LEGO Nostalgia

I need to get more into technics stuff. I got the rally car earlier this year, and I loved the mechanical stuff. I haven't gotten more yet because the actual vehicles aren't as interesting to me by themselves, and I'm mostly interested in the mechanics. That means the small ones don't have enough mechanics to be interesting, and I'm also not super into the finished product. Some of the bigger construction stuff has enough mechanical bits to make me want it in spite of not really being a big fan of cranes or anything.

The Bugatti is my most wanted Lego set right now, because it's big, mechanically complex, and I really like the way the finished product looks. But it's also three hundred and fifty bucks, which is a lot.

The orange Porsche was an amazing model build. Can't recommend it enough. It is $300 though.

The AROCS is a truck with a complex gearbox and working grab arm. Definitely a cool build and a nice-looking truck, too, with even a fold-up cab and dump capabilities.

I had a lot of Lego's I can't remember as a kid, but really got into them for a while in my early 20s when Star Wars sets first started getting big. I only had about 7 or 8 of them, but two were the Collectors Edition sets, including the original CE TIE Fighter. For some stupid reason, I eventually thought I was "too old" for toys and just threw them out... didn't sell them... trade them... whatever. Just threw them in the trash. My only lame defense is this was well over 10 years ago before I really knew about/how-to eBay.

Flash forward a number of years and the wife told me if I would help decorate, we could do my (then) infant son's bedroom in Star Wars. He's 7 now and his room is FULLY decked-out in Star Wars - including nearly the entire Star Wars POP! collection. I'd say he's got about 9 or 10 ships and the entire planets set, but my absolute favorite that I'd love to steal from him is the Sith Fury from The Old Republic MMO.

...I no longer think I'm too old and have an eclectic collection of Star Wars, Deadpool, and Destiny toys mixed in with all of my military memorabilia on my desk at work.

maverickz wrote:

The orange Porsche was an amazing model build. Can't recommend it enough. It is $300 though.

I know that one's supposed to be good, but I just don't love the look. Definitely not as much once they announced the Bugatti.

I spent a while making noises about trying some Lego sets, and my wife always said she thought it was silly and she didn't want to display toys in living room or anything. I didn't feel super strongly, since I'd never really been a Lego kid (not creative at all). Last Christmas, I decided the Saturn V was the perfect combo of looking awesome, being kinda big, and being relatively affordable. I think she agreed to get it for me because it was a more "normal" thing instead of something explicitly geeky.

When I started assembling it, I realized I loved the act of carefully following instructions. It was actually great for my brain weasels, which were a definite problem last year. I think the mental health angle sold her on the idea, and I've been picking up a few sets since then. I get to display them in my basement office, so wife is happy. So far, I've gotten the Saturn, UCS Y-Wing, Rally Car, and London bus. The fact that I prefer big builds and the price of those is a good limiting factor on getting a billion sets.

The one risky thing is that my toddler loves playing with the car and the bus. I do let him play with them, but you have to watch him like a hawk, because he's good at taking bits off.

Lego movie 2 sets revealed. Only one matters.

https://shop.lego.com/en-US/Benny-s-...

IMAGE(https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/media.brothers-brick.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/LEGO-Movie-2-70841-Benny’s-Space-Squad-02.jpg)

Chaz wrote:

When I started assembling it, I realized I loved the act of carefully following instructions. It was actually great for my brain weasels, which were a definite problem last year. I think the mental health angle sold her on the idea, and I've been picking up a few sets since then. I get to display them in my basement office, so wife is happy.

This is exactly me! I built the ship in a bottle set a few months ago and during the process I said to my wife, "I'm in my happy place, this is my zen right here." I may have to pick up that Porche model, because it looks amazing. Tough to come up with that cash though.

Dryden wrote:

Lego movie 2 sets revealed. Only one matters.

The one that matters most to me is Emmet and Benny's ‘Build and Fix' Workshop, because it has the return of the 3x6 sloped transparent yellow windscreen.

There are a couple cool space ones in the Lego Movie 2 sets. Also that party bus would good in front of the Modular Diner.

So, there are some new pictures of the 2019 Speed Champions sets at Brothers-Brick. I have to be honest, I'm kind of disappointed. I think the Ferrari set is going for a retro Lego look, which is cute but ultimately not that good looking. I think I like that Mini most of all.

IMAGE(https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/media.brothers-brick.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Speed-Champions-2019-FB-1024x536.jpg)

https://www.brothers-brick.com/2018/...

maverickz wrote:

So, there are some new pictures of the 2019 Speed Champions sets at Brothers-Brick. I have to be honest, I'm kind of disappointed. I think the Ferrari set is going for a retro Lego look, which is cute but ultimately not that good looking. I think I like that Mini most of all.

IMAGE(https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/media.brothers-brick.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Speed-Champions-2019-FB-1024x536.jpg)

https://www.brothers-brick.com/2018/...

I love the classic Mini (unsurprising for a former MINI owner), though I'm curious what makes it 8+ while all the others are 7+. The Dodge set makes me want a Fast & Furious set.

I just dug my giant box of Lego out of the closet and gave it to my niblings at Thanksgiving. I had some of the old instruction books and tried to make some of the original space sets and was shocked at how difficult it was to find the right bits. I ended pulling out just a moon rover and a couple figures to keep...I'll try to post a photo soonish.

d4m0 wrote:
Chaz wrote:

When I started assembling it, I realized I loved the act of carefully following instructions. It was actually great for my brain weasels, which were a definite problem last year. I think the mental health angle sold her on the idea, and I've been picking up a few sets since then. I get to display them in my basement office, so wife is happy.

This is exactly me! I built the ship in a bottle set a few months ago and during the process I said to my wife, "I'm in my happy place, this is my zen right here." I may have to pick up that Porche model, because it looks amazing. Tough to come up with that cash though.

I am right there with you guys. I love the act of building the models, but I don't really care to display them or leave them in a box in my closet for years. I have been pretty tempted by some of those 'Netflix for legos' type services that just mail you kits to build and then mail back when you are finished with them but the pricing schemes are kind of high. Does anyone have experience with a good one?

LeapingGnome wrote:

'Netflix for legos' type services that just mail you kits to build and then mail back

um what? This is a thing that exists? That is amazing! I'm also super interested to hear what it is like if anyone has tried it.

I ended up jumping in the deep end and picking up the huge orange Porsche Technics set. I rationalized it by calling it a birthday/christmas present to myself (the two dates are nicely close to each other). The set should arrive in the mail next week and I'm incredibly excited to start building it.

d4m0 wrote:
LeapingGnome wrote:

'Netflix for legos' type services that just mail you kits to build and then mail back

um what? This is a thing that exists? That is amazing! I'm also super interested to hear what it is like if anyone has tried it.

I too and the type who likes the build process much more than displaying/playing with/modifying the finished models and this sounds fantastic! How had I not heard to them before.

This is the one I look at every once in a while. I mostly haven't signed up because it really isn't cheap, especially for the bigger sets that I enjoy more. I wound up deciding if I was thinking seriously about signing up, I'd just not, and start socking that money into a Lego Fund, and buy a new set a few times a year. Which is really all I need anyway.

I’m a little skeptical of how well that service would work. I bought a large retired set on eBay a while back and was frustrated that there were a handful of missing pieces. With a large build you can spend forever looking before determining a specific brick is, in fact, not there. Very frustrating.

I don’t think the seller was trying to rip me off. They were common, unremarkable pieces. I wound up buying replacements from LEGO for a few bucks- no big deal. I just think it’s very easy in the disassembly process to lose a couple here and there. And if that’s done multiple times...

Also, that set (and my older sets) definitely have a bit of wear and tear to them. The pieces just don’t stick together quite as snugly. That’s probably not enough to dampen enjoyment or render them structurally unsound though. But I would wonder if it’s worse with repeated building and taking apart. There’s also that stupid psychological aspect for me. If I know I’m the one who wears something down or gets it dirty, it doesn’t bother me as much as if it was someone else.

Edit: I see they sterilize the sets and check for missing pieces. Wonder what they do when a discontinued piece is missing.

Same thing the rest of us do...Bricklink.

I really like the fact that so many people on this thread are writing lego instead of legos.

Some folks even type LEGO instead of Lego!

Sad news on the modular front...

Rumor has it that both the Detective's Office and the Brick Bank are on the soon-to-be-extinct list. They were both part of LEGO's Black Friday event and neither the website or my local store has either (or the Ferris Wheel).

I am bummed because I have had both in hand before but did not pull the trigger. Now I am considering buying ALL THE MODULARS that I don't have so that I can just focus on buying the new ones as they come out.

In that note, have you guys seen the Corner Garage, coming January 1?

Buy them now. These are the ones that balloon in price after Lego stops making them!

karmajay wrote:

Buy them now. These are the ones that balloon in price after Lego starts making them!

I assume you meant stops making them and yeah, would love to buy them all. Thing is, I also love being married, and although she too loves the Lego, she would be a bit perturbed if I dropped the $1500+ needed to get "caught up". (We only have two modulars so far)

IMAGE(https://i.imgur.com/IVUAURH.jpg)

Finally got up my only Christmas decoration. Once it hits Dec 26th he goes back into the drawer.

My 3 1/2 year old kept insisting that Santa was going to bring her some Okee Dokee Brothers toys, so I had to get creative.
IMAGE(https://i.imgur.com/MVWPmUW.jpg)
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But Lego really needs to go ahead and make a banjo.

3d print one?

Have any of you guys had tried re-painting Lego before?

I'm planning on repainting some bricks and I'm wondering if anybody has any pointers (I'm going to repaint the D.Va mech in the upcoming Overwatch set from pink bricks to blue/green to match my team colours).

I was originally thinking of using bricklink to get the right colours but i think some of the pieces in the new set are unique and it will cost quite a bit of money to get all the right bricks together.

They are ABS so scuff em up and use some rattle can primer and paint and you should be fine. Maybe mark off connecting parts since they connect with a small tolerance, etc.

yeah i'm going to avoid the connecting parts, using tape or something to prevent primer/paint from messing with it.

When you say scuff them up what do you mean? Like scratch them up a bit? Take off the finish or something? Does it help the primer stick or something?

Axel wrote:

When you say scuff them up what do you mean? Like scratch them up a bit? Take off the finish or something? Does it help the primer stick or something?

Yeah, he's saying it's ABS plastic, and in general, lots of plastics, particularly hard plastics are difficult to adhere to with adhesives, paints, etc. so scuffing allows for adhesives and plastics to get a grip in the scratches and form a secondary bond.