides I have a healthy selection of old 12V/4,5V light/motors that I also like to use

Cheers,

Ole

Thank you for the detailed answers ... I envy your collection, but even more your dedication. Cheers.

Edited November 7, 2014 by DrJB

[1974]

Power puller tires are $30 each!

Yes, but 8466 can often be found for cheap, like $50

[PhyBuilder]

Thanks for the info about the source of the micromotors. It makes sense to have much of them especially in your kind of mocs, where motorized moveable parts are uncommon because of the space needed.

Good to hear that you actually use them. Some others seem to collect the most rare parts in huge amounts without actually building with it or even without planning to sell them to finance their hobby. So the world is begging for some of those parts, but they are rotting on the shelves instead.

[1974]

Well, it takes a long time for LEGO to rot, I'm long dead when these parts are in my son's hands and then his children's and so forth ..

That makes me quite happy

Cheers,

Ole

[1974]

But let's get back to Technic parts!

Let's talk about the most pointless part ever made by TLG, the pin in the 40345c01 :

And in the 40344c01 :

Now, I do love those frames, in fact they're very important to my MOCs (and sadly, come in so few different colours), but what made TLG think they needed a specially moulded pin to those parts?

I've looked at those sets with these part and I still don't get it? It's not needed for structual attachment or even needed for a simplified build? A simple pin, 2780, would do - even for a four year old kid, no?

Waste of a good mold. And as we know, those cost as much as a third world GDP

What other pointless parts have you've come across?

Cheers,

Ole

Edited November 7, 2014 by 1974

[DrJB]

Yes, but 8466 can often be found for cheap, like $50

True, but if I recall, the power puller tires have some printed white lettering (for those after original parts) ... those in 8466 are totally black ... matters not to me though.

[antp]

Indeed these bricks/frames with pins seem so useless compared to the regular version to which you can add pins without much difference, the black pin hold firmly.

As they complain about costs of moulds and storage of many different parts references, that seems so strange.

Like the (non-Technic) 2x2x3 / 2x4x3 bricks. I get the point with the 1x5 / 2x5 which are more rigid, but for these 2xN bricks it also seems pointless to make a bigger simplified version: the normal bricks stacked together are already quite firmly attached.

Edited November 8, 2014 by antp

[DrJB]

well ... if you really want to, you can pull out those pins (I did) ... and voila, you have the classical technic studded frames.

[1974]

well ... if you really want to, you can pull out those pins (I did) ... and voila, you have the classical technic studded frames.

Sure, I did that too, but they could just have put in a 4459 pin, those suckers are tight! (Allthough they we're discontinued for good reason 10-13 years before, they do have their uses )

True, but if I recall, the power puller tires have some printed white lettering (for those after original parts) ... those in 8466 are totally black ... matters not to me though.

Yeah, but if you don't have any of those 'magic' tyres, it's better to start out with the non-printed ones. Printed ones in decent condition is hard to find anyway

Edit : That reminds me that I have some PP wheels in old light grey. Is that the colour of the 22969 wheel under the chrome?

Cheers,

Ole

Edited August 28, 2015 by 1974

[PhyBuilder]

Dude...

You should open a museum. At least digitally. I would pay 2$ for a ticket to enjoy rarities like these.

[kieran]

Sure, I did that too, but they could just have put in a 4459 pin, those suckers are tight! (Allthough they we're discontinued for good reason 10-13 years before, they do have their uses )

Yeah, but if you don't have any of those 'magic' tyres, it's better to start out with the non-printed ones. Printed ones in decent condition is hard to find anyway

Edit : That reminds me that I have some PP wheels in old light grey. Is that the colour of the 22969 wheel under the chrome?

Cheers,

Ole

Where did you get that ribbed hose? Is it lego or a another one

[1974]

You should open a museum. At least digitally. I would pay 2$ for a ticket to enjoy rarities like these.

Dude...

No charge, sorry dude

Edit : Luv your Underworld sig. Best tech album of 90's!

Where did you get that ribbed hose? Is it lego or a another one

It's LEGO allright, just an uncut 3m long 78cXX, found in many sets

Cheers,

Ole

Edited November 8, 2014 by 1974

[BlackOmega63]

I must say, those micromotors are very impressive, as are the grey PP tires!

On a bit of a different note, I was wondering if someone could help me out. I have some buggy motors and I'm considering buying the battery pack and steering parts for it, but the seller isn't selling the remote.

Do I need this remote in particular? I have a 2514c01 remote that came from the Red Beast RC car, would this be compatible with the RC system?

Thanks in advance for the help!

[Saberwing40k]

I must say, those micromotors are very impressive, as are the grey PP tires!

On a bit of a different note, I was wondering if someone could help me out. I have some buggy motors and I'm considering buying the battery pack and steering parts for it, but the seller isn't selling the remote.

Do I need this remote in particular? I have a 2514c01 remote that came from the Red Beast RC car, would this be compatible with the RC system?

Thanks in advance for the help!

Yes, but while the remote for the Red Beast uses the same frequency and protocol, I'm pretty sure it is not proportional, and it definately lacks the controls for the third channel the buggy remote control box has.

[maras]

I think my old 9v lego mindstorms motors are starting to give way, has anyone else noticed over time theirs have worn down? Im thinking about opening them up and seeing if i can do anything about them. I bought the PF conversion cable so once they come ill be able to see if its the RCX thats the problem or intact the motors.

Edited November 9, 2014 by maras

[DrJB]

I did have 2-3 of those 'die' and ... decided to open them up to find out what exactly failed. I did not anything mechanical and somehow the root-cause to be electrical (a failed capacitor?). See, once I open them, they could spin easily. I must warn though, that those those are difficult to open up (without damaging) and put together as well.

[maras]

I did have 2-3 of those 'die' and ... decided to open them up to find out what exactly failed. I did not anything mechanical and somehow the root-cause to be electrical (a failed capacitor?). See, once I open them, they could spin easily. I must warn though, that those those are difficult to open up (without damaging) and put together as well.

They're actually spinning but the speed and power are considerably less. I might risk one and open it up and see what i can do, i have 5 in total so it won't be a huge loss.

[DrJB]

They're actually spinning but the speed and power are considerably less. I might risk one and open it up and see what i can do, i have 5 in total so it won't be a huge loss.

Those that have gone bad on me ... they become very difficult to spin by hand. I wanted to cut tje capacitor and see if that helped ... but that's been a while. From my electrical course years ago, a capacitor is needed in AC motors to reduce effective power (Cos Phi) ... in DC motors however, I'm not sure what a capacitor is used for ... unless it's for some current limiting protection. Anyone knows for sure?

Edited November 9, 2014 by DrJB

[Zerobricks]

Those that have gone bad on me ... they become very difficult to spin by hand. I wanted to cut tje capacitor and see if that helped ... but that's been a while. From my electrical course years ago, a capacitor is needed in AC motors to reduce effective power (Cos Phi) ... in DC motors however, I'm not sure what a capacitor is used for ... unless it's for some current limiting protection. Anyone knows for sure?

To reduce noise created by the brushes.

[Boxerlego]

Has anyone found a good use for "Hero Factory Weapon Barrel with 2 Pin Holes and 3 Axle Holes" ?

I got a few on BL with the vague thought that they might be useful in orbital transmissions.

That with out doubt makes a great transmissions part that wont allow the gear pairs to separate under torque. I used a variant of that part with the 36t gear to do this in the extreme cruiser.

[Hrafn]

That with out doubt makes a great transmissions part that wont allow the gear pairs to separate under torque. I used a variant of that part with the 36t gear to do this in the extreme cruiser.

Nice! I hadn't thought of using it in that application.

[Richard Dower]

Can we see more of your protoype collection please?....its rather fascinating to see what TLG made moulds for and then ultimately rejected.

Where did you get that ribbed hose? Is it lego or a another one

speaking of rare parts, i recently bought 8 of part #3713 in Yellow....quite rare! www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=3713&colorID=3&in=A

I also got some 32016 #3 in Yellow and Red....both are quite rare: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=32016

I bought 8 of part #32054 in Yellow: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=32054&colorID=3&in=A

The White pins seem to be the rarest of all!