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Product Description
Product Description
The LEGO® Technic Idea Book: Simple Machines is a collection of hundreds of working examples of simple yet fascinating Technic models that you can build based on their pictures alone. Each project uses color-coded pieces and is photographed from multiple angles, making it easy to see how the models are assembled without the need for step-by-step instructions. Every model illustrates a different principle, concept, or mechanism that will inspire your own original creations. You're encouraged to use these elements as building blocks to create your own masterpieces.
The Technic models in Simple Machines demonstrate basic configurations of gears, shafts, pulleys, turntables, connectors, and the like. You'll learn how to create small, elegant machines like cranes, operable doors, motorized cars, a rubber band-powered rocket launcher, a hand-cranked drag racer, and even musical instruments.
This visual guide, the first in the three-volume LEGO Technic Idea Book series, is the brainchild of master builder Yoshihito Isogawa of Tokyo, Japan. Each title is filled with photos of Isogawa's unique models, all of which are designed to fire the imaginations of LEGO builders young and old.
Imagine. Create. Invent. Now, what will you build?
NOTE: The LEGO Technic Idea Book series uses parts from various Technic sets. If you don't have some of the pieces shown in a particular model, experiment by substituting your own parts or visit the No Starch Press website (nostarch.com) for a list of the special parts used in the book.
About the Author
Yoshihito Isogawa is a LEGO luminary with 42 years of experience. He began writing computer manuals while at the Tokyo University of Science and founded Isogawa Studio, Inc. soon after. He has twice won the grand prize in the Japan Manual Contest held by the Japan Technical Communicators Association and he has won outstanding performance awards many times. He currently lives in Tokyo.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Don't expect any explanatory text. See all those little pictures on the cover? well the inside is full of little pictures like that, from lots of different angles. Basically, imagine someone with too much time on their hands sitting next to a trough of millions of different technical Lego pieces, and just fiddling around putting 2 or 3 together to see what little pulleys and machines they can come up with. And then taking a bunch of photos.
Someone has very helpfully added an arrow or two here & there, to indicate potential movement.
Brilliant for those obsessed with fiddling around with bits of Lego, done all the kits but still can't put it down.
Inspiring for older children who are mechanically minded and will love to find the bits, or something close, to make their own versions and open their minds to see what they can engineer. The fact that there's no text, just pictures, is totally in context with this application of the book. Who needs text when the pictures just take you to that world.
Someone has very helpfully added an arrow or two here & there, to indicate potential movement.
Brilliant for those obsessed with fiddling around with bits of Lego, done all the kits but still can't put it down.
Inspiring for older children who are mechanically minded and will love to find the bits, or something close, to make their own versions and open their minds to see what they can engineer. The fact that there's no text, just pictures, is totally in context with this application of the book. Who needs text when the pictures just take you to that world.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I purchased this book on a whim after reading a glowing review on another site. The concept is very simple - no text, just pictures of mechanical lego models ranging from very simple to complex taken from a variety of angles. The pictures themselves are very clear and you can usually work out fairly quickly what's going on.
Would you ever make the models shown in this book? I haven't (yet), but I'm really not sure if that's what it's about. It's really a coffee table book for you to pick up and admire the pictures, the models and of course the awesome 'toy' that is Lego.
There are other books in the series, and I have to say that I'm tempted to buy them. If you love Lego, especially the Technic kits, then at under £10 this book is certainly worth a look - so long as you're aware of what you're getting.
Would you ever make the models shown in this book? I haven't (yet), but I'm really not sure if that's what it's about. It's really a coffee table book for you to pick up and admire the pictures, the models and of course the awesome 'toy' that is Lego.
There are other books in the series, and I have to say that I'm tempted to buy them. If you love Lego, especially the Technic kits, then at under £10 this book is certainly worth a look - so long as you're aware of what you're getting.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
23 reviews
41 of 42 people found the following review helpful
Simple pleasures
11 Oct 2010
Format:Paperback
If you are a LEGO builder like me, you have gotten pretty proficient at building what is called the System type of models. These are buildings and vehicles that are the scale of the minifigure and are the majority of the things that are built with LEGO elements.
However, there are other scales and other parts that are not the typical brick and plate. Once called Expert Models, these became the Technic theme, which are models that have working features, like working steering and gear systems. These are sets that are more complex, and as a result, are tough to explore building possibilities. With The LEGO Technic Idea Book: Simple Machines, using Technic parts becomes a much easier exercise.
As the first book in the LEGO Technic Idea book trilogy,Simple Machines explains the parts and their uses in a clear, easy-to-understand format. There are no words used in the diagrams: all ideas are explained with graphics and colorful photos of example models. This makes it really easy and fun to pick up on building. The simplicity of the photos and diagrams also allows the builder to adapt the model to his creations.
For the beginning builder this is a great guide to learning how to make working models. For the experienced builder, this is a good reference on building techniques. This book would also be useful for FIRST LEGO teams, as it explains how to use gears, which is useful for MINDSTORMS robot builders.
However, there are other scales and other parts that are not the typical brick and plate. Once called Expert Models, these became the Technic theme, which are models that have working features, like working steering and gear systems. These are sets that are more complex, and as a result, are tough to explore building possibilities. With The LEGO Technic Idea Book: Simple Machines, using Technic parts becomes a much easier exercise.
As the first book in the LEGO Technic Idea book trilogy,Simple Machines explains the parts and their uses in a clear, easy-to-understand format. There are no words used in the diagrams: all ideas are explained with graphics and colorful photos of example models. This makes it really easy and fun to pick up on building. The simplicity of the photos and diagrams also allows the builder to adapt the model to his creations.
For the beginning builder this is a great guide to learning how to make working models. For the experienced builder, this is a good reference on building techniques. This book would also be useful for FIRST LEGO teams, as it explains how to use gears, which is useful for MINDSTORMS robot builders.
35 of 37 people found the following review helpful
Thinking in LEGO -- where to find those pesky parts
8 Nov 2010
Format:Paperback
There are hundreds of models in these books and, unless you've got a massive storehouse of LEGO Technic parts in your 10,000 square foot basement, you may not have all of the parts you need in order to build a particular model.
We want to help you find those parts. To that end, Yoshihito Isogawa has prepared a hyperlinked list of the more unique parts in the books to help you to find them at the Bricklink website. We can't post a direct link to that list here, but here's how to find it on our website:
(1) Go to the main No Starch Press website
(2) Search for the word "technic"
(3) Click the first search item that comes up ("LEGO Technic Idea Book Complete Set")
(4) When you reach that page, click the link that says "See the parts list for the books," which you'll see just underneath the red text that says "Buy the whole set and save . . ."
or, if you can read between the lines, try:
nostarch dot com /technic
Please remember that these are idea books; buying these books is not like buying a pre-packaged LEGO set. As such, you're encouraged to explore and invent with LEGO. Many of our readers draw considerable inspiration from the pictures of Isogawa's models alone and I hope that you will, too.
Sincerely,
William Pollock, Founder
No Starch Press
We want to help you find those parts. To that end, Yoshihito Isogawa has prepared a hyperlinked list of the more unique parts in the books to help you to find them at the Bricklink website. We can't post a direct link to that list here, but here's how to find it on our website:
(1) Go to the main No Starch Press website
(2) Search for the word "technic"
(3) Click the first search item that comes up ("LEGO Technic Idea Book Complete Set")
(4) When you reach that page, click the link that says "See the parts list for the books," which you'll see just underneath the red text that says "Buy the whole set and save . . ."
or, if you can read between the lines, try:
nostarch dot com /technic
Please remember that these are idea books; buying these books is not like buying a pre-packaged LEGO set. As such, you're encouraged to explore and invent with LEGO. Many of our readers draw considerable inspiration from the pictures of Isogawa's models alone and I hope that you will, too.
Sincerely,
William Pollock, Founder
No Starch Press
20 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Interesting ideas, but not for every builder
21 April 2011
Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review
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After building a few (OK, a lot of) Lego sets with my son, I've rediscovered my love for Lego and making custom builds. I've noticed that the more complex, mechanical Technic elements play a larger role in most Lego sets, so when I saw Yoshihito Isagawa's Lego Technic Idea Book - Simple Machines I decided to give it a shot in the hopes that I'd be able to incorporate some of its ideas into my own creations.
Unfortunately, this book is entirely free of text. I understand that Lego instructions are also text free, but this guide doesn't read like a Lego instruction book. You can get a general idea of the building sequence and parts involved, but it's not always clear. It's also not always evident just what the simple machine on each page is supposed to be used for. Perhaps more advanced Technic builders don't need that basic information, but as a novice (and as a parent), I didn't find this book nearly as helpful as I had hoped.
The Lego Technic Idea Book - Simple Machines has some useful information, but I'd only recommend it to more experienced builders. If you're looking for something that will help younger builders, this probably isn't it.
Unfortunately, this book is entirely free of text. I understand that Lego instructions are also text free, but this guide doesn't read like a Lego instruction book. You can get a general idea of the building sequence and parts involved, but it's not always clear. It's also not always evident just what the simple machine on each page is supposed to be used for. Perhaps more advanced Technic builders don't need that basic information, but as a novice (and as a parent), I didn't find this book nearly as helpful as I had hoped.
The Lego Technic Idea Book - Simple Machines has some useful information, but I'd only recommend it to more experienced builders. If you're looking for something that will help younger builders, this probably isn't it.
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