Help with Christmas present for my AFOL hubby

Comments

• datsunrobbie Member Posts: 1,828

  November 2017

  What sort of models is he wanting to motorize? There are Power Functions and Mindstorms stuff that can do all sorts of things, the new Boost set, and there are also pull-back motors. Knowing what he wants to motorize will help determine which parts are best suited for the job.

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• Wife245 Member Posts: 2

  November 2017

  Not sure if he knows, think he wants to experiment with it so probably only needs something basic

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• ecmo47 Member Posts: 2,101

  November 2017

  Also, what Lego Themes does he collect? I'm guessing the Technics line. Perhaps a better gift would be one of the nice flagship models that are currently available like #42070 (All terrain tow-truck) or #42054 (CLAAS tractor).
  

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• Astrobricks Member Posts: 5,560

  November 2017

  Without more detail on his needs, I'd suggest #8293 Motor Set since it's generic and should be readily available. Not too expensive either.

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• datsunrobbie Member Posts: 1,828

  November 2017

  Personally, I'm a big fan of the Mindstorms NXT 2.0 set #8547. It can often be found used for under $150 in the US. I have not really built much with it beyond the tracked crawler featured in the instructions because my grandson loves using the phone app with Bluetooth to drive around the crawler. As far as I know, all the Power Functions remotes use IR, so you have to have line-of-sight to control them. 

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• Addicted2Oxygen Member Posts: 470

  November 2017

  If it is creator sets like the fairground sets then he will want m motors and a battery box. He may also want an ir receiver and ir remote control. 
  
  If technic then there are more motor types, but starting with m motors is probably a safe bet. 
  
  However i I would recommend starting with a set that is already motorised. The RC tracked racer #42065 is relatively cheap and will show him how things can be motorised. Plus the motors, battery box, ir receiver and remote control can be used in other creator sets like the fairground or with technic. 
  
  Whatever you get just remember the batteries. Lots and lots of batteries. Mostly aaa, but some of the battery boxes take aa.
  
  links:
  
  https://shop.lego.com/en-GB/LEGO-Power-Functions-M-Motor-8883
  
  https://shop.lego.com/en-GB/LEGO-Power-Functions-AAA-Battery-Box-88000
  
  https://shop.lego.com/en-GB/LEGO-Power-Functions-Motor-Set-8293
  
  https://shop.lego.com/en-GB/LEGO-Power-Functions-IR-Receiver-8884
  
  https://shop.lego.com/en-GB/LEGO-Power-Functions-IR-Remote-Control-8885
  
  https://shop.lego.com/en-GB/RC-Tracked-Racer-42065
  
  

  

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• Addicted2Oxygen Member Posts: 470

  November 2017

  The tracked racer is also on sale at the moment to at lego, but shop around other places may have it cheaper

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• HugeYellowBrick Member Posts: 496

  November 2017

  If he is talking about motors, can't you just ask him what he needs? Or find out if he wants one or more?

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• ryjay Member Posts: 1,004

  November 2017 edited November 2017

  Lego gift card!! :)
  Figure how much he'd spend on lego in a year and put it all on one gift card!!  What AFOL wouldn't want like a $500-1000 gift card, lol?   See, he is going to spend the money anyway, and now you get credit for the "gift"...win-win!

  

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• brickwife Member Posts: 15

  November 2017

  I’ve been here too. In my experience, they know what they want and trying to second guess them is a mistake/minefield/disaster-waiting-to-happen. Gift card!

  

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• datsunrobbie Member Posts: 1,828

  November 2017

  I understand the practicality of a gift card, but must say I truly loathe them as gifts. I suspect it has to do with being 52 years old, having grown up in an era when Sears, Penney's and Monkey Ward sent out paper Christmas Wish Books (there was no World Wide Web) and kids would spend weeks making lists for Santa. Even though you pretty much knew Grandma was getting you Old Spice and socks, and maybe one of those cool cards with a president's face peeking through a hole inside, there were boxes under the tree with real gifts.

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• mroper295 Member Posts: 4

  November 2017

  It sounds like I'm in a similar situation as your husband. I am just getting into motorizing my sets but don't have any of the right parts. Last week I picked up the RC tracked racer 42065 from Amazon and had a blast over the Thanksgiving weekend playing with it. After the kids and I get tired of racing the car around I plan to use the power functions to motorize my displays.
  
  I would highly recommend surprising your AFOL husband with the 42065. Gift cards are boring because there is nothing to play with on Christmas morning. If he decides he doesn't want it then he can return it and have the equivalent of a gift card anyway. Make Christmas great again by purchasing the RC racer!

  

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• BooTheMightyHamster Member Posts: 1,559

  November 2017

  Get him the new Millennium Falcon.  Yes, it's £650, but for the whole of 2018, any time there's an argument, or you want him to do something and he's being reluctant, you can just run out 'Hey - I bought you the Falcon for Christmas.  I'm the best wife in the world!'
  
  And he'll capitulate instantly.*
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *Probably.  But it's still worth doing.

  

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• tamamahm Member Posts: 1,987

  November 2017

  Do you know what sets he wants to motorized?
  
  That at least will help narrow down the motors he would need.
  
  If you do know, then do you know if there are any other sets in that same genre he would want?
  
  I ask because maybe what you do is a large set along the same theme and a gift card for the motors. 

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• ryjay Member Posts: 1,004

  November 2017

  datsunrobbie said:

  I understand the practicality of a gift card, but must say I truly loathe them as gifts. 

  Awww....I love getting gift cards....and I'm 53, lol 

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