Viktor Jakobsson (=DoNe=) built a model of Bag End from The Hobbit featuring a well-sculpted landscape and a fully-detailed interior. You can see more photos on Brickshelf.
Posts by Nannan
Dominating the ice planet
This gigantic vehicle from the Ice Planet theme by Chris Perron is ready to conquer the frozen terrain with its massive notched wheels and array of scientific equipment. All you have to do is look at the minifigs in the photo to appreciate the scale of the beast. When it comes to fan-built Ice Planet creations, this vehicle is the coolest I’ve seen.
Beautiful realism
This power plant office by LegoJalex is a simple and realistic creation with believable details. On a more subtle note, the tactful use of colors contributed much to this creation’s appeal. Some examples include the dark orange tiles on the smokestack, the yellow caution sign, the black stripe at the bottom of the building, and of course the blue door.
Polly wants a cracker
Vlad Lisin‘s Bionicle parrot has all the right parts in the right place, making it one of the most realistic Bionicle creations I’ve seen. The use of the Belville witch’s hat for the beak is sheer brilliance.
Lego Star Wars General Grievous’ Wheel Bike 75040 [Review]
Lego Star Wars General Grievous’ Wheel Bike is one of the new Star Wars sets released in March 2014. This set retails for $24.99 and is available on Amazon. Below is a brief video review and my remarks regarding the set.
Pros:
- Low price-per-piece ratio for a Star Wars set
- Both minifigs are unique to the set
- Includes 17 sand blue cheese slopes
- Wheel bike is sturdy and can be rolled
Cons:
- Despite having lots of parts, the finished model is rather small
This is well-rounded set in terms of minifigs, parts, looks, and playability. The model captures the gritty look of General Grievous’ wheel bike yet rolls easily. The parts selection is average, but the high parts count helps sell the set to builders. The new white version of General Grievous will surely be popular and is guaranteed to be popular among collectors. It’s one of the best Star Wars sets in the low-medium price range.
Lego Star Wars Vulture Droid 75041 [Review]
Lego Star Wars Vulture Droid is one of the new Star Wars sets released in March 2014. This set retails for $24.99 and is available on Amazon. Below is a brief video review and my remarks regarding the set.
Pros:
- Includes two spring-loaded shooters
- All 10 sand blue parts are unique to this set.
- First minifig-scaled vulture droid by LEGO, and a pilot droid fits inside the cockpit
Cons:
- Only one unique minifig
- High price-per-piece ratio
After 3 renditions of the vulture droid, LEGO finally made one to minifig scale. It features a sturdy and simple transformation feature and can hold a pilot droid. The spring loaded launchers add great playability to the model. Unfortunately there aren’t notable minifigs in this set if you’re looking for non-generic characters from the Star Wars universe. As a parts pack, it is not the best due to the higher than average price-per-piece ratio. There are a few sand blue parts, but they can be obtained on Bricklink once they become more prevalent.
Lego Star Wars Battle on Saleucami 75037 [Review]
The Lego Star Wars Battle on Saleucami is one of the new Star Wars sets released in March 2014. This set retails for $14.99 and is available on Amazon. Below is a brief video review and my remarks regarding the set.
Pros:
- Includes a unique BARC trooper, 3 olive green grass stems, and a spring-loaded launcher
- The set is built like a target practice range, and it’s fun to shoot at the droids
Cons:
- Comes with only one unique minifig
This set is essentially an upgraded battle pack with the added feature of a target practice playset. This is currently the cheapest set to get the spring-loaded shooter, which is one of the coolest bricks that Lego has released. The speeder is well-designed with the skis/fins contributing to the more dynamic look of the model. The olive green grass stems are exclusive to this set, and it’s useful in many creations that need foliage. If only the set had more than one unique minifig, then it would make this a true gem. Nevertheless I still highly recommend this set both for the great play feature and useful parts.
Functioning Lego keyboard
Jason Allemann is known having both form and function in many of his Lego creations. His latest work is a fully functional Lego keyboard made with using official Lego pieces and a circuit board from a standard keyboard. The main picture warrants a closer look for all the witty substitutions that the builder has made for keys such as caps lock, windows, and print screen just to name a few. Check out the video explaining the construction of this cool project.
Amazon discounts March 2014 [News]
Amazon currently has the following sets on a notable discount:
LEGO Chima 70008 Gorzans Gorilla Striker $25.59 (49%)
LEGO Super Heroes Tumbler Chase $23.99 (40%)
LEGO Ninjago Nindroid Mech Dragon $57.59 (36%)
LEGO Lord of the Rings 79014 Dol Guldur Battle $47.99 (31%)
Lego Clue vignettes
Max Pointner recreated the classic scenarios from the board game Clue where players try to figure out the killer, the weapon, and the room of the murder scene. I like the black frames on each vignette that tie the series together. If you enjoyed these vignettes, check out more dramatized scenes of Clue by Alex Eylar.
Doc Ock Truck Heist 76015 [Review]
Doc Ock Truck Heist is one of the Lego Super Heroes sets released in March 2014. It retails for $19.99 and is available on Amazon. Below is a brief video review and my remarks regarding the set.
Pros:
- The exploding safes is an interesting play feature
- The design for the armored truck is decent and includes a unique green train window
Cons:
- Besides Doc Ock, the other minifigures are not unique to the set
- Spider Man’s web catapult does not work
This set has the potential for higher marks from me, but the lack of more than one unique minifig and the default suboptimal design of the play features are setbacks. In order for the exploding safes to eject from the truck, you’ll have to switch to frictionless technic pins as I’ve shown in the video. There is unfortunately no fix for the web catapult, so it should just be regarded as decoration. Otherwise, I like the design of the truck despite an overall average selection of parts. Judging from trends on other older Super Heroes sets, I expect Amazon will have discount the set by about 25% after several months when fall is here.
Captain America vs. Hydra 76017 [Review]
Captain America vs. Hydra is one of the Lego Super Heroes sets released in March 2014. It retails for $19.99 and is available on Amazon. Below is a brief video review and my remarks regarding the set.
Pros:
- Very sturdy vehicle with suspension on the wheels
- Includes 3 unique minifigures with new printing for Captain America
- A modest selection of olive green parts
Cons:
- Low price per part ratio
- Very simple build, no noteworthy techniques to highlight
This is a decent $20 Lego Super Heroes set. The battle vehicle is great for play, but among adult builders and collectors there’s little value to it other than the olive green parts and the minifigs. This is one of the easier sets I’ve built and takes very little time. Judging from trends on other older Super Heroes sets, I expect Amazon will have discount the set by about 25% after several months when fall is here.