Maybe the building experience is great (and the minifigs really are great!) but why does it have to be that "ugly"... (maybe a question for the movie designers though...)

Well, to be fair, sometimes LEGO has taken a nice looking vehicle from the film and given us this http://alpha.bricklink.com/pages/clone/catalogitem.page?S=7151-1&name=Sith%20Infiltrator&category=%5BStar%20Wars%5D%5BStar%20Wars%20Episode%201%5D#T=S&O={"ii":1}

So... the 42039 AROCS. After the 42009, Ultimate 42009 and the 42030 Crawler Crane, it was not as challenging (even aligning all the bloody hoses wasn't that bad). I wouldn't say it was anticlimactic, per se, but didn't feel as special as I hoped. Granted, the suspension is ingenious and I love the way it looks like the real thing. But the older UNIMOG feels somehow more special to me. I really like the Mog's functions (and it is a UNIMOG - built out of Lego, for heaven's sake). I have been spoilt by Jurgen's Ultimate 42009.

Verdict? Lovely set. Clever, nicely designed, easier to control than the UNIMOG (although having controls split across both sides means I would forget what does what). The locking mechanism for the tipper bed's flap is ingeniously simple. But the Mog is an adorable UNIMOG WITH PORTAL AXLES A WINCH AND AN ARM!

All of that seems a bit contradictory... that's fine. Still is a worthy flagship.

I finally found a little bit of time this afternoon to expand Tony Stark's mansion for my son.  He's happy now, but still wants more displays for his suits.  It's still a work in progress, since I need some more large white slopes to fill out the front.  I built it up a little bit to give it more of a mountain-side feel.  It's real solid now with the heavier base.

 

Edited September 14, 201510 yr by exciter1

Sopwith Camel 10226

I've been putting off this post for a week as I tried to digest this build. It's not that I didn't like it, I just wanted to like it more. Don't get me wrong, I love the subject, there were some neat elements, the thing is impressive on display, and both I and my niece had fun with the build...I just wanted to like it MORE.

I picked this one up for around $60 and for that price, I'm glad for the experience...also glad I didn't open one of my sealed ones. For the right person this is an amazing model and well worth the cost though due to its size, it takes a commitment to display.

Oh well, spent the last 30 minutes breaking it down to move on down the road. Hopefully the next person who gets it likes it a little more than me.

built the Temple of Airjitzu with my sons this weekend. Two word: frickin' beautiful! It was really a lot of fun - but now I don't want them to touch it

My used Ewok Village sans minifigs arrived last week. Sorted the pieces over the course of the week then built up the village on Friday night. It lasted less than 24 hours where I dismantled it and put the purchase to it's real purpose. Saw this in the MOCs thread a couple months back and fell in love with it, had to have one.

I present my personal edition of the 10236 UCS Lord of the Rings Ent!

 

Impressive 

Built 75102 Poe's X-Wing.  The color scheme looks great (also helps that I live in the Bay Area and these are SF Giants colors) and the orange is much more vibrant than the pictures convey.  Aside from the minifigures which are great the highlight of the set for me it is the printed cockpit piece.  It just looks amazing and is a great focal point of the ship and I can only imagine how the UCS Red Five would have benefitted from one.  Other notes: the blue rubber bands really don't bother me however the way the rear engines are attached seems brittle and I don't like the strain the rubber bands put in them - I may just use 1 rubber band on either side instead and see if that works without having the bottom wings droop.  The set doesn't feel like an $80 set, however with 20% off at $64 I am very pleased with the set. 

Just finished my third modular and second via bricklink. Spent a hair over $400 on it. Could have been cheaper but I stayed pretty true to the original except for the third floor windows. The front door, dark blue posts next to the doors, blue shirt minifig, and skis over the door were the priciest. I did end up with some extra doors so I can sell them to get it under $400... or do another one...

Finished the last of The Force Awakens sets with the Snowspeeder set.  Of all the sets this looked the least appealing to me but it's much bigger and better looking in person and I really really like it.  I still don't get the functionality of an opening top vehicle in the snow though.  If I had to rate the sets in order it would be:

1. Poe's X-Wing (a surprise to me since I wasn't originally planning to get this set) the cockpit piece and color scheme is amazing.

2. Millennium Falcon - with the figures being a part of my vote for it here

3. Kylo Ren's Command Shuttle - even though the wings are not at the right angle it is a fairly easy mod to correct and of all the sets this one felt like a UCS set and a fun build.

4. Snowspeeder - like the way it looks like a hovering boat with giant engines, snow trooper is great

5. Rey's Speeder - love the colors, fun little build

6. Tie Fighter - the new printed pieces in the dark red are great pieces

7. First Order Transporter - I was so disappointed by this set.  I wanted to love it, it was one of the first that I purchased but it just doesn't work for me.  Disappointed but the figure selection is pretty good.

Finished the last of The Force Awakens sets with the Snowspeeder set.  Of all the sets this looked the least appealing to me but it's much bigger and better looking in person and I really really like it.  I still don't get the functionality of an opening top vehicle in the snow though.  If I had to rate the sets in order it would be:

1. Poe's X-Wing (a surprise to me since I wasn't originally planning to get this set) the cockpit piece and color scheme is amazing.

2. Millennium Falcon - with the figures being a part of my vote for it here

3. Kylo Ren's Command Shuttle - even though the wings are not at the right angle it is a fairly easy mod to correct and of all the sets this one felt like a UCS set and a fun build.

4. Snowspeeder - like the way it looks like a hovering boat with giant engines, snow trooper is great

5. Rey's Speeder - love the colors, fun little build

6. Tie Fighter - the new printed pieces in the dark red are great pieces

7. First Order Transporter - I was so disappointed by this set.  I wanted to love it, it was one of the first that I purchased but it just doesn't work for me.  Disappointed but the figure selection is pretty good.

I just saw Poe's x-wing on display at walmart and it definitely looks better in person than in any pic I've seen.

My son has been bugging me to finally build 76041 - The Hydra Fortress Smash.  I didn't like that the interior had very few rooms for play, so I made some additions.  He'll wake up tomorrow and the battle will ensue.

Finished the mystery mansion yesterday to finally complete the series.

Now to move on to the Monster Fighter line in time for Halloween! No HH though:(

Have built several sets in recent weeks, here are the latest two.  I need to buy another shelving unit from Ikea now

Turning into a nice evening...

Turning into a nice evening...

Looks like someone is having a night of "beer building".

Built 21303 - Wall-E last night.  This was done on my live stream on Twitch.  Great build with some interesting techniques.  I see what people mean about the floppy head tho.  Now that it is actually available in stores, I'm curious to see the difference.

 

Don't know if this has been posted already but this is a decent fix

http://www.thebrickfan.com/lego-ideas-wall-e-21303-head-modification-by-chris-mcveigh/

Just finished my third modular and second via bricklink. Spent a hair over $400 on it. Could have been cheaper but I stayed pretty true to the original except for the third floor windows. The front door, dark blue posts next to the doors, blue shirt minifig, and skis over the door were the priciest. I did end up with some extra doors so I can sell them to get it under $400... or do another one...

Is the cat the stand-in for the Pet Shop?

My boys just had birthdays, so was able to build some sets with/for them.  First was the First Order Transport.  This set was really cool...wasn't that excited by how it looks on the box, but the build was pretty neat and the minifigures were fantastic.  Next was the Turtle Lair for the little one.  It is a playset...we will just leave it at that.  He loves all the little "features" but not really my thing.

Built 21303 - Wall-E last night.  This was done on my live stream on Twitch.  Great build with some interesting techniques.  I see what people mean about the floppy head tho.  Now that it is actually available in stores, I'm curious to see the difference.

 

Didn't realize you were on here. I only got to watch the first few minutes of your live stream before I had to get kids to bed. I did post about it in the Wall-E thread.

 

Next live stream, be sure to mention it in the thread for the set you are building.

 

Didn't realize you were on here. I only got to watch the first few minutes of your live stream before I had to get kids to bed. I did post about it in the Wall-E thread.

 

Next live stream, be sure to mention it in the thread for the set you are building.

Thanks for the plug Alpine!

Next time I will make sure to post when I'm building some of the new sets.  Friday night will be 6973 - Deep Freeze Defender then Saturday night will be 10197 - Fire Brigade.

Just built the 60051 High Speed Passanger Train. Only built it to check if complete, but it is suprisingly good when done.

It took a while & I made a few substitutions but I bricklinked the freaking Imperial Flagship 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 27, 201510 yr by marcandre

Bricklink Bat-Pod!  Total including tires and the Hero Facotry complete sets in order to get the pieces came to just over $115 and well worth it.  Cannot wait to get this home and display next to Tumbler.  The set is much bigger than I imagined too.