Tag Archives: derjoe

They sure don’t make them like they used to

Joe Klang is back in the workshop making more amazingly deceptive 1:1 scale models. If you thought his LEGO Etch-a-Sketch and Atari were neat, prepare to do a double-take with his cordless power drill.

My own creation of a Metabo electric drill.

Although the drill is what caught my eye I think my favorite tool is the orange adjustable box cutter making great use of the newer rounded plates to provide both smooth AND textured edges.

1:1 LEGO models are among my favorite fan creations, particularly because I appreciate the immense effort of manipulating the vast system of pieces (most of which have studs that would immediately give the game away!) into something familiar and handheld that seems like it couldn’t possibly be built out of LEGO.

The toys that made us loopy

Builder Joe Klang is once again creating realistic LEGO models and this time he has his sights on the classic Etch-A-Sketch toy. My own foray into the Etch-A-Sketch arts was short-lived as I found it frustrating. I could draw, that was no problem, but applying my skill to the screen yielded nothing more complex than a wobbly smiley face. To add further insult to my own deflated ego, there are people who are quite good at it. I’m not sure how Joe fares as an Etch-A-Sketch artist but as a LEGO builder, he is top-notch. The complex lettering both on the red frame and old-school LEGO logo on the screen is a testament to his amazing abilities. We were all equally enamoured with his recent and realistic LEGO camera and Atari 2600.

LEGO Etch A Sketch

A twist on deepfake images

More and more these days, I worry about the truth of what I see online. From deepfakes to bot accounts, it feels like nothing can really be trusted anymore. And then…and then…people like Joe Klang make me start doubting reality itself. I mean, look at this Leica M camera. Except it’s not a camera at all, is it? Of course not. It’s made out of LEGO bricks.

It’s the creative part usage that makes this model so realistic. Minifigure weapons connect a length of chain serving as a perfect camera strap, with small rubber tires cinching things up nicely. An X-Pod lid doubles as a lens cap, and a variety of 1×1 tiles mimic the camera housing with just the right level of texture.

My version of a Leica M camera. Rebuild in LEGO

At least I know I can take a break from this madness and go and play some classic Atari games. (Or maybe not…)

The pitfalls of realistic building

There’s a danger to building realistic LEGO creations in that there is a chance writers like us could pass it up. While seeking out inspiration for articles, my thought process went as follows, LEGO build; cool. Another LEGO build, our readers will like that one; cool. Someone selling their old Atari, maybe? Pffft, whatever, move on. LEGO creation; cool. Wait, go back. Was that? Holy shnikies, that’s LEGO! That reaction is courtesy of Joe Klang and every bit of this stellar Atari 2600 is genuine LEGO. The Atari logo is comprised of 1×2 curved slopes, the chrome jack is a harpoon piece and even the rubber bands are LEGO. Notoriously spotty quality control with brown works in Joe’s favor here as it replicates woodgrain nicely. Even the Pitfall box art with its 8-bit graphics are well played indeed!

Atari VCS 2600 recreated in LEGO