Technicopedia

[skriblez]

Thank you very much for this great update :) Always wanted the barcode truck :)

[Blakbird]

Regarding 8459 loader, you wrote in differentials section that "A real loader is likely to have hydraulic rotary motors at each wheel and therefore this kind of mechanical drive system would be unnecessary." I must disagree with that, every articulated loader I have driven or seen, has mechanical drivetrain. Especially front axle differential casing is usually very easily seen when bucket is lifted up (for example:

You are quite right, you can always see the differential housing in the front of a loader. I was thinking of excavators. I'll update the site.

[allanp]

Well, not always. Some front end loaders have hydraulic motors but many have differentials. Aren't you lucky to have us know it all's!

Edited June 5, 2015 by allanp

[Blakbird]

I've begun a process of updating the main set photos. While I think it would be far too much work to go back and replace all my old photographs, I think the one main isometric image which is used in all the history and category pages needed work. My old photography skills and lighting were just not good. This makes me feel a lot better about the old pages fitting in with the newer content. Let me know what you think of the before and after versions.

Before:

After:

[PeterF]

The old ones were really not that bad, but the new ones are certainly a step up! And consistency is always good.

[allanp]

Old ones aren't that bad really but the new ones are definitely better.

EDIT:

Oh and I'm loving all these updates, like finding an oasis after being in the desert for years

Edited June 5, 2015 by allanp

[Blakbird]

I've now got new pictures posted for all the models up through 1984.

[ifilin]

Blackbird, big thanks for your Technicopedia. This resource lets touch to Lego Technic history.

[Interceptor]

Blakbird, thank you for your tremendous effort to update Technicopedia. The new pictures are fabulous and really refresh the site. And it was joy to read all that thing about Barcode Multi-set, now I intend to build all the alternative models.

Edited June 8, 2015 by Interceptor

[phool]

And here I was about to post a belated remark on the improvement in the photos. Thanks for all the effort that goes into this site Blakbrid, it's truly a wonderful resource for fans of Technic.

[Captainowie]

Those photos really are a lot cleaner than the old ones (not that the old ones were bad). They are still photos, right? The better the photo the more like a render it looks, and the better the render, the more like a photo it looks. It's got to the point where it's tricky to tell them apart!

[Blakbird]

Those photos really are a lot cleaner than the old ones (not that the old ones were bad). They are still photos, right? The better the photo the more like a render it looks, and the better the render, the more like a photo it looks. It's got to the point where it's tricky to tell them apart!

Thanks, that's quite a compliment. I agree that the new photos look almost fake because they are so good. They really are photos though. Click through to the high res version to see the dust!

[Blakbird]

New photos are now complete up through 1992.

I am hoping to "catch up" the photos to my writing at 1997 by this weekend. Sometimes it is easy to forget how many models there are, but when you photograph them all one by one it is very clear! In order to take all these new photos, I have been dusting all the models which is quite time consuming. I am using an old toothbrush and soapy water. It works well except for dust inside the holes of Technic beams. A good cleaning is really bringing new life into some of these old models. Sadly, when I get to models like the Williams Racer which have disintegrated stickers, there is nothing I can do to get a photograph of what the model should have looked like.

[Blakbird]

Updated pictures now done through 1996. Getting the exposure right on the white models was really difficult.

[skaah]

Thanks! There is a small error on the page http://technicopedia.com/8216.html, on the wheels. It mentions that the model was the only one in 1995 to use the new wheels, which is obviously incorrect, since the model is from 1997 and the 2129/8205 also used these same wheels.

[Rijkvv]

Another error:

Edit: I discovered something, in the 8277 set you mention "it is almost entirely traditional studless bricks".

It's your call of course, maybe you overread my post or don't want to change it but with bricks I think of studs. ;)

[MaxSupercars]

@Blakbird:

When you process such photos you can adjust blacks and whites separately in Photo editing SW... With only Exposure, Brightness, Contrast adjusting it's not possible to archieve best results...

MaxSupercars

[Blakbird]

Thanks! There is a small error on the page http://technicopedia.com/8216.html, on the wheels. It mentions that the model was the only one in 1995 to use the new wheels, which is obviously incorrect, since the model is from 1997 and the 2129/8205 also used these same wheels.

That's a copy-paste error. I took those words from a 1995 set. I'll fix it.

It's your call of course, maybe you overread my post or don't want to change it but with bricks I think of studs. ;)

That should say "studded". I'll fix it.

When you process such photos you can adjust blacks and whites separately in Photo editing SW... With only Exposure, Brightness, Contrast adjusting it's not possible to archieve best results...

I know, that's what I do. I do level and curve adjustments in Photoshop. The problem is that I adjust the white point of the background it overexposes the white bricks. This means I need to mask the bricks or else I need to manually cut out the background.

[BachAddict]

Sadly, when I get to models like the Williams Racer which have disintegrated stickers, there is nothing I can do to get a photograph of what the model should have looked like.

Can you borrow one that's in better condition?

[Blakbird]

Can you borrow one that's in better condition?

If you would like to send me one, I have no objection.

[BachAddict]

Mine is worse :(

[Blakbird]

Update:

Major update to Technicopedia. One of my lame excuses for taking so long to write about the years in the mid to late '90s is the insane number of models released each year. I'm proud to announce that 1998, one of the biggest years of all, is now uploaded with sets 2544, 2854, 3054, 8202, 8203, 8204, 8208, 8209, 8213, 8217, 8218, 8219, 8226, 8233, 8245, 8248, 8257, 8266, 8417, 8428, and 8462. That's right, there were 21 sets that year. I'd like to say I am over the hump, but 1999 has 25 sets. I'm actually looking forward to getting to the modern years when there are only about 10 sets!

As always, let me know what you think.

[9v system]

Have you done the electric starter sets yet?

[D3K]

Awesome! Love the frequency of updates as of lately!

[Blakbird]

Have you done the electric starter sets yet?

I'm not sure what you mean by that. If you want to know if I've done a particular set, just go take a look! If you are talking about the Universal sets, yes they have all been done.