Other Pete J's thread of Lego building (current project: 76210 Iron Man Mark 44 Hulkbuster - Alternate)

This seems relevant:-

https://www.popularmechanics.com/culture/a30927273/custom-lego-sets/

 

Ahh, the ISD Intimidator!



You can buy the building instructions and part list on Rebrickable: linky

 

Woohoo! Second instruction booklet down! I've placed Ellen and Jonesy in a tense situation with the Alien:



The CiC (a pull out module) is also complete and has the majority of the original Star Trek crew trying to understand how to control a Star Destroyer:



The next booklet is going to be a challenge: it's the port and starboard bottom panels. Not only are they A LOT of flat plates, it involves the difficult joining step that the designer has an unlisted Youtube video for.

I've got all I need to build the upgraded version of the Hulkbuster - I'll build that at the parents' over Easter. Rumour is Lego are bringing out a new version of it this year though!

On a final note, I've bought a ticket to the Milton Keynes Brick Festival on Saturday 21st March. At least one friend is joining me.

 

Bottom panels started, after moving the model in its current state to the study so I could free up table space:



I decided to build them in parallel rather than in series. They're about 25% complete, so hopefully at the end of next weekend I'll get them finished.

 

Ripley and the Alien on a SD?

 

I hope you're happy, because I've been looking for something to fill up one of the rooms overlooking the hangar, and have now bought parts for one of these:



And two additional minifigs:



Will post an update at the end of today, but in the meantime:



Lego is strong stuff!

 

Finished up a stage this morning, after a few hours' building yesterday:


Also: over the halfway point!

 

I was trying to post this update Monday morning but the forums seemed to have been playing up until now



Still a fair bit to go on the bottom panels but the sense of scale is really coming together - the bottom bits are connected to the top bits in a few instruction's time and will measure nigh on a metre. It's one thing to say it, but to hold these large panels in hand and feel their weight is quite impressive.

Thanks to Corona, I now have much more free time to work on it, so every cloud...

I have also bought the instructions for this:



I'm pondering about what to do for an AT-AT. There's this minifig scale version:



Pros are that it's minifig scale and proportional. Cons are that the legs can't be articulated and is actually a bit unstable due to the large amount of weight in the torso. It's also rather large and may detract from the Star Destroyer, which is always supposed to be the jewel of the collection.

The alternative is this:



Pros are it's articulated, sturdy, designed by Raskolnikov (the same guy who designed the SD I'm building) and the instructions are free! Cons are it's not quite minifig scale.

Think I'm going with the second one as it's still relatively proportional, won't draw attention away from the SD and a DAMN sight cheaper to buy the parts for.

 

I would take the second one there.. .scale to the SD would bother me tremendously.

 

If the SD was on the same scale as this, you'd never get it into a house, built...

 

A notable milestone, the joining of the sections built above:



Very awkward owing to the size (the longest edge of one panel is 95cm). This weekend I'll get them completed and attached.

In other Lego shenanigans, I've bought the parts for the second AT-AT walker; for some reason the parts dropped in price quite significantly.

I've also bought the instructions for this:



Unfortunately it uses several rare parts (one part in particular only has one new one in the Bricklink store), so I'm looking at buying used parts and hoping they're okay.

 

Blimey, third instruction booklet down:



Here are the completed bottom panels (well there's a small satellite dish left off so I don't accidentally knock them off when putting them on).



Bottom panels attached! 'Twas a pain in the backside - I actually had to take the first one off again (slightly damaging a 3L pin in the process) to find out where a part had come loose from. I also knocked off the rear bridge part too, but that was easily reattached. The designer added in a handy retractable 'tail' in the model that meant I could balance it without breaking the panels while I put them on.

Surprisingly hard work!

The next section is the engines. However, I'm way behind in checking other Lego deliveries at the moment, so will focus on that. Plus more gardening to do tomorrow if the weather's clement.

I've also bought most of the parts for the AT-ST. Some of the parts are rare, so I'm looking around to find them cheaper.

 

That alien is amazing. I've seen the Lepin set and wonder how that happened... there must have been a licencing agreement there, surely? I'm a massive Lego fan, but for something like that which has the sole purpose of being displayed only, I'd definitely go with the Lepin instead - all brand new parts, and looks just as good IMO.

 

Wow, just looked that up. A lot cheaper! I'd never buy Lepin though, on moral grounds, plus the fact that the parts aren't manufactured to the same dimensional tolerances. As you say, for a display model, the tolerances shouldn't matter too much though.

 

I tried to upload this yesterday but the forum's media upload tool is flaking out. Hence, I've decided to reactivate my ImageShack account and will be using that from now on; additionally I'll upload all the older images in this thread over time.

So, engines:



This was the most frustrating stage of the build by far, for reasons unique to such a large build. The two bottom panels are held on by pins at the approximate centre of gravity, with the rear stand having a little ledge for locating parts to rest on. However, the bottom engine panels require you to bend the bottom panels to wedge them into position, which kept breaking off a couple of parts off the starboard bottom panel. After taking the bottom panel in question off multiple times and a LOT of raging and swearing (even resorting to inserting little bits of Blu Tack stuck in between plates), I eventually realised that my lifting method was causing the parts to flex enough to push the plates out of position. I ended up having to put the model upside down, put the bottom panel on and put a few pins in position, then flip the model bow over stern using the stands. I spent several hours fixing this!

I've actually got two top engine panels on now as well and will upload an image tomorrow.

In other Lego news:

• Parts for the AT-AT have started turning up.
• I've ordered parts for the AT-ST but will have to order the rarer parts another time (keeping costs down).
• The order for the missing Mustang parts have arrived.
• My minifig army has gotten a bit...silly! I must have well over a hundred of the little buggers.

I've also discovered the 'Buildable Figure' range of Lego and now have in my possession:





I've also bought this, but am having delivery issues - apparently it was dropped off on Saturday at 4:16AM. No it wasn't! EDIT: Arrived!

 

Finished the engines!



This is a landmark stage as it is the last one where non-removable parts are added; from now on all stages are things that are designed to be lifted off the model to allow access! Quick note: the left and right engine inner 'radar dishes' rotate and will turn the turrets on the top panels.

I was hoping to also get the mini TIE fighters and probe droids made today, but a couple of long phone calls ate into my time. Never mind, they can wait.

In other Lego news, I've started ordering a few bits and bobs for the Aliens APC - mainly the electronics.

And now for some nice photos!


'Did you dry these in a rainforest?'
'Hey Buzz, what's up with that guy?'
'He's the brother of the guy who runs the Death Star.'


'Don't worry Rose, I have a plan...'


Ignorance is bliss.


On the left: 'Sand always gets in the damn suit.'
Centre: 'Hey guys, look at this gun I found.'
On the bed: 'Trying to sleep here!'


'What do we do now?'


'Keep an eye on those men, Bones. What is it, Mr Spock?'

Unfortunately I'm lacking a tripod at the moment, so had to shoot at ISO4000. I'll be doing some more photos once the majority of models are made, plus I'm going to have to do some image stacking to get the effect I want.

 

Great progress - keep it going!

On the subject of photography, I'd recommend getting a hotshoe flash over a tripod. I use a Yongnuo 560 II and it's a fantastic piece of kit for the money (I used to own two Canon 580EX IIs worth several times as much).

This snap was taken a few years ago when I was selling off some of my Technic collection. Settings were ISO 200 in a dim room, 1/125 shutter speed, and f/6.3 on a 50mm lens. Indirect flash gives such a pleasing soft light.

 

I used to have that; iirc it was one of the first Technic kits I ever had.

 

You sold your 8865!? If I had one of those, I wouldn't part with it neither for love nor money!

I hear what you're saying about the flash, but even with f16 the depth of field was still far too shallow for my liking and using my zoom lens was out of the question owing to room. Hence, image stacking it is.