The new macaroni tube
Posted by Huw,
A new style of macaroni tube, or as LEGO likes to call it, Design Shape W/ Tube, Crosshole, part number 25214, has been introduced this year, first in 70589 Rock Roader and latterly in 21306 The Beatles Yellow Submarine and 21307 Caterham Seven 620R.
It's an interesting part to examine particularly as the version it replaces has an interesting history...
The original macaroni tube, LEGO part number 71075, was introduced in 1995 and according to BrickLink, appeared in 12 sets, for the last time in 2008.
It was only available in chrome and was almost exclusively used for vehicle exhaust pipes. It's hollow and has a hole suitable for a stud at each end.
It was often used in conjunction with part 71076, which BrickLink accurately describes as a 1 x 1 x 1-and-two-thirds round brick. It has a stud on one end and a hole at the other. In addition to extending vehicle exhausts it also found its way into Scala sets where it was used for flasks or similar containers.
It's possible to connect the straight ones to make longer pipes, and to the curved one. However the curved ones cannot be connected together, legally at least...
That didn't stop LEGOLAND Germany from attempting to do so in 2004, though, in this promotional model of an Audi TT, with far-reaching consequences which Jamie Berard explained in a presentation he gave called Stressing the Elements at a fan event in 2006, shortly after he joined the LEGO group.
I suspect that as well as the consequences described in the slides, the part was phased out as a direct result.
Now, ten years later it's been resurrected and redesigned.
The new one is pretty much identical externally but has axle holes at each end. A stud can still be fitted into the hole, as it is on the end of the periscopes on 21306 The Beatles Yellow Submarine.
They can be joined together with a 2l axle, to 29219 Tube, W/ Double 4.85 Hole with a Technic pin, or indeed to any part that has an axle, an axle hole or a stud, so it's therefore much more versatile. It can even be used for vehicle roll-bars legally now, as it is in the Caterham...
Currently it's in short supply and only appears in small numbers in expensive sets but I suspect once grey ones in particular become more readily available they'll be finding their way into all manner of spaceships and other MOCs.
What will you use it for?
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32 comments on this article
Human-scaled pasta bowl!
That would be really useful for support or scaffolding for modular sets
I want, like, a million of those.
The straight section will be great for columns in architectural builds, since the other part which can be used in this way has an ugly slot in it. (62462 - Pin Connector Round 2L with Slot)
The curved part is perfect for certain architectural details; I'm sure Berard has a pile of them on his desk right now as he considers the next wave of Modular Buildings. How about an marvelous Art Deco building next year?
---tom
Awesome
That Audi TT is rubbish.
I was disappointed the original part was not used more. While I doubt that we'll ever see the new part in chrome, as a whole it is better, and I really like that it can work both with a pin and a stud.
Have to agree with heneysunset, the original pin connector round would have looked better than the current one with this part, but I doubt the current one will see any modifications.
I'm glad the bit about the Legoland Germany car was included, as I was unaware of it. I think it also helps to highlight the need of versatility in pieces. The part was being used in a way it was never designed to be. Had the new design been in place since the beginning, it may never have fallen out of production.
Unfortunately @henrysunset, there isn't a new straight piece without ugly slot, I just hid them from view.
The ugly slot version replaced one that didn't have it but I believe it was difficult to manufacture which led to its replacement.
This is a fascinating article, and the look at history and relevance to AFOLs and MOCers makes it especially interesting. Now I know what contributed to today's quality checks. Thank you Huw, I would enjoy more articles of this type.
Ooh, I'd be all for a nice Art Deco building...
Well, there is chrome versions available on the Missing Parts site at lego.com.
The grey and black are sold out right now...
I guess it could work nicely as a bumper for cars, vans, etc.. Imagine the 10220 Volkswagen T1 Camper Van having a rounder bumper, more in line with the original design of the van.
Man, as the other people in the comments have said, it'd be great to get a whole bunch of the yellow ones and make a bowl of macaroni and cheese...
Anyway, I love this redesign. It's a great example of Lego finding a problem with an old part and coming up with a solution that makes the part even better. And the number of colors this part is available in is expanding rapidly, with Black, Medium Stone Grey, Bright Yellow, Bright Orange, Titanium Metallic, and Bright Red ones coming out before the year is done.
I love the new 'macaroni' tube
"The new one is identical externally..."
According to New Elementary:
"This new version has been tweaked to have longer straight sections and a smaller curve."
http://www.newelementary.com/2016/09/review-interview-lego-ideas-21307-caterham-seven-620r.htmlmore
Cool. I want a lot of these parts.
What happened to the rogue one reviews
^^^ Yes that probably is the case but the difference is negligible and not not readily noticeable.
Ha! I forgot all about that article. I remember reading it years ago and being happy they LEGO had doubled down on quality building versus just trying any ol' AFOL trick.
I think it's kept their sets very consistent over the last decade.
Interesting to note that the original part was used for a roll bar in set 4896 (Roaring Roadsters) in 2006, but with no connection at the top between the 2 pieces. It made for a very flimsy construction.
I'm happy to see the new part, but wonder if we'll ever see chrome again in a non-minifig part. The last non-minifig chrome part was released in 2003!!
This part is already available in LDD! It was added in with a bunch of the new parts a few weeks ago
I would buy 2,000 of those if they came in grey or black.
Don't know. Not much of a MOCer myself, as I am kinda bad at building. I've tried. I'll try to find inspiration
Such a cool piece! It really annoyed me a couple years ago when I tried to find which sets it had been in. I didn't see it in the Brickset database, but I'd seen it in the LEGO Movie so I was pretty sure it was a real piece. I finally found it in some old sets, and now they've updated it!
Also, the new macaroni piece appears in red in an upcoming Lego Batman Movie set (the one with Mr. Freeze). :)
@BrickyMcBrick: http://brickset.com/sets/21307-1/Caterham-Seven-620R has them in both grey AND black!
@tomahawker - it's unlikely we'll see chromed parts again, Jamie revealed at the SFW this year that chromed parts require separate molds to account for the added thickness of the chrome layer.
@Sammael: Well, I wouldn't say "never again", because chromed parts have never entirely gone away. They're just a lot rarer than they were in the 90s. It's true that chrome silver parts haven't appeared in sets since 2013 (Dooku's lightsaber hilt), but http://brickset.com/sets/10251-1/Brick-Bank has chrome gold coins and ingots, and http://brickset.com/parts/6009771 is still chrome gold by default (even though LEGO Customer Service lists it as Warm Gold with a decoration).
What on earth was that TT...... and who put those tyres on those wheels. Are you sure it wasn't someone who works there's son or daughters model...... I was looking for the famous TT a while ago..... what a farce......
@Aanchir - the coins and the One Ring were developed specifically for chroming, which is why we've never seen them in a different color. The ingot is clearly a different mold, because the gold chromed version has the LEGO logo in both indents, whereas the LBG one used in the Brick Bank has the logo in one indent and the mold mark in the other.
@Sammael: Yes, but my point is that LEGO could continue to develop molds specifically for chroming where they feel it's appropriate. And that won't necessarily be limited to minifigures and minifigure accessories.
Very nice review...the new piece can be used in more ways,I am looking forward fora chrome version.
P.S I have used the old one for a roll cage a year before the launch of caterham so your statement that you couldn't build a roll cage with an old one is wrong!
see here: http://gricks.gr/index.php/el/forum/brickcar/1209-cerberus-track-day-car-2os-diagonismos-xeimonas-2015-16