LEGO - The thread.

[starkdesign]

Just curious, do most of you go through knolling before you start building your sets? I've done it on the last few sets I've built and while it take a lot of time up front, I've found that I enjoy the build more.

Like, lining them up and organizing them before a build?



I usually just sort them out in bins before starting, unless I am doing a video. Then I try to organize them all out in a nice grid or pattern since I try to keep them on camera.

[golobulus]

Wow! That's a great video. Ya, that is what I meant. I watched a video done by one of the Mythbusters who assembled a lego Sisyphus kit. They organized all of the parts by type, size, and color before the build. I've started doing it and while it takes a long time once it's done it makes the build so much easier.

[glenn1]

For me it depends on how many pieces they put in each number set. I recently built the Apollo Saturn V and even though the set is relatively large, it wasn't necessary to organize because of how few pieces were in each number set. On the other hand, the modulars I have to sort out or it would take me forever to pick through.

[starkdesign]

MF UCS bags 3 tonight: figured I would start with showing how many different pieces you start this "step" with. I grabbed 4 sorting trays I had nearby, and probably could've used one more honestly lol. But since I was limited a bit, here is what I did for sorting, YMMV.



This step in the build started with the first minifigs of the set!



It also was the first stage that used stickers. I had to do some computer/console displays and controls, the hallway, and seat backs near the Dejarik table. Funny enough the table is printed on the piece rather than a sticker (although putting a sticker on a dome piece like that would be a pain). I gotta say, the hallway sticker effect is awesome, and that framing around the hallway with the padding going all around is well done, love that detail. Which made me wonder what others do for applying stickers? I usually use a metal palette knife I have for my 3d printer, applying a corner of the sticker to it and then using it to hover/position over where I need to stick it, and then applying it completely. My hands are too shaky for doing it with my fingers alone, and the stickers in some sets that are transparent bother me when you see fingerprints thru them lol



It also starts to put the front portion underside in place, with the rooms like the one above and this middle section. It also added another leg lol



And then to wrap it up, a few smaller plate details for the top, nothing big but I feel like its just a precursor to what is to come...

[ImAMonster]

I do the same thing as you with stickers.I use an exacto knife placed in the corner of the sticker and hover it in place. The trickiest part is that split second where it's hovering in place perfectly and when you press it in to the piece. I can't tell you how mad I get when it goes crooked right at the last second!

[starkdesign]

I do the same thing as you with stickers.I use an exacto knife placed in the corner of the sticker and hover it in place. The trickiest part is that split second where it's hovering in place perfectly and when you press it in to the piece. I can't tell you how mad I get when it goes crooked right at the last second!

LOL bingo, then you have to either try and stretch it back in place, or lift/peel up and try again ugh

Sometimes I use an x-acto if its the only thing handy, but I have accidentally poked thru a sticker or two doing that lol so going with the metal palette knife is "safer" for a klutz like me, this is the one I have actually: http://www.michaels.com/artists-loft-pa ... 92195.html

Got it originally for scraping 3d prints off the print bed/raft but its got more than one use after all now

[starkdesign]

Oh yeah, who else is going to see the Ninjago movie this weekend?! got tickets for our family tomorrow lol

[schmoff]

I scored a bunch of Star Wars the Force awakens Lego sets at Target for 50% off today

[iwokeinrelief]

Oh yeah, who else is going to see the Ninjago movie this weekend?! got tickets for our family tomorrow lol

Seeing it in the morning! Taking my family and 5 of my son's friends. Should be fun!

[starkdesign]

LEGO Star Wars advent calendar is $5 off at amazon right now fyi

https://www.amazon.com/LEGO-Advent-Cale ... endar+2017

and the ninjago movie was a hit with the Stark fam. Not as good as the others of course, but still fun, and they keep getting better with their animation technique IMO

[iwokeinrelief]

LEGO Star Wars advent calendar is $5 off at amazon right now fyi

https://www.amazon.com/LEGO-Advent-Cale ... endar+2017

and the ninjago movie was a hit with the Stark fam. Not as good as the others of course, but still fun, and they keep getting better with their animation technique IMO

Yes, the animation continues to improve. I didn't particularly like the movie though - all the kids loved it, so it had that going for it.

[starkdesign]

Part 4 of the 17 part build: 2 more minifigs added to the mix!



Then it was back to building on the structure. But this part of the build is filling out the back half of the interior, well... 1 room. The room in the recent episode where Rey and Finn work on the falcon and hide. 3 arches/hallways stem off it, and the escape hatches are awesome. The other "room" you finish in this part is pretty blank...not sure if stuff will be added to it in a later step, or if its just un-utilized in the model.

[starkdesign]

Part 5 was focused on one thing only, the backside. Specifically, the under portion of the back, and the blue engines in the tail. The flex tubes for the engines are really cool, love the color. and the grid cage that goes in front of it is parallel, which I think is different from the older model? I know those two gray ship pieces they used 10 years ago were crazy expensive on the market since they were always in brown rather than gray, right?





The underside is really filling out now, makes it easier to pick up from below at least. And the details on the back are cool, love how it hinges upward from the middle.

[starkdesign]

Part 6 was a big one I feel like. It really makes the ship seem REAL, adding in the front portion and showing almost the complete shape of how massive this will be in its final form:



There are some cool details along the sides of the front fork, and the tips of each side have those cool semicircle 1x1 tiles to add detail. I also liked how there is a gap in the middle of each side that rests on the front squares (you can see where they rest, its where the maroon plates are on the interior of the shape), really helps hold it up in a cantilever system. I mean, if you look at it, a good 12" of bricks are hanging out in the front with no support underneath them, like a FLW building lol



I'll try to build part 7 tonight, not sure I'll have the time, but I wanna take my time and not just rush thru it. Half the fun of a set is the build (especially with a set you don't necessarily want to disassemble and reassemble lol)

[qotsa909]

thanks for posting these pics with the running commentary starkdesign- really interesting to see this come along- i did the batmobile 18 months ago which was pretty involved but NOTHING like this!