Subject:
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Re: How about ideas for new elements?
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.technic
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Date:
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Wed, 4 Apr 2001 18:37:06 GMT
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Viewed:
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528 times
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I've modified quite a few of my parts to create new ones. For those of us
lucky to have tens of thousands of pieces in our collection, cutting up a
few pieces doesn't hurt too much.
Axles can be cut to just about any length under 12L. I was making 5L axles
long before I ever saw them in any sets.
Threaded axles are extremely rare, but extremely useful. I own only one 10L
and I never use it for fear of warping it even more than it is, or even
breaking it. My solution is 3/16" bolts (or threaded rod- cut to fit). You
have to be careful when tightening the nuts as the pressure can easily
damage the plastic bricks. One way to avoid this is to make the bolt a
little longer than needed and put two nuts on the end with a lock washer in
between them.
The first nut (against the plastic) need only be snug, while the second nut
can be very tight (just remember to hold the first one with pliers or a
wrench). The lock washer keeps the nuts tight as your plastic model rotates.
I never seem to have a link or liftarm (1/2 and full brick widths) of the
right length, so cutting longer ones is a good option, especially the bent
full width links (or bent studless beams). See Jennifer Clark's response to
the original message.
Also, the 1x4 liftarm with the full brick-width end (part #2825:
http://w3.one.net/~hughesj/technica/registry/plate/plate_3.html ) is quite
annoying because I have a lot of them but I find more uses for a 1x4 liftarm
that is all 1/2 width. Lego is now making these and I have a few, but I've
taken to slicing off part of the full end of the old liftarms to make them
all 1/2 width. I've also cut the entire full width end off to make a 1x3
link with a cross-axle hole at one end and a smooth hole at the other. This
new piece
can be useful.
I also find problems with the links having smooth holes when I want
cross-axle holes, and having cross-axle holes when I want smooth holes. My
solution to the latter problem is to bore it out with a 3/16" drill bit.
The new 5.2L axles with a collar are a neat part. Long before I saw these I
was supergluing a 1/2 bushing to a normal axle.
Anyway, these are only my personal experiences in modifying my bricks. If
you're a Lego purist who is cringing in your seat, well, sorry. My
philosophy is that if you can make a part from an existing one, then it's
still all Lego. After all, when Lego needs a special piece for a model they
just make a new one.
T. J.
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Message is in Reply To:
 | | How about ideas for new elements?
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| The threads discussing what new mechanical functions and what new sets we would like in Technic has got me thinking about elements that are logical progressions of existing ones but that don't exist. I often find myself after a version of the 3/4 (...) (23 years ago, 30-Mar-01, to lugnet.technic)
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